Virgin Media and Enterprise UK have partnered to support young entrepreneurs across the UK. As part of a national campaign to unlock the UK’s enterprise potential, the partnership will see the launch of a new digital media initiative, designed to meet the needs of young people as they start their own businesses and social enterprises.

It’s an online space where you can get help to develop your idea, pick up new skills and create your own network.

This creative new community will help connect young entrepreneurs with business experts.

Virgin Media Pioneers will enable young entrepreneurs to share experiences and connect with other entrepreneurial people by posting video blogs, questions, comments and updates. Other community members can then add their feedback, through videos and text, and help turn young people into confident entrepreneurs.

Check it out and let me know your thoughts on it, do you think it’s going to work?

Virgin media pioneers

This book brings back memories to when i first read rich dad, poor dad, something that gives you a reason to become an entrepreneur, a reason to question your current lifestyle, a reason to live a life that others were too scared to dive into, and a reason to ask questions others failed to simply ask.

The Title of the book is spot on as it relates a lot to entrepreneurs looking to start a business, those that have a million and one ideas running through their mind and need that something to give them a kick up their backside, this book is that kick.

It shows the necessary or should i say ingredients we need to make it as an entrepreneur.
Hurrying us to stop complaining about our dream but instead work towards it, it makes us realise that we are the only one responsible for our life’s outcome.

It gets us to question our motivation for success, he covers a lot of basic grounds for entrepreneurs, and he even introduced a formula for success called PALMVI (Passion, Ability, Luck, Motivation, Vision, Ideas) which he gradually breaks into details, explaining each qualities and ingredients we will need to make it to our destination.

It immediately makes you check your life and re-evaluate your priorities; do you really have a clue what you’re doing? What are you plans? It gives you a lot of questions to ask about your life.

I know how hard it is to write and finish a book, and also get it published while still doing well at the university, it shows a lot of character and discipline, and I applaud you on that Adrian.

CONCLUSION

I guess what i realised was that he was not trying to be an expert in entrepreneurship but simply asking those questions that most people fail to ask, especially those people with a thirst for entrepreneurship, those with the entrepreneurial bug.

Let me know your thoughts on the book, you can buy it on Amazon, also check out his website Entrepreneurial Bug

An Book for every Young and Aspiring entrepreneur.

Charlene-Chizell Ankumah, Currently a Student at the University of Buckingham. But what she does when she is not in university, is what is bringing all the Headlines. A former employee of Stansted Airport, Financial LTD, Charlene is now the founder of an online jewellery Boutique, Matris Estus. Ok enough of the Sweet talks;

Char, how you doing? Thanks for been with us on YHP

Thanks, for asking me to come down for YHP

Can you give us some briefly background information about yourself?

I’m only 21, my mum is from Ghana, i was raised by a single parent, and I’ve always lived in Essex, “that’s it really”, i go to uni, i work very hard, “that’s like the personal sell yourself kind of thing”, you know, that’s it!

The name of your business, how did that come about?

Matris Estus is basically Latin, because I’ve been raised in a catholic church and the catholic language is Latin so i wanted to have something because I’m a really spiritual person so i wanted something that was related to my religious spirituality and at the same time sort of represented my business, So Matris Estus basically means “mother’s core” and obviously you know real metal, solid jewels and things like that comes from the earth so i kind of took that idea and my love of the Latin language and came up with Matris Estus and that’s incorporated with the logo because the logo is actually of a elephant and they say the elephant is kind of like a maternal animal so that why i decided to have something that was associated with an elephant, not like a big diamond or something like that, so it’s all to do with my love for Latin, you know what my brand represents and what it will always represent.

So what role do you actually perform in the business?

I’m actually a relaxed laid back, calm person, you know I’m just cool about things, i don’t like to be referred to as the creative director or CEO or things like that, i just prefer the go-to girl.

Ok, I guess i will start calling the go-to girl now (Laughter)

So how did you raise funds to start your business?

I built my own pilot website from scratch, at the time, i did not have the money to get a professional website done, as i knew i wanted to build an online jewellery boutique, i built the website to basically get the word out there, how people felt about it and the response i got was really really overwhelming, it was from the sales i got from that i was able to fund the brand new website/online jewellery boutique that we have at the moment.

You dint mention how you got the money to buy the first supply/products?

That actually came from savings that i had.

You went on work experience for a year, how did that influence/inspire you to start your own business?

I hated waking up early in the morning, being swashed on the jubilee line, Victoria line, i hated the responsibility because i was almost 19 and was no longer seen as the little kid or a student but an employee.
My placement was a huge learning opportunity for me, with what i learnt there, and i was like you know the guy/woman that sits in the big office, i actually want to be that person.

It was through my year of working that i realised that i wanted to work for myself, i thank God that i made the decision to go on placement.

Would you advice students to take a year out for work/placement?

I definitely would recommend it, you not only learn more about your field but a lot more about life and how things work, especially discipline and how businesses make their money .

Coming back to M.E, which is what I’m going to call it? Who are your target markets?

My target market is anybody that loves jewellery, i think jewellery is universal, can be worn by men, women, children, it can be accessorised in so many different ways, you see dogs wearing like dog collars blinged out, we carter for everybody that likes unique, affordable one-off piece jewellery.

So what makes it unique because it sounds so general, what makes me as a customer feel special or exclusive buying from Matris Estus?

It is always, always to supply the best quality, unique one – off pieces at affordable prices to our customer, so as our customer not only do you get jewellery for a great price but we also make sure it is of the highest quality.

What ways are you looking to market your products?

