On a Guardian panel tomorrow

Busy day again tomorrow as I am one of the members of a panel at a Guardian & Lloyds TSB Breakfast Seminar being held at the Cardiff Marriott Hotel.
The Institute of Directors is running a series of breakfast seminars across the country for business leaders, in association with the Guardian Small Business Network and Lloyds TSB Commercial.
The seminars bring together a panel of well known business specialists to discuss the key issues of the day.
Run in the style of Question Time, attendees will have an opportunity to ask questions to the panel and contribute to the debate.
For more information and details on dates and venues please visit the Guardian Small Business Network
The Cardiff seminar will be co-chaired by a Guardian business journalist and the IoD Wales Director, Robert Lloyd Griffiths.
The panel is made up of well-known sector specialists and a business professional from Lloyds TSB Commercial.
The seminar topic is‘Accessing New Markets.’
The seminar will discuss the following ideas -

• New markets equal new opportunities for business: whether it’s expanding beyond your local region, opening up a new customer base for your products or taking your business global.
• What are the tools and support available and how can you form partnerships to achieve success?
• With the government’s commitment to opening procurement routes for SME’s how can businesses be best placed to win these opportunities?
• Is meeting sustainability standards the key to unlocking public sector contracts?

Weblinks -
http://www.iod.com/Connecting/Events/Wales-South-Cardiff-Breakfast-Seminar
http://www.guardian.co.uk/small-business-network/2012/jun/11/roadshows

Entrepreneurship Academy students on TV tonight

Students from the Entrepreneurship Academy Wales should be in the TV spotlight tonight.
ITVWales were at a special event held at the Innovation Foundry at the Dylan Thomas Centre, Swansea, last night.
They were there to film the 'speed-dating' evening which helped match up mentors and students.
The mentors, including myself, will be helping to guide the students through their course and develop their business ideas and strategies.
Before the 'speed-dating', however, I had a surprise for the students.
Academy Director Sue Poole had put together funds for a special challenge for the students.
The students were split into two teams - one boys and one girls.
They have each been given £250 each and two 'free' pitches/stalls at Swansea Indoor Market for December 4 and 5.
The teams have to come up with a sales idea for their market stall.
There's a loading bay for them to deliver their goods - but no electricity on the stall.
The team whch makes the most profit on the original fund of £250 will be the winner.
The winning students will get to keep the profits.
Indus Films and Television will be filming at the market during the week and should be able to put the spotlight on the young entrepreneurs at work.
When I announced the challenge to the students last night, they were thrilled.
Very quickly, they started to form some ideas about what they will sell at the market stall.
It promises to be a good test of the youngsters and their business skills and I am looking forward to seeing the contest unfold.
Weblink -
http://www.entrepreneurshipacademywales.co.uk/

TV filming, then speed-dating!

What a combination this afternoon!
Doing a spot of filming for ITVWales today as they put the spotlight on the Entrepreneurship Academy Wales at The Foundry at the Dylan Thomas Centre in Swansea.
Then, it's a spot of 'speed-dating'.
Well, it's not quite what you think . . .
The 'speed-dating' will help to match students of the Entrepreneurship Academy Wales with successful business mentors.
It promises to be an exciting afternoon for one and all.
Here's hoping we can get some of the Entrepreneurship Academy Wales students off to a flying start.

