Category Archives: News

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“Less than five in 200 creative graduates have what it takes,” says Molton Brown founder

Serial entrepreneur and former Dragons’ Den panellist, Doug Richard, last night launched a new academy to foster creative talent in the UK.

The presentation came as the founder of Molton Brown, Caroline Burstein, said that after viewing approximately 200 graduate collections from London’s top design schools each year, she can “count on one hand the amount that I really feel have got all the ingredients that it takes to make it”.

Burstein, who is now the creative director of Browns fashion boutique,...

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The School for Creative Startups launch: Cocktails, camaraderie and controversy

Last night marked the launch of the School for Creative Startups. Hosted at the glamorous Hospital Club in Covent Garden, the founder (and former Dragon) Doug Richard was joined by MOBOs entrepreneur Kanya King, Molton Brown founder and boss of Browns Fashion Caroline Burstein, Culture Minister Ed Vaizey and design guru Libby Sellers. The purpose: to thrash out a much-mooted subject. Can all creatives be taught to be entrepreneurs? And is the UK the right environment to foster creative enterprise?

Seven...

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School for Creative Startups: Creativity, risk and Ed Vaizey’s home truth

Welcome to Part Two of the Smarta coverage of last night’s School for Creative Startups launch (read Part One here). As the evening progressed, the Courvoisier flowed, the debate became heated and the panel of entrepreneurs and enterprise experts spoke candidly of the barriers to creative business success.

Caroline Burstein is a truly fascinating entrepreneur. She founded the Molton Brown brand back in the seventies, sold up in 1993 and now heads up the creative arm of Browns, the iconic fashion...

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Emerging Talent: School for Creative Startups

School for Creative Startups is a new business initiative for young creatives by investor Doug Richard; a one year program and helping hand for graduates with unique ideas wishing to pursue their creative endeavors as a career.

Previous Dragon from the British Dragon’s Den television series, Richard has an impressive business CV and unparalleled expertise in entrepreneurial ventures; in 2006 Doug was an Honorary Recipient of The Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion.

Following a period of mentoring in 2008, Richard saw an...

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Businesses paying too much for essentials

As costs rise businesses are failing to adapt and make cost savings, according to business savings expert Makeitcheaper.com.

In a recent survey, 63 percent of business owners said that their cost base was ‘lean’. However, the research indicated that this is unlikely to be the case. It was found that business owners do not have enough time to focus on cost management and tend to shop like consumers rather than businesses. Their purchases do not always reflect economies of scale, however,...

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Why let the truth stand in the way of a good story, Milo?

Doug Richard doesn’t hold back in his response to Real Business columnist Milo Yiannopoulos over his criticism of One Young World.

Milo, there are many reasons to criticise in today’s society. But I think in this instance that your pessimism and cynicism have blinded you to what was one of the most inspiring and uplifting events I have ever had the privilege of attending.

I suppose that the alternative is that your article is merely a cynical ploy to be controversial, as...

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POSITIVE DIGITAL HELPS DOUG RICHARD TO MAKE IT CHEAPER

Digital marketing agency Positive Digital has been appointed by Make It Cheaper, the saving experts for business, to launch its new website, ‘Business Fit’, supported by former Dragon’s Den star Doug Richard.

‘Business Fit’ (www.makeitcheaper.com/businessfit) helps small businesses to save both time and money by encouraging them to think about how efficiently they are run. It will also provide assistance in finding and arranging the switch to the best, rates and prices for business services such as energy, telecoms and insurance.

Positive...

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A Recession Is Still a Good Time to Launch a Business

The euro zone crisis is rapidly escalating and some fear a possible Greek default could signal the end of the euro area.

Even though the U.K. is technically not in a recession, job creation prospects look anemic with the public sector shedding 100,000 jobs during the second quarter of this year, slashing considerably more jobs than it created. The total number of unemployed people in the U.K. stands at 2.51 million, according to the latest figures released by the Office of...

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Global businesses throw support behind next generation leaders

Around 240 of the world’s largest businesses, including American Express, Siemens, and BT, have backed the next generation of young leaders at the One Young World forum, which is being held in Zurich this week.

The event, a global youth forum, will enable the 1,200 young delegates to speak with a whole range of business executives and campaigners, including Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Muhammad Yunus, and Sir Bob Geldof. The forum will also offer the businesses that have sponsored delegates to “gain...

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It’s time for the world to turn to the entrepreneur

The ability to start your own business is not a case of an accident of birth or the possession of a rare talent, argues Doug Richard. Through entrepreneurship, each of us has the potential to be a hero.

Things are looking bleak. According to the International Labour Organisation, global unemployment currently stands at 203.3 million and Sir Mervyn King, Governor of the Bank of England says that we are experiencing the worst financial crisis in history.

So what can we as individuals...