“The future of the UK will be driven by how seriously we take our young people’s entrepreneurial ambitions,” says Julie Meyer, online Dragon and one of Europe’s top 30 most powerful business women.
Julie, who will be speaking at the Birmingham Future AGM on Tuesday 10th August, also comments: “It always amazes me how completely unfazed by the world’s events – the recession, the lack of liquidity in the markets, the election results – young entrepreneurs are. They have everything to learn, but their optimism is something we must channel better in this nation as it has the ability to lift the economy.”
Founder of Ariadne Capital – which invests in life services, media and technology businesses – and the First Tuesday network which is credited with igniting the internet generation, Julie has recently established Entrepreneur Country, the online community for European, entrepreneur-led economic growth.
“I find it impossible not to be optimistic when I’m around entrepreneurs regardless of their age, experience or achievements,” says Julie, “but when the entrepreneurs have enormous potential and they are only 23 years old I get very excited.”
Julie will speak at the Birmingham Future AGM about her top tips for entrepreneurial success and her stories of the last 20 years in business. She’ll suggest that Birmingham, and the UK, entrepreneurs need support while arguing that, “people who come from poorer backgrounds with little money have a huge advantage in creating something of value; the only way is up.”
She continues: “They have no financial security, and this drives them to succeed. Contrast that with all this whining about how the belt-tightening exercise in the UK is going to destroy the country. I don’t think we buy into the notion of the crash. I understand there are data points that could lead someone to that conclusion, but what we see is a process of creative destruction – the dinosaurs will die, new animals will emerge, evolution goes on.”
The Birmingham Future AGM and speaker dinner with Julie Meyer, which is being sponsored by Mills & Reeve, will take place at the Crowne Plaza on Tuesday 10th August. Tickets, priced at just £25 +VAT, are available from www.birminghamfuture.co.uk / Claire@birminghamforward.co.uk or on 0121 632 2209.