Back home after New Zealand trip

Wow! I'm safely back home after a successful public-speaking tour of New Zealand.
It was quite a roller-coaster of a fortnight, taking in 11 speaking engagements.
The trip took me to Aukland, then Tauranga (the most populous city in the Bay of Plenty region of the North Island of New Zealand), then Wellington, back to Hamilton and then back to Auckland.
On occasions we were cross-crossing the country, but it was wonderful to take in the scenery and meet the people.
The timetable was pretty tight on occasions. For example, my flight in to Auckland was diverted through Bahrain and ran late. I had to be picked up from the airport by a guy who had obviously done some Formula 1 training and literally had to change into my suit in the hotel toilet before going on stage for my first speaking engagement.
My role was similar to my work as a wealth mentor/coach for Kevin Green Wealth (http://www.kevingreen.co.uk/), helping people form their ideas about business and putting them on the right path to making money.
I was working hand-in-hand with David Leon, a Spanish guy I actually trained through my wealth programme a few years ago.
David was originally a member of my UK team, but he met a Kiwi lady and relocated to New Zealand and now runs a wealth education programme which operates along the same lines as Kevin Green Wealth.
The speaking events were a great success and there was a real vibe and buzz in the room at every event. Plenty of great ideas and plenty of entrepreneurial spirit and the passion that drives success in business.
I will be returning to New Zealand in January as friends of mine will be getting married in the new year.
Never one to miss an opportunity, David will be putting on another big event in Auckland on January 26, so I'll be spreading my words of wisdom to the New Zealand business community once again.
This latest trip was the ninth time for me to visit New Zealand. My first visit was back in 1999 when I was on a Nuffield Scholarship which saw me intervewing businesspeople and entrepreneurs to gather the secrets of their successes.
New Zealand seems like a country on the up. Property prices are gaining a lot. There's also a lot of Chinese money coming in. In Auckland, for example, you will also see a lot of smaller busineses run by Chinese and Asians.
New Zealand's economy is a bit behind the UK, while the impression is that neighbour Australia is starting to feel the squeeze.
A lot of people in New Zealand are very keen to get into property.
The psyche of the Kiwi seems very similar to the Welsh in that they want to own land and property.
Everyone attending the speaking events seemed very receptive to what I had to say.
It was a bit of a whirlwind tour of New Zealand, but hugely enjoyable and rewarding.
I did manage a bit of 'me time' while I was there, just towards the end of the tour.
I was able to take in the world triathlon event and visited some memorable places, including Waiheke Island, which is just off Aukland in a rain shadow area.
There are some 40 vineyards on island and it's all very swish.
I enjoyed my time at the Mudbrick vineyard, which is on the brow of a hill with views back to Aukland and the sky tower.
Just remembering it, brings a smile to my face.
All in all, a great trip - and I'll be seeing New Zealand again very soon.
Photos: Top, speaking at an event in Auckland; middle, on top of Mount Maunganui; bottom, Mudbrick vineyard, Waiheke Island.

Good article in the Daily Post today

There's a nice article in the Daily Post newspaper today.
The paper ciculates in Liverpool and North Wales and puts the spotlight on a boot camp for business.

The article is also online on the Daily Post website -
http://www.dailypost.co.uk/business-news/business-news/2012/10/17/secret-millionaire-star-to-appear-at-llanrwst-business-boot-camp-55578-32045207/

On the road in New Zealand

Long drive to central North Island in New Zealand for the next leg of my tour.
This is a really beautiful country.
I have another speaking engagement this evening.
The feedback has been great so far.
The audiences have been very enthusiastic and I've met some very committed businesspeople.
Luckily for me, this trip will not be all public speaking.
I have four days at the end of the speaking tour to enjoy this fab country.
Highlights so far include a visit to Tauranga in the Bay of Plenty.

Next stop: Wellington!

It's been a great day. I've been speaking in Auckland at two events.
I'm off early tomorrow to Wellington, where I have another two speaking engagements.
It's a busy and hecic schedule, but very rewarding and I'm meeting lots of great people.
Great to be helping them with their business ideas.

Pictures from the Young Person's Business Breakfast

This is the picture slideshow from the recent Young People's Business Breakfast staged at The Marriott Hotel, Swansea.
See earlier post -
http://kevingreenwealth.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/great-business-breakfast-in-swansea.html

Photos from the Academy launch

It was a delight to be at the launch of the Entrepreneurship Academy Wales this week.
It took place at the new Innovation Foundry at the Dylan Thomas Centre, Swansea.
I had a long chat with the Welsh Government's Business Minister Edwina Hart.
She was very down to earth and sensible lady with a real passion for helping young people.
Photos from the event are in this slideshow.