Basically reaching out to Sugar magazine and looking to reach other male magazines as well because we do sell men jewellery pieces on the boutique website and by wearing my jewelleries, Word of mouth as friends and family are always wearing the jewelleries.

How have you managed to balance your time with university work and business?

I don’t know, i really do not know, But i sometimes find it hard because i have so much love and passion for my business and sometimes get tempted using university time for business but really it is hard, i don’t even have the right term to use, lets me put it this way, it is hard to work hard.

On that Note, what do you think it takes to become a successful entrepreneur?

I know this is such a boring, repeated, cliché answer, everyone says it, but as someone up and coming i understand where people say it, you need to be dedicated, determined and work hard, i know that’s such a boring answer and i wish i had something hot and fresh to say but that’s the ingredients, you want to make that recipe, that’s the ingredients.

Apart from your company, Is there any other company out there that you admire the most?

That’s a really good question, I would say probably the Rocawear Brand, I like that brand, i really admire them, i think it was established in 1999 and for it to be where it is now, that’s really really cool, I’m not going to go into details of what they’ve done, a company like that is what i like, obviously i prayed for success and i don’t want overnight success.

Do you have any books or audios you read that you would like to suggest to our readers?

The most inspiring is the Bible, it really his, everything you want to know, and everything you need to know is in there. If you’re a Muslim, take the Quran, those spiritual books really help.

What’s the best advice that you’ve been given so far?

The best was to be patient because I’m such an eager person, I’m always like click click bang bang, everything to be done quick quick.

Where do you see yourself in the next 5-10 years?

In the next 5-10 years, i would have graduated, i would be a chartered marketer, bought myself a house, MATRIS ESTUS will be a recognised jewellery store, and I would have a food chain, those five things I’m cool with them.

Do you have any tips for upcoming entrepreneurs as yourself?

To definitely have some form of spirituality in yourself because it goes a long way and don’t let little things get to you to fall back, i know its easier said than done but if you have something in your head, tell someone, someone you trust of course to help you tweak it and make it better.

I hope to see a lot more female entrepreneurs because its so typical to see a lot of guys doing their thing, so would love to see a lot of ladies coming out with their stuff.

Finally before we finish what should we be expecting from you and M.E in the nearest future?

You should be expecting a watch; we’re going to be branching out into watches, water resistant watches, right now we specialise in rings, necklaces, bracelets and earrings.

SO yeah, brand exposure and recognition internationally and expansion

Thank you char for your time.

Thanks for having me

Check out their new website: http://www.MatrisEstus.com
Follow them on Twitter: http://www.Twitter.com/MatrisEstus

Hey Guys, Check out this interview with Jonathan mead, an entrepreneur, a writer, a coach, martial artist and the founder of the amazing blog illuminated mind.

Hope you enjoy the interview.

Hey Jonathan, how are you doing?

I’m doing good, thanks for asking. And thanks for having me here.

Can you give us some quick background information about yourself, what you do now?

Sure. I’m a writer, entrepreneur, coach and a martial artist. I’m most interested in helping other people break free from limiting structures to help them live on their own terms.

How did you start blogging and start Illuminated Mind, what inspired you?

What first inspired me was finding a way to give back to the self development community. I felt like I had benefited so much and wanted to find a way that I could contribute and share the knowledge that I had gained.

As time went on, my motivation shifted a bit. I saw that a certain group of people weren’t being targeted or spoken to very much when it came to self development; people that were off the beaten path, that questioned authority, and the structures society has created to limit us. I came from a similar background, so I wanted to see if I could speak more directly to that audience, and that’s how I wound up where I am today.

How have you been able to grow your blog? Creating awareness and getting quality readers?

I try as best as I can to be remarkable, to not do what everyone else is doing. I don’t want to compete with everyone by trying to do the same things they’re doing better. I want to do something totally different so that competition is obsolete.

How much time do you spend for your blog?

Since my blog is my business I spend a lot of time on it. Since I’m self-employed, the amount of time varies a lot week-by-week. It could be 15 hours one week and 50 hours the next. It really depends.

What books would you suggest reading for anyone interested in the topics you blog about?

One City — Ethan Nichtern
Hardcore Zen — Brad Warner
Walden — Henry David Thoreau
The Four Agreements — Don Miguel Ruiz

From which people have you learned the most or which people are kind of role models for you?

I’ve learned from anyone that follows their heart and lives deliberately; anyone who sets out to be excellent, or genuinely wants to serve others.

What are your main sources of inspiration for your articles?

Living and experience. I get most of my inspiration from just doing and trying different things. A lot of it comes from lessons that I’ve learned or shifts in my thinking that have made a big difference in my life.

Tell me about your book “Reclaim Your Dreams: An Uncommon Guide to Living on Your Own Terms.” What inspired you to write it?

A lot of people want to follow their dreams, but they don’t think that their dreams are practical. There seems to be a battle of head vs. heart, and for some reason the head always wins. People end up old and in regret that they didn’t follow their heart. No one lays on their deathbed wishing they were more productive or practical. They always wish they did the things that called to their heart.

I personally had the same issue. I had dreams of being self employed, being a writer, a martial artist and other things. But my mind told me that they weren’t practical. That I would fail, that I didn’t deserve it, and a whole host of other obsolete and unimportant reasons.

My goal was to create a road map out of that limiting pattern of living, and find a way not to dethrone the mind and crown the heart, but to integrate them and let them rule together. So that’s what Reclaim Your Dreams is. It’s a guide to helping you make peace between heart and mind and find a way to actually make your dreams a reality; to let them take root in the world.

