On the 28th of March, you could find me in the Wicklow Local Enterprise Office! What was I doing there? Well, I was at a major event called the Student Enterprise Wicklow County Finals; I wasn’t just attending this event I happened to have my own table there on which I was presenting my mini company ‘Sophie’s Little Candle Shop’! The Student Enterprise Awards, is a special programme for secondary students throughout Ireland to participate in and it is the largest Wicklow programme ever with over 1100 secondary students participating in it. To participate in the programme the students must create their own mini company! The first stage of the programme is ultimately coming up with an innovative business idea! Each student is given a useful booklet which guides them through the journey of setting up their own business and gives them helpful tips and advice along the way. The second stage of the programme happens over the course of 6 months, spanning from September to March the students should develop and expand their mini company and hopefully makes some successful sales and have a first-hand experience of being in the business world and running their own company. Then, the third and final stage of the programme is the County Finals. From each school in Wicklow participating in the Student Enterprise Awards only a maximum of 3 mini companies are chosen to represent the school at the Wicklow County Finals. On the 30th of January Serena Byrnes, who is the head of the student enterprise programme in Wicklow visited our school and meet with the students partaking in the programme to explain to us the next stage of the programme. This meeting really inspired and surprised me as I was not aware the County Finals was such a big event and I was inspired to bring my mini company to its full potential in time for the County Finals! In preparation for the Wicklow County Finals I improved my advertising by expanding my mini company to Tipperary! I sold a batch of candles in candles in Tipperary to family and local people and left a few candles and business cards with my granny in Tipperary! I could later use this as part of promoting my product at the County Finals. In January I had already written my Business Report, therefore a big section of my preparation was already done, for which I was grateful! I sent the report to the Student Enterprise Office in February, and this would count for quite a big percentage of my evaluation. I created a back board filled with interesting information about my mini company and lots of pictures. I presented it in an eye-catching and attractive way to hopefully make a good impression on the judges! In addition I wrote a speech explaining, promoting and selling my mini company! I rushed into the taxi waiting for me at the front of the school, flustered and dragging my candles and other decorations for my table. We reached the location of the Wicklow County Finals and before I knew it, Emma and I were being lead towards our table and informed we had half an hour to set up. Since I am running my Mini Company on my own, I asked if I might be able to bring someone along with me to the County Finals as I would probably be a bit lonely on my own, and it would be great to have some extra help! So I was kindly allowed to bring Emma along to this exciting event! That half an hour we had to set up flew by, never had 30 minutes seemed so short! Being told twice to sit down as the oral presentation were about to commence, we decided we would finish displaying my candles later (but before the judges came around!). I walked quickly to the podium at the front of the big airy room, the sun through the large french windows making me squint and my steps echoing loudly and making the wooden floor creek. The group before me did an amazing presentation which made everyone laugh and had everyone’s attention, so I had to raise the bar and deliver my speech as best I could! The speech went well, I was very nervous and stuttered when I glanced at the judges inspecting me but as a whole I think I delivered the speech clearly! The adults in the room laughed (thankfully!) at the last line of my speech which was “So ladies and gentlemen, you may not want to live your lives like a candle in the wind but I hope you all want to live your lives with one of my little candles in your window!’. Next stage of the County Finals was the judging, the scary part! Three judges came to my stand, one by one and asked me various questions regarding my mini company. I remember sitting outside with Emma, doing mock interviews and preparing myself for the judging! It was a little daunting at first, but as the interviews went on I gained confidence and answered all their questions as best I could! They all asked me what I got out of it, and I answered: I learned many new and valuable skills over the course of the Mini Company. I had the opportunity to improve my bookkeeping and accounting skills. I learned how to make hand-made candles, a skill that is uncommon and that I didn’t think I would have at the age of 15! In addition I learned communication skills, while talking to customers and convincing them that my product was worth the €5, and by expressing my ideas and thoughts clearly and concise in as few words as possible when explaining my mini company idea to my business teacher and to others. Mover over, I learned how to correctly and politely address people in an email, such as market managers and teachers, and to write emails with correct format and wording. All together, I got the impression that the interviews went well, and the judges all seemed to remember excerpts of my report for various reasons which surprised me! Now that the main and most intense part of the Wicklow County Finals had passed, all there was left to do was take some take professional photographs for the local newspapers and finally the part we’ve all been waiting for...the announcement of the winners!! I sat on the edge of my seat as they announced the award winners, but honestly I was not expecting to win anything because some of the mini companies presented in the room were simply amazing! Emma and me both discussed quietly who we think would win, and in the end Emma guessed it right! The overall winner a company called ‘Too Good To Be Shoe’ from Colaiste Brid in Carnew, it is an innovative business that makes wine racks, coat racks and more from horseshoes! The second runner up went to ‘Mmmm’, and this company creates muffins in a mug that are gluten free, egg free and dairy free and they’re delicious (she was giving out free muffins in a mug!). First runner up was awarded to this company called ‘Wicklow Bed and Mattress Disposal’ and this person basically disposes of unwanted beds and mattresses because they are bad for the environment and dumping beds and mattresses seems to be a big issue in Ireland, I found this a very interesting idea for a mini company! In a nutshell I spent an incredible day at the Wicklow County Finals, and I was in awe at the level of time and effort the students from others school put into their mini companies! I was beyond happy and proud to be at the County Finals, it is an experience I will never forget! The six months I have been working on my mini company I have learnt so many beneficial and invaluable skills and I have gotten a taste of what it's like running your own company! It was a lot of hard work but I definitely got more out of the experience than I put into it! I find it amazing how each year wonderful events such as the Student Enterprise Wicklow County Finals take place, and I have no idea they existed until now! Transition Year has given my countless opportunities and has allowed me to have the most interesting and incredible experiences, I am eternally grateful!
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My Mini CompanyFor Business this year we have to create our own mini company. I have decided mine would be called 'Sophie's Little Candle Shop' and that my company would be specialized in candles in jars! Click here to find out more about my mini company and how I came up with the idea. Archives
April 2017
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