Social media may have left us more digitally connected than ever before, but it doesn’t allow for chance meetings and meaningful connections in real time. Until now.

Causr is a new app that manufactures serendipity. It enables people to start a conversation with someone around them, creating a connection that would otherwise have been missed. Indeed, Causr itself was born out of a chance meeting on the tube – a meeting which spurred co-founder of Student Beans, James Eder, to take on his next entrepreneurial challenge.

Keep reading to discover more about the serial entrepreneur and learn why Causr may be your key to connecting with those people around you that you’ve not met – yet.

In the spotlight:

Name: James Eder

Age: 33

Location: London

Degree/University: Business, University of Birmingham

Tell us a bit about yourself and your journey to becoming an entrepreneur. Have you always been interested in enterprise?

The idea of running a business and being an entrepreneur has always appealed to me. At the age of 13, I started my first enterprise – taking black and white photos of dogs and selling them to their owners – with my brother. M&J Photos was, however, a short-lived venture, as I took photos one week of dogs in the snow, tried to develop the film myself, and it all went wrong, so we stopped after selling only a few photos.

At 17, I created a website with a few friends at school as part of Young Enterprise – a fantastic programme which provided some amazing practical business experiences whilst I was studying for my A-levels. I did design, geography and economics, which set me up to attend the University of Birmingham to study business from 2002-2005.

I got involved in a lot of things at university, from the ski club to AIESEC, and went on work placements to the Philippines and Colombia. I was a brand manager for Yellow Pages and delivered thousands of pounds worth of sponsorship for my halls’ summer ball. All of these experiences combined led to me wanting to start a business when I graduated.

At just 22, I founded Student Beans to help students save money, and to help businesses engage with students. I worked on the business for 11 years, but have recently left the day-to-day running of the company with my brother and co-founder, Michael.

Where did the idea for Causr come from, and how did you progress it from concept to reality? Did you do any market testing?

Not long ago I was on the Underground when someone came and sat in the seat next to me. They were clutching their CV, so I asked them where they’d been and what they were looking for. A few weeks later, we were sat together again, this time in the office of my old company.

Sometime later, I needed to speak to a specific person from a specific business. I left the office, was standing on the platform at Golders Green, and happened to meet the exact person I needed to meet. I’d simply asked them if our train was coming soon, and it went from there.

These chance encounters made a real impact on my working life and it got me thinking about the other opportunities I must have missed over the years. That’s why I wanted to create Causr. The idea of manufacturing serendipity, though a challenge, was incredibly appealing. I wanted to enable people to create connections that would otherwise be missed. It’s clear to me that these all-important conversations often don’t happen because people lack confidence, or don’t feel like they have permission to start talking to someone they’ve never met before.

Causr sees past that. It’s an enabler – technology that empowers previously unrelated people to connect in real time, face-to-face. It gives people the confidence to start a conversation that may lead to a meaningful opportunity, or simply pass the time and have a chat that might brighten their day.

Our vision is to create millions of meaningful connections for people, all around the world, every day.

How did you initially finance Causr?

I registered the company in December 2015, and the first few months were all about building the product. I created an initial web app that got 1000 users and then approached a number of Angels. I closed a round of funding earlier this year to be able to build the iOS version. It’s important not to let lack of money get in your way, but it’s hard and you have to be resourceful; many businesses that get funding over-spend on the wrong things and are nowhere to be seen today.

Causr helps users connect with like-minded people around them, but how do you connect with your audience?

With Causr, the most important thing is our users and the stories behind how they connect with each other. Whilst we’re at the beginning of growing our own community – that might be on other social platforms – we’re keen to shine a light on our successes and the connections we’ve helped create. Feel free to get in touch via email (hello@causr.co) or Twitter if you have a story to share.

What does a typical day look like in the world of James Eder?

No two days are the same. From fundraising to recruitment, a breakfast networking event to speaking at a conference, no job is too small or opportunity too big to explore. That’s why I love being an entrepreneur: the highs are high and the lows can be very low, but knowing each day that people are connecting and meeting as a result of Causr keeps me going.

What advice do you have for aspiring student entrepreneurs?

They say that if you want something done, give it to a busy person. People talk about work/life balance and, whilst it is important to have balance in your life, my approach is to ask: are you enjoying yourself or not? Focus on the things that you love and it won’t feel like work. Being an entrepreneur isn’t a ‘get rich quick’ scheme or the easy route. There are lots of ups and downs but it can be very rewarding. There’s a great book called Getting Things Done by David Allen – I wish I’d known about that when I was a student as it has transformed the way I work!

What has been your biggest challenge to date?

Being a startup is hard, but the biggest challenge has to be finding a world-class team to help make your vision a reality. I’m so thankful and grateful for all the amazing people who have helped and worked with me over the years.

And your proudest moment so far?

I was named ‘Alumni of the Year’ by the University of Birmingham in 2015, ten years after graduating. It was an amazing honour. With my family in the room I gave a speech, which was not only a great experience in itself, but also a great opportunity to reflect on the last ten years and what the team has achieved.

Causr blends the social environment of Facebook with the professional premise of LinkedIn to create a springboard for real-life conversations. Do you think this hails a new era for social media?

