Entrepreneur Country forum - you're invited! 18/11/2009

In this fortnights issue:

• Entrepreneur Country: Politics Not As Usual - you're invited!
• Confused.com founder wins Entrepreneur of the Year
• Swindon goes digital
• A case for Renewal of Employee Engagment  - Jeff Wellstead
• Contribution Currency - Penny Power

You'll find interviews with many of the UK and Europe's leading entrepreneurs at www.entrepreneurcountry.net. Register while you're there and join the growing community.

Entrepreneur Country event opens its borders!

Join us at the 6th Entrepreneur Country event, Politics Not As Usual, at London's Savoy Place on 14 January 2010. For the first time, this exclusive invitation-only event will be open to the wider entrepreneurial community.

This is a must attend event, bringing together entrepreneurs, business leaders, investors, innovators and key influencers for one power-packed day of thought leadership, pitching, networking and learning.

With the worst of the recession behind us and a general election ahead, politics as usual is not the order of the day. The future of the UK as an economic power may depend on what happens between now and May 2010 - more must done to foster an environment in which businesses large and small can thrive. Dynamic entrepreneurship is the only way to create real, sustainable wealth in our economy and the resulting growth will ultimately benefit us all.

More details are available here

Why attend?

• Entrepreneurs - skills workshops with industry leading practitioners; inspiration from successful serial entrepreneurs; high-level networking; opportunity to pitch to investors
• Investors - find hot new opportunities; contribute to the debate; extraordinary networking
• Corporates - insight into who's innovating in your industry; find hot new companies to partner with; discover how to integrate innovation successfully; amazing networking
• Service Providers - visibility amongst your target audience; demonstrate your services and expertise; and of course, networking!

Register now!

Entrepreneur of the Year - Sara Murray

Successful serial entrepreneur Sara Murray was named Entrepreneur of the Year at the prestigious annual National Business Awards last week.

Sara, who is most well known for founding the successful quote comparison website Confused.com, now runs buddi, a GPS personal tracker which locates people instantly and can be used to help keep children and people with dementia and Alzheimer's safe.

As a board member of the Technology Strategy Board and founding board member of Seedcamp, a start-up school for technology entrepreneurs, Sara takes an active role in inspiring, encouraging and helping budding entrepreneurs through mentoring and investing.

Graham Spittle CBE, Chairman of the Technology Strategy Board said: "Entrepreneurship will be crucial in driving economic growth and Sara is an outstanding example of a serial entrepreneur, taking risks and achieving great success in her current and earlier ventures."

Commenting on the award, Sara said: "I'm delighted and proud to have won this award. Building a business is, by nature, risky, challenging and fraught with difficulty but, despite the challenges, I have found it hugely enjoyable and rewarding."

Swindon - the UK's first digital city

Swindon is to become the first UK town to provide free internet access for all residents.

A Wi-Fi 'mesh', made up of around 1400 secure internet access points, will deliver free access to the internet and email, but usage will be restricted unless users wish to upgrade to a paid-for package.

Its first public/private partnership, the £1m project will see the Swindon Borough Council team up with digital technology firm aQovia, forming a company called Digital City UK Ltd, and operating under the brand name 'Signal'.

According to the Council, the whole community will be given free wireless internet connections and free line rental, with the ability to roam freely across the Borough while staying online.

Rod Bluh, Swindon Borough Council Leader, said: “This is a truly groundbreaking partnership which will have real benefits for everyone living in Swindon. “Not only will residents in the Borough be able to access the internet for free, the Council and its partners will be able to use the technology to provide cutting edge services to the areas or individuals who need them. Digital City will also provide the Council with a unique funding stream and it is our intention to use our expertise to help other local authorities follow our lead.”

A Case for Renewal of Employee Engagement

by Jeff Wellstead, Talent Transformations

With 2009 coming to a close (thank goodness!) and talk of the Great Recession crawling to its inevitable end, it is finally time to get out of our War Rooms and get on with the job of preparing for potential prosperity again.

It’s been hard and painful for everyone involved, and in taking a moment of bereavement for ourselves, best we not forget the plight of the good people who work feverishly to bring our dreams to life everyday – especially since we have lost so very many to the unjust financial knife of this economy’s heartless intensity.

Shaking off the burden of leadership for the moment, a chilling thought has come creeping back to haunt me: “Have I forgotten about the other victims of this difficult time – the over-burdened employees who have been left to defend the battlements whilst watching their colleagues walk off into the woods of an uncertain future?” Yes, for a moment I had – I’m sure we all have, and it is high time we gather ourselves up and look to the future.

Beyond the sense of radical change without control taking over our lives, there is a greater concern that when things actually turnaround, we’ll not be well prepared to jump back into the fray and reverse our fortunes effectively. This is a very real and powerful concern and not to be ignored.

Read more...

Contribution Currency

This is an extract from Know Me, Like Me, Follow Me, a new book on the power of social networking, by Penny Power, founder of Ecademy

I am now going to take you deep inside the world of social networks. As I have said throughout, the technology is just the enabler. Once you understand the context of what is happening and the opportunities for you to create a source of income through your activities, the technology will purely be a medium through which you achieve your desired result. Do not get hung up on the technology, although you must become its master.

Success is the by-product

The most critical aspect of being a citizen in the world of social networks will be your ability to contribute to others. Success is the by-product – the result of being a team player. If you target success and have that as your only reason for spending time on a site then you will never achieve it. Success comes because of your willingness to share, listen, help and contribute to the success of others.

Read more...