How can someone get it right with self-education? I see a lot of people that read a lot of self help books that end up all confused.

Maybe it’s a lack of critical thinking. To be honest, I’m not sure. I think some people read self-help book after self-help book because they want to find that magical hidden answer that will make everything work automatically, with no effort on their part. They’re always looking for a better strategy. But the perfect strategy doesn’t exist. The perfect strategy is practice.

You went through a period of addiction; how were you able to come out of that?

I got tired of trying to find happiness somewhere outside of myself. I had to go through that in order to really understand that you can only find happiness within yourself. You can’t get in it a pill, a drug, material things, or passive entertainment. It has to be something you decide deliberately.

What areas of your life have most improved since you started this journey?

Every area, honestly. I no longer see the different areas of my life as separate or distinct. Any time one area of my life improves, so do the others. The more I move toward integration, the more this becomes true for me.

What Motivates You? What inspires you?

Being excellent and the desire to express my fullest potential motivates me the most. A lot of things inspire me, especially people that have followed their dreams and have reached their potential. That could be anyone from a great basketball player to an amazing drummer to an incredible martial artist.

Do you have a goal of how many books you must read in a month?

I used to have goals like that, but I found them to be very unmeaningful to me. The more I place quotas and quantify my goals, the less motivated I become. Instead, I try to focus on meaning before measurement.
I generally read at least two or three books a month, though, sometimes more.

How has networking online and offline helped you or your business? How essential do you think it is?

I’m not big on the word “networking;” I prefer to call it building relationships. And I think it’s absolutely essential. I know some people that have built their businesses simply on referrals and relationships. It’s huge, and something I think most beginners neglect.

Something that has been me bugging for a while is balance. How do you keep balance and maintain focus? It’s so easy to get carried away.

This is another one of those things that I used to find highly important, and now don’t pay much attention to it. I’ve made a conscious effort to create a life where balance is irrelevant.

Since my work, life, relationships, and interests are all interrelated, I don’t have to try to balance them. I think balance is overrated. Instead of trying to find balance, I say create a life where balance isn’t necessary. Create a life where no part of your life conflicts with the other.

What was that one thing that kept you going when things weren’t going your way?

Hunger. If you’re not consumed by a deep hunger or passion, it’s easy to let things that don’t go your way deter you. But if you’ve committed yourself 100% to your pursuit, nothing can get in your way.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I’m not too sure. I tend not to plan more than six months in advance. Planning further than that adds a level of rigidity to my life that stifles me. I also don’t think it’s really possible to plan that far. Things will come up that you’re not able to predict. I’d rather be like water, flexible and ready to follow whatever course is presented to me.

Thanks for your time Jonathan

Thanks, it was my pleasure.

Make sure you check out His blog and leave a comment and don’t forget also to follow him on twitter.

Today, I’m with a young entrepreneur inspiring people to be themselves by starting a clothing line, Be You! Apparel and he is only 18 years of age! Hey Cameron, Thanks for taking the time to do this interview with me, Welcome to YHP, How you doing?

I’m doing good thanks a little annoyed that it’ freezing cold and raining again but I guess that’s the British weather for you *laughs*

Before we jump right in, Can you give us some background information about yourself?

Basically, I’m an up & coming designer studying Fashion at College. I started designing about 3 years ago, Creating custom Myspace layouts then slowly moved onto T-shirt designs as I had a little experience printing T-shirts using a heat press and then finally I moved onto working on my own brand

Is this your first company?

I used to have a clothing company before called ‘Imah Flyboy’ & ‘Imah Flygurl’ which was running for about a year or so until I saw the designs on another person’s page when I stopped, but I had Be You! Apparel in the wings at the time so this didn’t really phase me at all and I just moved on.

How did you come up with the idea to start a business?

As I used to print T-shirts and such, I thought it would be easier to have a brand that had the clothes printed in a factory then me doing it manually, which was very time consuming and got in the way of college.

How did your business get off the ground?

Basically after many months of research into printers & stockists I finally found someone who could tend to our needs and just took a big risk and went on from there.

Who are your target customers?

Our customers are mostly the Younger crowd (13-24yrs) although some of the garments produced can be worn on literally anyone hence the name ‘’Be You!’’

Why the name Be You!. Did it have to do with something you were going through at the time?

I’ve always got my biggest inspiration from my surroundings and at that time I was seeing a lot of people who were very fake. I call Be You! ‘’The Honest Brand’’ because we focus on the three true aspects of people which I have interpreted as “Arrogance, Vanity, Selfishness”, so these are the 3 main elements of the brand. To ‘Be You!’ is to be truthful to your true personality.

How did you raise money to start the business?

At the time I started I was employed so I used most of my pay as well money I had saved up and invested it all into starting Be You! Apparel. If I’m honest finding finance to start up and then expand a business has to be one of the hardest challenges every young entrepreneur has to face.

You recently turned 18, how did you get into business so early?

Having studied business during Secondary school, I had a healthy introduction to business grasping the basics quite easily and once I got into college I tried to keep myself up to date with different businesses and how they were running.

What do customers say when they find out you are so young?

Most of my customers are my age so they’re quite impressed but it doesn’t really phase them though they are surprised just for the simple fact that around South West London, there is a lack of designers, we’re more the musical side of London… so seeing someone doing something different then music to get themselve’s out there is quite rare.

How do you deal with the legal aspects of running a business? Who helps you with contracts, paying taxes, and so on?

Most of the legal aspects are covered by Lucas (PR & Marketing) who has experience from running previous companies with those issues and so luckily I don’t have to worry too much about them! *laughs*

How has the journey been so far for you?