Yes! Whilst we’re more digitally connected than ever, Causr is all about enabling face-to-face connections and opportunities that otherwise would be missed. Where Facebook is about connecting with friends, and LinkedIn connecting with professional contacts you know, Causr is about unlocking the rest of the world – connecting those people around you that you’ve not yet met. There are more people within a square mile of you right now that you don’t know than you do know, and we’re here to help do something about that.

Where do you hope to see Causr in five years’ time?

In five years’ time the aim is for Causr to be used actively around the world, connecting communities, alumni groups, and employees. You’ll be able to land in any major city, log on to Causr, see who’s nearby, and connect and collaborate.

Who inspires you?

Elon Musk is an amazing entrepreneur with a vision that is changing the world. Steve Jobs and Anita Roddick, although no longer alive, both played a part in my journey, having seen them speak. Anyone who is willing to stand for something, commit to it, and then deliver on taking an idea and making it a reality is someone I massively respect. Creating something new isn’t easy.

There’s an age-old debate about whether entrepreneurs are born or made. Do you think your degree/education has contributed to your success?

I don’t think you can underestimate the environment that you are raised in. I feel hugely grateful to have gone to a great school and university, however I don’t believe it’s about the piece of paper you attain or the grades you get. If you aren’t academic don’t let that stop you. It’s about the experiences you have, who you are as a person, and the people you surround yourself with. Don’t underestimate values and drive in what you need to be able to achieve.

And finally, if you were an animal, what would you be?

According to this site, and my own preferences, I’m a penguin. What does that say about me? Well, as a penguin I take life in its stride, not letting the big issues of the world stand in my way. I like spending time with large groups of friends and am considered a bit of a socialite, jumping back and forth between different groups of friends. However, I still have time for my family and remain close to them.

Causr is a location-based app helping professionals network on the go. Available from the App Store, log on to see who’s near you now and start networking today.

After a woman failed to attract the attention of passers-by during an attack in the apartment block where she lived, Rebecca decided to take matters into her own hands. Enter the Personal Guardian, a small electronic device that connects to your mobile phone, alerts the police, and sends them your exact location. In short, an attack alarm with bells and whistles that ensures anyone in trouble can get help, and fast.

Read on to discover how Rebecca turned her idea into a reality whilst still a student, raised over £100k investment (and counting), and how she hopes her lifesaving invention might transform her into a unicorn…

In the spotlight:

Name: Rebecca Pick

Age: 23

Location: Glasgow

Degree: Marketing & Enterprise at the University of Strathclyde

Tell us a bit about yourself and your journey to becoming an entrepreneur. Have you always been interested in enterprise?

I never thought I would run my own business! I decided to take Business Management as a subject at high school because I thought it would help in whatever job I went on to do, and it quickly became my favourite; I found it so interesting how all the different parts of a business have to work together for it to be successful, and I liked the fact that there was no one right way to do it.

I went on to do a business degree at the University of Strathclyde and I joined in different enterprise related activities. There I became aware of all the help and support that was available for students setting up a business, had an idea… and it grew from there!

Where did the idea for Pick Protection come from?

I set up Pick Protection in order to launch the Personal Guardian – a wearable monitored personal attack alarm – after a horrible incident took place in my apartment complex. A neighbour was attacked and sadly nobody came to the rescue. It made me think that we should all carry a device that will provide a guaranteed response, and that idea was developed into the Personal Guardian.

How did you go about turning the idea for an attack alarm into an actual product?

First of all, I did a lot of market research. I couldn’t believe a product like this didn’t already exist! I looked at all the other products on the market and found there were no monitored alarms that could provide a police response. I then did the research to see if my idea was feasible, and if it was technically and practically possible.

After I ticked those two boxes, I conducted a study on my target market, asking questions such as did they already carry a personal attack alarm – and if not, why not? Should a personal alarm be wearable, discreet etc.? I then had a solid base to start progressing the idea. I entered into early stage business competitions and won prize money that helped me to pay product designers to start actually developing the hardware. Based on the initial designs from the designers and the market research I conducted, I managed to raise £60k of angel investment from a syndicate based in the University of Strathclyde. Once I had that funding, I could afford to pay companies to take the development further.

Last year, the number of recorded rapes in the UK increased by 31% to 24,043 – a chilling statistic. There is therefore a very obvious audience for your product, but how did you market test it?

You’re right, there is an obvious audience for the product, but we actually have two target markets: B2C (Business to Consumer), and also B2B (Business to Business). Companies have a duty of care to their lone workers, and legislation around lone working is becoming increasingly stringent, so we can sell in larger volumes to companies who can then protect their employees with a Personal Guardian too.

How did you initially finance Pick Protection?

I initially financed Pick Protection with competition prize money. I won the Scottish Institute for Enterprise’s Young Innovators Challenge in 2014 and that gave me £2,500 to begin with. I also came second in the Converge Challenge Kickstart competition and won £1,500, so I raised enough money to pay designers to create tangible designs and images I could then use to show people what I wanted to develop. This helped me to raise private investment (£60k) to further develop the Personal Guardian.

Pick Protection is more than a business: it’s a potential life saver. How do you spread word about the product to your target audience?

We will be launching the Personal Guardian later this year, but we have already had a lot of media coverage, including Sky News, The Guardian, The Independent, and my favourites, Glamour and Cosmopolitan magazines, and many more. When we do launch the Personal Guardian we hope to generate more media coverage and this will really help to spread the word. Going through universities will also help us reach a lot of people who may be interested in the Personal Guardian, and of course social media will be a huge part of our campaign as well.

