On the evening of the 8th of February 2023, the ARU London Enterprise Club held its third in-person themed networking event at the Import Building, East India.
Miriam Signorello, our Enterprise and Alumni Officer, opened the event and introduced the programme for the evening: a panel of experts on the topic of Team Building, why it is pivotal for entrepreneurs and how to effectively build a team, followed by networking with the opportunity for the participants to share ideas and make connections.
Simon Krystman started the conversation by introducing why team building is important for entrepreneurs, why it is important to focus on the people you chose to work with, and on the relationships you create with them.
Mark Sapsford followed up the conversation with practical advice on what benefits team building can bring to make a business successful.
Then we had Nils Welham, speaking about the importance of getting clarity on your own values and vision; this will help you find the right people for your start-up, people whom you share these values with, whom you can work with and be supported by.
Ludovica De Pieri continued on this theme by sharing that she started finding the right people for her support network the moment she started working and focusing on her values. If you know your values, it will be easier for you to identify if the other person’s values align with yours, and easier to understand what will their role be in your life and in your business’s life.
Finally, we had Esther Greenwood from SBREC , whom shared with the audience some more practical tips on why is important to build a team even if being a solopreneur, and how to do that.
The Q&A session was lively and insightful; the participants engaged with the topic of the event by asking relevant questions and the speakers shared some interesting thoughts about what it is like to be an entrepreneur and how important it is to have a network of meaningful connections around to overcome challenges and tough moments such as the well-known ‘impostor syndrome’.
The discussion was followed by a networking moment over some nibbles and drinks, where participants continued the conversation amongst themselves and with the speakers.
From the feedback gathered at the end of the session, the participants found the information useful, the speakers insightful and knowledgeable and they liked the variety and diversity of experiences they brought into the discussion.
The majority of participants found the Q&A session particularly helpful: the speakers not only gave a great contribution to the topic of the evening but helped with the entrepreneurial mindset the Enterprise Hub tries to build amongst students and alumni.
One of our entrepreneurs from the Enterprise Club, Bailah Koroma, runs Koroma’s Kitchen, a successful business of a selection of ginger-based soft drinks in several different flavours, inspired by the use of ginger in drinks from Sierra Leone. He showcased his drinks and experience after the event.
It was another successful and meaningful event for the Enterprise Hub!
If you would like to have more info about ARU London’s Enterprise programme of events please email enterprise@london.aru.ac.uk