St Andrews Enterprise Week is back and more accessible than ever. A collaboration between the University, students, and the St Andrews Business club, Enterprise Week seeks to promote entrepreneurship for anyone and everyone in the community. The five day online event comprises of seven speakers from varying backgrounds and interactive activities —including an online escape room— from the 5th to the 9th of October.
Co-directors Emily Gilson and Sabeeh Mirza gave The Stand an inside look on the event in an interview earlier this week. Gilson, a third year IR and Management student, started enterprise week in her second year. Interested in starting a business, Gilson was drawn to the Enterprise Week committee during a professional skills module. Gilson really liked the concept of organizing ideas from which others could learn, and was excited at the prospect of inspiring others. Mirza, a fourth year student studying Econ and IR, explains that he is “not an entrepreneur by any means.”
When asked why he is so passionate about Enterprise Week, Mirza said, “I’ve always felt this sort of barrier…I’ve never experienced how someone runs a business. Enterprise week was really inspiring for me, the reason I stuck with it is because I can see the impact it can create, and I want to understand more about it personally as well. I want others to understand and realize it’s for everyone. It has definitely changed my perspective on how entrepreneurship works.”
Source: Flickr
Enterprise Week is not strictly for those already intrigued by business; anyone can take part, and there are a wide selection of speakers lined up throughout the week. Rachel Hanretty, for example, studied language and comparative literature. As part of her degree, she went to Paris; she is now the director and founder of Mademoiselle Macaron. Hanretty is expecting a million pounds in sales this year alone.
“The aim of the event is to reach everyone; we’re trying to make entrepreneurship accessible,” says Gilson. “The events are not technical, they’re about the speakers’ journeys. The speaker will tell their story, and then there will be a Q and A— very interactive.” Mirza believes that the online platform will “gain an even wider audience,” as “a lot of people who are sitting in their rooms are more likely to attend the event, no walking involved.”
Source: St Andrews Enterprise Week Facebook
When asked which event they are most looking forward to, Gilson and Mirza were in complete agreement: the Pitch Event. The Pitch Event is where different students present their business ideas, and the winner is presented with an 1000 pound award. For example, last year Noemi Dresses was able to buy an industrial sewing machine.
To find the full schedule, be sure to check out Enterprise Week’s IG and Facebook, linked below. If you are interested in attending, be sure to fill out this registration form:
IG @st.aenterpriseweek
Facebook: St Andrews Enterprise Week
Comments