Many students struggle to juggle their studies with their social life, but you did both and set up a business! What advice do you have for other aspiring student entrepreneurs?

I would say that everything takes a lot longer than you think it will – so start as soon as you possibly can! Especially at the beginning, when funding is tight, you may be relying on winning competitions or grant funding which can be very time consuming. I am so glad I started Pick Protection in my third year as, when it came to my final year, I didn’t worry about finding a graduate job because I knew Pick Protection was in a position where I could work on it full time and take a small wage from it.

What does a typical day look like in the world of Rebecca Pick?

Every day is totally different. From raising finance, to product development, to marketing and sales plans, there are so many different things that all need to be worked on to get a business off the ground. I think I have the most interesting and rewarding job in the world, but it is very hard work and requires constant learning!

And your proudest moment so far?

I think there are a number of moments I could choose, however I have to say that every time I look at the Personal Guardian I am hugely proud – it’s a product that wouldn’t exist if I hadn’t had an idea and created it. It looks good and it could potentially be a lifesaving invention. I am also proud that Pick Protection won Santander Universities Entrepreneurship Award for the Best Undergraduate Business in the UK. Finally, from a funding perspective, I have raised over £100k and will shortly be closing another round of investment, and that definitely puts a smile on my face!

Who inspires you?

There are many successful entrepreneurs who have created incredible businesses and they are all hugely inspiring. But personally, as a young female, I find Emma Watson and her fight for gender equality very inspirational.

From fashion to fitness to personal safety: wearable tech is a fast-growing industry. Where do you hope to see Pick Protection in five years’ time?

In five years’ time I see Pick Protection with a full product range, offering these goods all across Europe.

How has your degree/education contributed to your success?

I think my degree helped by putting me in an environment where I met all the right people. The University of Strathclyde offers a lot of support for start-up companies, and for me that has been invaluable.

And finally, if you were an animal, what would you be?

That’s a tough one! Start-up companies valued over $1 billion are called unicorns – so I would very much like to be a unicorn!

Pick Protection’s Personal Guardian, a revolutionary attack alarm launching in 2016, can be worn discreetly under clothes, such as on a bra strap, trouser belt loop, or clipped to a worker’s lanyard. The alarm not only has the potential to stop an attack but also gather evidence to assist in gaining a conviction.

However, his frustration at being unable to find suitable shoes for an event led him down a very different path – one that would result in him turning over a seven-figure sum, and seeing his shoes on Oscar-winner Eddie Redmayne, before he’d even entered his twenties.

In a rare moment of peace in the midst of A/W planning, we caught up with the accidental shoe designer and director of Duke & Dexter to find out how he has taken a traditional product and reinvented it in order to create a hugely successful global brand. Best foot forward, Archie!

In the spotlight:

Name: Archie Hewlett

Age: 22

Location: London

Degree: Turned down a psychology degree at Durham University to pursue Duke & Dexter

Tell us a bit about yourself and your journey to becoming an entrepreneur. Have you always been interested in enterprise?

I’ve always liked the idea of running my own company – alongside everyone else I’m sure! – but it was never something I had planned to do. I think anyone with a business mind will always want to explore possibilities, but Duke & Dexter was more something which developed into a business over time, rather than a light bulb moment that I threw myself into immediately.

Where did the idea for Duke & Dexter come from? How did you progress from idea to reality?

Just before I was due to start at Durham University, I attended a black tie event to which I wanted to wear a traditional yet contemporary loafer, without spending an unnecessarily large amount on such a shoe. Unable to find something suitable, I chose to have a bespoke pair made, and couldn’t believe the attention garnered!

I didn’t have a clear plan of what I wanted to do as a career and had been employed as a recruiter in my gap year. However, each time I wore my bespoke loafers, people asked where they could get a pair, and I soon recognised a gap in the market for a luxurious yet affordable smart shoe which could be versatile and styled to all occasions. I thus decided to launch Duke & Dexter, rather than taking up my place at university.

A huge decision, Archie! How did you know Duke & Dexter was going to be a success?

I didn’t. And I think anyone in any industry, especially retail, has to keep constantly evolving and bettering themselves to stay relevant in an ever-changing landscape. In the fashion world, you’re up against a pool of talented, ambitious people who all have as good a chance of making it as you. Long hours, dedication, and a solid product seems to be the winning formula.

How did you identify your audience and market test your products?

We actually did it the other way around. We only specialise in one thing because we know we do it well. As a result, we have built organic loyalty and support from a diverse crowd, rather than targeting one type of person. We design for those who are comfortable creating their own looks rather than obeying the latest seasonal fashion. The uniqueness of our shoe, alongside the comfort and commercial price, generates strong demand from a varied demographic, which is amazing to see. Therefore, by staying true to the brand’s values, our following seems to have snowballed – without having to surrender our ethos to become more commercial within the market place.

How did you initially finance Duke & Dexter?

I began with £5000, which was spent very cautiously and only when absolutely necessary. I’ve always been realistic with margins and am careful with spend. It seems small in relation to what we’re doing now, of course, but at the time it was extremely daunting. Luckily we’ve managed to grow ever since without needing to find financial support, thanks to global demand for each and every new style released.

