Over two days in June 2011, The Inspire Conference will bring together some of the most brilliant thought-leaders in Technology, Creative, Entrepreneurship and Society from across the world to the heart of Europe’s exploding tech and creative scene in East London.
Topics ranging from social entrepreneurship to open data, from the future of Internet typography to the next big thing in User experience will invite the audience to think, reflect, learn and be inspired.
Speakers include:
• Alex Breuer / Design Editor – The Times
• Ann Cotton / Founder – Camfed
• Anthony Browne / Policy Director for London Mayor
• Aza Raskin / Ex Head of UX – Mozilla Labs
• Conrad Wolfram / CEO – Wolfram Research
• Erik Hersman / Co-Founder – Ushahidi
• Michael Birch / Founder – Bebo, Profounders
• Parag Khanna / Best Selling Author – Second World
• Rajesh Sawhney / President – Reliance BIG Entertainment
• Rory Sutherland / Vice Chairman – Ogilvy
• Roshaneh Zafar / Founder – Kashf Foundation
• Stephan Shakespeare / CEO & Founder, YouGov
• Tom Chatfield / Game Theorist
And more to be announced soon!
Inspire is the first and only accessible and affordable thought-leadership event of it’s kind to be held in Europe. During the two days, 25 passionate speakers will share the power of their ideas with you, creating an intellectual theatre that will stimulate your creativity and boost your inspiration.
Early bird tickets for The Inspire Conference expire in 5 days so make sure you get yours soon! To find out more about the conference or to buy tickets – Click here
I seriously can’t wait for this event! YHP will be doing a lot of filming + interviews, it should be a blast.
I recently had the opportunity of interviewing the amazing Kelvin Okafor. We spoke about how he started, his work so far and his plan for the future.
Hope you enjoy the interview!
Hi Kelvin, how is it going? welcome to YHP, really appreciate you doing this interview with me today. So how’s your day been going so far?
Very fine thanks. Thank you very much for having me.
Anyways, Before we jump straight into the interview, can you give some background information about yourself so the YHP readers can get to know you a bit better before we dig deeper?
I am a passionate 25 year old artist, who is heavily inspired by all things creative. Being extremely precise in drawing is what I’m most passionate about. I aspire to create art as vivid as eyes could see.
Great stuff, Where were you when i was sitting for my GCSE Graphics design exam (Laughter), Don’t worry no cheating would have been involved?
Ha! Well I’ve always believed in helping others. It’s a shame in this case I wasn’t of help.
But seriously dude, how did you get into drawing, how it all start for you?
As a child, I’ve always been fascinated with things creative. Drawing has always been a burning desire of mine. I was the type of kid who wanted to be the best at everything, but once I find one thing I’m incredibly intrigued by, I would work till my last breath trying to learn, understand and develop it.
Why have you chosen to work in graphite pencil? Why not watercolor, colored pencil, oil or some other color medium?
I am a big fan of all things traditional and humble. From a very young age, I’ve always found the pencil to be such a humble instrument. It amazed me, that with only one shade of lead, you can create so many tones and textures, and almost create the illusion of colour.
What has been your most memorbale moment so far as an artist?
My most memorable moment as an artist so far would have to be the moment I graduated from university. I knew that creating art was all I wanted to do, but the transition from working in a conformed structured environment, to having the freedom to work on my own accord completely motivated me. I knew that I could now work indefatigably and solely focus on one thing. I had a vision of the standard of art I wanted to achieve. Getting there, I knew I would have to work extra hard and sacrifice many things.
How do you keep so much focus in drawing some of these people, you spend over 25 hours on some of your drawings, thats crazy! This must take so much hard work and practice, How many hours do you spend practising each day especially when you just started?
I’ve always believed patience to be a virtue. Practice makes progression and I understand that exercising patience would only better my chances of achieving this. When I draw, I’m not fully concerned with how long it takes to complete, but rather concerned the effort I put into it. When I first began to solely focus on art, Daily would I spend up to 7 hours drawing with short breaks in between. Now, due to the fact that I want to work on larger scales, I work up to 15 hours a day.
So you’re actually a self-taught artist?
You’re right! Having studying art, calling myself a ‘’self taught artist’’ wouldn’t be fitted theoretically, but learning how to draw practically is a skill I possess from a very young age. I would draw from imagination and reproduce drawings from references. Over the years, the more I drew, the more understood my style and technique of creating. It’s learning process. There’s no limits or boundaries to how far our gifts and talents can take us.
What is your favourite drawing so far and why?
Hmmm.. That’s a tough one..(Laughter). I would have to say my ‘’I’m a fan’’ piece. The name of the piece was inspired by someone who is a big appreciator of my works. The drawing is of a fan I have at home. I’ve always been fascinated about the idea of drawing it. It was a challenge to produce but a joy to create.
Do you have a favourite brand of drawing paper?
Not particularly, but acid free type sketching paper I feel works well with graphite. In many of my drawings, that’s a paper type I’ve become accustomed to using.
About your favourite brand of drawing pencil?
That would have to be Faber-Castell pencils! I take one with me everywhere I go! (Laughter)
Do you do this full-time?
