The Crowd 'Zine Issue 1

The U.K.’s leading innovation magazine for startups, innovators and small businesses Autumn 2013 Free copy

Jewellery, Innovation and Marriage Proposals

Diary of a Rather Different Placement What’s It Like to Be an Inventor?

Putting Your Digital Foot Down #Learn #Connect #Grow with other #Dreamers #Thinkers #Doers 1

2

WHAT’S INSIDE?

People

5 What now?

6 Diary of a rather different placement 8 Leading the way: The Create story 10 What’s it like to be an inventor?

Page 14

Innovation 13 14 18 20

Page10

I spy...

Innovation, jewellery and marriage proposals What’s the problem?

Leading social innovation: The Juno project

Learning

22 Know how: Thinking creatively 26 Intellectual property: What do I know?

29 A closer look at... The Ansoff matrix 30 Visual planning with My StartUp Plan 32 What the ...?

Page 22

Digital

34 How Britain’s SMEs are missing a digital trick 35 If an employer were to Google my name, what would they see?

36 Putting your digital foot down 38 Demystifying social media marketing

Page 36

Play

41 All work and no play 42 Once upon a time...

43 Word of mouth...

In French

Networking

44 Networking... What’s it all about?

46 Heads up

Page 44

With thanks to our contributors: Eloise Cosham, The Greedy Gulls Studios team, Rebecca Kimber, David Ferguson, Maria Allen, Richard Simmonite, Ali Golds, The Inngot team, Brad Crescenzo, Ghjuanna Di Vezzi, Sinead Mac Manus, Edil Samatar, Jon Marcus, Jessica Hylands and The Crowd ’Zine team.

News

47 No problem!

48 Useful links for you 50 A quick shout out!

Page 48

Illustrations: © Make Believe Collective 2013, makebelievecollective.tumblr.com Front cover photo: Puppet in Frida Kahlo’s House, © Laurence Moracchini 2013.

Like us on facebook.com/TheCrowdZine Follow us @TheCrowdZine

- Whilst the greatest care is taken to ensure that the information in the magazine is correct, neither the publisher nor its editorial contributors can accept liability to any party for loss or damage caused by errors, inaccuracies or omissions.

- The opinions expressed in The Crowd ’Zine and affiliated domains are not necessarily the views of The Crowd ’Zine, but those of individual contributors.

- No part for this magazine, including the advertisements within it, may be reproduced, in part or in whole, without the express permission of the Editor.

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HELLO READERS! Welcome to the first issue of The Crowd ’Zine - the U.K.’s leading innovation magazine for startups, innovators and small businesses!

What’s the magazine all about? Our aim for The Crowd ’Zine is to boost our readers’ innovation skills, networks and opportunities for work and collaboration, so that they can learn, connect and grow – as individuals and as businesses. We intend to pack every issue with inspiring articles and stories about people, their ideas and what they’re doing with them. But that’s not all!

We also want to give you practical tools and exercises to get you thinking more creatively and acting more innovatively – no matter what stage you’re at in your career and which sector you’re in. Thanks to our guest contributors, all our articles are written by, or feature, our target audience - statups, innovators and small businesses.

Why innovation? Innovation rocks! Innovation is not only the key to economic recovery but also to finding solutions to the challenges faced by society and the environment. Innovation can help us build stronger economies, better business, more cohesive communities, as well as a more sustainable environment.

If innovation were a mathematical equation, it would look like this: ideas + action + impact = innovation. In a nutshell, innovation is about implementing your ideas, so that they impact positively on you, as well as the people and things around you. The world is in need of more “innovation hackers” (my name for talented individuals who enjoy finding and experimenting with better ways to do things – for the benefit of business, society and the world), and hopefully this magazine will help bring out the innovation hacker within you! Enjoy!

Clare Griffiths Editor of The Crowd ’Zine Director of The Ideas People Like us on facebook.com/TheCrowdZine Follow us @TheCrowdZine Do you want to be a guest contributor?

Email: editor@thecrowdzine.co.uk Published by: The Ideas People, theideaspeople.co.uk Editor: Clare Griffiths Creative Director: Laurence Moracchini Ad sales: editor@thecrowdzine.co.uk and 07952 914937 Office: The Ideas People, 179 Seaside, Eastbourne, East Sussex, BN22 7NP, U.K. 4

By Eloise Cosham I studied Broadcast Media at the University of Brighton in Hastings.

Then I attended the graduation ceremony, wore the cap and gown, memories were made, and there were photos to prove it. This left me thinking, “What now?” I have had all of my life mapped out for me since the age of three. I was to complete nursery, then go through the school system successfully for the next twelve years. After school, I would go along to college for a couple of years before entering university.

I thought these years would last forever. Now that I have finished my formal education the world is my oyster, right?

I am constantly being told that jobs are hard to come by, but my inbox tells me something different. I am getting loads of graduate jobs sent through on a daily basis. There are loads of jobs out there; you just need to find one that suits you and your skillset. It may be the discipline you have studied at university, or it could be something you have fallen in love with just by reading a job spec or during an internship. Earlier on I mentioned that I studied Broadcast Media whilst I was at university, but since graduating, I have applied for loads of things as well as broadcast media jobs. The other week, I went for an interview in London to sell radio advertising space – something I never imagined I would ever do. So, it is true the world is your oyster.

Just think outside the box.

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people

WHAT NOW?

people

DIARY OF A RATHER DIFFERENT PLACEMENT

By The Greedy Gull Studios team

I am Joseph Loe, Project Manager and 1 of 4 students that together form ‘Greedy Gull Studios’, an independent development studio based in Brighton created as an industrial placement for our third year in university. We are all currently studying Computer Science (Games) and wanted our placement year to be somewhat different from what is usually provided. We wanted to create something ourselves that we’re proud of and experience the entire development cycle from design, programming, marketing and testing. This gives us the opportunity to gain a more proactive grounding in mobile development with more creative freedom and of course more challenges.

creating their own industrial placement had never been done before within the University of Brighton. There were clear and understandable concerns, so we set about creating a concise business plan based on extensive market research to persuade the university that we had the initiative and drive to successfully implement our plans for the year.

Fortunately, the university was very supportive and after presenting our proposal they gave us the go ahead to begin the long awaited venture.

We attended the Ultraviolet intensive business startup course organised

by Beepurple to build a greater understanding about the various processes involved in our initial startup. It also gave us the chance to meet likeminded individuals with a range of experiences, showing the power of networking within any business situation. During our venture we aim to have an active role within the university and the digital community in Brighton such as Wired Sussex.

