Super-salesman appointed as Coventry University’s first entrepreneur in residence

COVENTRY University has hired its first entrepreneur in residence to help students to set up their own businesses.

Darin Tudor, who has achieved £0.5bn sales in his career working for SMEs and FTSE 100 companies, has taken up the post which is initially for six months.

The successful entrepreneur, who is based in Warwickshire, will support students on Coventry University’s degree programmes and is initially working with the engineering and computing Department.

Tudor has spent 27 years working in sales, marketing and business development for a number of companies including the Dyson Group in Droitwich and the Trio Group in Gloucester.

Six years ago, he started his own business. The Kenilworth-based Paradise Partnership focuses on sales and marketing for SMEs in a range of industries including aerospace and social media.

His business has been selected as a finalist for the Coventry, Warwickshire and Solihull FSB (Federation of Small Business) 2015 Real-Life Entrepreneur award.

Tudor is also a coach and trainer for the government’s Business Growth Service (formerly known as the GrowthAccelerator service).

Keith Jeffrey, of Coventry University’s Institute of Applied Entrepreneurship, said: “Coventry University is renowned for encouraging innovation and entrepreneurial talent and the appointment of our first entrepreneur in residence will help us to build on the fantastic work we already do.

“Listening to the advice of Darin and learning from his mistakes as well as his success will help entrepreneurs of the future to consider launching their own businesses.

“Darin will also be creating a programme of events and activities that raise the profile of entrepreneurial activity at the university and using his contacts to help students take the first steps toward developing high-growth businesses.”

Tudor said: “I want to distil down all the information I have learned and impart it to students, alumni and staff so that they don’t make the same mistakes that I did but instead are fast-tracked towards running their own successful businesses.

“I want to pass on the methods that I apply to my day-to-day life and I have created an entrepreneurs’ tool kit to condense all the information I have learned from the world of business.”

 

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