Your shoes have a whole host of celebrity fans, including Eddie Redmayne, Justin Timberlake, Ryan Reynolds and Poppy Delevingne. How do you reach out to such influencers and, more generally, how do you make sure you stand out in an incredibly competitive marketplace?

In 2015, I had contacted Eddie Redmayne’s stylist and she requested a pair of black D&D’s for him to potentially wear at an upcoming major event. To enhance our chances of having the shoes selected, we had them made bespoke with Eddie’s initials embroidered in very small detailing across the heel. Eddie then wore them to the Oscars when accepting his award for the Theory of Everything, which was a huge milestone for the label. Not only was he on the world’s stage, but to be competing with major brands showcased on the same evening was a big turning point.

From there, word spread and we’ve built a strong reputation in good circles. Whether a celebrity or not, I think people just genuinely support what we’re doing and have a lot of respect for our originality – that’s key.

What has been your biggest challenge to date?

Right at the beginning, I had a lot of time and little money, and therefore had to spend a huge number of hours emailing and calling around to find suitable suppliers, both for distinct materials and the manufacturing itself. Furthermore, I had to appreciate that just because we were seeking quality, that was no guarantee we would get it exactly right from the start. It would be very unusual to get perfect products first time around and, if you do, there will always be room for improvement.

And your proudest moment so far?

When we started to manufacture our shoes in England earlier this year. We wanted to support British trade and craftsmanship, which is now a dying talent. The UK has lost a lot of trade to overseas manufacturers, placing further importance on what we’re doing and who we are as a company. There is a unique charm that comes from English style and we wanted to represent that through our product.

Where do you hope to see Duke & Dexter in five years’ time?

We are soon launching our children’s range in Harrods and Selfridges, shortly followed by re-introducing our women’s collection. We are also due to open a store in Covent Garden later this year. Having always used our online platform as our store front, the launch of a London location will give our clients the opportunity to have the physical experience of Duke & Dexter, on top of access to clients who simply do not shop online.

Looking at the next few years, we will continue to cement our global presence, expanding worldwide so consumers can buy at local suppliers.

What advice do you have for aspiring student entrepreneurs?

Be cautious with spend and take your time. It’s easier to make quick money, but persistence and dedication to building a strong foundation will always be more beneficial.

Designed in London and handcrafted in England, Duke & Dexter is a footwear label specialising in premium loafers for those who appreciate modern, functional, and spirited apparel. Since launching in 2014, Duke & Dexter has achieved international recognition, selling to over 100 countries worldwide and being stocked in some of the most reputable retail stores including Liberty, Fenwick, Selfridges and Harrods.

But, just as you can’t wake up one morning and decide you want to be an Olympic gymnast with no prior training, can you really announce your intention to become an entrepreneur without having had formal enterprise education?

The increasing demand for entrepreneurship classes, and the booming market for self-help business books, suggests not. Indeed, Harvard Business School professor, Dr Noam Wasserman , believes that enterprise educators have a responsibility to analyse what works (and what doesn’t) and teach it – just as one would teach doctors, lawyers and accountants:

“Entrepreneurs are the ultimate general managers. They can benefit from much of the same knowledge that business students gain about marketing, finance and other topics, complemented by lessons that are specifically tailored to start-ups. And those lessons are getting better all the time.”

By contrast, business personality Gary Vaynerchuk is adamant that entrepreneurs are born, not made:

“I fully, fully 100,000%, with no hedge, do not believe that you can teach entrepreneurship… I think of entrepreneurship in a very rugged, very raw, much dirtier way.”

A question of semantics

To understand this debate fully, a clear distinction must be drawn between entrepreneurship and the entrepreneur.

Where entrepreneurship is the process of identifying and starting a business, an entrepreneur is the person who organises and operates it. Entrepreneurship requires assessing both risks and rewards, whilst being an entrepreneur means putting a company’s mission before your own ego. As MIT professor Robert H. Hacker remarks:

“Entrepreneurs are created on a dinner table. But not all entrepreneurs have the skills or tools to make their business work.”

Herein lies the value of enterprise education for proponents: not to ‘teach’ the personality traits necessary for success, but to impart the knowledge needed to ensure the entrepreneur is prepared to make the best decisions for their business – equipping the entrepreneur not with the talent, but the tools.

University of life

Critics like Vaynerchuk disagree. They believe that entrepreneurship is an innate quality – something you were born to do, not something you can be taught to do. You cannot learn passion, perseverance and innovation in a classroom; you cannot learn how to make judgement calls when, by its very nature, enterprise is not clear cut. Starting and running a business requires skills that can only be developed in the real world: “the aggregate experience of a life that is lived” (Victor W. Hwang, Silicon Valley venture capitalist).

Enterprise education: our verdict

Here at Crowdfund Campus, we don’t believe the question is whether you can teach entrepreneurship, but how to teach it well. Indeed, one of Hwang’s criticisms of enterprise education is that traditional entrepreneurship classes teach would-be business owners to avoid making mistakes at all costs. On this point, we stand with Hwang, agreeing that enterprise education should focus not on endless planning and error avoidance, but on learning to fail. Our Sandpit platform has been developed precisely to give students a safe environment in which to try, and fail, and try again – arguably the greatest gift a university enterprise course can offer.

Although being an entrepreneur per se may ultimately come down to personality (which cannot be taught, only learned), entrepreneurship is a skillset which can be imparted and improved over time. Having an entrepreneurial personality is no guarantee of success: you need the attitude plus the application – the right resources, the good habits, the knowledge and know-how, the supportive mentors and peer community – to truly get you and your business ahead.