The journey has been quite bumpy, nothing I wasn’t expecting but the only problem that has arisen is raising awareness and lately funding for expansion and this has made the journey quite hard but as they say ‘Everything that’s worth having is worth fighting for’ -and no that’s not from the Cheryl Cole song-

How many people are involved in the company at the moment?

At the moment, there’s Me (C.E.O), Lucas (PR & Marketing), Nathan (Head of Promotions) & Joshua (Head of Sales)

What was the most challenging part of starting the business?

The lack of confidence… the constant mind changes, I was very aware of other people’s views on everything and I just kept changing my mind.

What has been your most successful method in advertising the brand so far?

The most successful method by far has got to be advertising with the Facebook page and groups. If I’m honest at the moment social networking accounts for virtually all our advertising and without I doubt whether our brand or for that matter many other brands would be able to operate as effectively or even exist. Social networking has truly revolutionised the internet and opened up a world of social connections and free advertising… as you can probably tell I’m a big fan of social networks!

How do you balance college and also running a business? How do you manage your time?

This has by far been the most hardest aspect of running the business, because if I’m honest, the business has come in the way of college many a times, as I’ve always got my blackberry I’m mostly connected to everyone in the business all day, so that helped defeat the communication problem. I manage my time to deal with business from Thursday to Tuesday as my college week finishes on Thursday.

So what should we be expecting next from you? University? Your business?

Yeah, university is just around the corner and to be honest I really can’t wait, I’ll be studying Business at Uni to just update me on everything I need to know before I start working on getting Be You! worldwide. We should be releasing a shop with Freakological in the next year or so called ‘Be Freaky’ and last but not least, the Summer series, where we will release a new line of products every month of the summer.

What was the biggest mistake you’ve made and what did you learn from it?

The biggest mistake was bringing out a “collection” of clothes instead of just releasing 1 design on a different range of garments. After seeing the demand for certain designs which I couldn’t tend to I had to scrap the collections. I’ve learnt that as the brand is still in an introductory state, a collection is too much selection.

What advice do you have for young entrepreneurs who are getting started in business?

Start a business because you have a PASSION for it, don’t do it just for money or because you see other people doing it, a business has to have a meaning.

Do you have a favourite quote?

“Enjoy who you are. Don’t hate yourself for what you aren’t” I only came across this quote quite recently, but it just relates to the brand in so many ways.

What was the biggest lesson you learned in secondary school that applies to our generation?

I think that it’s only at secondary school where you start to understand that people are going to look at the same things and events you do and form completely different opinions then you did and be able to justify their opinion just as well as you do yours. So I would say that the biggest lesson you learn at secondary school is that everyone is going to have their own opinion about something and that just because their opinion is different from yours doesn’t necessarily mean its wrong after all everyone has the right to be themselves.

Who do you think could be really good role models for teens, and why?

To be honest although they often get a lot of flak I would say young actors like for example Jamie Bell are good role models, they’re successful but they only got there by hard work –yes believe me acting is hard work It’s not anywhere as easy as it looks I know I tried it at GCSE and it was NOT easy- determination and taking risks. Business wise I would say business guru’s like Richard Branson and my personal inspiration Tomoaki ‘Nigo’ Nagao –founder of BAPE Clothing- are also good role models for teenagers and in fact for anyone; like all successful people they were persistent in their efforts to be successful and they were willing to take risks and put everything on the line and look where it got them!

How important is family support for a young entrepreneur?

Family support is important, but at the same time the only person you can really rely on is yourself, so even without family, as long as you have the passion and the right dreams, the world is your oyster!

Any plans to expand the current business?

We are hoping to rebrand the first t-shirts we brought out as ‘Be You! Originals’ and bring out a new series called the ‘Good Times’ Series but any further plans for expansion are on hold while we look for additional investment so we can expand without taking too much of a risk.

What are the sites, social networks or groups a young entrepreneur should join or follow to get advice?

Well obviously there’s the big ones like Facebook which is invaluable for any entrepreneur because of the connections you can make on it and the free promotional opportunities it offers.

Myspace especially if the young entrepreneur is or wants to be involved in the Music or fashion industry and Twitter which is great for networking and quickly starting and learning about trends as well as you know… just following people that inspire you.

Aside from those I would recommend http://cmypitch.com/ a great website which allows you to make a video pitch available to hundreds of potential investors and http://www.enterpriseuk.org a social networking site for young entrepreneurs.

Of course I would also recommend that young entrepreneurs set up their own website especially if they are going to be involved in retail for example we have an account with bigcartel a site that provides a hassle free platform for clothing companies and other small businesses to sell their products without much in the way of monthly fees or ‘hidden’ costs. So as you can probably see there’s lots of opportunities out there for young entrepreneurs to use the internet as a key component of their business.

Thank you for your time Cameron, hope you have you back on the platform in the future.

Check out this interview with Carlos Miceli, A Blogger @Owlsparks and Co-founder and Content Director @Untemplater, You should check out both Websites as they have amazing contents, i remember i once read through those sites for days whilst leaving their websites opened on my browser.

Hope you enjoy the interview.

Hey Carlos, how you doing?

I’m doing great, thank you for asking.

Can you quickly give us some quick background information, what you do?

I’m co-founder and Content Director of Untemplater, the guide to shatter the template lifestyle, and I’m the blogger behind OwlSparks, where I talk about a variety of topics like philosophy, marketing and education, to name a few.

How did Untemplater come about? What inspired you to start it?

