THE FINAL!!

Unlike the last round, I didn’t have the luxury of time to wait for the results with coffee and an impatient trigger finger on the inbox browser. This round of results came in while I was coming to the end of some serious project deadlines and was being pulled in five different directions at once.

Phones a ringing, texts a bleeping, emails a dinging and there it was! “Congratulations on reaching the FINAL round”. Eeeek!!  

When I let my people know that I was through to the final, the reactions varied from formal phonecalls/ handshakes to a happy dance video message (by the parent of a child who could benefit from the business) to the expletive filled congratulations text from someone who has been there from the very beginning (and knows just how much this all means).

I should at this point mention that my business idea will improve services for adults and children with speech and communication issues….AND…the competition just happens to be coinciding with Autism Awareness Day and "Light it Up Blue Celebrating World Autism Awareness" for the month of April. 

If the result went the right way, it would be brilliant timing to let people know that new and innovative help from an IRISH startup is imminent. Just saying!  J

 

The excitement around all of this is extremely infectious and has caused a mini epidemic of smiley faces in my world!  I have never had so many people say "fair play to you" and "you are brave". 

Personally, I think being brave was not entering this competition but making sacrifices to go back to college last year to be the best that I can be. I just wish that more people had the opportunity to access a return to education. Hopefully the government will officially recognise the number of 30 and 40 somethings who are being held back from leadership due to a lack of digital skill set. Maybe the first year of graduates from  DIT MSc Digital Marketing and Analytics  (my class) will pave the way for the future. J

So here we go…the promised land of the development days. Expectations were set high by the Accenture team and they did not disappoint.

Development Day 1 took place in the NDRC, which is based in the Digital Hub.  Deja vu moment ahead as this was where I had training for my first part time job as a promoter for Guinness. Funny old world and what a transformation! The offices are now open plan, exposed brickwork and very trendy in the tech startup way that you might expect.

The finalists- Norma & Owen (UCD), Michael (UCD), Peter (UCC), John (UCC), Nubi & Alex (Smurfit) and moi (DIT).

The day started with a presentation by the NDRC Director Gary Leydon where he outlined what makes a great business idea and how to pitch.  After this we broke out into workshop mode.

Lights, Camera, Action…it was time to do our pitches (yes, both days were filmed). This pitch was mainly an introduction to the other finalists, as we didn’t know what each other’s ideas were. Once we got past that initiation, we each split into individual teams with an Accenture consultant. This was to work on our business model canvas and pitch our ideas with more clarity. 

At this point, my business idea pivoted and completely changed direction from B2C to B2B.  The second pitch wasn’t quite as difficult since it was a game changer.

Affirmation came from Gary who had recommended the new direction and questions were taken from the floor. The questions confirmed that the new thinking was correct. Happy days…and a lot of work ahead!

The afternoon was filled to the brim with a presentation on venture capital that was followed by another presentation on user experience. Great insights and notes firmly on board!

To round off the day, NDRC introduced us to companies that have gone through their LaunchPad programme. A place on this programme (in case I hadn’t mentioned) is the main component of the prize. 

If you don’t already know of them, check out SockMonstermedia.com, GoBramble.ie, Bizimply.com and Adyuka.com. We got the opportunity for a Q & A session with the creators of each of these businesses and to ask about the highs and lows of the startup process. 

One thing that became very apparent from all of the stories is that while the startup road is clearly a tough one, it is definitely worth embarking on!

Development Day 2

Just when you think it can’t get any better………it does!

Time for Accenture to bring out their expertise and they did not disappoint. The day was opened by the Accenture “presentation guru” John Morrissey who went through the dos and don’t of and impressive on screen presentation. 

This was followed by a session with the Director of the Gaiety School of Acting (Patrick Sutton) to hone our pitch skills. Patrick asked us to use our hands to describe where the past was when presenting. If you are finding yourself pointing over your shoulder, stand corrected! The past is to your left, the present is in front of you and the future is very firmly to your right (as illustrated by all of us below). 

I must have taken more on board than I realized as I have found myself using the very gestures he taught us at an important meeting the next day. Extremely effective! 

After a great lunch in Ely, we had a session on leadership with Ryan Shanks. Ryan explained the differences between management and leadership and the need for companies to address these differences for a sustainable workforce.

Ryan Shanks

Ryan is the type of person who can command a room and encourage engagement without a lot of noise. He has great presentation style and inspiring insight that leaves you thinking.

The final session was on digital marketing with Nina Gallagher, the Digital Consulting Lead within the Management Consulting Practice for Accenture. 

Nina got us to to apply the Accenture digital  strategy framework to our own businesses before pitching to the room again at the end of the session. I spent the time picking the brains of Nina and another manager (Niall Corrigan) on all aspects of my new pivot. This provided a logical path process that allows me to pinpoint exactly where my business needs direction and work. The framework is a really useful tool and I will be saving the slide for use in the future. 

The Dragons

To close the day off, we were given the long awaited list of judges for our Dragon’s Den pitch.

 If I could have picked the companies myself, the list would have been very similar. Well done Accenture and NDRC. This is going to be one seriously great event! Six of the top industry leaders in Ireland will be sitting around one table waiting to hear our ideas. Fantastic. 

The countdown to the April 10th final is officially on. It is time for the gloves to come off and to come out swinging….. Bring it on!!!

Well I think I have hogged the limelight on the blog for long enough. It is time to introduce you to all involved and hear from some of the other finalists competing for the big prize in the video below.

