#aneveningwithlsugar

On The Line Web Design’s founder Rachel attended a fantastic event last night in the Barbican, this is what she said: 

I attended an excellent event last night in London. It was hosted by The Apprentice winner Mark Wright’s company Climb Online. Mark’s inspirational introduction touched on his own personal journey and barriers he faced growing up. This has motivated him to ‘give back’ and support young people by offering them employment opportunities and regularly giving up his time to speak to young people in schools and at events.  

He was joined on stage by Mark Bower-Dyke the founder of Be Wiser insurance. Living proof that you can succeed at business when your life plan takes an unexpected twist. He is a strong believer in the importance of brand and has fully embraced the importance of digital marketing. His advice was to be different, stand out and invest in your staff. He said the more successful an industry is the more chance you have of being successful. Most of all, don’t forget your current customers!

Next to join Mark on stage was Robin Deller a ‘college drop-out’ who founded two multi-million pound businesses. Robin was a remarkable role model who is proof that with ‘hard graft’ and determination you can achieve anything. After being rejected by Virgin he went on to sell them his successful company Fast Track Holidays in 2007. His current company Imagine Cruising has gone from strength to strength with The Emirates Group recently acquiring a majority stake in the equity. He strongly believes in investing in your staff and respecting them. Sound like a great place to work!

The third guest was Vicky Yorke from The Prince’s Trust. I was delighted to see The Prince’s Trust reaching out to business owners to help give young people a well-deserved chance. This is a subject close to my heart, as many of you know I have dedicated most of my adult working life to the third sector supporting and empowering young people. The video Vicky shared was hard hitting and powerful!

Lastly my idol, Lord Sugar joined Mark on the stage. He discussed the current economic climate, Brexit and the USA’s general election. It was very interesting to hear how the changes currently going on in the world can have an impact on global business. The floor was opened for questions and answers, some slightly bizarre and others very relevant and to the point. I was enlightened by Lord Sugar’s no nonsense approach and found him insightful and proficient. I particularly liked the advice he gave to some of the younger members of the audience interested in tech, which involved acquiring a translator. He certainly pulls no punches and says it how it is. Who wants to be blinded by jargon anyway!  

The night wasn’t all business, there was fun, free flowing wine and a chance to mingle and network. I met some lovely people, exchanged contact details and took some selfies. We had the opportunity to attend the after party and after some circular walks in the Barbican area eventually found the pub. Mark Wright joined everyone and I was lucky enough to speak to him. He was genuine, friendly and a truly inspirational person. Best of all, he was more than willing to participate in some selfie taking!

The main points I have taken away from the evening:

·        Have a Plan

·        Work Hard

·        Stay Focused with room for manoeuvre

·        Be Determined

·        Be Straight Forward

·        Embrace Failure

·        Get your Family and Friends on board

·        Be yourself and stay humble

To find out more about digital marketing for your company get in touch @RachelPMurray @OTLWebDesign

[email protected] www.onthelinewebdesign.co.uk