The idea that would become Greedy Gull Studios originally began as a hobby that would coincide with our studies, we would talk about ideas that each of us had and how they could be implemented. Throughout the second year of our course we soon began to realise that this could be more than just your average side project and were well aware that the forthcoming year involved going out to work within the games industry. We all shared a passion for creating games and had a number of skills that complemented one another, so soon came to the realisation that Greedy Gull Studios could become a viable industrial placement and hopefully a successful venture for us.

However this couldn’t just happen straight away; A group of students

Living together and working together our living room has quickly become a pop up office space with sofas being replaced by desks and computers. We are currently focusing on setting up our online identity as well as developing two of our own apps for release in late October. Visit our website www.GreedyGull.co.uk for more information and up to date news on our progress.

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people

LEADING THE WAY: THE CREATE STORY With Rebecca Kimber

talk to their Managing Director, Rebecca Kimber.

The Create offices are the kind of offices which make you think, “Wow! This must be a cool place to work”. The main office is open plan – designed to encourage the product, customer services, and marketing teams to communicate seamlessly, whilst the neighbouring staff room has an inviting corner sofa, a long, convivial table for staff to eat and drink refreshments, and a beautiful, shiny white pool table. However, the thing that really caught my eye, (other than the tomatoes and chilli peppers growing in their indoor staff garden) was the work manifesto, detailing the mission and values of the company. Apparently drawn up during a strategic staff away day, this manifesto stands out, illustrating the genuine team spirit and shared values which permeate the company’s culture.

With a team of 19 full-time employees, it’s hard to imagine that Create was originally founded by one person – Rebecca’s husband, Simon Kimber, back at their home in 2001. The idea for the company grew out of Simon’s frustration: As a self-employed website designer, he loved building sites and systems for his clients, but found that adding all the content updates that his clients asked of him was a slow process. Determined to find a way to allow people to manage and administer their own websites, Simon created the first iteration of their CMS, and from there, the foundations of Create were built.

It is clear that Create values its “people” – that’s to say, its staff and its customers. Whilst the Create team are all supported in their professional development through 6-monthly reviews – looking at the goals they set themselves, as well as those set by management – staff are also encouraged to play an active role within the innovation process.

Whilst the product team lead the introduction of new technological developments, the customer services

Create, a company which enables individuals and businesses requiring websites and e-commerce stores to build and manage their own regardless of technical ability, recently celebrated hosting its 10,000th website.

Determined to find out more about the story behind this impressive figure, I headed over to the Create office, to 8

people people

team also influences the design and usability of the product, and regularly provides suggestions on which new features could be introduced, as well as channelling customer feedback and requests. The ideas which are most feasible are then built into the product team’s roadmap, so that Create’s CMS offering develops incrementally.

to do just that. She reflects, “I see a lot of CVs, and the cover letter is the part where I might go ‘ooh...actually I might spend a bit more time looking at this person’ over someone who goes ‘here’s my CV’”. Rebecca also recommends that job applicants develop an online profile, so that they can highlight projects they have worked on, and emphasise relevant expertise. For those that produce visual content, she asserts, “being able to see someone’s work is really important”.

As the Create team have played such a vital role in the development of the company and its products, I wanted to find out about what Rebecca looks for when recruiting new members of staff.

Rather than qualifications, more emphasis is placed on what the individuals have achieved so far, stating “We don’t tend to look for specific education levels. I think experience is better”.

In terms of illustrating that experience, Rebecca advises that job applicants write a strong cover letter. Whilst a CV is important for recording skills and experience, Rebecca warns “you need to stand out”. A wellwritten cover letter allows job seekers

Whilst the details for Create’s next phases of development are strictly under wraps, it is clear that Rebecca has specific plans of how she wants to grow the company. If you’re interested in joining (in their words) “a team that’s passionate about blowing the Internet’s mind - whether you’re a people person or a pixel person” then you should definitely get in touch with them via www.create. net. Just make sure the cover letter’s a good one! □ CG 9

people

WHAT’S IT LIKE TO BE AN INVENTOR? With Dave Ferguson

What did you invent?

that money back. I also knew I had a great opportunity to bring a product to market that was sorely needed, so for me it was a race to get there before anyone else beat me to it.

A solution to a problem I was seeing every day in my job selling loft insulation. The product is called ‘Loft Storage Stilts’.

They allow the user to easily create a raised boarded area for storage above 270mm of loft insulation. This overcame the issue of a homeowner having to choose between having full loft insulation in the loft or space for storage.

What was the biggest lesson you learnt?

Is your invention now in the shops?

Yes. Currently Loft Storage Stilts are sold in B&Q across the U.K., and Bunnings in Australia and New Zealand.

We are also in discussions with two large American D.I.Y. retailers and hope to be selling there by 2014.

How long did it take you to bring your product to market?

Around 18 months from the day I first had the idea, to when we got our first purchase order from B&Q.

Wow. This is a tough question as there are so many lessons I learnt. I have actually written a series of 5 blog posts discussing them. If I had to pick one though, I would say that I learnt how important it is to get free advice from experienced business people. Having somebody to guide you and point you in the right direction, or bring a more realistic perspective to the situation, is absolutely vital.

What would you recommend to our readers who are currently developing new products?

• Read ‘Rich Dad, Poor Dad’ (1 & 2) by Robert Kiyosaki.

• Find a mentor.

• Read my blog or contact me for help and advice.

Commercialising an invention is notoriously challenging! How did you keep yourself motivated?

I was confident of the need for Loft Storage Stilts, so I went full steam ahead. Developing a product can be expensive! Within the first 3 months of development, I had already spent about £3,500. Once I had spent this kind of money my motivation was ensured. I knew I had to keep going if there were any hope of me making 10

• Keep your expectations realistic.

This will help you stay motivated.

• Don’t give up!!!

people

How can our readers support you?

My blog (www.BringMyIdeaToMarket.com) is a long-term project but still really new. I hope that your readers will find some of the posts useful to their situation, and if they do, it would be awesome if they ‘liked’, shared or commented on any post that helps them. I am always committed to replying to any comments.

How can we stay in contact? www.twitter.com/DavidFerguson27 https://www.facebook.com/MyIdeaToMarket http://pinterest.com/myideatomarket/

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innovation

I SPY...

Spotted by The Crowd ’Zine team For the I Spy debut, we thought we’d feature the Dutch “Goedzak”, developed by Amsterdam-based design bureau Waarmakers Ontwerpers.

The idea behind it is simple, yet ingenious: Every time you want to get rid of any unwanted household items, all you have to do is bag them and leave them outside your home. The design allows passers-by then to see inside the bag and help themselves to whatever takes their fancy.