It’s interesting that you ask this, because we always have the same talk with the team. We are not quite sure to be honest! I think our CEO Jun Loayza wrote a post one day on his blog about the possibility of many smart and capable Gen Y bloggers teaming up, and it just got a lot of us excited with the possibility. It kind of snowballed after that, everyone started pitching ideas, and before we knew it, we were already having meetings.

What is the main aim for starting, what are you trying to achieve?

The aim of the site is to help people realize that there’s more than one path in life. We are not trying to force any mindset into anyone, we just want to show how so many people are living unconventional and happy lives. And we want people to know that we as founders are also going through the hardships of choosing an unconventional lifestyle, that we are fighting and learning everyday just like them.
Of course, since this is a company and we put a lot of time into it, making some money wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world!

What is an average workday like for you?

I try to wake up early (although sometimes I fail because I stayed up working late), have a strong breakfast, then gym, lunch, shower, nap, and THEN I work. I also try to do offline networking as much as possible, so I go out at night often.
If I need to get a lot done, I work during night time. I’m very productive when everyone’s sleeping.

What are the most crucial things you have done to grow your business?

Spreading the word in our networks was possible the best thing we did. We are six mildly-popular bloggers, so when we each announced the project, our networks helped us a lot, word of mouth has been wonderful so far.

Also, having a free manifesto when we launched was a great move, kudos to our CMO Cody McKibben for coming up with the idea.

What plans do you have now to expand the site further?

So many! Live shows, Q&A features, Video Experts, giveaways, to name a few.

How do you market and create awareness for your website? What has been your most effective marketing tactic or technique?

This would be a better question for the other guys, honestly. I trust their marketing knowledge so much that I try not to get in the way. But like I said before, word of mouth thanks to our networks has worked wonders. Also, letting people submit articles has been a wonderful idea, courtesy of Adam Baker, our COO.

What advice can you give to anyone trying to create or grow their presence online?

Give it time. Impatience will destroy you. Some people would say that self-promotion is also a big move, but I’m not so sure about that. The most important thing is not to get too anxious and to be genuine.
Also, do your best when it comes to content. Not everyone can create truly amazing stuff, but everyone should TRY. Don’t settle.

What are your expectations for the future with Untemplater?

Personally, I have very high expectations, but it’s hard to define them in a concrete way. I want to focus in the near future in perfecting the systems and in getting everything running smoothly. We’ll see where we go after that.

How do you manage your time?

I focus on 3 to 5 things that I have to do each day. Once I’m done with that, I relax and analyze if I’m going to do something more long term focused, or if I’m just going to kick back and watch some House.

What other projects are you working on?

A personal manifesto and an ebook.

What do you think has been key for you in building your brand and business online?

Working very hard to create original content, my writing style, and my focus on building a limited number of very strong relationships.

What is the worst experience you’ve had as an entrepreneur?

You live it daily, and it’s the uncertainty. But it’s something you learn to accept and power through.

What are the biggest challenges you faced starting up and how did you overcome them?

I was at a corporate job at the time, so balancing my job, the company, my side projects and my social life was hard. I overcame them sleeping less for a relatively long period of my life!
Looking back, I have no regrets.

Who are your role models?

Famous role models? I don’t have any, except maybe Adam Carolla for the simple reason that he stands up for what he believes. I want to be that person, someone who is willing to choose failure before losing his integrity.

Online, people like Holly Hoffman, Jun Loayza, Andrew Norcross and Colin Wright are wise people and friends who push me to work harder every day.

What are your top 5 websites you visit for inspiration?

- Ben Casnocha: The Blog
- Sex, Drugs and Boredom
- Overcoming Bias
- Big Think
- And Untemplater of course!

Thanks for your time Carlos

Thank you very much for interviewing me, it was a pleasure!

I really wanted to introduce you guys to Matt Wilson – Co-founder of Under30CEO, he is such a cool guy helping entrepreneurs around the world, you could probably see how laid back he is from the short interview i did with him, expect more appearance from matt on YHP.

Enjoy the short interview or introduction.

What inspired you to start up the website?

When I was attending Bryant University I was President of the Collegiate Entrepreneurs’ Organization which we grew from a small group of 7 students who wanted more out of a job than a cubicle and a paycheck to a group of 150 thriving young entrepreneurs. We had speakers like Ted Turner and Kenneth Cole on campus, hosted the world’s largest elevator pitch competition and were recognized as the world’s #1 entrepreneurs group.

When I moved home after college to start my own businesses I realized I was no longer surrounded by smart, young, innovative, passionate people….So, I teamed up with @JaredOToole
to create Under30CEO and take those tools, support and resources to the global platform. We knew there were a ton of people out there in the same boat.

What are the biggest challenges you faced starting up and how did you overcome them?

Honestly, the hardest part about running a business is trying to persevere and stay focused through the winter months when so many our friends were making $50-60k right out of school. We knew it would be tough, but we had no idea how though it would be.

We were barely scraping by–all the jokes my friends in college made about me sleeping on couches and eating peanut better and jelly for my first year of entrepreneurship finally came true. But guess what, now we’re living the dream and they’re still stuck in the cubicle.

How did you know it was the right idea?

We were passionate about it. That’s how we knew. If we weren’t there is no way we would have gotten through those brutal winter months. We know we are on a mission and that’s what we were cut out to do. People recognize that and our business grows everyday because of it.

What lessons do you give other entrepreneurs?

Funny you ask, Here is our list of Young Entrepreneur Advice: 100 Things You Must Know.

How are you managing your time?

It’s tough to manage your time when you are living the dream. I have a ton of things I’m passionate about. I currently live in Breckenridge Colorado a mile from the gondola, so you have to prioritize out here so I can get my skiing in.