If you would like to discuss the value of enterprise education directly, or explore our innovative crowdfunding platform in full, please don’t hesitate to contact us today.

Indeed, Steven Bartlett’s influencer marketing agency, Social Chain, can make anything the number one trending topic on Twitter in less than 30 minutes. When one considers that there are 313 million monthly active users – not to mention a further 500 million monthly active users on Instagram and 1.65 billion monthly active users on Facebook (numbers to make the mind boggle!) – this is no mean feat.

Read on to meet the millennial entrepreneur who dropped out of university in order to get the likes of Microsoft, Just-Eat, Puma, Buzzfeed and Spotify in front of millions of people at the click of a button.

 

In the spotlight:

Name: Steven Bartlett

Age: 23

Location: UK/Berlin/New York

Degree: Dropped out of a business studies course at Manchester Metropolitan University

Tell us a bit about yourself and your journey to becoming an entrepreneur. Have you always been interested in enterprise?

Growing up, my brothers and I were all very competitive. Being the youngest, I was always trying to keep up and find a way to be better than them. I think this really stimulated my entrepreneurial nature, which became apparent in my school days: I managed to strike a deal with a vending machine company, actually making the school a fair bit of money. My headmaster used to call me his ‘Harry Potter under the stairs’.

Where did the idea for Social Chain come from?

The company actually started as a result of selling my first business, Wallpark, in 2014. This was a virtual wall where students could connect in the same city and share anything – from advertising a sporting event to selling old uni textbooks.

My biggest takeaway from Wallpark was learning the behaviour of young people on social media, particularly on Twitter. After selling my stake in the company, I contacted Dom McGregor (co-founder of Social Chain) who was running a Twitter page aimed at students. He posted content that was funny and relatable and, in return, amassed thousands of followers. I wanted to explore how his page – and thousands of others like his – could be used as a conduit to connect an audience with a brand.

I realised the reason people followed and engaged with these pages was for the content, so I figured that if there was a way a brand’s message could be seamlessly woven into a page, the engagement and following should not suffer. This was the inception of Social Chain.

Steven Bartlett with Dom McGregor

You dropped out of university after only one lecture to pursue your business. So bold! How did you know Social Chain was going to be a success, and how did you progress it from idea to reality?

I initially dropped out of university to focus on Wallpark, a ‘Gumtree’ style platform for students. I learnt so much from this experience, which fuelled the idea for Social Chain, and our first client was an app called Tippy Tap. As a brand new company, we honestly didn’t know that Social Chain would be a success, so we launched the Tippy Tap campaign into an unknown space and hoped for the best. To our amazement, it achieved unimaginable results. Tippy Tap sat at number one in the app store for weeks and even made the BBC headlines. It was then I knew we were on to something very special; a real break through moment for Social Chain.

How did you initially finance Social Chain?

To get Social Chain fully operational we raised an initial investment of £300,000, however it didn’t take long before we became profitable. After this, we didn’t receive any further investment until earlier this year when we received $2m from German media power house, Glow Media, to fuel international growth of the business.

Social Chain can reach an audience of millions within a matter of minutes, but how do you spread word about what you do?

I love public speaking, so talking at big marketing conferences has been a great way to communicate our brand and what we do here at Social Chain. Some cool conferences I’ve spoken at this year include TED X London, Ungagged, Millennial 2020, Glug, Cannes Lions, and Marketing Week Live.

Being at the forefront of the social media and marketing industry, we regard ourselves to be opinion formers through demonstrating thought leadership, not forgetting traditional PR and media relations too. We’re actually working on creating our own online platform, Scribe, which will essentially be one big social media and marketing blog where we will collectively share all our own experiences, knowledge and opinions.

What does a typical day look like in the world of Steven Bartlett?

I don’t really have a typical working day as each is so varied from the next. Now we’ve opened in New York, I tend to split my time travelling between New York, Berlin and Manchester to oversee operations and check in with each team. When I’m not working from any of the Social Chain offices, the rest of my time is spent taking meetings in New York, London and Berlin, pitching to new clients, and speaking at different conferences across Europe.

Social Chain’s Manchester office

What has been your biggest challenge to date?

Our biggest challenge has to have been our first major challenge: trying to win new business without having quantifiable results and a portfolio of global clients. ‘Influencer marketing’ is a new breed of marketing, so for many businesses with a more traditional approach to promotion it could sometimes be challenging to bring them around.

And your proudest moment so far?

My proudest moment so far was winning the ‘Social Media Agency of the Year’ award at The Drum Awards in December. We managed to beat some huge agencies who’ve been in the game a lot longer than us, and considering we’d only been operational for one year it was an amazing achievement.

We live in an era where entire businesses are built on social media, but for many entrepreneurs it’s impossible to keep up! Can you share some top tips on how fledgling startups can reach their audience successfully?

Social media is the number one communication platform for startups and businesses with a small marketing budget. But every business these days uses social media, so the next question is how do you get your brand noticed?

