STARTING your own business may not be easy but it can be tremendously exciting, according to The Apprentice’s Nick Hewer.
Lord Sugar’s right-hand man on the BBC TV show was in the island at the invitation of Junior Achievement Isle of Man to talk to students from King William’s College and Ballakermeen, Queen Elizabeth II and Castle Rushen high schools taking part in the charity’s company programme.
During his 36-hour visit the former public relations consultant turned TV personality also addressed two packed audiences of business leaders.
Sponsored by Capital International, Celton Manx, Manx Telecom and OSA Recruitment, the events provided an opportunity for Nick to share his love of business – its highs and its lows – with his signature wry style enlivened by pithy observations and candid remarks about the exuberantly entrepreneurial Alan Sugar and the making of The Apprentice and spin-off series Junior Apprentice.
The Manx Telecom-sponsored session with year 12 students included a presentation by Junior Achievement’s Company of the Year 2011 winners, Cahoots from Castle Rushen High School, who had won the competition with their in-school stationery vending machine.
The team – Grace Costain, Ruby Callister, Katie Danes, Sarah Reeday and Katie Gilson – outlined the process of identifying their product, devising a business plan and bringing their product to market, and also offered tips on presentation.
Amid the private jets, mansions in Marbella and meetings at London’s Dorchester Hotel, Nick was eager to bring home to young people the importance of ‘gravitating to the gunfire because that’s where the excitement is’ and going all out to enjoy the thrill of business and entrepreneurship which, as The Apprentice has succeeded in demonstrating to monumental success, ‘should always be fun’.
He advised his audience of would-be entrepreneurs ‘never to fib on your CV’ and, importantly, to show integrity and loyalty, values he said his ‘boss’ Lord Sugar – the man who started in business aged 17 and who ‘killed off the typewriter’ – had in abundance.
In closing Nick – soon to be seen on TV as the host of Channel 4’s Countdown – said that although self-confidence was essential in business, he cautioned against over-confidence, saying: ‘Remember what happened to Icarus.’
Junior Achievement’s chief executive, Sue Cook, said: ‘Nick is an inspirational speaker who really brought home to young people that business can be exciting.
‘His behind-the-scenes insight into the making of The Apprentice and the show’s various personalities was fascinating and very witty.
‘But importantly it brought home the fact that anyone can succeed in business if they approach it with a mix of self-confidence tempered with humility and honesty and a sense of humour.
‘Nick’s entertaining account of working alongside Alan Sugar for some 30 years will, I’m sure, have struck a chord with the students who are taking part in the Junior Achievement company programme which is devised to help young people acquire a broad range of career and life skills through hands-on learning. And, in the spirit of The Apprentice, we’ll be holding a series of Dragons’ Den sessions later this year when our aspiring entrepreneurs will be pitching their ideas to a panel of business advisers and taking another step closer to the Company of the Year challenge.
‘The three events have been an unqualified success, only made possible thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, Capital International, Celton Manx, Manx Telecom and OSA Recruitment, together with the support and tremendous hard work of the Junior Achievement team.
‘Given the economic downturn and the contracting jobs market, it’s more important than ever that young people are equipped with the skills to prepare them for the world of work. I believe that people like Nick Hewer and Lord Sugar, TV shows such as The Apprentice and Junior Apprentice and Junior Achievement’s innovative programmes offer compelling ways to inspire young people to become the entrepreneurs of tomorrow.’
Junior Achievement Isle of Man is a Manx-registered charity. In the 2010-2011 academic year Junior Achievement Isle of Man ran 150 classes in 18 schools, reaching more than 4,000 young people.
Each year the charity needs to raise £300,000.
For more details email Sue Cook at suecook@jaiom.im
www.jaiom.co.im