It all comes down to setting your goals, and laying out a plan to execute them as efficiently as possible. If you don’t stick to the plan, you’ll waste a ton of time. I’m a big advocate of the Four Hour Work Week and the 80/20 rule. 80% of your results come from 20% of your efforts. I also try to pay attention to when I’m most productive.

Just before this interview I was writing a guest post for DuctTapeMarketing–I was stuck and instead of smashing my head against the keyboard, I moved on to something else that I knew I could fly through.

I’m also a big advocate of inspired action–when I know I’m on to something, I drop everything and do it. When I’m in the right mental state I can do 8 hours of work in less than 2 hours. Conversely, when we’re tired, unfocused and unmotivated, we can drag out 8 hours of work into an all nighter.

What is the most exciting part of what you do?

Hands down connecting with smart, innovative, passionate young people and knowing that we can make a difference in their lives. Opening up someone else’s mind to new possibilities is one of the most fulfilling things you can do. Getting people to think about stimulating our economy through entrepreneurship is pretty amazing.

How have you managed to get under30ceo to have such a big presence online?

Hustle.

Think of the traditional means of promotion, if you were launching a book or an album or a campaign: go around from city to city, meet with as many people as you possibly could, make an impact on them and go on to the next place.

Online, you can do this from community to community from the privacy of your own home. I’m actually sitting here in nothing but a G-String and socks, tapping into the Your Hidden Potential community in the UK. I didn’t even have to go to tea.

At Under30CEO we try to meet every single person who has a community, a following, a platform that has to deal with young entrepreneurs.

We tap into their presences, spread our message and try to deliver value via Twitter, guest blogging, video chats, free webinars, etc. We also do quite a bit of speaking–see our Under30CEO College Tour.

We’d actually love to get across the pond and have some tea and in all seriousness–I will put some clothes on for the trip.

Matt Wilson is co-founder of Under30CEO urging people to drop the 9-5 and get passionate about something. Follow him on Twitter @MattWilsontv as the Gen-Y spokesperson looking to help every young entrepreneur on the planet.

Today i have micky and rajohan, founders of Uneek Garmz, they share their story with us on how they started their company, their entrepreneurial journey and their plans for the future.

Enjoy the interview!

Hey Guys, how are you both doing today?

Great… “The sun is shining the weather is sweet, makes you wanna move your dancing feet.” (In actual fact it’s threatening to snow again, but hey ho.)

Can you give us some background information? About yourself? Who you are? What roles both you play in the company?

Micky: Hmmm… This is where we tell you about growing up in the troubled East London area and dreaming of getting out right? How we used to shoot up schools but we’ve turned it all around because a kind hearted old black man taught us how to play basket ball well and believed in us?

We’ll we’re not your typical Cinderella story. We are both from East London but contraire to the bad press it receives, we actually both love living here. We travel ALOT for work and despite visiting some wonderful places there really is no place like home and my ruby slippers be a tapping after a few days away!

Rajohan: Its true, the ruby slippers, the black Louboutins, the pink Dr Martens, the red Converse – Micky has a lot of shoes! Nah, but seriously, London is so full of talented people, I am so inspired by people who are creative and driven and doing what we do we get to meet those people first hand.

One of the reasons why we started Uneek was because we found it hard when Micky first started doing photography to network in industry and gain exposure for her work and the more people we did meet the more we realised we weren’t the only ones. That’s why we wanted to have a featured artist section on the website to help to give people who are truely talented a helping hand to getting their name out there.

Micky: The roles we play in the company are pretty simple really, I’m the eyes of the company and

Rajohan is the mind. He comes up with concepts for the branding, marketing ideas and deals with all the paperwork which would make my eyes go crossed and I put those ideas “onto paper”, I design stuff for the brand, the website content, I take and edit all of our marketing images and I create the final designs for the clothing.

What inspired you both to start the company?

Rajohan: Well we were only 21 when we started the company and for me that was the age when I actually really started think, “right what do I want to do with my life?” College was done and I knew I didn’t want to work a nine to five forever, I wanted to wake up and be inspired, I wanted to work for myself and I wanted to make a lot of money!

Coming from a street dance background I had already begun to decide that I wanted to do something creative as a career and something that would give me the freedom to be my own boss and I’ve always loved fashion so when Micky asked me to be her partner in crime I couldn’t say no!

Micky: Yeah, weve both always loved fashion but we realised a long time ago that the things we loved weren’t that easy to find in high street shops, not only that but I hate walking into a place to find 10 girls wearing the top I just brought from Topshop which is why I rarely buy high street anymore.

We’ve been customising our clothes for a long time to create things which other people wouldn’t have and we get loads of people asking where they could get stuff like ours so I started thinking about putting a label together.
The main difference I wanted Uneek to have was not only the designs but also the fact that they are true limited edition. Where most brands say limited but there’s actually a 50,000 piece run, our clothes actually are.

How did you get started in this business?

It wasn’t easy, it was loads of research and a lot of trial and error. You have to be dedicated and motivated, it’s not something that I would recommend for someone hoping to make a quick quid without putting in the work. We were both working fulltime jobs when we started Uneek and we had to put in late nights for no pay just to get everything done for the launch but it was definitely worth it.

Were you both exposed to entrepreneurship as a child or was it something you picked along the way?