We loved the idea so much that we contacted the Goedzak team to

find out more about their Currently, they’re work. collaborating with a second-hand store As designers, their franchise in the interest lies in the Netherlands to launch a social and behavioural pilot project this winter, aspects of design, e.g. and are also developing “How does a product a Goedzak app. affect the user? Does They’re committed to this in turn affect his/ her context in society?” realising their vision They design with an to make the Goedzak intended impact on a available to anyone user’s social behaviour anywhere, and are and believe Goedzak is keen to connect with a clear example of this councils, governmental approach. departments and wastedisposal companies interested in rolling out the Goedzak scheme in the U.K. So, for those of you who tick that box, let us know and we’ll put you in touch with the Goedzak team!

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innovation

INNOVATION, JEWELLERY AND MARRIAGE PROPOSALS With Maria Allen

Having only

new markets.

invested a

Originally selling women’s jewellery,

couple of

over the last two years, Maria has

hundred

developed men’s accessories, such as

pounds

cufflinks, and is now branching out

in some

into home accessories. One of her

charms,

most popular lines are her personalised

chains and

ranges (including jewellery items and

business cards, Maria Allen, of Maria

guitar plectrums); And this year, her

Allen Jewellery, has succeeded in

mini love letter necklace was awarded

building her part-time student venture

Personalised Product of the Year 2013

into a fast-growing

by Not on the

business with an

“I love experimenting. I am always on the go with new products and of £120,000 – a ideas. I don’t ever stay still.” turnover which she annual turnover

predicts will shoot

High Street. Not only that, this award-winning product has been responsible for

to £240,000 in the next 12 months. So,

over a dozen marriage proposals!

what are Maria’s keys to success? I

Maria sells online directly to customers,

popped over to her Hove-based studio to

as well as wholesale to stockists across

find out exactly that.

the U.K. and worldwide. To strengthen

Maria first started her business in 2008,

her strong British brand, she and her

working part-time, whilst she studied

team make as much of the jewellery as

her three-year degree in Graphic Design

they can, using as many British suppliers

at the University of Brighton. With little

as possible. Her most significant

initial investment, Maria put back into

investment to date has been the laser-

the business any income she generated

cutter which she purchased recently.

and grew the business organically. Upon

Although it was a hard decision to make,

graduation, she immediately stepped

Maria is very glad she did, as she and

into her business to work full-time and

her team are now able to make every

embraced this opportunity to develop

order in house. Whilst the laser-cutter

new product ranges and expand into

has proved invaluable for quickening 14

innovation

turnaround times, it has also been

ranges, but she has also expanded into

influential in the speed at which she

new markets. Her innovation strategy,

can make her ideas a reality. Just the

however, does not stop with her. She

other week, it only took Maria 24 hours

encourages her whole team to find

to make her concept for an illustrated,

better ways to do things and uses her

wooden coaster into a commercial

customers’ feedback for input into

product ready to sell online. She is

new designs. One of her most popular

now looking forward to “pushing the

products – cufflinks with personalised

boundaries” to see what other

baby handprints – actually came from a customer request. Without

interesting things she can make

hesitation, Maria responded

with the laser cutter.

positively to the customer’s

She has undoubtedly proved that

enquiry, before even researching into

she has a knack for innovating,

the logistics, to see whether it were in

and states, “I love experimenting and

fact possible.

seeing what new things I can come up with. I am always on the go with new

Her fearless and constant drive to test

products and ideas. I don’t ever stay

new products seems to be one of her

still”.

key attributes for making her business the success it is. When asked whether

Not only has she developed new product 15

innovation

she had any advice for other businesses

If you don’t, you don’t really know if

wishing to innovate, she gave me these

you’re on the right path to success, or

three fantastic tips:

whether you’re doing what you want to be doing.

1. Don’t feel you have to invent something completely new. Just try

Maria is definitely an innovator on the

doing something a bit different, or put

move. And quite literally! She’s soon

two things together which you haven’t

moving into premises more than double

seen done before.

the size of her current studio and over the next 12 months, she plans to test

2. Try not to focus too much on

out further product ranges for new and

what other people are doing. Instead

existing markets.

channel that energy into what you’re doing and your next ideas.

If you want to keep updated, visit her at http://www.mariaallenboutique.

3. Have a vision of what you want the

com/ or follow her at @maria_allen. □

future to look like and work towards

CG

that.

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innovation

WHAT’S THE PROBLEM? With Richard Simmonite, Bag Re:Born

protection and arranged for manufacture within the EU using 100% recycled materials. We have also commenced marketing discussions with carefully selected retailers in order to ‘prove the concept’.

What have been your greatest achievements so far?

Last year Bag Re:Born won the Santander University of Brighton Enterprise Awards for the “Most Innovative Product” and we are now extremely proud to be pitched up alongside some of the world’s biggest companies, as a finalist in the Sustainability Leaders Awards 2013.

What’s the problem you’re tackling?

Our mission is to help consumers and retailers reduce the amount of single use carrier bags consumed, so that they can live in modern society in a more sustainable and beneficial way.

Why is it important to you?

We have a passion to improve the environment by reducing consumption of resources, increasing recycling and managing waste. We believe that attitudes and habits need to change in order to achieve this.

What solution have you come up?

Our solution looks at the bigger picture and proposes the re-use of plastic carrier bags as recycling sacks or bin-liners, thereby halving the resource consumed.

It is not as simple as imposing a bag tax; When Ireland first introduced such a tax in 2002, the amount of single use carrier bags reduced by nearly 90% but at the same time sales of bin liners, nappy bags and waste sacks increased by up to 80%, thereby creating the perverse effect of actually increasing the amount of plastic film products imported into the country.

What stage are you at in providing a solution?

We have completed extensive research and development, successfully designed a suitable product, obtained patent 18

innovation

What are your goals for the next 12 months?

Beginning with proof of concept trials in local ethical stores such as HiSbe (“How it Should be”), Brighton, we are planning to launch Bag Re:Born with major retailers and charities across the U.K. late in 2013 and into early 2014.

Is there any way in which our readers can support you?

Yes. We are seeking local pioneering retailers to stock our revolutionary bags at point of sale to encourage customers to adopt more sustainable consumption. Support the single use bag reduction scheme to help Brighton and Hove’s retail sector become the greenest in the U.K. Find out more at www.bagreborn.com - no excuse for single use!

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innovation

LEADING SOCIAL INNOVATION: THE JUNO PROJECT

By Ali Golds

My research uncovered that whilst girls showed an interest in running their own business, they were selfselecting themselves out due to a range of reasons, including a perceived lack of skills, education, experience and confidence.

I am a passionate advocate for women setting up their own businesses, particularly having run a number myself in industries where women were noticeable by their absence.

Having your own company gives you so much freedom and flexibility, not to mention boosting confidence and selfesteem and particularly suits mums who can work around childcare and other commitments whilst still earning money.

