Inspiring our next entrepreneurs! Young Enterprise Lanarkshire.

2. Congratulations! A word we use in many walks of life, but
tonight it’s for all Young Enterprise Lanarkshire achievers in
front of us!
I personally applaud each and every one of you….. Your
commitment and drive, your teamwork and of course, your
entrepreneurial spirit.
You’ve been on a journey these past months with Young
Enterprise Lanarkshire and it’s one that will provide business
and life lessons for a very long time!
I’m jealous. Very jealous of the opportunity that is now in front
of each and every one of you and I urge you all to grab it with
both hands!
This is the time to start your next journey!
Time to say, right; I’m going to show the world what I’ve got to
offer!

3. Let me take you back, way back, many, many years ago and introduce you to a
young lad…
He wanted to have his own business. He wanted to make loads of dosh!
What he learned over the years is that true entrepreneurial spirit is more than
simply being in business. It’s more than making money, so much more.

5. And, along the way, working to these principals, there is
every chance that you may just make sack loads of
money as you do it!
What you will have is opportunity. The opportunity to
have freedom to choose to make a difference.
This is golden years for all of you. You have the energy
to succeed. You might think that to be a successful
entrepreneur you need to have decades of experience,
a big bank balance and an impressive track record.
Nonsense!
Never let that get in the way – it’s backed up by plenty
of real life success stories.

6. Just look at
entrepreneurs such as
Facebook founder Mark
Zuckerberg, who
became a billionaire by
age 23 thanks to his
idea.

7. Sir Richard Branson, a
serial entrepreneur
who time after time
develops his businesses
whilst making a
difference in people’s
lives, started his first
two companies at the
ripe old age of 17!

8. Many of us don’t quite reach the dizzy heights of these
two, but they probably never believed they would be
quite as successful as they are today, when they started
their journey!
Most recently, we witnessed an emerging Young
Enterprise entrepreneur, Cally Russel from Mallzee
appear on Dragon’s Den and reject a £75K investment
offer from Peter Jones, to then subsequently go on and
agree a partnership with Samsung Mobile!
Cally is now 27 and has publicly highlighted the skills
that Young Enterprise provided him within his journey.
Still not sure if you can do it? Still think age may be a
barrier to success?
Never, ever look at your age as a disadvantage. Instead,
look at it as an opportunity.

9. So what about the lad we highlighted in the pictures?
How did he get on?
Well he stands here speaking to you today.

10. I started my first business at the ripe old age of 14. At
school, I designed bespoke T-Shirts and screen-printed
them in my parents hut. Buying cheap T-Shirts and
making designs that kids in school wanted. I asked what
they wanted? What designs, current music/movie
designs and took orders and deposits, went out and
bought the clothing, made them, made a small profit
and invested in more. I even recruited two 4th year
pupils and offered commission for orders they got! The
4th and 5th years didn’t want to speak to a wee 13 year
old, did they!
Everything went great until my head master found out
and banned me from selling in school premises!!
Lots of lessons were learned.

11. My next business was when I was around 25. I started a
Graphic Design and Print company, which as we grew,
we employed around 14 people. A success that leads
me to today and my 3rd business.
Myself and my Wife now operate Advanceworx, we are
a communications company, delivering brand, websites,
social media and everything a business needs to
successfully communicate with customers.
I love being in business. I have a drive to succeed in
everything that I do but everything I deliver in business
today, has roots from my very early business
adventures. That early journey taught me to be
committed, it taught me to deliver what I promised and
it taught me to develop.

12. I never quite made sack loads of money, but I
have made a good living, I’ve provided solutions
for customers and somewhere with Young
Enterprise, I have been given the opportunity to
enrich peoples lives if even only a little!
For me, that really is what true entrepreneurial
spirit is and should be.
I’ve also managed to work myself into a speech
that also mentions Mark Zuckerberg and Sir
Richard Branson!! I’m pretty chuffed with that!
I’ve enjoyed my journey in business and in life. I
hope all of you grasp every opportunity that
comes your way!