The Annual Conference 2012
It was an amazing day, with some incredible speakers sharing valuable advice, great networking and lots of fun. This short video shares some of the highlights of the day, although nothing compares to being part of such an event.
Take a moment to watch it whether you were there or not – we’re sure you’ll want to be there next year.
SIE student interns Mhairi Naismith and Jan Toner were at the conference, a prize for being Interns of the Year. They shared their thoughts about the event in this blog.
Jan and I were lucky enough to be awarded interns of the year for our work as Interns at the Scottish Institute for Enterprise this year. At Edinburgh University, I organised enterprise-related events, promoted SIE to other students and maintained an online presence for the organisation via social media sites. In recognition of our hard work, our reward was to attend the Entrepreneurial Exchange Spring Conference at Gleneagles.
From the moment we arrived in the car park, it was clear that everything about the venue spoke of class, refinement and all things Scottish- at their best. As we entered the reception space of the conference, the grandeur of Gleneagles was complemented by the warm and friendly atmosphere of the delegates- as young newcomers, we were welcomed in wholeheartedly and straight away made to feel at ease talking to anybody in the room. 
The conference itself lived up to all expectations. My favourite speaker of the day was Colin Robertson of Alexander Dennis. Although not an immediately glamorous business, designing and building buses, as Colin explained about the company and the industry my interest grew. What struck me more though was Colin’s incredible achievements during his time at the company- truly remarkable. His attitudes to conducting business, customer service and staff satisfaction all came across as exemplary. In all, his down to earth personality coupled with fantastic achievements and drive made his talk genuinely inspirational.
The networking opportunities presented at this event were fantastic for Jan and I. Over dinner, and afterwards drinks at the bar, we met a vast range of people from all backgrounds in business- it was actually quite surreal in many ways. I came away with several contacts which will hopefully be able help me in my start-up venture.
In all, this experience has been wonderful. Immensely useful contacts, interesting speakers and a really good night of food, drink and enterprising banter- what more could we have asked for?
Originally from Leicestershire in England, I am a young designer based in Edinburgh. Soon to be graduating this year from Edinburgh College of Art with a BA Hons in Interior Design, I am interested in starting up freelance as an architectural and scale model maker. I have been shortlisted for the Deutsche Bank Award for Creative Enterprises this year, which could prove to be the boost I need to get off to a flying start. 
“A brand is a promise wrapped up in an experience”
Ross Smith of Mindshelf shared some brand strategy gems during his presentation, and in this short video blog he summarises some of the key points and talks about the importance of brand as part of a company’s growth strategy.
In this short video blog Lord Kirkham shares his advice for young entrepreneurs with big plans:
“Caution and patience”
He admits it doesn’t sound terribly entrepreneurial, but it’s what ensured his successful ventures.
This year sees four women on the Board for the first time in the Exchange’s history. Welcomed by new Chairman Chris van der Kuyl, new director Amanda Boyle of Bloom VC talks about what she hopes to bring to the organisation.
Russell Wardrop compered the conference but still found time to listen and learn from the speakers he introduced. In this short video blog, Russell shares what he learned from each of the speakers, and what he plans to change in his business as a result.
Ali McGill says innovation, turnaround, focus and iconic brands were the highlights of his conference.
Ali, MD of Freelance World, says everyone is focused on technology and wants to be the next Facebook or Instagram and sell for millions, but Colin Robertson’s story really resonated with him.
“Here’s a company manufacturing buses in Scotland, they’re one of the largest companies in the world in their sector.
“That’s a perspective we need to take away,” says Ali.
Innovation shows up in many different forms, says Colin Robertson of Alexander Dennis. In his case, reducing a bus size by 6 inches meant winning a $100 million contract.
Colin, the Exchange’s Entrepreneur of the Year, was speaking at the Annual Conference. In this short video, he talks about innovation and learning.
Colin’s top quote of the day? “Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care!”
Chris van der Kuyl, CEO of BrightSolid, was appointed Chairman of the Exchange at the Annual Conference. He’s hugely ambitious for the organisation over the next 12 months, and spoke of the challenges and opportunities facing Scotland’s entrepreneurs.
In his opening address to the conference, Chris said: “While the economic outlook continues to be gloomy it is inspiring to see so many of you seeking out the opportunities that occur in challenging times, that’s the definition of an entrepreneur, that we actively seek out challenges and change.
“Nobody got up the day that the banks crashed and did back flips, but by the end of the day, or the next morning, when we’d done all the risk assessment, most of us knew what was going on and started to think about the opportunities it would create.
“In the next few years ahead of us, in the UK and in Scotland, it’s going to be historic, we’ve got the Olympics, Commonwealth Games, and some kind of referendum. The spot light will be on us, as a nation, both the UK and more specifically, Scotland. We in the Exchange need to be acting as an incredibly strong voice for the entrepreneurial community, we’ve got to look at the challenges and opportunities ahead and be debating them, discussing them and acting on a strong and coherent message that supports the growth potential of every Scottish entrepreneur in business.
“None of us knows where that is going to be, but we can be a pivotal point for that debate, encourage that debate and support us all in trying to get the best outcome. Because what do we care about? We care about a thriving environment to do business in. There are great entrepreneurial opportunities, whether they are barriers blown out the way when it comes to red tape or access to finance, and its very important we do take a strong position whether that’s with sister organisations across the country, like the RSE who are spurring on the intellectual debate or the governments of the time.”
Chris also shared his thoughts about the new Board directors, appointed at the conference.
From humble beginnings in the early 1970s Gerald and Vera Weisfeld grew their retail empire across the UK before selling in 1990 for £50 million.
The power couple created What Everyone Wants, with 40 stores, more than 2000 staff and annual revenues of more than £100 million.
Gerald Weisfeld is one of Britain’s outstanding entrepreneurs and was a Founder member of the Entrepreneurial Exchange. Working alongside him was his wife Vera, who had started her retail career at just 15. They worked as a team with Gerald’s buying skills a thing of legend, whilst Vera was very much the face of the company – leading with passion and flair.
Following the sale of What Everyone Wants Vera and Gerald created the Weisfeld Foundation, believing that with great wealth came the responsibility to give something back – especially to the communities that supported the business.
Their Foundation now co-ordinates work in Africa, Europe, America and throughout the UK and operates with a focus on helping people to gain and maintain greater control of their own lives; achieving a sense of self worth and fulfillment of personal potential.
Growing a business of such scale requires dedication and ambition – the original Queen of Retail, Vera will tell her story of the 20-year entrepreneurial journey she took with her husband.
