Ambassadors
Talent Week is supported by local young entrepreneurs in the Sheffield area. Meadow hall has generously given five of these young people in their twenties the opportunity to showcase their products and services at the shopping centre during Talent Week.
Rahul Amin
Rahul Amin is in his twenties and went to Tapton and Birkdale schools in Sheffield.
He is a restaurateur and always had an interest in business:
"I used to run the school tuck-shop, and sell designer clothes to people at school, from stock I'd brought back from my holidays in America."
His first business 'Ashoka' an Indian restaurant, was already established when he bought it four years ago. The second 'Abuelo' a gourmet Mexican street food concept, is a product of wanting to create his own business from scratch.
Rahul owes his business success to having a good mentor and knocking on as many doors as possible.
"I was surprised how many people there are out there to help young business people-take advantage of this! I borrowed 10% capital from my parents and I was in business. I paid them back in a year, stabilised the business and saved."
Tristan Cowell
Tristan Cowell is twenty seven years old and went to Birkdale school in Sheffield and then onto Nottingham university.
He is a product designer/director of IC Innovations, currently one of the most innovative consumer product design companies with offices in the US and the UK.
Rather than using his degree to become an investment banker, he embarked on the huge challenge of setting up a new company. Without any prior business experience, Tristan designed, developed and marketed a product for displaying Christmas cards. Asda placed their first order for 85,000 units when the company was just Tristan, a computer and a telephone in a room in his parents' house. After an incredible, amazingly stressful, fascinating 6 days, the deal was done with an agent and factory. Three years later and IC Innovations continues to grow with new products, customers and sectors and now supplies many of the biggest names in British retailing including Boots, WHSmith and Tesco.
"That first product still grows having won numerous awards, and is even being used in 10 Downing Street".
Beth Goddard
Beth Goddard is in her twenties and went to school in the Sheffield area.
She is the Director/founder of MORE! Productions, a production company designed for young people, which deliver a whole range of bespoke projects ranging from site-specific theatre, film production and creative workshops.
Rather than being a 'light bulb' idea, the business evolved over time combined with a lot of sheer determination!
"I've realised that running my own business allows me be in control of my own destiny and is very, very creative! I wouldn't change it. There's nobody else doing what we are doing in the way that we are doing it!"
Beth is working with Chaucer Community School to produce a "Play in a Day" for the launch of Talent Week in the Oasis at 11am on Tuesday 28th October.
Allen Holland
Allen Holland is in his twenties and went to school in the Sheffield area.
He is a product designer and runs a successful product design company.
Quick Play Sport came about because Allen and his business partner developed a portable football goal (Kickster). When faced with the question of how to market it they thought, 'why don't we do this ourselves?' They went to China to source the manufacture of the goals and found a local businessman to invest in the company – Quick Play Sport was born.
"It's a big step starting a business, you have to be quick to learn on your feet and adapt to the changes within your business market. Get a mentor and listen to their advice, delegate and celebrate your victories!"
Eddie Riby
Eddie Riby is in his twenties and went to school in the Sheffield area.
He is the director of UK Water Features, specialising in the retail of a large range of home, garden and leisure products.
The idea for Eddie's current business originates from when he was exhibiting at a trade show with his other business Parcel Safe. He noticed a stand selling water features and decided to purchase a pallet of stock. This sold straight away on eBay. Subsequently the business has grown to a level where he has another Director on board and staff, which manages the Yorkshire based showroom and warehouse.
"I enjoyed my time at school but always had one eye on becoming the next Richard Branson, even as a young child by attempting to create a mini-golf course on my parents lawn and charge people to pay!"
Gemma Stone
Gemma Stone is in her thirties and went to school in the Kent area.
She is the Director of Rock and Ruby, a bespoke event agency, organising corporate events ranging from team building to parties, awards shows to beauty pageants. Also, she has just launched Ruby and Mimi, a private parties division.
Gemma used redundancy money as start up capital and attended a number of Enterprise Agency seminars to learn more about the red tape surrounding business start up. It dispelled the myth that it was going to be a really difficult and long process.
"Teachers always reminded me I had too much to say for myself, which ironically is why I've been successful in the career I've pursued today."
