Our Global Head of Corporate Marketing David Bootle explores the creative force that is an entrepreneur.
UK Entrepreneur Of The Year
Talking to entrepreneurs last week at the prestigious UK Entrepreneur Of The Year awards it struck me that there was a common theme across their beliefs and outlook that sets them apart.
Art of creativity
Entrepreneurs are different. They think and behave differently and use different language to plot their future vision.
The insight provided by the guest speaker, Tayyab Akhlaq, director of footwear specialists, Public Desire, was hugely enlightening. He talked about creativity being a vital skill required for future economic prosperity. And there was me drumming engineering and science into my kids! Both are vitally important don’t get me wrong, but the art of creativity – the pursuit of the purity of ingenious creation – that is truly something to be nurtured. And it is something entrepreneurs possess in abundance. They often call their businesses their ‘baby’ – due to such a strong connection to creativity.
Future economy
Other key themes that came across at the awards were the future economy and its ever increasing digitisation. The next generation of business creators and consumers are constantly online – devouring content (particularly video) through Instagram, Snap Chat and latterly TikTok. The importance of instantaneous connectivity and sharing experiences is vital for Generation Z.
IoT phenomenon
The pace of change and the importance of connectivity – between people’s devices, and from device-to-device – is ever increasing. The IoT phenomenon gathers pace constantly. It is hard to keep up with and we could be excused for sometimes bemoaning the relentless ‘need for speed’. But what an exciting time to be alive! When people can talk instantly and uninterrupted from distances as far as Bombay to Birmingham. Or when they can buy something online that would have taken weeks to source let alone send. And yet today it will arrive, safely and securely the next day!! Such staggering pace of progress!
It will not just be people’s appetite and enthusiasm for change that really maintains the pace of future progress though – it will be the sheer love of its creative force too. That is the entrepreneurial spirit – the unbounded love of the pursuit of creativity.
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