Well firstly, don’t be afraid to provoke people! Social media is a never-ending fight to be heard, and anybody throwing vanilla punches in that fight isn’t going to have knock-out impact. Secondly, what about running a competition? Executed correctly, social media competitions can generate tonnes of engagement and build brand awareness. Finally, if you’re looking to use social influencers to promote your business, don’t underestimate the power of a lower cost influencer. Quite often an influencer with a smaller audience pool (compared to a well known celebrity) will have more influence over their followers. It’s like the modern day ‘word of mouth’.

Who inspires you?

I know this might sound cliché, but Steve Jobs is one of my heroes. I admire him for being a visionary and being able to look past what was to help shape what would ultimately be.

Where do you hope to see Social Chain in five years’ time? Will social media still be relevant?

Social media is the new media, and my predictions are that in five years it will be more relevant than ever before. However, the developments of social media, emerging platforms, and how these might be used for marketing is unknown. In this industry, everything moves quickly, so it’s difficult to say where we’ll be in five years’ time. We understand that we’re working in an ever changing landscape so I guess we’ve just got to stay responsive and see where it goes, but one thing is certain: we have big plans for Social Chain.

Social Chain’s office wall

What do you love most about running your own business?

I’d say the best thing about running my own business is having no obstacles in the way of my ideas and being capable of building solutions and taking on new challenges.

What advice do you have for aspiring student entrepreneurs?

Just make sure you love it. Building a business is so hard that you better love it or you’ll quit when the going gets tough. If you don’t love it, you’ll also be unwilling to put in the ground work. Find something you would do for free because you love it that much. And then be prepared to work hard!

And finally, if you were a social media platform, which one would you be and why?

If I were a social media platform, I’d be YouTube. I’m a story teller, so a video sharing platform like YouTube – a platform that shares a tremendous number of stories each day –  is by far the richest medium.

Social Chain is the UK’s largest influencer marketing network, offering an effective and creative way to engage millions of people. With an average age of just 21 across the whole company, and a 200+ million strong internal network of social media influencers, pages and communities, Social Chain know exactly how millennials think, listen and share across social media, giving brands a voice to be heard above the noise.

And yet, British students – and those on a Graduate Entrepreneur visa – have more ‘Zuckerbergian’ ambitions than ever before, wanting to be CEO of their own company rather than starting at the bottom of someone else’s. In fact, it’s projected that 50,000 students a year start their own business in the UK – 15% before even graduating.

Unfortunately, this ready supply of graduate entrepreneurs is exceeding the readiness of some institutions and investors to support them. Not all universities have figured out how to help entrepreneurial students, and few have access to start up funding.

All is not lost, however! Reflecting the growing wave of graduate entrepreneurs are a number of innovative organisations offering financial support and expert advice. They believe that the big ideas coming out of universities could change the game within enterprise, and want to ensure age and access to funding is not a barrier to entrepreneurial spirit.

If you are in the process of launching your business, here are five of the best places to find start up funding as a graduate entrepreneur:

The Young Entrepreneur Award

This new award, which has been put together by The Formations Company, aims to help and support students who want to start their own business after university, rather than go straight into a traditional job or graduate scheme.

Launched at the start of July, applications are open to current students who have aspirations of starting their own company, and to those who have just graduated. The top five finalists will all have their company formed (not only will their business be registered with Companies House, but also they will have a company bank account set up, logo designed, business cards created and receive expert advice – good, eh?), whilst the overall winner will additionally receive £1,000 in start up funding to spend on developing their idea. And even if you don’t make the top five, you might still be offered a £5 company formation for proving your passion.

In order to apply for the award, all you have to do is fill in a short form outlining who you are and why you want to start your own business (hint: show how you would use the money should you win!). Applications will close at the end of the summer – so you have plenty of time to get creative (there’s another hint…) – and the five finalists will be featured on The Formations Company website and social media channels. In the last stage of the process, a short telephone interview will be conducted with each of the finalists to determine the winner.

There really is nothing to lose here, and everything to gain. So, what are you waiting for?

Catalyst Founders

Catalyst Founders is a new company that invests in innate entrepreneurial talent under the age of 24. They provide access to capital, a support structure, and a network to enable young would-be founders to achieve their entrepreneurial potential. They are looking to support the next generation of makers, creators and retailers, backing people who have a passion for their idea and a drive to build a large company.

Catalyst Founders take a generational view on investment, looking to support young entrepreneurs as they grow to an appropriate scale. They have no requirement to exit within a certain time frame, making them very different to many existing investors. Their intention is to back 50+ young founders over the next three years and, unlike other sources of investment and support, they are in it for the long haul: they look beyond monetary return towards mutually life-changing relationships.

This August, Catalyst Founders are also running their first ‘Summer Pitchfest’ – an opportunity for you to pitch your business to judges and investors and potentially win £500 funding (and a fast track invitation to a CF assessment day). Securing start up funding is not easy – and why should it be? – but joining a network like Catalyst Founders will turbo-charge your route to entrepreneurial success. Good luck!

The Deutsche Bank Awards for Creative Enterprise (DBACE)

Established in 1993, the DBACE has helped hundreds of arts graduates negotiate the challenges of enterprise and self-employment. In the last twenty-four years, over 177 businesses have been launched with the support of the programme.

Open to final year undergraduate and postgraduate students, and those who have graduated within one academic year, the DBACE is specifically targeted towards aspiring artists, designers and performers who intend to follow a freelance career, develop a specific project, or establish a business once they’ve graduated. Five winners receive £10,000 in start up funding and five runners up are awarded £1,000. All winners and runners up enjoy year-long business mentoring and enterprise training from Deutsche Bank.

