Enterprise Island Challenge a huge success

People living in North Ayrshire are among the most entrepreneurial in Britain, according to leading enterprise expert, Iain Scott.

Iain is the creator of the Enterprise Island Challenge, a unique business start-up method, and was invited to hold a Challenge in the area by Irvine Bay Regeneration in partnership with North Ayrshire Council and Business Gateway.

Last month (February), aspiring entrepreneurs in North Ayrshire were asked to come forward and discuss their business ideas on an informal basis with a panel of experts from the Enterprise Island team plus local business owners.

More than 50 people signed up for the informal sessions at venues in Irvine, Ardrossan and Kiwinning, all of them hoping to be invited back for a series of free workshops and a masterclass, aimed at helping them realise their business dreams.

Taking up the story, Iain Scott said:

“Normally what happens is that only around 50 per cent of the people we see in the initial stages of an Enterprise Island Challenge make it on to the next level, usually because they just aren’t ready to take that leap.

“What has happened in North Ayrshire, however, is that virtually every single person we spoke to - and they ranged in aged from 22 to 65 - was excited about moving on from business dream to business reality. In a few cases, their business ideas and their approaches to entrepreneurship were so far advanced that all they really needed was someone to tell them: “Fantastic - go for it” and we were delighted to do that.”

At a series of intensive all day workshops and a masterclass held in Ardrossan at the end of the month (February), the Irvine Bay ‘Islanders’ learned about the nuts and bolts of business start-up and, most important of all, according to Iain Scott, how to think and act like entrepreneurs.

‘Islander’ Sharon Matthews, 34, from Irvine who can create almost anything with a pair of knitting needles and a ball of wool, went to the ‘top of the class’ after fellow Islanders snapped up the knitted goods she had brought along to illustrate her business idea!

Said Iain Scott:

“Not only are Irvine Bay Islanders remarkably entrepreneurial, they are also very funny and our workshop sessions were often lightened by welcome flashes of humour.”

He added:

“The Irvine Bay Islanders have also been particularly strong at encouraging each other which is good to see because it is essential when you are setting up a business to have a network of like-minded people who can offer support.”

At the end of the month (March), the Islanders will get together again with Iain Scott and representatives from Irvine Bay Regeneration Company, North Ayrshire Council and Business Gateway plus established local entrepreneurs for a Celebration of Enterprise when the budding entrepreneurs from North Ayrshire will show how far they - and their business ideas - have come in just eight weeks.