I decided that the best way to tackle this was to run women-only sessions, delivered by female business owners, coupled with ongoing mentoring.

This then allowed us to really work on any deep-seated issues, as well as developing potentially successful businesses. It gave young women the chance to meet other, slightly For some reason, “I believe that single mums older, women who male entrepreneurs are amongst the most naturally were already in and business owners outnumber entrepreneurial people you will business, to see meet”. how they had females many achieved their times over. goals and to use that knowledge in This has always puzzled me, as my pursuit of their own dreams – whether experience is that women are just as they be self-employed or not. I had good (if not better!) than men when it also quickly realised that the enterprise comes to running businesses. part was actually just a vehicle – the The Juno Project was set up in August overall learning that came from 2012 and officially launched on attending our programme was so much International Women’s Day this year bigger. (with guest entrepreneurs Duncan We are now being approached by a wide Bannatyne and Michelle Dewberry), as range of complementary organisations my response to the lack of girls coming including women’s refuges, to work through colleges onto my programme with a diverse group of women who Start up for Success, run by my other want to learn how to be economically company Operation Enterprise.

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I believe that single mums are amongst the most naturally entrepreneurial people you will meet and am currently writing a book as a result of my experiences of running The Juno Project to encourage more to think about working for themselves.

on a range of exciting projects, so if you are interested, please check out our websites www.thejunoproject.com and www.operation-enterprise.com and drop me an email!

Over the next 12 months, we aim to work with as many women as we can and encourage them to think about running their own businesses in the future, through a number of collaborative projects as well as our own programmes.

I am looking to take on an intern from January 2014 to work in both businesses

Advertise with us! thecrowdzine.co.uk

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innovation

independent.

learning KNOW HOW: THINKING CREATIVELY

By Clare Griffiths

“There is no doubt that creativity is the most important human resource of all. Without creativity, there would be no progress, and we would be forever repeating the same patterns” (Edward de Bono).

Creativity is hard to define. We all know what it refers to, but putting it into words is another challenge!

Personally, I see creativity as a process fuelled by conscious and unconscious insight: of generating ideas, concepts and associations.

It’s the ability to develop new ideas and discover new ways of looking at problems and opportunities.

Creativity – and the ability to think creatively – is not only useful for innovative working, but also for life in general.

you fall on the ideas-generating scale, the good news is your creative thinking ability can be developed just like any other skill!

Brainstorming is probably one of the most common and well-known creative thinking techniques, although it’s not the only method, nor the most effective one. There are many other techniques you can experiment with to help you imagine different or unorthodox relationships between people and things. So, the next time you find yourself searching for ideas Whilst creative thinking can be second or solutions to a problem, why not nature to some, others can struggle to follow one of these approaches? come up with new ideas. Wherever 22

2. Make incremental improvements.

Rather than changing things dramatically, are there any small steps to make things better gradually?

3. Think of the best case scenario.

What would this look like? Is there anything from this vision which you can apply to your current situation?

4. Flip things.

Turn things on their head to see if you can achieve your desired results whilst using radically different methods.

5. Ask yourself the “Big 6” questions.

Who? What? Where? Why? How? When? The answers to these questions will help you find the root of the problem and explore potential solutions.

6. Reapply Reapply existing functions and products to new contexts and uses.

7. SCAMPER! Ask yourself how you could: S = Substitute?

C = Combine?

A = Adapt?

M = Modify? (Or Magnify?)

P = Put to other uses?

E = Eliminate? (Or Minimise?)

R = Rearrange? (Or Reverse?)

8. “What If” your thoughts.

If you want to come up with revolutionary new ways of doing things, imagine some “What If” scenarios.

9. Break down the components of a product, service, project or context.

Concentrate on these seperate entities rather than the subject in its entirety.

This can help you look at the matter from a different perspective.

10. Take a break.

Have a nap. Have a drink. And switch off!

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learning

1. Mix things up.

Combine two completely different concepts and functions to come up with something new.

Pick “n” Mix

Networking, problem-solving & collaborating Founded and hosted by Cohub and The Ideas People, this interactive networking event in Eastbourne has been carefully designed to enable you to: • Make new connections; • Learn something new to help you develop your business; • Overcome challenges; • Share ideas and experiences.

There is no predefined level of participation required, and you are free to join in as little or as much as you would like – either offering expertise and ideas, or simply listening to what others have to say.

For more information and bookings, please visit picknmixnetwork.com Photo courtesy and copyright of Avant Photographic 2013 24

with our practical training courses, you can...

unleash you and your team’s innovation potential...

make your staff and customers even happier...

and build a better business for every course purchased, we deliver an innovation workshop for free at a local school, college or university

www.theideaspeople.co.uk

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@ideaspeopleUK

learning

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY: WHAT DO I KNOW? By the Inngot team

1. What does IP mean?

IP stands for Intellectual Property. It’s the term used to describe things your business owns that can’t be physically measured. In most cases, you will have created them ‘in-house’, using know-how, effort and time (otherwise known as blood, sweat and tears). Some types of IP have special protection in law, but all IP adds value to your business. If you offer anything distinctive, you will undoubtedly own IP of some sort.

2. Why should I care about IP? To be successful and competitive, you need to make the best use of all your resources. After your staff, your IP is probably the most important and valuable asset that you have.

The only reason your accountant isn’t regularly quizzing you about your IP is because its value is seldom reflected on your balance sheet. Your books only show the cost of things you’ve bought (like machinery and computers that wear out, break down and become obsolete). But these things don’t reflect what your company is worth.

3. What things are included under IP? In the U.K., as defined in law, IP has four varieties: • Patents (new or improved ways of solving problems) – these need to be checked and officially granted; • Trade marks (used to protect brands) – also requiring registration; • Designs (the outward appearance of new things) – which can be registered or not; • Copyright (the way ideas are expressed in words, music, drawings and other forms, including software code) – which doesn’t need registration at all in the U.K. However, IP is also an umbrella term for all the other important ‘intangible assets’ (other non-measurable things) your business owns. These can include trade secrets, processes, drawings or plans; contracts, relationships and customer or supplier insights; awards, permissions or endorsements.

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learning

4. How much is my IP worth?

The answer varies for each business. However, if your company were an iceberg, the fixed assets shown on your balance sheet would be the tip of it; around threequarters would typically be hiding underwater, in your IP. Of this IP, the specific things you can identify and use for purposes like financing are likely to account for 30-40%.

And that, you may conclude, is a lot of value otherwise going to waste.

