The BIG Challenge is a business & enterprise event for Sheffield schools. The rules look slightly more complicated than I will try to explain here but suffice to say, school age young people must start a small micro business, social enterprise or charitable operation or awareness campaign starting with just £10. They need to write a business plan, divide jobs between team members and even pay back £12 (to allow for interest…)

The prizes are pretty neat – ultimately a trip to New York  (Yes the one in the USA…) for the winning team.

So why was Sharp End Training involved?

Well, as “enterprise champions” – we are charged with err.. championing enterprise – showing students that the world of business isn’t all driving around in sports cars and having extra long lunches to go off and play golf while someone else does the work.

In short – a bit of a reality check for budding Bannatynes.

And how interesting it was.

The old saying is “teach what you need to learn” rings really true here and as I posted before – there is a difference between business management and entrepreneurial management so it was all good learning for me.

Getting past the bare midriffs,  headphones hanging down from shirt collars and the general”Youff cultcha” and attitude – which is always a bit of a shock – There were actually some really bright kids at Westfield school.

OK so, every fruit basket has some bad apples but standing up to speak to coherently to a stranger about something possibly way outside their comfort zone and taking advice on quite advanced subjects such as trademark infringement, time management and budgeting was pretty cool.

But the one thing that really impressed me?

More than a few teams said – “We have had a few ideas – we weren’t sure which one to pick” – shows a talent for ideas generation and innovation even if some of them where slightly misguided.

Some really neat ideas and I hope to able to carry some bags to New York some time next year.

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