Yes I do! To be able to do something you‘re passionate about full time is a blessing. It’s a sacrifice! One where friendships and relationships has suffered. But true friendship and a genuine relationship is about trust and understanding. Fortunately, that is something I have been blessed with too.
What is the highest price that you’ve sold some or one of your drawings for?
That would be telling! (Laughter).
Where are you based? You seriously need to attend and draw live at the next YHP Connect, you should definitely draw me :0)
Ha! Sure thing dude! Lol. I’m currently residing in Tottenham, but no, I don’t support Tottenham..lol. Arsenal all the way!!!
Can you recommend any books, videos or other resources that will help new artists?
Understanding the history of art is imperative. That was the main reason I studied art at University. I would recommend new artists to read up on the past greats and visit art galleries and museums to get a real feel for their works. Before contemporary art, there was other eras of art. It’s good to know them so you would know what type of art originated before you and what your work may be categorised as.
Where do you get your inspirations? Are there any artists that have influenced you and why?
Greats like Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo have heavily inspired, influenced and motivated me in so many ways. Not only by their works, but their ability to use their minds in such a way, it prompts emotion and innovation. They have not only mastered the arts but branched on to other fields like; Engineering, poetry, science, maths… the list goes on. That inspires me to push myself and utilise the capacities of the human mind.
As a human being, I believe we’ve all been blessed with special innate gifts. Being mediocre about them is like having the ability to fly but you would rather walk. I believe in the unbelievable and I am inspired with the idea of pushing yourself to a level beyond the norm.
How can people purchase any of your work or enquire about them?
They can contact me via email (kelvinokaforart@yahoo.co.uk) with any enquires regarding my art.
Throughout your experience as an artist, what is the most important lesson that you have learnt? Why do you find it so important? And how do you apply it now in your art?
The most important lesson I have learnt is to remain humble, kind and appreciative. Always remember the reason why you started drawing and never let anyone change that. There may be criticism, hardship or even humiliation along the way, but understanding myself first and finding ways to better myself in my craft is my main objective. Knowing this helps me remain focused, consistent and persistent with my passion. And also strengthens me with efforts to become a better person daily.
Do you have any tips or advice for people who want to learn more about working in coloured pencil?
Just continue creating with your desired medium. Through that, understandings and techniques will be acquired and realised with practice.
What do you have planned, what should we be expecting from you soon?
My own gallery is my ultimate aspiration as an artist. Till then, I will continue creating and presenting my works at various galleries and exhibitions here and overseas. My very own website is in the process of completion, before then, you can keep up with me on Twitter (twitter.com/KOkaforart) and see my latest works on my facebook page.
Roopali is a professional, dynamic and creative individual with an eye for detail. She completed a degree in Multimedia and while on set discovered a passion for makeup. In a short period of time she has completed a number of fashion shoots with various models and photographers.
‘I love meeting and working with different people and love to make use of my creativity. I gain inspiration from not only the people I work with but also my friends and family. I love being a part of the process of developing an image.’
Roopali initially studied Multimedia at university and fell into makeup whilst on set. ‘People kept asking me to do makeup, I thought why not. So I started studying again and then the photo shoots came.
At the moment I am only doing make-up part-time, however I would love to make it a full time career. I am a very passionate person and I hoping to use this and my outgoing personality to move forward. In a short time, I feel like I have completely changed my direction and I really look forward to seeing where it takes me and who else I meet along the way.
I have met some great photographers and fantastic models so far who I have also kept in touch with. It really is a very exciting industry and every project is always different.’
Along with fashion shoots, roopali is also available for makeovers, special occasions and group bookings.
I decided to have a chat with them, you could call it a quick trip down memory lane on how Adspad was born and what direction they are looking to take the business.
Hope you enjoy the interview!
Hello Guys, How are you doing today?
Hello Joseph! We are both doing very well today. The sun is shining and we think summer has finally reached Scotland!
Can you kindly give us some brief details about your background?
We are Kilian Palop and Glenn Buchan. We founded a marketing company in 2009 called Adspad Limited. Adspad enables businesses to gain exposure in front of the student population and it does this by producing A3 paper placemats which appear on trays in university trays in both Aberdeen University and the Robert Gordon University in Aberden.
Tell us the story on how the company was born?
The idea was born around 2 years ago when we were sitting having lunch in university. Whilst eating our lunch we noticed the tray was quite dirty and it was really boring to eat from. We saw an opportunity to do something amazing with this space and on that day Adspad was born!
How is it been going so far?
We have both been really pleased with everything up to now! Since starting the business in 2009 we have won many awards and we have several nationally recognised clients such as Cineworld Cinemas, Scottish Opera, Aberdeen Performing Arts and Union Square. Hopefully if we continue our hard work then it will continue to pay off going forward.
How do you manage your time between studies and starting up a business?
Both of us are full time students at university. Kilian is studying towards a PHD in Engineering and Glenn is currently in his final year of an undergraduate Management degree. This obviously takes up a fair amount of our time but at the same time we have been able to manage this challenge effectively. We both have different university commitments at different times of the year and if one of us is very busy then the other doesn’t mind taking over.
