The Young Entrepreneur - Max Beahan

The Young Entrepreneur

As 2021 came to a close we were delighted to be able to offer a range of branded merchandise, with both Old Worksopian and House options available, working with OW Max Beahan and his company Printinx. The OW caught up with Max to find out a little bit more about the company and his future plans.

How was Printinx born?

I first thought of Printinx half way through my final year at Worksop College, but it was a concept which seemed out of reach for me at the time. I had always known that going to university wasn’t on my agenda, as I wanted to enter the world of business as soon as possible; I wanted to start something off my own back. With that in mind, as soon as I left the College I went to work in a factory to get the funding to cover the start-up costs. From there, I found myself a web designer to teach me how to set up a website, which brings us to today, as I am about to launch the new and improved website. So far on my journey, I have had invaluable help from a number of people: one being Simon, my web designer, another being my father, who has given me many words of wisdom, and finally Adam, a close friend of mine who runs a print on demand company. Adam has probably been my biggest inspiration during this business venture, as he created a highly successful and profitable company from nothing, which ignited the fire in me to try and exploit the technology we have today and to enhance the way school clothing works.

Were you inspired during your days at Worksop College?

In my final year at Worksop College, I noticed myself becoming intrigued about our House merchandise. I would seek inspiration through how the system used to work, constantly thinking of ways it could be tweaked and improved. There was usually a lag between placing and receiving the order, I noticed imperfections with the quality and realised that technological advances could make the process easier. Therefore, I took it upon myself to make it a quick and easy process to get a variety of highquality House related products, all customisable.

OWs in the spotlight

Why did you want to work with Worksop College and the OW society on this business venture?

I wanted to start off my new business venture with Worksop College as it is the place I am familiar with and have fond memories of. My contacts within the school made the process easier, and I found it enjoyable, as it was fun to get involved with College life again. As an Old Worksopian myself I knew what the pupils in the school wanted. It was also a good way to start off my business with people who I had experience with before and who I knew could help me through any troubles.

What kind of products should OWs be expecting?

I am excited to announce that we have products lined up for the Old Worksopian range, from products which would make great gifts, to products for yourself, to evoke some nostalgia. There aree plenty of customisable items and a few items that would not be expected. My aim for all the products is that they will make an OW smile, remembering what their school life was all about. Having one of these products is a great way to show that you are still part of the Worksop community, as once a Worksopian, always a Worksopian.

What is the in the future for Printinx?

As far as the company’s future goes, I plan on trying to roll it out to more schools within the Woodard Group, with the goal of embracing as many schools as possible throughout the UK. Once I have a plethora of schools involved, I will attempt to involve universities to try and grow the company as large as possible. Now I know that there is a market, I want to exploit it. Further down the line I aim to expand into the corporate events industry, as we have the facilities to create print on demand products for all business and event needs. In my opinion, Printinx has a very bright future; this is just the beginning.

To view the collection visit printinx.co.uk

OWs in the spotlight

A journey of the mind

The impact and experience of the past two years has been different for everyone, as has how we have responded, but there’s no doubt it’s been a really challenging time for us all. We talked to OW and current Wellbeing Co-coordinator at the College, Aaron Cawley, about his journey and how you can incorporate some simple tools into your own lives to help improve your overall wellbeing.

“I was Captain of school and a passionate member of Portland when it was a senior house. I treated the first team rugby pitch as holy turf, which I only deserved to play on if I displayed respect and ferocious dedication. I am tremendously lucky to have the mother, role models and teachers, who inspired and supported me as they did.

After leaving school, I travelled and worked abroad for two years. I worked in the French Alps, lived in a village in the Fijian mountainous jungles with no electricity or phone signal and explored Bahrain, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, and Bali. I then moved to Australia and worked as a labourer, surfing on beautiful beaches, meeting unique people and experiencing many amazing things.

When I eventually got to university, it was to study Neuroscience in Bristol. Early on in my second term, a friend of mine invited me to a yoga class. I had never considered doing yoga before, but I accepted. I stretched, sweated, and squirmed. Near the end of the class, the teacher asked us to notice how we were feeling. I was surprised by the drastic difference in my quality of mind compared to when I walked in. I was there, aware, and calm, something I hadn’t experienced before. This was the beginning of my journey to understanding my mind.

I then met Sister Jinho, a Taiwanese Buddhist nun, who gave me an example of radical compassion and faith. Her support and wisdom guided me through difficult times, and the tools and practices she taught me has empowered me to live with more presence, peace and connection. It turns out the state of mind I was seeking was actually documented in ancient scriptures. She taught me that

the mind is the lens through which we see the world, and therefore, by training it, we can change our experience of reality. She pushed me to practice meditation more seriously and to live more simply, with mindfulness.

Throughout my degree, I specialised in understanding how our breath relates to the brain’s function. I conducted research into how breathing exercises affect university student stress levels in exam-like conditions. Meanwhile, I was using myself as a guinea pig, regularly practicing yoga and meditation while studying Buddhist teachings. I knew I had found something I wanted to understand deeply so that I could one day share it with others.

Shortly after graduating, I received a phone call from my old Housemaster, Trevor Franse, who asked me to be the Assistant Housemaster in Pelham. I loved the culture he installed when I was at school and I also liked the idea of having a flat to escape the all too comfortable environment of my Mum’s house. I decided to take the job and moved onsite in September 2020.

When I first arrived at the school it was great to be back, but I was deeply shaken by the degree to which teenagers were struggling with their mental health. I became inspired to learn as much as I could about what the problems were, what caused them and what is already being done to help young people.

I began to teach meditation to students, and the school funded my training to be a teacher of an 8 week mindfulness course to be taught to all students during their PSHE lessons. For many, meditation and mindfulness is still foreign and hard to engage with, however, I have had feedback from students to say these practices have been life changing for them. Mindfulness is intentionally paying attention to the present moment with a non-judgmental awareness of inner and outer experiences; a skill that can be learned by anyone who is willing to put in the time and effort to learn. Meditation is a blanket term referring to practices which involve focusing the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity – it is a method to train attention and awareness for mental clarity and achieve an emotionally calm and stable state.

My current ambition is to do whatever I can to help support the mental health of the staff, parents, OWs and students which make up our community. If you are wondering where to start, you can email me, and I can direct you to some resources. I encourage you to give it a go, and give it time, there are short term benefits from practising mindfulness meditation, but the real treasure comes from practising it regularly, preferably daily. Some days it will feel unproductive and more stressful than it was calming. But trust me, in time the benefits are profound.”

Box Breathing in 5 simple steps

Box breathing is an exercise we can do to calm the mind. It can be done before bed, first thing in the morning or even on the toilet! It is a really quick and easy way to ground yourself and alleviate any panic or worries.

Find a quiet spot where you can relax and make sure you are sitting comfortably. Take a few deep conscious breaths, relaxing on the exhale, and let go of any thoughts, images or feelings that arise. When they do arise, simply notice that they are there and return your attention to the exercise I am about to describe.

1. Imagine a box in your mind’s eye. With your mind trace up the left-hand side of the box for 4 seconds while inhaling 2. Trace along the top edge while gently holding the breath in for four seconds. 3. Exhale down the right side for four seconds. 4. Rest the breath at the bottom of the exhale for four seconds as you trace along the bottom edge. 5. Repeat and relax more deeply as you go

You can do this for 30 seconds, 2 minutes, 15 minutes, an hour - whatever you feel you have time for is enough.