Applications open in January of each year for all five categories: Art & Photography, Craft & Design, Film, Music, and Performance. The judges want to know that funding, mentoring and business training will make ‘the difference’ to your career – so be sure to show them what the support will mean to you and your project. Throughout the process, DBACE also offer business planning workshops, online resources, and one-to-one advice, so even if you don’t end up winning, you’ll still come away with valuable knowledge about how to progress your business.

Santander Universities Entrepreneurship Awards

The Santander Universities Entrepreneurship Award is an annual business pitching competition for student and graduate entrepreneurs. Since its launch, Santander has given away more than £220,000 in start up funding, as well as invaluable mentoring and business support to promising small enterprises.

The great thing about this scheme is that it involves your university, too. The first stage of the process takes place internally, with Santander’s partner universities (check to see if your institution is eligible here) running their own competitions to find the best business ideas and start ups on campus. Each university submits their winners to Santander, who draw up a longlist of 20 (ten ideas and ten start ups). Business plans are then scrutinised by an external panel made up of academic leaders, successful entrepreneurs and former winners, who identify their top ten. These finalists make a 15-minute pitch to a live panel at Santander HQ, with a winner and runner-up being identified in each category (ideas and start ups). Prizes range from £15,000 to £1,000 funding, plus mentoring, brand consulting and website build/hosting.

The competition opens in February each year (which gives you plenty of time to hustle your university’s enterprise team to get behind you…).

Crowdfund Campus

Many of the most exciting businesses in recent years have been launched thanks to a new trend in enterprise: crowdfunding. No longer do entrepreneurs need to rely on banks and investors – who can be less willing to help young talent than seasoned tycoons – to get a project funded. Instead, they can open their idea out to the public and let them decide what it’s worth.

One of the best things about crowdfunding as a source of start up funding is that, unlike traditional sources of capital (who primarily look for a financial return), investors typically contribute towards a campaign because they believe in the purpose of the project. This means that not only do you get the investment required for your business, but also a real understanding of your audience and what they want from your service or product.

Here at Crowdfund Campus, we are proud to support all student and graduate entrepreneurs who want to validate their ideas and secure some start up funding. For advice on how to make the most of your budding business by taking advantage of our unique platform, please give us a call on +44 (0)7545 898120 or drop us a line at hello@crowdfundcampus.com – we can’t wait to see what you’ll achieve!

However, if you’re from outside the European Economic Area and Switzerland and you would like to run your business within the United Kingdom, you’ll need to apply for a Graduate Entrepreneur visa.

AM I ELIGIBLE?

Before you can apply for a visa, you should check that you meet the criteria:

• The idea. You must have a realistic and well-considered idea for a business that has been endorsed by an approved body (i.e. by either UK Trade and Investment as part of the elite global graduate programme [Sirius] or a UK Higher Education Institution).
• The endorsement. As well as proving that you have a credible business idea, you’ll need to meet other key criteria in order to receive the necessary endorsement from UKTI or an HEI. These include, but are not limited to: proof that you can support yourself (by having a certain amount of savings – this could be investment from a crowdfunding campaign – which must be deposited in your bank account at least 90 days before you apply); proof of a suitable degree (UK-recognised bachelor’s degree or higher, depending on which body is endorsing you); and proof that you meet the English language requirement. Criteria can vary from institution to institution, so do check carefully.

You will also need to be from outside of the EEA or Switzerland in order to apply.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE?

Not as long as you may think, though this can vary depending on which body is endorsing you. If you’re getting your endorsement from an HEI, you will typically be notified of the decision on your entrepreneur visa within eight weeks. If the UKTI are endorsing you, you should be notified of the decision within three weeks.

WHEN CAN I APPLY?

The earliest you can apply is three months prior to travelling to the UK.

HOW MUCH WILL I HAVE TO PAY?

The cost depends on where you are applying from, how you intend to apply, and your own situation (whether you have any dependants, for instance). As of summer 2016, it costs £342 to apply for yourself if you’re applying from outside of the UK (or £287 if you’re a citizen of Turkey or Macedonia). You’ll also need to pay the UK health surcharge as part of your application. We recommend visiting the UK Government website (Gov.uk) for up-to-date information on Graduate Entrepreneur visa fees and surcharges.

HOW LONG CAN I STAY IN THE UK ON AN ENTREPRENEUR VISA?

A Tier 1 visa will allow you to stay in the UK for one year, but you can apply to extend this.

ARE THERE ANY RESTRICTIONS I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT?

The visa is pretty flexible, and allows you to bring dependants and family members with you. You can apply to extend your stay if you need to and even switch to a Graduate Entrepreneur visa from another visa category. You aren’t able to settle in the UK on this visa, though; and you also can’t benefit from public funds or work in particular industries (a doctor or dentist in training or a professional sportsperson, for instance).

Crowdfund Campus is proud to support all budding entrepreneurs. For advice on how to make the most of your business idea by taking advantage of our unique platform, please give us a call on +44(0)7545 898120 or drop us a line at hello@crowdfundcampus.com– we look forward to helping you!

In fact, it is out of setbacks that she has seen opportunity, launching a successful paleo food blog and business whilst still a student. Today, Designed2Eat is a thriving enterprise with 30 stockists around the UK and Europe, and Charleh (now a graduate!) the proof that you really can have your cake – and eat it.