Enjoying New Zealand!

Sorry, haven't been able to catch up with this blog - but it's been a busy time.
Great launch for the Entrepreneurship Academy Wales in Swansea this week.
Then it was off to the airport . . .
A380 Emirates flight to Dubai, where we had a slight delay.
That meant cutting it fine for my flight to Auckland, where I literally landed and went straight on stage.
Auckland was the first of six public speaking engagements in New Zealand.
They were a great crowd.
There'll be more news on the New Zealand adventure soon . . .

Helping others create wealth . . .

Busy couple of days. Working on 90-Day Kevin Green Wealth Business Coaching start-ups today and tomorrow. I just love helping others follow in my footsteps.
You can find out more about my courses and programmes on my website -
http://www.kevingreen.co.uk/

Housing charity meeting

Excellent meeting yesterday with a housing charity. Found we have lost of common ground on rentals and empty homes. Hopefully, more news on how we can work together will follow.

All geared-up for official launch of 'Academy'

Big week next week with the launch of the Entrepreneurship Academy Wales.
Here is the official press release -

Official launch for entrepreneurship academy

A first-of-its-kind Academy for young entrepreneurs is to be officially launched in Swansea.
The Entrepreneurship Academy Wales will be launched in the presence of Edwina Hart AM on 8 October at the Innovation Foundry (Dylan Thomas Centre.)
The free, one year programme leads to a BTEC qualification in Enterprise and Entrepreneurship and is open to aspiring young business leaders aged between 16 and 19.
The Academy is endorsed by local entrepreneur and ‘Secret Millionaire’ Kevin Green, with further sponsorship support from Euros Jones-Evans (Telesgop), Admiral Insurance, Clive Murphy (Trojan Electronics), Andrew Downie (Netbop), Dave Kieft (RDM Electrical.) A number of other businesses are also getting ready to sign up to sponsor these aspiring entrepreneurs of the future.
“We are passionate about inspiring the next generation of young entrepreneurs from across Wales and are delighted to work alongside our partners to develop the talents of these exceptional young people,” says Sue Poole, Education Enterprise Manager at Gower College Swansea, which is delivering the Academy.
13 students have already signed up for the course, with one young entrepreneur moving down from North Wales to take the course.
Delivered from the Innovation Foundry, the Academy promotes a philosophy of ‘learning by doing’ that sees students working alongside successful entrepreneurs who will also deliver part of the curriculum, completing workshops and masterclasses.
The students will also undertake an internship with business partners and ultimately start their own businesses.
“I, personally, would have benefitted from an initiative like this when I was in school,” says Kevin.
“With a lot of hard work and passion, these students will go on to become the business leaders of tomorrow and I’m very proud to be involved and to be able to lend my support from the earliest stages of the process.
“I am looking forward to working with a brilliant team of passionate and energetic people who will be helping to mentor the youngsters. Working together, I am sure we can create something special in the new Academy.”
Anyone interested in becoming a sponsor should contact Sue Poole on 01792 284000 or email sue.poole@gowercollegeswansea.ac.uk

ENDS
Notes:
For more information/photos please contact Allison on 01792 284262.
Related links:
www.entrepreneurshipacademywales.co.uk
www.gowercollegeswansea.ac.uk
http://www.kevingreen.co.uk

Great business breakfast in Swansea

Great start to the day yesterday at the Young People's Business Breakfast held at The Marriott Hotel, Swansea.
The event was hosted by Helen Bowden, station manager at Swansea Sound-The Wave.
I was one of the guest speakers. The other was Fraser O'Brian, the 18-year-old Porsche racing driver from Abergavenny.
It was inspirational stuff.
There'll be more from this event a little later . . .
Pictures from the event -
https://plus.google.com/photos/114054103325052180233/albums/5794650807626267681