The Last Word
May 2011
Last Word on Being a Young Entrepreneur
by Simon Burke, Managing Director, EllaPure
The saying goes, never work with children or animals! But personally, I take great pleasure working with young people in business, and watching them develop. When I see a group of school students enjoying working on the ‘shop floor’ and ‘learning by doing’ – which is the motto of Young Enterprise UK – it is so refreshing. I was 16 years old when I started my first business, so I appreciate how difficult it is to go from being in school, with a strict schedule and so many authoritative figures channelling your energy into academic studies, to being responsible for your own path. I am proud to say that I am able, at the start of my business career, to be involved in Young Enterprise UK, which is a fantastic organisation, offering a taste of the business world to students.