SO I TOTALLY WON SOME AWARDS AND STUFF!Amazin', yeah?
The Business Venture Competition enables the development of business ideas from De Montfort University (http://www.dmu.ac.uk/) students, staff and graduates (I'm a graduate, having studied Fine Art there from 2003 - 2006).
The competition was a two-stage process, the first was to submit an idea for a business - mine being (obviously) Rachael Smith Illustration. The second was having to submit a business plan - which was really hard as it involved maths and numbers and clever stuff that I'm not very good at. But I managed with the help of my business advisor and, along with 74 others, submitted my plan.
10 of us were then chosen to attend the award ceremony, where 6 of us were picked to give a three minute 'pitch' about why our business idea was awesome.
Scary, professional-looking people were everywhere.
The photographer was sniping me even before proceedings began. Ominous. Free food and wine though - score!
These were the judges, it was /just/ like 'Dragon's Den'. Honest.(From left to right: Phil Bateman - Lloyds TSB Commercial, Clare Hudson - Creative Leicestershire, Russell Copley - Chief Executive, EMIN, Janette Pallas - Head of Enterprise Services, DMU)
My first award was a Graduate Start-up bursary from Creative Leicestershire, who support small arts, media and design businesses in Leicestershire and Rutland.
Me and Clare Hudson of Creative Leicestershire. I'm the bemused, not-really-knowing-how-to-hold-this-trophy-looking one.I was then amazed and shocked to win 1st Prize! This one was another bursary, but more importantly - a much more impressive trophy!
My Business Venture Competition trophy. Isn't it beautfiful? And it was about five seconds before I got my grubby fingerprints all over it.
All the winners together - girls rule yeah! Apart from that one boy...
So, I've pretty much had the best week ever.
My Business Venture Competition trophy. Isn't it beautfiful? And it was about five seconds before I got my grubby fingerprints all over it.
All the winners together - girls rule yeah! Apart from that one boy...(From left to right: Sasha Annis - UBD, Emma Amies - Cupcake Lingerie, Matthew Conroy - UBD, Me - Rachael Smith Illustration, Megan Davies - Little Giant Art, Alison Bacon - Abdance.)
So, I've pretty much had the best week ever.
Now is where the hard work starts (or rather, continues ^_^). I'm very proud and humbled that so many people believe in me.
AWESOME!
Love you all,
Rachael xxxxxx
4 comments:
bully for you!!
Yay! Congratulations Rachael!
(You are adorable, btw!) :-)
@tiernan Thank you, mister! Couldn't have done it without supportive friends such as yourself ^_^
@kathleen *blush* Aww what a lovely comment! Thanks so much! xxx
Congratulation, it's great to see that your work is rewarded this way. Keep the good work, it's great!
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