Focus on Grant Ridley Winner of the National Entrepreneur of the Year 2011 from Peter Jones Enterprise Academy
Back in July a 19-year old entrepreneur who has set up an alternative marketing agency for start-up firms received the top prize at this year’s Peter Jones Enterprise Academy awards. Grant Ridley, who joined the training hub run by Dragons’ Den star Peter Jones last autumn, was named National Entrepreneur of the Year.
EnterpriseUpfront got a chance to interview Grant and here from the about his journey into Enterprise:
Born
in 1991 in South Shields, Tyne and Wear in the North East of England. Grant Ridley
comes from a small town named Hebburn. Despite having a normal upbringing
Grant always felt a little different. In fact he always dreamed of do something
big with his life.
Grant hadn’t always had an interest in business like many entrepreneurs will claim they’ve had, he wasn’t selling sweets at age 10, just enjoying his childhood, playing for a football team, playing with the kids next door. Grant believes entrepreneurs are made and anyone can do it no matter what their upbringing, you just have to believe. He developed a passion for business at the end of secondary school and went on to study Business and Management as part of The International Baccalaureate at Newcastle College.
Last year, in 2010, Grant applied to Peter Jones Enterprise Academy and was accepted. He then had to move to Manchester to really start making my dreams become reality. He attended The Peter Jones Enterprise Academy where he developed a passion for business!
The
academy opened up so many opportunities for Grant having pitched in front of
Kirsty Henshaw of Worthenshaws (one of Peter Jones’ latest investments) and
Claire Young (finalist of the Apprentice) his confidence and sheer
determination to succeed grew stronger by the day. Being surrounded by many
like-minded young people also provided him with the perfect competitive
business. Grant went on to win the Entrepreneur of the year award with in the
academy for Manchester then was asked to pitch in front of Peter Jones himself
and managed to clinch the overall National Entrepreneur of the Year. Grant is now back at home and putting his new
skills into practice by running a marketing company called GR Marketing whilst
also working on a new business idea.
The Peter Jones Enterprise Academy (formally the National Enterprise Academy) was founded by entrepreneur and star of Dragon’s Den, Peter Jones CBE, with a view to encouraging more entrepreneurial activity within the UK, based on a philosophy of ‘learning by doing’.
Starting in September 2009, the Enterprise Academy set out to be a catalyst for cultural change by bringing the boardroom into the classroom. The Academy aims to equip future generations of entrepreneurs with the skills and mind-set to run their own businesses thereby supporting the future of the British economy.
For more information about the Enterprise Academy visit: http://pjea.org.uk/
Or to keep up to date with Grant follow him http://twitter.com/#!/grantridley
or visit http://grantridleymarketing.com and http://grantridley.com