The Fetch Blog

Curated reads and events for professionals

Tag: business

Our Top 10 Startup Pitches from SydStart Spring 2012 — September 20, 2012

Our Top 10 Startup Pitches from SydStart Spring 2012

/Kate Kendall/3 Comments

Last Monday, we headed to SydStart Spring 2012 – a large community-led startup conference showcasing what’s happening in the Australian tech startup scene.

Highlights included a chat with the chilled and humble Atlassian cofounder Mike Cannon Brookes, Mick Liubinskas keeping it real with talk about the Oz startup scene and Matt Barrie smoothly showcasing his software eating the world pitch (which apparently is a staple but blew me away with the sheer numbers).

The afternoon followed with a bucket load of pitches – I must admit, it was easy to tune in and out but among the noise, here were our top 10 startup pitches (in no particular order) from SydStart Spring 2012 that stood out:

Evolvex –> “Design and deliver your own custom made modular furniture”

Andable –> “ecommerce with a conscience”

Geodica TouchPass –> “Makes online transactions more secure”

Verify1st –> “Website reputation checks”

Teacher Time –> “Online resources and community for teachers”

Hire Me Up –> “Part time work job search”

Native Tongue –> “Language learning mobile apps”

Ninja Blocks –> “The API for atoms” (hardware hacking)

Start Some Good –> “Kickstarter for social good”

SydStart WINNER: ProcessGo –> “Compare and analyse enterprise processes”

Interview: Melbourne local, Ben Cartland — September 17, 2012

Interview: Melbourne local, Ben Cartland

/The Fetch community

This interview is by our new Melbourne ambassador Deb Itzkowic aka @debitz.

Name: Ben Cartland
Website: http://www.pbhumancapital.com.au
Twitter: @bencartland

Introducing Ben…

Ben is not your ordinary recruiter. Originally hailing from the UK, he has over 10 years experience working in the ever-growing sector of sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR). Now based in Melbourne, Ben is working with pb Human Capital in this emerging sector in Australia. Ben’s role is to be across the movers and shakers in the Australian sustainability and CSR sector, to connect the dots and find talented people that can influence change. He explains that what leading companies are looking for today in the area of CSR are environmentally minded strategic thinkers, people who can influence how companies are run from the inside.

So what exactly is ‘sustainability’ and CSR?

CSR and ‘sustainability’ are interchangeable terms that describe a company’s commitment to operate using ethical and sustainable business practices. Ben explains that embracing sustainability provides companies with an opportunity to operate commercially viable businesses and at the same time be responsible global citizens.

Why are companies embracing CSR today?

The drivers for companies embracing sustainability and CSR are threefold. Firstly, there is the obvious compliance ‘stick’, for example the introduction of the carbon trading scheme which legislates standards that companies must meet in an effort to reduce carbon emissions. Secondly, there is the ‘carrot’, being commercial success, for example increased profit due to reduced energy usage or other intangible outcomes such as staff retention or brand awareness. Finally, there is consumer demand for companies to embrace these changes, which in Ben’s experience is not as pressing in Australia as overseas.

What is happening in the Australian sustainability market?

Ben explains that while this sector has been up and running overseas, especially in Europe and America, Australia is just now beginning to catch up.
Although social and environmental risk management has always been on the agenda, leading companies today are embracing corporate social responsibility in a whole new way and incorporating these ideas, such as sustainability, into their core business.

Ben cites Telstra’s digital inclusion program (ensuring that rural and remote communities have access to the internet) as one example of a strategy that assists local communities while at the same time provides Telstra with valuable commercial outcomes (such as brand awareness).

How can I become involved in the CSR sector?

Ben recommends degrees in environmental science and business strategy are a good place to start. An alternative route is to work within the organisation you are already a part of to influence how it operates for example, by recycling office paper and reducing carbon emissions, to giving employees opportunities to contribute to the community, to ensuring that your company implements an ethical supply chain.

Tell us about your commitment to carbon neutral travel…

Ben doesn’t just talk the talk, he also does his bit to reduce carbon emissions by riding the streets of Melbourne to and from work each day. I asked him what is his favourite bike accessory? The resounding answer is: ‘lights – great for vision at night’.

