Alumni Enterprise Week 2015
You’ve had a flash of inspiration for a new product. You’ve thought of a solution to a problem. Taking that initial idea and turning it into a functioning venture can be the hardest part.
This week we're celebrating all thing entrepreneurial and enterprising about the University of Glasgow.
We'll showcase some successful alumni ventures, put your questions about entrepreneurship to Professor of Entrepreneurship, Colin Mason, and the University's Enterprise Manager, Marion Anderson, and we'll take a look at a recent enterprise started by some current students.
Keep an eye on our Facebook and Twitter accounts, and check back here each day for updates.
Where it all begins
Professor of Entrepreneurship Colin Mason talks about how entrepreneurship begins:
Seeing opportunity
Entrepreneurship starts when you see an opportunity. This is usually an idea based around solving a problem someone may have. The best opportunities are those where the problem is creating considerable ‘pain’ for a group of individuals.
It’s personal
Typically the entrepreneur finds an opportunity from their own experience, often by connecting seemingly unconnected ideas. Opportunity identification is therefore personal – and because it is based on prior knowledge not everyone sees the same opportunities.
This week we'll be putting your questions about entrepreneurship and enterprise to Professor Mason and the University's Enterprise Manager, Marion Anderson.
Submit your questions via Twitter with hashtag #UofGEnterprise or send us a message on Facebook.
Enterprising Alumni
Glasgow has a proud history of nurturing inventors. Some famous names such as James Watt and Joseph Lister worked at the University, and contemporary alumni such as Aisha Kasim and James Brown have made successes of their own inventions in recent years.
The range of innovations are diverse, and Glasgow can boast alumni inventors who have created hair products, revolutionised water filtration techniques and started food businesses and creative agencies.
Below you'll find the stories of about just few of our entrepreneurial alumni.
Edible enterprise - Carol Deeney
Carol has been serving up a taste of Scotland at markets across London since 2012. The success of her haggis toastie – the ‘Macbeth’ – inspired her to launch the Deeney’s haggis range in time for Burns Night.
After her haggis toastie - The MacBeth - turned out to be a taste sensation, Carol started Deeny's Scottish Flavour. We asked her about making the decision to start her own business and where she sees it going next.