How have you been marketing your product? What has proved to be the best marketing strategy so far?
As our main service is a marketing tool, we market ourselves through the placemats! We feel this our best way of marketing as we are directly in front of over 30,000 people a month for about 30 minutes at a time. We have gained a lot of business from potential clients witnessing Adspad in action and being impressed. We have also gained a lot of our business through networking and just generally speaking to people about our company!
Winning the shell livewire award, how did that help your business?
We were delighted to win the Shell LiveWire grand idea award and we were able to put the £1000 prize money to good use and quickly we were able to use the money to grow the business which doubled our turnover in a few months. The award not only helped us financially but gave us a lot of credibility and exposure around Scotland. The whole process was a lot of fun and worthwhile and we got a lot out of it.
Apart from the shell live award, how else do you finance your business?
Fortunately for us we didn’t require a lot of capital to get the company off the ground, but the £1000 we received from Shell LiveWire was very helpful. We also were able to gain several other grants from organisations such as the Scottish Institute for Enterprise.
Excluding yours, what company or business do you admire the most and why?
Even before we started the business we were always inspired by other young entrepreneurs. One of these was Fraser Doherty and his company ‘SuperJam’. Fraser started SuperJam at such a young age and now the company supplies some of the biggest supermarkets in the UK and SuperJam is an iconic Scottish food brand. We love the product and Fraser’s story is so inspirational.
What qualities have you developed as a result of running your business?
I think we have both built up a large variety of transferrable skills since starting the business and this has will form a key part of our professional development for the future. Invaluable skills such as negotiating, marketing, communication, self belief, risk taking and public speaking are so crucial in a business environment and we will defiantly take these with us going forward.
In your opinion, what is the most important an entrepreneur should possess?
Self belief is such an important skill to have as an entrepreneur. Not everyone will be as enthusiastic about your ideas as you but you have to believe in your business and yourself. This will not only keep you motivated but will help you to drive your product or service forward even in the most difficult situations.
What book has inspired you the most?
Glenn – What They Don’t Teach You at Harvard Business School (Mark McCormack). This book will tell you everything you don’t learn sitting in university. An essential bible for anyone who wants to know about business in real life.
Kilian – One of the books that have inspired me the most in this entrepreneurial world is Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki. The book highlights the real life of two families towards money, which in turn will influence their future life. A really inspirational and motivational book that makes you realise that entrepreneurship is part of our daily life. You only need to open your eyes to see it!
What are your hobbies? What do you do in your non-work time?
Glenn- I enjoy web development, photography, playing the guitar and keeping fit. All of these keep me busy in my spare time.
Kilian – I would say thinking about business is part of my non-work time; I don’t feel I am working as I am doing what I enjoy doing it! I am also passionate about sports, as I have been practicing since I was a kid. Sharing time with my family and friends is always something that I am looking forward and if possible outdoors enjoying a lovely sunny day, the only problem that it rarely happen in Aberdeen!!
Do you have any plans in expanding your business soon? Can you give some insight what you are planning?
We are planning on growing our business to many other universities throughout Scotland and perhaps further afield. We have developed a successful business model in Aberdeen and we are looking forward to taking it around the world.
What are you currently working on?
We have just launched our final edition for 2009/2010 and we are now planning ahead for next year’s Adspad which will be launched in September 2010. We should have a lot of exciting news for you by then!
What is your advice to anyone starting their own business?
Do it.
So many people we talk to have such brilliant ideas, however, they are always frightened to start their own business, or don’t realise their potential. Our success proves that even the simplest ideas can be successful.
Being an entrepreneur not only gives you financial rewards, but it is also a huge learning curve. We have learnt so many transferrable skills and met many important contacts since starting the Company. There’s a lot of support, advice and help to keep you right and you will be rewarded for having the initiative to take your idea to the next level.
Where do you see in yourself and your business in the next 5 years?
Adspad will be the complete marketing tool to promote businesses to students, advertising huge brands to the student population all around the United Kingdom. We will have also have developed other sides to our business to ensure success. Both Glenn Buchan and Dr Kilian Palop will have graduated from university with fantastic degrees and will be shaking up the UK marketing industry with their innovative ideas and concepts! Fingers crossed…
Thanks guys for your time, Will be expecting to hear from you soon.
Picture this – You are in the canteen of your workplace, school, university…etc. You have a tray where you put your food on; suddenly you’re distracted by images on the tray.
So Basically, Adspad is a new advertising tool to help local businesses to target students by using A3 paper placemats in university canteen trays.
Cool Idea, Right??
Who ever thought of such possibility for advertisement being in your face? Yes, we all see it around us everyday via internet or television….however; it has now been bought to us even when we are eating.
Such ideas manifested by Kilian Palop Dorado who is a student from Aberdeen University who is also the president of Adspad. Adspad has just recently been given a Shell Livewire Award in April 2009. His partner in crime for this invention is another student like himself, Glenn Buchan.
As we speak, they are in round two of the New Ventures Competition. These youngster aim high, dream high also are engraved with the intention to make it High.