Inngot: Intellectual property and intangible assets (IAs) are the things in your business that make you unique, stop someone copying you and make your business what it is – they make up your unique selling points (or USPs). We’re not only concerned with patents and trademarks but also the results you have, the reputation and industry relationships you have built up, the trade secrets and know-how you have acquired, the domain names you own, the grants/awards you have won and the literature you have produced. Inngot have developed a number of tools that help you to i) identify what IAs you have; ii) develop an action plan to protect, secure and maximise your IAs, and iii) produce an indicative value of your IAs which is vital if you are looking at ways to fund your business.

Don’t ignore the most valuable things your business owns. For more details, visit http://www.inngot.com/. © Inngot Ltd 2013

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Beautiful vintage-inspired clothes for small people from newborn up to seven years

www.MollyCoddleChildrenswear.co.uk For news, offers, and competitions follow us on: www.facebook.com/MollyCoddleChildrenswear

By The Crowd ’Zine team

Whilst the name* of this tool is not necessarily very inspiring, it is actually an incredibly useful tool which enables you to explore ideas for new products and services and identify new sets of customers (i.e. markets) for you to reach. (For those of you who like jargon, it’s a marketing planning tool which can help you with your product development and business growth strategies).

your business offering, and increase your market share.

Students and graduates: If you’re going for a job interview, why not prepare an Ansoff Matrix in advance, so you have something original to present to the company/your potential employer?

Businesses: Why not fill out your own Ansoff Matrix to identify new ways to develop your business? (It’s worth revisiting the matrix on a regular basis to reflect on new opportunities).

Current Markets

The tool simply consists of 4 quadrants. Start off by writing your current offering in the top lefthand quadrant. Then, think of other customer groups whom you could sell your products and services to, and other products and services you could offer to your existing market and/or to untapped markets. Before you know it, you will have spotted fresh new ways to develop

New Markets

learning

A CLOSER LOOK AT... THE ANSOFF MATRIX

*Developed in 1957, this tool was actually named after its inventor, Igor Ansoff, a Russian American mathematician who applied his work to the world of business and strategic management.

Current Products

New Products

Market Penetration

Product Development

Market Development

Diversification

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learning

VISUAL PLANNING WITH MY STARTUP PLAN

By Brad Crescenzo

practitioners, we know all too well the stifling effect writing a business plan can have on an aspiring entrepreneur.

Although we recognise that it is essential for entrepreneurs to get their ideas down on paper, we feel that the business plan templates and software found online aren’t always accessible - particularly for those who are either put off by business jargon, dislike writing lengthy word documents and spreadsheets, or are in fact dyslexic.

Determined to come up with a better solution to aid our clients to navigate the somewhat daunting business planning process, we have created a practical, jargon-free tool which we believe is accessible to a very wide audience - whatever their business background and experience.

In recent years, we have seen a rise - in popularity and number - of visual planning tools, designed for individuals and companies to analyse perceived opportunities and plan for their commercial application accordingly. The most celebrated one and probably the first of its kind, is the Business Model Canvas created by Alex Osterwalder in 2008.

With few words, and clear graphics, these planning canvases have been a welcome change to the lengthy business plan templates that populate the business support industry.

Whilst the importance of business planning cannot be denied, as experienced business support

Š 2012 My Start-Up Plan.

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learning entrepreneur, why not try out this flexible tool for yourself? To give you a helping hand, we have included a copy of the planning grid for you to use whenever you next want to innovate and implement a new idea in your current business, or create a completely new startup. As you can see from the photo above, a business plan doesn’t have to be a lengthy word document. In the case of Ali, his plan is more like a washingline made up of Post-It notes!

The “My StartUp Plan” tool has already been used by 12-year-olds and 60-yearolds alike, and proved effective in helping individuals and teams to capture and analyse their ideas on paper, before turning them into reality.

Used separately or together, the tool has two components: a planning grid and an accompanying short e-book, published by Harriman House (2012).

We have designed My StartUp Plan to be used flexibly. Therefore, depending on individual learning styles, our users can either jot down, map out and even draw their business ideas on the visual planning grid, or go one step further and write down the answers to the prompting questions listed in the e-book.

My StartUp Plan can be purchased from all good online bookstores or via the Enterprise Nation shop (http://www. enterprisenation.com/bookshop). For further information, please visit http:// www.mystartupplan.wordpress.com.

Whether you’re setting up your first venture, or are an experienced serial 31

learning

WHAT THE ...?

TEX MEX OR MEXICAN CUISINE?

By Ghjuanna Di Vezzi

chillies, as well as huge sandwiches with a quarter of a kilo of meat, fresh vegetables and chillies! Oh, and there’s no meat in the refried beans!

Fajitas y chilli con carne, or tacos y mole? You choose! You have probably eaten fajitas, burritos or chilli con carne before, thinking you were eating “real” Mexican food, but you were actually fooled by restaurant menus, take-aways and supermarkets displays.

Whilst the difference between Tex Mex and Mexican food is less than between a Christmas pudding and a pizza, there still is one.

One of my Mexican friends who runs an authentic Mexican food restaurant in South London told me that one day he received a complaint from a Texan lady, arguing that what he was serving was not Mexican food because in “her country they were experts”! He just explained calmly that the food he cooks is a replica of the food he has always eaten since he was a child in South Mexico.

Tex Mex is the food that North Americans (specifically in Texas, Arizona, New Mexico and California) consider as “Mexican food” because, more often than not, they put anything they want into a big, wheat or corn factory-made tortilla and call it “Mexican”. If you have travelled to America recently, you may have even visited the Taco Bell chain and tasted their new speciality: the Waffle Taco filled with fruit or fried chicken! Gulp! ...Unless, of course, you discovered a genuine Mexican restaurant.

After all, Tex Mex could be some sort of a “dialect” of Mexican cuisine exported worldwide that Mexican people only half understand.

If you are a fan of Mexican cuisine as I am, buy your corn flour and ingredients online from a real Mexican grocer, make your own tortillas and guacamole, or if you are not a keen cook, just look for Mexican restaurants in your local area and check out the menu carefully.

When you explore Mexico, you will quickly realise that their cuisine has nothing to do with the Tex Mex one.

You will discover an endless list of deliciously prepared tacos, containing, for example, grilled beef, chorizo, marinated or smoked pork, or spicy brain... And then there’s mole (a rich spicy sauce with chocolate), stuffed

Mexican cuisine is the result of a cultural and social mix with traditions, and we must bear in mind that it is now classified by UNESCO as “Intangible Cultural Heritage”.

Enjoy your “tacos”!

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33

digital

HOW BRITAIN’S SME’S ARE MISSING A DIGITAL TRICK

By Sinead Mac Manus

In early 2013, the report “Britain’s Digital Opportunity”, commissioned by Lloyds TSB bank, found that many small and mediumsized enterprises (SMEs) – those businesses with less than 250 employees – are not making the most out of the opportunities that digital – websites, social media, ecommerce and mobile – can give them.