Event Review: CBA Women in Focus — August 5, 2012

Event Review: CBA Women in Focus

/The Fetch community

This review of Spotlight on Entrepreneurs: Technology Series by CBA Women in Focus is brought to you by Sydney Community Ambassador, Rebecca Law of Nourish Co.

Arriving at the inaugural Spotlight on Entrepreneurs: Technology Series in Sydney last week expecting to hear from a panel of tech-experts, it was surprising to learn the four women on the panel had little or no technology experience prior to starting their own business. Yet, without doubt their tech-driven businesses have been a resourcing success and arguably, they’re part of a generation of tech-entrepreneurs putting Australia on the map.

Here’s why

Pascale Helyar-Moray, founder of Style Rocks explained there are two types of people in the technology space: the ‘’hustlers’’ and the ‘’’hackers’’. These four women unanimously agreed they’re the ‘’hustlers’’. They saw a gap, believed in their idea and got extremely good at delivering their elevator pitch. It’s no coincidence that three of the four came from a background in marketing and have a talent for inspiring and connecting.

The panel agreed, it takes two to tango. The ‘’hacker’’ is every bit as important in getting the venture up, running and on the road to success. Finding and building a relationship with the right ‘’hacker’’ was also key. Pip Jamieson co-founded The Loop with Matt Fayle, ex-Digital Director of MTV. The Loop also continued to use an in-house team of developers. For Kath and Pascale it took a little longer and some hard learned lessons. What made the difference for these two women was getting connected, for Kath it was having the right mentor, whilst Pascale sought an investment partner with the right connections and know-how.

7 tips from the panelists

  1. Collaborate with the Right Partners
  2. Remember, from little things big things grow: think big, start small and then, scale appropriately.
  3. Disrupt or be disrupted: innovate, evolve and be dynamic
  4. Be driven by the desire to impact not $$.
  5. Think like a customer
  6. Make it personal: find ways to personalise and tailor the online experience.
  7. Harness your fear or your fear will harness you.

The take away message

To be a successful technology entrepreneur is more about understanding your audience and mastering your elevator pitch than being an expert developer. That said, without the right ‘hacker’ you’re big idea probably won’t get far.

  • If you’re a hustler, go find your ‘hacker’!
  • The time is now! There are plenty of incubators, venture capitalists, angel investors and entrepreneurs out there just waiting to hear your idea.

Meet the panel

Pip Jamieson, Founder, theloop.com.au: Ex-Head of Marketing with MTV NZ turned creative and online entrepreneur.

Kim Chen, Co-Founder, Tjoos and StartupCamp: A management consultant turned social entrepreneur with a passion for sustainability

Pascale Helyar-Moray, Founder, StyleRocks: Corporate marketer turned jewelry designer and online entrepreneur.

 Purkis, Director, Le Black Book: Ex-fashion PR with a love of technology became one of Australia’s youngest online entrepreneurs.

Joshua Tanchel, Partner, Deloitte: Start-up specialist with his finger on the pulse of technology, retailing and the future of consumer behaviour.

Women in Focus

Started by the Commonwealth Bank with the aim of helping inspire, inform and connect Australian women with other women in business locally and globally. Women in Focus run an online community and events nationally. Get connected, inspired, and informed by Commonwealth Bank’s Women in Focus community on Facebook, Twitter or check out the tags #WomenCan and #faillearn

—

About our Ambassador // This review is brought to you by Community Ambassador Rebecca Law, the Director of Nourish Co and a mindful marketer. She is passionate about inspiring positive change, meaningful communications, health, wellbeing and creating authentic customer relationships. Rebecca collaborates with brands and agencies, helping them to become mindful marketers and create happier, healthier communities of customers. Connect with her via Twitter or drop her an email.

Quit watching and start doing: Sport Business in London — July 28, 2012

Quit watching and start doing: Sport Business in London

/The Fetch community

Pic by @Olympics on IG

Despite hosting the biggest sporting event of the year, Londoners seem to be divided in their opinion about the Olympic Games. On one hand, you have the supporters who are proud that their city is featuring on the biggest stage of all. On the other, you have the sceptics who bemoan the inconvenience and alleged waste of money.

