Dragon wants to ignite entrepreneurial flair
THE future of the UK will be driven by how seriously we take our young people’s entrepreneurial ambitions, a leading entrepreneur has claimed.
Julie Meyer, online Dragon and one of Europe’s top 30 most powerful business women, will be expanding on the claim when she speaks at the Birmingham Future AGM on Tuesday August 10th.
She said: “It always amazes me how completely unfazed by the world’s events – the recession, the lack of liquidity in the markets, the election results – young entrepreneurs are.
“They have everything to learn, but their optimism is something we must channel better in this nation as it has the ability to lift the economy.”
Founder of Ariadne Capital – which invests in life services, media and technology businesses – and the First Tuesday network, which is credited with igniting the internet generation, Ms Meyer has recently established Entrepreneur Country, the online community for European, entrepreneur-led economic growth.
“I find it impossible not to be optimistic when I’m around entrepreneurs regardless of their age, experience or achievements,” she said.
“But when the entrepreneurs have enormous potential and they are only 23 years old I get very excited.”
She will use her speech at the AGM to offer her top tips for entrepreneurial success, while sharing with the audience some of her stories of the last 20 years in business.
Follow TheBusinessDesk.com on Twitter for
business news updates throughout the day
She is expected to say that in Birmingham – and the UK in general – entrepreneurs need support. She will also argue that “people who come from poorer backgrounds with little money have a huge advantage in creating something of value; the only way is up”.
“They have no financial security, and this drives them to succeed. Contrast that with all this whining about how the belt-tightening exercise in the UK is going to destroy the country,” she said.
“I don’t think we buy into the notion of the crash. I understand there are data points that could lead someone to that conclusion, but what we see is a process of creative destruction – the dinosaurs will die, new animals will emerge, evolution goes on.”
The Birmingham Future AGM and speaker dinner with Julie Meyer, which is being sponsored by Mills & Reeve, takes place at the Crowne Plaza in Birmingham.
Tickets, priced £25 +VAT, are available from www.birminghamfuture.co.uk / Claire@birminghamforward.co.uk or on 0121 632 2209.