At the beginning of 2012, there were just under 5 million businesses in the U.K. SMEs make up a staggering 99.9% of this number. They are responsible for almost 60% of private sector employment, and just under 50% of private sector turnover, so they are a crucial part of the U.K. economy. Many commentators have said that it’s through their growth, not the large corporate firms, that Britain will pull itself out of recession.

The research found that 36% of SMEs in the U.K. have no website, and of the 64% of SMEs who do have a website, 15% of those have no functionality beyond simply finding out basic information. One in five (20%) are “deliberately disconnected” from the Internet.

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Every small business in the U.K. needs to get online and start connecting with customers whether you’re a rural B&B who wants to attract more guests or a young designer who wants to sell her products online. Whether you like it or not, someone on the web is talking about your business and isn’t it better that you take control of the message?

But as the report and other research from Go On U.K. have found, there is a digital skills gaps in most small, and especially very small (0 to 10 employees) businesses. Even amongst businesses which already use the Internet, the research found that there is a general lack of awareness of where to find cost-effective, quality support.

We hope that Fluency will be part of the solution in getting British businesses online and provide a onestop-shop for all small businesses in the U.K. to find the information and support they need in a cost-effective and real-time way. © Fluency Digital Ltd 2013 www.fluency.io @getfluency

digital

IF AN EMPLOYER WERE TO GOOGLE MY NAME, WHAT WOULD THEY SEE?

By Edil Samatar

Not much at the moment, but thanks to interning at Fluency, I have learnt the importance of digital visibility. In fact, most recently I have been finding myself speaking to other young people about the importance of digital employability.

You may think that Facebook and Twitter are just personal social media tools but in this digital age employers are changing the way they approach recruitment. It’s true, employers do online checks, particularly social media ones. Yet, as I discovered first hand, most young people are unaware of how social media can help or harm you – myself included.

We are called the ‘born digital’ generation – the digital natives of our time. As confident but cautious users of the internet, young people are well aware of security and privacy risks. And yet we are unaware of the importance of online reputation management. Coupled with rising youth unemployment rates, I can’t help but think the two are related.

So to all young job seekers, I say to remember the golden rule – your online profile is a first impression – think of yourself as a brand.

online content, so thinking about your language and topic discussions is a must.

Shaping your online presence to present the ‘best you’ is particularly important in these tough economic times.

But remember that not having any kind of online profile can be just as detrimental as an unprofessional one.

Thanks to the web, the age of the CV is over, and employers like to get a glimpse into their applicants’ lives. The screening process extends to the digital, that’s why it’s important to own your digital assets. What does the internet say about you? If it doesn’t say much – like me – then take the necessary steps to change and maintain your online profile.

But it not all doom and gloom, the opportunities of the web and social media are endless. As young people we have the benefit of being the most digitally literate generation of our time. So let’s use our online profiles to show our digital literacy and convey our employability. To all the young bloggers and Youtubers, use your videos and posts to display your talent.

Let’s use the digital world to our advantage! © Fluency Digital Ltd 2013 www.fluency.io @getfluency

Young people and social media go hand in hand, and we all enjoy the benefits online social interaction. Photo sharing and funny posts are great fun but I have learnt the importance of managing your 35

digital

PUTTING YOUR DIGITAL FOOT DOWN

By The Crowd ’Zine team

Whether you’re wanting to promote you and your expertise, your own business, or the organisation for which you work, the Internet can play a vital role in raising yours, or your company’s, digital profile. Think of it like this – the Internet is one vast piece of land (which stretches to “infinity and beyond!”), so try to stamp on some of that, to claim it as your own. To help you increase and control your digital presence, we have selected some free, online portfolios for you to join. We’re going to be cheeky, and presume that you’re familiar with Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook, so the ones below are additional websites you can use to promote you and your work.

http://wordpress.org Wordpress is an open-source software designed to help individuals and businesses create their own blogs or websites. It’s currently used by 60 million people, according to Wordpress! It’s free to download, although you will need to pay for a web host and for any premium themes/templates you want to use for your site. However, these costs are minimal and a lot cheaper than if you were to pay a web designer to create something tailormade. So, if you want to get you, your portfolio, or your business online quickly, Wordpress is a good place to start. Once you are online, you can update and change the content as much as you want – depending on the purpose of your blog or website. There is a huge Wordpress community out there, so if you need any help, free support is available. If you don’t want to invest in a personalised url and web host, then you can create your own free blog via http:// wordpress.com/ which Wordpress hosts themselves.

http://flavors.me Flavors allows you to create a free website very quickly, bringing together your different social media updates, photos and videos. Essentially, it helps you create a unified web presence, without having to worry about coding or web design. You can either access the free version, or upgrade for $20 per year.

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digital

https://about.me

About Me is like one big, electronic business card – but better! You can create your own personalised url (to add to job applications, for example), you can invite people to email you directly, and you can also include a short biography or description about what you do.

Not only that, you can add a range of social media links to your profile (such as Twitter, LinkedIn, Google Plus, Wordpress etc.).

http://carbonmade.com Carbonmade is a useful online platform for creative practitioners to show off their portfolio. Without having to pay anything, you can create your own website and feature all your different areas of work. You can build two sections – a section containing your work and another section with details about you and your expertise. As with any online platform, you can include as much or as little contact information as you want. To get some inspiration, check out some of the examples they provide.

https://pathbrite.com Pathbrite describes itself as being the “nextgeneration education portfolio platform”. In the traditional portfolio sense, it enables you to record your learning and achievements throughout your life. With Pathbrite you can also import work featured on other social media sites and place it all in one portfolio.

They want to “revolutionise the way people teach, learn and grow”, so whether you’re a student, a teacher, a job seeker, or an employer, it’s definitely one to keep your eye on and join – whatever stage you’re at in your education or career.