As residents of the host city, we have been exposed to aspects of the games that the rest of the world won’t be aware of. One of these, commercial rights, has at times been a controversial topic as the London Organising Committee (LOCOG) has clamped down hard on any company that they deem to be infringing the rights of their major sponsors.

No doubt this will have piqued the interest of many marketing professionals who may be coming across the business side of the sports industry for the first time. They might well be seduced by it and who could blame them? It’s a glamorous mix of high profile stars and huge amounts of money.

The same may well apply to various other professionals too, such as events or media. But how do you go about getting a job in sports?

First and foremost, you need to be able to prove that you have transferable skills. In that respect, it’s no different from moving between any other industries. But this shouldn’t prove to be a much of a barrier for professionals from the industries mentioned earlier.

What’s equally important is networking. As the old cliché goes, it’s not just what you know but who you know.

The good news is that the sports industry is relatively small and there are several dedicated networking events throughout the year.

The Sport Business Group, organise many of the most high profile conferences throughout the year, such as sports Marketing 360 which takes place on 27 September. While the line-up for this year’s conference hasn’t been announced yet, previous speakers have included representatives from many of the UK’s top sports marketing organisations such as Synergy and Octagon and governing bodies like Premiership Rugby. For more information, visit http://www.sportbusiness.com/products/conferences or join their LinkedIn group.

Another company specialising in networking events is the Sports Industry Group. They organise one of the most high profile events in the sports industry calendar, the Sports Industry Awards. They also organise a range of smaller events throughout the year including the Sports Industry Breakfast Club and the Sports Industry Lecture which also feature high profile speakers. To find out more, visit http://www.sportindustry.biz or connect with them on LinkedIn.

So if you’re thinking about moving into the sports industry, now could be the time. Sport is very much on the agenda at the moment and the legacy of the Olympic Games should provide some interesting opportunities. It’s up to you to find them.

About our Ambassador: Keith McGuinness is a freelance copywriter based in South West London. Connect with him on Twitter @mcginty312

Never stop learning! A London guide to short courses and workshops — July 13, 2012

Never stop learning! A London guide to short courses and workshops

/thatgirlchloe/2 Comments

You may have left school and formal education years ago, but this week London curator, Chloe Nicholls, has put together a list of places that regularly hold short courses, adult training and workshops to ensure you never stop learning. She’s also listed some popular online education and learning websites, so you can learn new skills and, who knows, perhaps you may even become a teacher yourself one day?

Image

General Assembly London

Recently launched in London last month, General Assembly is a global network of campuses for individuals seeking opportunity and education in technology, business, and design. You can learn anything from Management Reporting for Entrepreneurs, to Mobile Marketing and Front-End Web Development.

Image

The School of Life

The School of Life is a cultural enterprise offering intelligent instruction on how to lead a fulfilled life. They offer classes, workshops and books on topics such as how to find a job you love, a mindfullness one-day workshop and an overnight talk with a Magnum photographer, Martin Parr.

Decoded.co 

Got an awesome startup idea but don’t know how to code? Then join one of the tailored classes at Decoded, which is offers a one day workshop teaching anyone to code.  Code from scratch a multi-platform app in HTML5, CSS and JavaScript, the languages behind all modern web apps and sites.

Ideas Store

Ideas Store may look just like a library but it’s more than just books! With several locations based around East London, Ideas Store offers free courses, business help and learning opportunities.

InnerSpace

InnerSpace is a meditation and personal development centre based in Covent Garden. As Ferris Buller once said, ‘life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.’ Head to InnerSpace and take in some relaxation. Join one of their meditation courses, or even explore some of their talks such as S.T.O.P. the Stress and Anxiety & Fear.

If that wasn’t enough for you, there are also some great sites revolutionising online education and creating a community of students and teachers who are eager to learn new skills and be inspired by new ideas! Check out Chloe’s recommendations below:

Skillshare – Learn anything from anyone, anywhere.

Udemy – Amazing Instructors. Teaching the World.

Khanacademy – Trying to make a world-class education available to anyone, anywhere.

Gidsy – A place where anyone can explore, organize and book unique things to do.

Any we have missed? Tell us in the comments below!

Design a site like this with WordPress.com
Get started