GET STARTED 2019

EARLY STAGE STARTUPS

For the last conference of the DICE module, we had Get started 2019, which focuses on starting a business and what that entails. Something I believe is very important for college students as the chances of someone starting a business in my year, even in my group of friends is so high. Since more than half of first-time businesses fail it is essential we learn from people who have succeeded in this very difficult task.

LEWIZE MCCAULEY –  CEO & FOUNDER OF “EXIT & ENTRY”

First to come to the stage was Lewize Mccauley. I was surprised that her first “business” was when she was 15 and she had researched about jeans and had known they were very hard to come across in Russia. So, when she was there on holidays with her school she set up a booth and within an hour or two she had completely sold out. Although this was not a long lasting business you could tell that she had the right mind for entrepreneurial work. She had started many other businesses along the way but due to the recession, there were many financial problems she encountered. But this didn’t stop her and now she has started the company “Exit  & Entry”. What I found the most beneficial was the fact that although her first or second idea did not work out she learned from her mistakes and persisted until what she wanted to do came to light.

LOUISE MURPHY – SALES DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER OF “CYC-LOK”

Louise’s idea was about finding a smart solution for an everyday problem. The solution was to find a secure and affordable bicycle parking solution. While this is a source of income for her it has also made the lives of many commuters which easier and stress-free as they now have no worries of bicycle theft. Louise has taught me that there are still many everyday problems that require solutions and I feel that if you pay more attention to these problems there might be a business waiting for you.

 DAVID POLLARD – STARTUP WEEK DUBLIN

The last person in the “Early stage startups” theme was David Pollard. Although David has done many other events like “Tech labs” I am going to focus on startup week Dublin. This event takes place in a number of locations in Dublin and it includes networking events, keynote speeches, panel discussions and workshops covering issues such as getting started, joining a tech company, finding funding, how to build out your team, and how to promote diversity. There will also be mentoring opportunities from leading entrepreneurs and investors. I thought that this was a very smart idea as I believe that one of the best ways to learn about something is from someone who has done it. Who knows, maybe David will have myself or someone I know at his event soon!

PANEL

After David had spoken they came together to form a panel and answer a variety of questions, I believe that this was the most beneficial. I managed to grasp a good understanding that early stage startups face and the biggest challenge of them all is capital. It can be so hard for early-stage startups to acquire this. But, one of the most important things they said is to surround yourself with the right people and to build a network with the right people as you never know when you might need a hand with someone they could excel in. “The advice is out there is there, go for it”. From this, I will make sure to take note of every person I meet and to try and form a good bond to build this network.

Overall I found the conference to be very enjoyable and there were many valuable things i took from this conference.