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digital

DEMYSTIFYING SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING

By Jon Marcus

When “social media” is

customers, at the right price, delivered

mentioned, most people

in the right way, and communicated in

think of Facebook,

the right manner). And this is where

Twitter and LinkedIn

social media comes in! Done well,

as some of the leading

social media marketing can be a useful

platforms for keeping

exercise to better understand your

in touch with friends, family, colleagues

customers and their needs, and can be

and customers. Whilst these are three

a fantastic tool not only to attract new

powerful channels for talking to and

customers but also to communicate

updating contacts and clients, they’re

with existing ones. Remember, it’s not

not the only ones! It’s also worth noting

just about trying to sell your products/

that some social media networks are

services online and getting people to

more effective than others – depending

“like” your Facebook page. It’s a finer

on the work or business you’re involved

art than that.

in and the aims of your social media

I like to keep things simple, so in a

marketing strategy.

nutshell, I consider an effective social

Before we explore what an effective

media marketing to have three key

social media marketing strategy may

ingredients (see the table opposite for

look like, I should clarify what I mean

more details):

by “marketing”. One of my favourite

Aims + Value + Right Media = Effective Social Media Marketing

quotes has to be from marketing professor, Philip Kotler, who defines

A quick search on the Internet states

marketing simply as “meeting needs

that there are more than 200 social

profitably”. He argues that effective marketing is about identifying and

media networks. Whether that number

meeting human and social needs. But

is accurate or not, one fact that I can

what does he mean by that?! He is

be sure of is that social media is no fad

basically stating that businesses should

– it is here to stay...and grow. Whilst

expertly know their customers’ needs

you won’t be able to tap into all of

and meet those needs accordingly

those networks for your own marketing

through marketing (i.e. by developing

campaigns, it’s worth stepping out of your comfort zone and trying out a

the right product/service, for the right 38

e.g To educate To raise awareness To promote a brand To drive traffic To generate leads To sell directly To carry out market research To offer customer service and support

2. Value (for your audience) e.g Educational Informative Inspirational Entertaining Provocative Debates Competitions Money-saving offers Time-saving offers

3. Right Media Make sure you’re aware of the strengths and weaknesses of different social media platforms Pick the right media for your audience Check that they use the platforms you’ve chosen!

few new ones. If you’re not sure which ones to test, then talk to your customers to find out the ones they’re on. If you need some guidance on how to navigate your way through the social media labyrinth, or just some inspiration, then why not check out the Conversation Prism by Brian Solis (@briansolis)! Turn over the page for a copy of the Prism. You can also download your own copy for free from conversationprism.com/free-downloads/.

Advertise with us!

thecrowdzine.co.uk

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digital

1. Aims

digital

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By The Crowd ’Zine Team

Get some right brain action. Draw a self-portrait.

We want to see our readers! Please send us your picture to hello@ thecrowdzine.co.uk. The best picture will be published.

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play

ALL WORK AND NO PLAY

play

ONCE UPON A TIME...

By The Crowd ’Zine team

Original source: School Friend Annual 1955

Fill in the blanks to create your own cartoon.

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By The Crowd ’Zine team

play

WORD OF MOUTH...IN FRENCH The usual...

Hello! My name is... Bonjour, je m’appelle...

Yes/No/Please/Thank you. Oui/Non/Merci/S’il vous plaît.

I come from the U.K. Where do you come from?

Je viens du Royaume-Uni. Vous venez d’où?

I’m here on holiday/I’m here on business.

Je suis en vacances/Je suis en voyage d’affaires.

Here’s my business card. Voilà ma carte.

When you want to explain you’re no linguist...

Excuse me. I don’t speak French very well. Can you help me?

Excusez-moi. Je ne parle pas bien français. Pouvez-vous m’aider?

I don’t understand. Can you repeat that, please?

Je ne comprends pas. Pouvez-vous répéter s’il vous plaît?

I’m starving! J’ai une faim de loup!

What would you like to drink? My treat!

Qu’est-ce que vous voulez boire? C’est moi qui invite.

I would like some beer/red wine/a jug of tap water.

Je voudrais une bière/du vin rouge/une carafe d’eau.

When you feel like exploring...

I’ve got two hours to kill. Where do you suggest I go and visit?

J’ai du temps libre. Qu’est-ce que je pourrais visiter?

For toilets and plumbing-related problems...

Where are the toilets? Où sont les toilettes?

Any chance of some hot waters in the showers?

L’eau chaude n’est pas comprise avec la douche?

When you want to sound like an expert...

I’m as drunk as a skunk! Je suis bourré(e) comme un coing!

I have the blues! J’ai le cafard!

It’s raining cats and dogs! Il pleut comme vache qui pisse!

Love at first sight. Coup de foudre.

Things aren’t running too smoothly! Il y a de l’eau dans le gaz!

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Painting by Eugene Delacroix. Liberty Leading The People (1830). Louvre-Lens

When you’re out...

networking

NETWORKING... WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT?

By Clare Griffiths

understand what she meant, once I will always remember the first time I got there! I certainly did. My I was asked to go “networking”. It learning curve in that job was steep was my first job, after completing (which is what made it even more my master’s, and I was responsible enjoyable), and I soon realised that for managing an exciting project networking was an extremely handy which supported unemployed women way for me and into selfmy team to find employment, in some of “Networking is the art of building potential mentors for our clients, as the poorest reciprocal relationships that help well as funders for boroughs of East London. individuals and the community as our project. a whole to achieve their goals” When my Whilst many of you line manager (D’Souza, 2008). will be familiar suggested with the concept I go to a of networking, and local event for networking purposes, will most likely have your preferred I remember panicking quietly, and networks and tactics to deploy when thinking to myself, “What the hell you’re out and about, some of the does she mean”?! Not wanting to less-experienced networkers among reveal my ignorance, I trotted off you may not be so confident in your to the event, hoping that I would 44

NETWORKING: WHAT TO DO...

networking

networking skills. So, to help you avoid the situation I faced in my first job, I thought I would share with you some of my tips for effective networking – all of which are based on my own personal experience.

Beforehand • Think of whom you would like to meet before the event. Is there anyone in particular you wish to get in contact with?

• Set yourself a target for the number of new contacts you want to make there. This is particularly useful if you’re feeling shy or need some motivation.

• Have a one-minute elevator pitch prepared. Whilst you don’t want to sound unnatural, it’s useful to think about how you can introduce yourself concisely.

During the event • Work your way through the room. Don’t just mingle with one group of people.

Step out of your comfort zone.

• Think of your body language. Be open.

• Don’t be pushy and go for a quick sell. Talk to people about what you do, but allow time to listen to what others have to say.

• Remember to give – it’s not all about taking. Offer to help people if you think there is a way in which you can support them.

• Ask others to introduce you to the people you would like to meet (if they know them).

• Don’t overstay your welcome – everyone is there to network.

• Stay positive and passionate. Remember you’re representing your work/business!

Afterwards • Write down on the back of business cards any useful information about the people you meet.

• Follow up on any action you promised.

• Remember business relationships take time to build.

If you have any other networking tips you would like to share with our readers, get in touch with The Crowd ’Zine team by emailing hello@thecrowdzine. co.uk.

The more tips the better!

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networking

HEADS UP Hello! I am Joan Alexander.

Hello! I am Nathaniel Statton.

My expertise is in: Photography, specialising in performances and pets. I also offer shadow puppet workshops for primary schools and children’s parties.

My expertise is in: Filmmaking for businesses, educational establishments, events, and concerts.

I’m looking for: Freelance work opportunities (including commercial work and private commissions).