Micky: Not entrepreneurship but definitely hard work. Both my parents taught me from a young age that you can’t plough a field by turning it over in your mind which is why I got my first job at 15. My mum and dad have always been a massive inspiration for me, they both had to struggle to provide for me and my younger brother and sisters.
I realised from a young age that you get out what you put in and also that I don’t want to have to struggle to get by, I want to be successful enough to re-pay them for all the opportunities they have given me and to make them proud.

Rajohan: I agree with Micky, I haven’t been exposed to entrepreneurship but my older brother and sister were great role models to me growing up. I know the value of money, like Micky I got my first job at a young age and working for a national newspaper I know what grind is, and what can be gained from hard work.

How did you finance the business?

The business was financed with our own money. We invested in it because we believe in it. What we’re doing is not only a business to us, it is a project that is grounded in all the things that we are passionate about and luckily other people are passionate about it too so it’s proven itself to be a worthy investment.

What was the most difficult part of starting the business?

The nerves, that’s why we named our first blog newbies, nerves and neeks! The hard work and long hours was nothing compared to the nerves of when the website went live and we were awaiting the public response. Uneek started as an idea in 2007 and we worked on it for a long time getting everything to our version of perfect but the hardest thing was seeing if people were actually going to appreciate it like we do.

I have seen loads of clothing line come out of the UK over the past year, what makes your business different/unique? Or s it just another clothing company?

A lot of people ask this and somewhere in all our paperwork is our original business plan which clearly has all our objectives and number one is to not be just another clothing company. The reason we started Uneek was because we had enough of all those carbon copies.

We wanted to bring something fresh to the table. We promote young artists, we provide services like photoshoots and styling, we put creative people in touch with other creative people and try to help the UK creative scene grow, and we do all of that looking fly in clothing that you can’t get at every boutique in Shoreditch. So are we just another clothing company? Ask our customers ;o)

What is an average workday like for you?

There are no average days, that’s what we love about it. One day we can be shooting for a magazine editorial with some of the most creative young minds in London, the next we can be in China sourcing new products, it’s crazy and exciting and tiring but we love it!

How have sales grown in the last few months?

We’re really lucky in that since we started the support has been huge, our customer base is always growing and a lot of our customers keep coming back to get more bits for themselves and as presents for other people! A lot of our customers have brought a few bits after they received their first order which lets us know that were doing something right.

What are the most crucial things you have done to grow your business?

Looking after the people that support us. We wouldn’t be here without our customers and our fans, once people sign up to the mailing list they are part of the Uneek Family and get exclusive discounts and news bulletins whenever we have shoots and things, we like to let our customers know when we need models etc because we like them to get involved in Uneek, they’re the reason for our success so it’s only right that they should share in it.

What plans do you have now to expand your business further?

We’ve got a lot planned for this year. We have a whole host of new products that will be on the website shortly and lots of exciting events that we’re going to be organising to give our customers a chance to get involved more. We’re also going to be doing some fundraising for charity. We believe that when you’re blessed in your life it’s so that you can bless other people.

How do you market your products or services? What has been your most effective marketing tactic?

Most of our marketing is done online as we are an online business and we don’t sell in the shops to keep our products exclusive. We’re on social networking sites as it not only gives us an opportunity to find new people that may be interested in what we do but it also helps us to keep up with our existing fans and customers.

What three pieces of advice would you offer entrepreneurs starting out today?

Micky: Be prepared to work hard, don’t get into this industry unless you have the drive to see it through, it’s not a quick fix to make money you do have to put in the hours.

Rajohan: Read, research and learn, even now, were forever learning – it’s what helps our business to grow, if you become complacent then that’s it, you won’t go any further.

Micky: Have fun, you have to be passionate about what you’re doing, enjoy every last second because there will be days when you’re working nonstop and feel like just jacking it in but it’s those days that your passion will get you through.

If you were to start another business, what might it be?

Micky: The obvious ones would be a photography studio, a magazine or possibly another clothing line, this industry is all linked and its where my passion lies but for me its not if it’s when so I cant give too much away.

That said, one thing which I would love to do is to start a charity that provides support and counselling for carers of people with Multiple Sclerosis.

Not many people know but aside from all this, for the last 5 years I was also a fulltime carer for my dad who sadly passed away in September from MS. I know firsthand how hard it is to live through that illness and I also know there’s not a huge amount of support available for carers as it’s not as well documented an illness as something like Cancer. I’d like to raise awareness about MS and help the people that have to live with this illness.

What are the biggest challenges you face now?

Keeping up with Uneek and finding the time to have a holiday! The label has already surpassed all our expectations and is continually growing.
When you find something that you’re so passionate about and it is received so well it can become hard to switch off and to delegate to other people. We know how we want everything done so it’s tempting to work, work, work to make sure it’s perfect for our fans but it’s important to find time for ourselves and our family and friends.
We need to delegate where possible because we can’t do everything on our own! This year were definitely going to be looking in to hiring more staff!

Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years or so?

Doing what we’re doing now but 100 times bigger.

Thanks for your time.

Check out their Blog: http://www.uneekgarmz.tumblr.com and Join their facebook Group to stay updated with their latest products.
Follow them on twitter

Hi Guys, I’m here with Another interview, Today My guest is Erin Blaskie, A young Entrepreneur that started her company at the age of 21, I wanted to ask her how she started her company, what inspired her, her involvement in blogging and social media, and also tips on why and how we should all be collaborating online.

Enjoy the interview.

Hey Erin, how you doing? Thanks for sharing some of your time with me on YHP

Can you give us some background information about yourself?

I started my first company in August of 2004. I started this company after I had finished college and was working as an instructor at a private college. While I loved the daily interaction, I had this entrepreneurial spirit and passion inside of me that I couldn’t ignore. The company grew quickly and I was able to quit my job and leap into self-employment full-time.

