Fellow

So should you..

2013-05-01T21:00:00Z

Just over 1 week ago I graduated as a Saltire Fellow. It was the culmination of a year's journey. An intense submersion into high-growth entrepreneurship. It started with me reviewing the Saltire Foundation website while working in london. Looking for my next opportunity.. I found it back in my homeland of Scotland. Right under my nose. I attended a meet-up in the board room of the Clydesdale bank in Glasgow. Some of the previous fellows came and presented the programme to us and I quickly realised...(read more)

Reflections

2013-05-01T19:45:00Z

A year ago, sitting summarizing my professional experience and business knowledge into my Saltire Fellowship application and case study, I considered company growth with many questions. Now, sitting completing my 3 month externship identifying high-growth opportunities for an Aberdeen subsea engineering company, my vision, skills and networks are radically enhanced. University taught me facts, figures and productivity. The Saltire Fellowship and Babson really opened my eyes. High-growth involves...(read more)

Reflection (a new skill!)

2013-03-19T14:29:00Z

Normal 0 false false false EN-US JA X-NONE Starting as early as the application process, the Fellowship programme has guided me on a personal journey of discovery. By understanding my values, preferences and aspirations better I have been able to make informed decisions about my career and acquire the necessary skills and confidence to be an effective leader. It cannot be underestimated how prevalent entrepreneurial spirit is in the US, Boston in particular. So, having the opportunity to study at...(read more)

What a difference 12 months makes…

2013-02-28T18:27:00Z

0 0 1 516 2944 Babson College 24 6 3454 14.0 Normal 0 false false false EN-US JA X-NONE It is now almost 12 months since the Assessment Centre for the 2012/13 Saltire Fellowship took place, just outside Cumbernauld. During those 12 months I have walked away from a good job with a well established and growing firm, spent an intensive 4 months in Boston, travelled to China, made many new friends, and become a commuter for the first time in my life. I find myself writing this blog (admittedly my first...(read more)

Some of the Benefits of the Saltire Fellowship to Companies Considering Sending an Employee to Participate

2013-02-24T19:59:00Z

This blog is targeted to companies considering sending employees to participate in the Saltire Fellowship. I’d like to share the impressions of my company, which sponsored my participation in the Fellowship, on the benefits they are seeing now that I have been back to work from the Fellowship for two months. I sat down with the president of our company and asked him what changes he has seen in me since my return. His comments included: · An increased level of maturity and patience ·...(read more)

Looking for a Job? Or offering to solve a problem?

2013-02-21T18:54:00Z

As the fellowship cycle comes towards its end once again, many of the fellows will doubtless be turning their minds to what comes next. I remember being in their position back in 2009, and the idea naturally formed in my head as “I need a job” or “I need some income after this time out”. I’m recruiting for a few roles in companies I work with at the moment, and in no case have I started out by thinking “Hmm, I need someone who needs an income” or “I’m...(read more)

'Aber-Donia..'

2013-02-07T14:48:00Z

544x376 Normal 0 false false false EN-GB JA X-NONE It's been a busy time since my last blog on arrival in Boston. Between 4 months of being ' Les Charmed ' on the finer elements of cashflow and business strategy, I worked from (SDI) Scottish Development International 's business incubation offices on the 23rd floor of State Street. Overlooking Quincy Market and the Charles River, was an inspiring view to enjoy every day while looking at US market entry opportunities for a Scottish...(read more)

Life After Boston…

2013-02-04T20:48:00Z

It has been wonderful to spend time settling back into life in Scotland… but will life every really go back to the way it was before Babson? Before the Saltire Foundation? I am currently in the fortunate position of undertaking two Executive Internships - one with VisitScotland and the other with Vets Now. I am at beginning of the 5 th week and cannot believe how much I have learnt in such a short time. Although they are very different organisations, I am privileged to be working with two...(read more)

How to think like Steve Jobs: The abbreviated version

2013-01-31T13:12:00Z

Firstly, Happy New Year!! It has been a pretty busy two months as I, as have the other 2012/13 Fellows, have returned back from the US, transitioned straight into the Festive Season, and were shot out into 2013 into our respective Scottish placements. I am again working for Wood Group PSN, except this time I am working out of their Bellshill office in Glasgow as part of their Global Engineering Network (GEN). GEN is essentially a new initiative to free projects up from geographical bounds and utilise...(read more)

Babson Bootcamp

2013-01-29T20:53:00Z

We have just returned from a stunning week at the Babson Entrepreneurs Bootcamp ESpark and RBS took 14 people over to sample a fabulous Exec Ed programme run by Prof Santinelli. It validated all ESpark is doing and strengthened our relationship with this awesome University. We even managed to get a mention on their website.... now that was worth the jetlag!!! :) http://www.babson.edu/about-babson/real-people/Pages/duffy-jim.aspx Hope we can get them over for all to enjoy!!...(read more)

Risk Capital Report, Free eBook

2012-12-21T14:00:00Z

Hi folks! Just before disappearing off for the Christmas break, I wanted to draw your attention to a couple of things that may be of interest. Season's greetings - and best wishes for the festivities, Ian Scottish Enterprise has just published a major report entitled “ The Risk Capital Market in Scotland 2009-2011 “, which was prepared by Jonathan Harris of Young Company Finance . I’m pleased to see that the report acknowledges the work done by my company Salient Point in carrying...(read more)

What I've learned from Harvard and MIT

2012-12-07T18:54:00Z

Normal 0 false false false EN-US JA X-NONE When I signed up for the Fellowship, I didn't think that I'd spend so many weekends and evenings at those 'other schools' - it’s been one of my favorite things about this experience. Here’s what I’ve learned from the event speakers who have had the most impact on me: Dropbox CEO, Drew Houston Dropbox started from a few guys at MIT who hated carrying around pen drives and emails to store / share their documents. They’ve...(read more)

Hanging onto the edge

2012-11-14T02:29:00Z

WHoooooooooooosh....... Suddenly we are in wk 12 , and I realise I haven't posted a single blog! I'll consol myself with the view that the people who go away travelling and seem to spend half their time posting updates on Facebook, have in fact far too much time on their hands because they're bored, or not busy enough! Here, our days, nights and wknds have been absolutely chock-a-block with learning and practical experiences - it's a bit like being on the edge of a tornado and hanging...(read more)

More Babson Takeaways

2012-11-05T00:41:00Z

Here are some more bullet-point takeaways from my enlightening time at Babson: · When designing experiences, keep in mind that people love choice, personalization, and rituals · We may think we do a good job of understanding our customers’ viewpoint, but there is often an opportunity to understand more vividly and accurately by going through their experience literally (check out http://www.ted.com/talks/paul_bennett_finds_design_in_the_details.html for more on this) · Incentive...(read more)

Financing Business Innovation In Scotland

2012-11-02T14:39:00Z

Hidden away in the depths of the Royal Society of Edinburgh website is an extremely interesting document – their report entitled The Financing of Business Innovation in Scotland . It sets out a view of the current state of financing for innovative businesses, and discusses some of the issues they face. It also make recommendations for ways in which we could improve. For anyone involved in investing, raising money, or working with innovative businesses, I’d highly recommend taking the...(read more)