I’m looking for: Freelance work opportunities. My showreel can be produced on request.

My full portfolio can be viewed at: www. joanalexanderphotography. wordpress.com. You can contact me via: joaniealexander@gmail.com

You can contact me here: nathanielsfilms@gmail.com

The Heads Up section is all about connecting people and opportunities.

If you’re interested in taking advantage of what Nathaniel, Joan, and Ali have to offer, or know someone who would be, then make sure you get in touch with them!

Heads Up is a regular feature, so if you’re an individual looking for freelance work, or a company offering work opportunities, and you would like to feature in the next Heads Up section, please email editor@thecrowdzine.co.uk for more details. Let’s connect!

Hello!

I am Ali Golds, Managing Director of Operation Enterprise.

My company specialises in: Enterprise education and business start-up support.

I’m looking for: An intern from January 2014, who is passionate about entrepreneurship, and who would like to play a fundamental role in business development.

You can contact me here: ali@ operation-enterprise.com.

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By Jessica Hylands Life Coaching Q: I’m so busy that I need to take on an employee. What do I do?

A: It’s great that you are so busy – congratulations!

Taking on an employee shouldn’t be taken lightly though. Things to consider are: 1. The extra admin involved; 2. Cost of their wages plus employer’s National Insurance Contributions; 3. Holiday pay; 4. If you take someone on, you will have to increase your profit by their wages just to stand still; 5. Employment law is complex. Take professional advice.

Do it, but speak to your accountant and an HR Consultant before going any further!

Q: I’m struggling with pricing. How much should I charge?

A: If you get your prices wrong, you will either end up making a loss, or will frighten customers away.

There are two angles to look from: 1. How much profit you want to make;

Before you even look at the figures, there are two very important factors to consider in pricing: 1. How good is the product/service that you are supplying, relative to the competition?

2. What is your level of confidence?

Remember, excellent product and confidence = high price whilst mediocre product and no confidence = low price. There are then various combinations of this. If you aren’t confident, then you won’t deem yourself worthy of charging anything and this will come across to your customers. Your potential customers will therefore feel that whatever you want to charge is too much. The above points dictate where in the market you can place yourself.

The maths/bottom-line is: Cost of materials + overheads / number of products made = the total cost of each product The total cost of each product + profit margin = retail price For more details, sign up for free member access to the Members’ Page on www. jessicahylandslifecoaching.co.uk.

2. How much people are willing to pay.

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news

NO PROBLEM!

news

USEFUL LINKS FOR YOU

By The Crowd ’Zine team

Don’t underestimate the amount of support available to you via the Internet – whether you’re working for yourself or an employer, looking for a job or starting up a venture. Here’s a taster of what’s available online...

Careers Information, Advice, and Guidance www.prospects.ac.uk - The U.K.’s official graduate careers website www.theemployable.com - The online community for the employable by the employable Business Support and Online Communities www.enterprisenation.com – Small business support and business club www.growthaccelerator.com – Specialist support for high-growth companies www.ideastap.com/funding – Funding, jobs, career development, advice and collaborative opportunities for creative practitioners www.princes-trust.org.uk – Business support for 18-30 year-olds www.shell-livewire.org – Free business advice and funding for start-ups www.smarta.com – Business advice and tools for start-ups and small businesses www.startacus.net – Information and a collaborative platform for the self-start society www.startupdonut.co.uk – Free advice, tools and resources for new businesses www.unltd.org.uk – Funding and support for social entrepreneurs

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news

Legal Issues www.companieshouse.gov.uk – The official register of U.K. companies www.gov.uk – The online one-stop-shop to find government services and information www.hmrc.gov.uk – The U.K.’s tax authority www.ipo.gov.uk – The official government body responsible for granting intellectual property in the U.K. Manufacturing Advice www.mymas.org – Specialist manufacturing business support for companies based in England Loans and Grants www.crowdcube.com – An equity crowdfunding platform for start-ups and growing businesses www.fredericksfoundation.org/loans – Loans and business support for start-ups and growing businesses (which meet their eligibility criteria) www.indiegogo.com – An international crowdfunding platform to raise money www.j4bgrants.co.uk – U.K. start-up business grants and funding opportunities www.kickstarter.com – A crowdfunding platform for creative projects www.seedrs.com – An online platform for investing seed capital www.shell-livewire.org/awards/grand-ideas-awards – 4 x £1000 cash prizes per month for 16-30 year-olds who are starting up in business in the U.K. www.spacehive.com – A crowdfunding platform for civic projects in the community www.sponsume.com – A crowdfunding platform for artistic and entrepreneurial projects

www.startuploans.co.uk – A government-funded scheme to provide loans and mentors for entrepreneurs

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news

A QUICK SHOUT OUT!

By The Crowd ’Zine team

Funding Calls

http://www.lntgroup.co.uk/competition. php

Digital Makers Fund, Nesta Nesta and Nominet have announced a second call for this £250,000 funding pot for ideas to significantly increase the number of young people who participate in digital making activities. As well as a grant (usually between £20,000 and £50,000), Nesta will offer tailored support which includes expert advice, mentoring, as well as Nesta and Nominet Trust’s expertise, networks and event space. The deadline is Thursday, 14 November 2013.

Learning Opportunities to Innovate and Collaborate!

A couple of MyKindaCrowd’s Challenges...

Are you between the ages of 18-30 with a vision for food technology? This challenge is to design a new, innovative and original food technology business.

The best idea will win a 1-hour e-master class session with Nick Holzherr, Founder and Director of Whisk. The deadline is around Monday, 9 December 2013.

http://www.nesta.org.uk/home1/assets/ features/digital_makers_fund_second_ open_call

http://www.mykindacrowd.com/ Challenges/funky-food-whisk In partnership with CoppaFeel!, MyKindaCrowd is looking for people between the ages of 16-26 to write a poem, rap, or song about remembering to check your boobs in order to catch breast cancer early. The best entry will get the chance to record and make a video of their song or poem, which will then feature on the CoppaFeel! website.

Alongside this, the winner will also receive tickets to Festifeel next year (the CoppaFeel! one-day music festival). The deadline is around Monday, 28 October 2013.

Competitions Submit your U.K. growth idea to win £10,000 Lawrence Tomlinson, Serial Entrepreneur in Residence at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, is giving away his £10,000 salary to whoever submits the best growth idea. He wants to hear your innovative ideas, big or small, on what practical steps the Government could take to generate growth. In return, alongside the £10k prize, you will also receive mentoring from Lawrence on your own business aspirations. Lawrence will then bring your idea to the attention of Vince Cable, Secretary of State for Business. The deadline is Thursday, 21 November 2013.

http://www.mykindacrowd.com/ Challenges/coppafeel

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