So how did you get in blogging and social media?

I am an experimenter at heart. Experimenting with new tools, new ideas and geeky gadgets is my life. Blogging has been something I’ve been doing since before the popular platforms came into existence like WordPress and TypePad. I was doing blogging on the first series of journal style websites that hit the market.

As for social media, I registered with Facebook and Twitter when they were both in beta and have been using them ever since. For me, it was never a conscious decision of, “I have to do this for my business” but more a question of, “What is this neat and interesting tool?”

What do you like the most about the internet, blogging and social media?

It’s openness. It shares who we are with the world and creates a new sense of transparency and authenticity. I love also that it’s an open format. You can use these mediums however you wish and really, there are no “wrong” methods of using the tools.

I also love that these mediums promote creativity and expression. Never before did we have such an instantaneous medium for our messages and such open communication. I can post a blog post now and be engaged in a conversation through comments in minutes.

Tell us about BSTEC Your outsourcing company? What do you guys do?

BSETC was started as a virtual assistance firm which provided administrative and Internet marketing support to entrepreneurs. Now, we are a creative, professional outsourcing firm that supports entrepreneurs around the world in the building, growing and management of their online businesses. We do everything from graphic design to web design to administrative support to social media support to in-depth strategy and consultation.

What inspired you to start BSTEC?

I actually had the idea when I was 16 years old. I didn’t want the “regular” summer job so instead, I had this idea that I would pass out flyers to local businesses in which I would offer to do small administrative jobs. Organize offices, type up documents, etc. Unfortunately, it didn’t pan out at that time – I was offered a job in an ice cream factory instead and that was much more appealing to my 16-year old self

Fast forward to 21 and the idea popped back into my head but this time it included a website and a global audience as opposed to flyers and my local business sector.

What does your company do different from other companies in the Virtual assistant industry?

I wrote an e-book called, “From Puppet to Puppeteer” which talks about the difference between a firm like ours and other virtual assistance companies. The e-book mostly focuses on engagement. We provide our clients with services that engage and inspire them to create amazing projects and we take the guesswork out of the process. Where other firms may only provide services on an as requested basis, we’re thinking for our clients to guide them through the process of running an online business.

I am currently writing a post on online collaboration and wanted to get your thoughts? Why do you think it is essential in today’s world? What value does it add to one’s work?

I totally agree in the collective as opposed to the individual. There is something much more powerful about collaboration and crowd-sourcing things in today’s marketplace. The power of course lies in the uniqueness in each person’s thought and in their ability to see the project different from his/her colleagues.

We use Basecamp as our method of communicating out as a group to our clients. We brainstorm, banter and create through this medium so we can create best practices and provide the best opportunities for our clients.

What do you think anyone interested in collaborating online should do or start doing?

Get out there and provide value to others. It’s only through providing value that others will see your value and invite you to participate with them. Companies now call on me to provide feedback and get really, really involved in their work because they know that when I love something I’ll get invested and engaged. Engaged collaboration creates a really powerful force.

What are the most crucial things you have done to grow your business?

I’ve become involved in the processes. Too many entrepreneurs are building and starting new things all of the time without ever honing in and fine tuning what they have. I concentrate as much of my effort on fine tuning what I do now as I do on the new projects. That begins to create a business that you work on instead of a business you work in.

How do you promote/advertise your work, especially for someone trying to start their business and looking to get some presence online, what advices can you give them?

Just get out there in every way you can. Think about all of the different mediums available to us – audio, video, blog, social media, traditional media, joint ventures, etc. and make sure you’re taking advantage of it all.

I like to think of a new business as being stranded in the middle of a corn field that is filled with really, really tall husks of corn. Every time you create a new avenue (ie: setup a blog, setup an account on Twitter, etc.) you are creating a road of visibility to your business. The more you do that, the more opportunities you have to be seen and noticed and therefore hired.

As an entrepreneur, what qualities do you think aspiring entrepreneurs should have to be successful?

Be fearless. Ditch the perfectionism. Be original.

What is your favourite online tool?

I have many! I can’t live without Gmail, Basecamp, Freshbooks and right now, Threadsy.

If the internet never existed, what would you be doing?

I’d probably be living a life devoted to learning and yoga.

What is the most valuable skill you’ve learnt so far as an entrepreneur?

Authenticity.

Thanks for your time Erin

If you enjoyed the interview, Stop over at her site to say her or follow her on twitter.

New interactive business website, www.inafishbowl.com has recently been set up to help those considering setting up in business do exactly that – learn from the experience of others! The new ‘reality’ Big Brother style business website profiles the trials and tribulations of three start-up businesses filmed through different stages of their journey and broadcast on the website using live twitter feeds, videos and blogs as the entrepreneurs share their experiences in real-time.

Businesses featured include a record label, a bespoke tailoring company and a Mexican food range. Each are finding their way through the start-up maze and sharing their experiences along the way. From naming their business through to frustrating first meetings with banks, the businesses lay themselves open for others to watch and follow online.

The In a Fishbowl project was founded by entrepreneur Toby Reid and is being supported by Midlands based entrepreneur Andrew Springhall.

Springhall commented:

“So many people go through the process of starting a business and it is a truly daunting experience. There is a wealth of information available to first time entrepreneurs, but nothing that provides you with the chance to learn from the experiences of others. www.inafishbowl.com will do just that.
The service is designed to provide empathy, learning and motivation to others in a similar position. It will act as an interactive support guide for any budding entrepreneur.”

See www.inafishbowl.com for more details