Read on to meet a woman who juggled 6am starts with studying, international athletics with allergies, and part-time PR work with full-time entrepreneurship. Charleh: we salute you!

In the spotlight:

Name: Charleh Dickinson

Age: 21

Location: Sheffield

Degree: Food Marketing Management at Sheffield Hallam

Tell us a bit about yourself and your journey to becoming an entrepreneur. Have you always been interested in enterprise?

Ever since I could walk, I’ve been involved with sport. My mother was an international swimmer and always encouraged my brother and I to be as active as possible. This led me to compete in modern pentathlon, swimming and athletics to an international standard throughout high school and college. So, even though my dad has been self-employed for the majority of my life, there was never any pressure to follow. He admits that he taught us a lot about business and business tools as we were growing up, in a covert kind of way, but we were always encouraged to do what we love and to work hard at that.

Where did the idea for Designed2Eat come from?

The idea for Designed2Eat came from my personal struggle with auto-immune conditions. With my sports, I was constantly travelling, and I knew practically every service station in the country! But, as I’m allergic to gluten, wheat and dairy, it meant picking up food on the go was very difficult, especially if I wanted something healthy. My original idea was to open a healthy fast food restaurant but, when I discovered the paleo lifestyle through a friend at work (I was a lifeguard and swimming teacher throughout college), I started blogging. I wanted to show that you could eat healthily, on a budget, and still live a successful and busy lifestyle. My audience grew quite quickly, but it wasn’t until I went to Sheffield Hallam University that Designed2Eat became a business.

How did you progress your business from idea to reality?

The first step was turning Designed2Eat into an affiliate blog. After making hundreds of recipes, I wanted to help people get the ingredients conveniently. I also started working at a healthy fast food restaurant (having stopped my sports in order to focus on D2E) and developed an interest in product development, playing with ingredients for an on-the-go snack that tastes delicious but without any nasties.

How did you identify your audience and market test your products?

In March 2013, I started taking my snacks to little food festivals on the street, and it was from here that the products matured and improved. I had the nutrition and food knowledge to create a healthy cake, but I needed the consumers to tell me what tasted good. I took their feedback and tweaked the recipes to reflect what they wanted.

How did you initially finance Designed2Eat?

D2E has been grown completely organically. The money invested has come from my co-director (aka my father, Peter Dickinson!) and my student loan.

How do you spread word about what you do?

To date, I’ve mainly spread the word through social media and online, but now that I’ve finished university I’m looking to do more speaking and presentation work. I love meeting new people and telling them about D2E in person. For instance, I have just come back from Italy and the lovely gentleman I was sitting next to on the flight had multiple allergies! It felt so great to be able to help him.

What does a typical day look like in the world of Charleh Dickinson?

I’m usually up at 6am and go straight into a 10-mile road cycle before breakfast and coffee. Once I’m at my desk, I attend to daily social media work for a PR and marketing company called Keep Your Fork first, then I crack on with my KUB Ltd (my dad’s company) or D2E work until around 4.30pm. When I shut up shop, I cycle to and from Crossfit (another 12-mile round trip) in order to train and chill out. Back home, I will finish off some last minute jobs before chilling out and bed. I’m currently trying to learn Italian, so I usually finish the day on the DuoLingo app.

What has been your biggest challenge to date?

Wanting to do so much but not having the resources, be that capital, time or people. I have so many creative ideas and sometimes I feel like I have to go a longer way round than necessary to achieve them.

And your proudest moment so far?

Designed2Eat has done some incredible things. For instance, being featured on BBC News twice, supplying high-end events in London, and being shipped across Europe. However, what makes me so proud is when I’m at a food event and I see people’s faces (particularly little children’s) light up when they realise they can not only have our products, but also that they’re really delicious. It makes me so happy that I can give someone such happiness in return.

Who inspires you?

My dad. He’s so hardworking and so passionate about wanting to help others do better at the things they love. He works in quite a systematic and logical way, and is the best person to work with. Everyone he comes into contact with can’t fail to love him too!

Where do you hope to see Designed2Eat in five years’ time?

My goal is to introduce a bigger product range (the flavours we have developed and not yet launched) in pretty, high-quality, eco-friendly packaging, produced in a completely gluten-free factory in the UK and then being stocked in supermarkets.

How has your education contributed to your success?

I draw on my education in everything I do. I have A-levels in economics, sociology and graphics, and a degree in Food Marketing Management, which was split into three parts: business, marketing and, of course, food! Working with social media and food products means I use everything I’ve been taught day in day out. Plus, I’ve learnt a lot of life education in this time too.

What advice do you have for aspiring student entrepreneurs?

Do something you love, something that will get you out of bed even when you feel like death, and then work very hard for it. It’s a long journey so you’ve got to be prepared to run a marathon.

And finally, if you were an animal, what would you be?

A dolphin. They are beautiful, intelligent creatures that love to have fun and work together as a team. I see them as free spirits with so many opportunities to explore the ocean.

Designed2Eat produce a range of delicious cakes that are free from dairy, gluten, wheat, egg, soy, corn and yeast, and only contain naturally occurring sugars. They are designed to support the body, enabling you to feel great whilst eating well, and can be enjoyed by anyone who wants to feel healthier, fitter, or who follows a paleo, vegan, diabetic or coeliac diet.