Forgotten what the big prize is? Let me remind you….The overall Accenture Leaders of Tomorrow winner(s) will receive a specially commissioned trophy by Seamus Gill Silversmith, Framed Certificate, the Leaders of Tomorrow Tour to an Accenture global innovation centre and the option of pursuing the business idea as part of the NDRC Launchpad programme or an internship with Accenture. Not so shabby!

If you have been following my journey to entrepreneurship story, please feel free to connect on Twitter @taraljustin or hit the buttons for Linkedin and Google + to the right of this page. Looking forward to hearing from you. J

 Press play and enjoy!

Round 2.5

Made it!! After hitting refresh on my inbox browser 50+ times in the space of an hour on Feb 17th, I finally got the “Congratulations, your business idea is in the top 12 shortlist” email.  Time to celebrate again (this is getting to be quite a regular occurrence).

Then of course, reality kicked right back in when I read the brief. The next round consisted of a 10 minute pitch to a panel and a 5 minute Q & A. This would be combined with a meet and greet event where participants would get the opportunity to meet Accenture consultants, finalists from previous years and representatives from NDRC.  Networking opportunity ahead!!

Once I had this information in hand, I went straight back to the lovely Peters (there are actually two of them replying to my emails in Accenture) and requested feedback from my presentation in the last round. Within a couple of hours, I knew that there were some areas within my presentation that needed a bit of tightening and more thought. Advice taken on board and late nights ahead for the next week!

**Pitch ready, game face on, show time**

On arrival at the Accenture offices, I was guided into the meet and greet area. After chatting with a couple of the consultants, I was ironically “pitched” by another competitor who literally did not draw breath until he was finished. Apparently, he thought that I was one of the judges. Brilliant!! I already appear to work at the company (as a head of department no less). Good start on the company fit profile. 

I should point out that I was not only flying the DIT flag in this competition but also the flag for all mature students! J

Following a welcome message, congratulatory speech, more details about the next round of the competition and a run down of proceedings by the Director, we were advised of our panel allocation. 

"The Top Twelve"

I was up next in boardroom Inis Mór. While this was a “Dragon’s Den” type of situation, the dragons were far more friendly than intimidating. I do have to admit though that nerves did kick in at that point. Usually pretty unflappable in these situations, I realised afterwards that presenting a project very personal to your life is a completely different scenario to a strictly work or college situation.  Lesson learned and I will be rehearsing with an audience next time. 

In the Q&A, I was asked a couple of questions that I hadn’t considered on the business model I was proposing. This has led me to take a second angle on the business idea that would make an excellent feasibility study. Great advice taken from Gary Leydon of NDRC. 

**Time to relax and network**

Having spent time with almost all contestants for the award, there was a very clear divide on motivation for entry. Approximately 70% were either applying or interviewing to work with Accenture. They were hoping that the competition would elevate them through the recruitment process. The other 30% really wanted to pursue their business ideas through NDRC and really didn’t see themselves pursing a career with Accenture. Curious odds but great for the recruitment department.  I also wonder how many of the 30% would turn down a position if offered…time will tell. 

One thing that was clear from talking to the consultants is that Accenture is a very positive place to work and people seemed genuinely happy in their jobs. Also, teams are not actually based in head office but in their client offices. Projects can vary from three months to three years and you can request which project you would like to work on next. There are clear paths for career progress and you are encouraged to be the best you can be. All sounding good so far and very well done to the company for taking care of their people.  

Back to the competition….

Round 3 will see the top 12 competitors halved to six finalists who will take part in a number of development days.  This is where the real prize foundations are set. 

Finalists get to “practice and refine the business abilities required to transform their innovative ideas into a formidable business proposition”. They also receive one-to-one mentoring
 and cover topics such as entrepreneurship in Ireland, new business start-ups, achieving growth, leveraging digital technology and the assistance options available to start-ups. Finalists also get the opportunity to learn about innovation and process improvement methodologies and how innovation is shaping the business landscape. 

Lastly, there is a "Leadership Skills Workshop" to prepare for the final pitch before a panel of Irish business leaders. Not so shabby if you want to kick start your career and boost your competitive edge.

Finalist results will be released this week so the race is officially on!!

Round 2

Once I managed to navigate my way through exam process (it had been a long time since I had the pleasure), I was able to get started on the detailed business case for my entry.

At first glance of the brief, I thought “no problem at all”.  Accenture gave a clear outline of what you should include and what the entry would be judged by. They wanted to know about my idea, the unique selling points, the target market and what it would do for them.

It sounded straightforward…until I started to drill down into these areas. I very quickly realised how much I had to learn. Steep learning curve ahead!

I needed to describe how the business would look. This is not the image and branding that might come to mind but the actual set up and operation of the business.  What will it do day to day? Who and how many will it employ? What technology will it use? How will it grow?

When I started to work on all of these areas, I realised that I needed financial quotes for the technology and salary scales for the proposed team.After four hours on the phone, I went from novice to expert very quickly in the area of apps and software development.

Basically, I was asking developers for rates on an app idea that I could not describe in detail because of intellectual property protection.

On the advice of the brilliant Lisa Domican (inventor of the Grace App), I scanned through the app store on iTunes and found the most similar app that I could get to the one I would need. From this, I could call the developer and ask for a rate on something close to the functionality. Bingo!! I had my quote in half an hour. I also discovered that while entry level apps are relatively inexpensive, high functionality without leaks and bugs come at a much greater price and consideration of mobile platforms has to be included (as that is the fastest growing sector of the market for my particular idea).

Advice to anyone researching costs and considering a similar route to market….developers do not like

tyre kickers (and who can blame them?!). Firstly, ensure that you actually need an app, have your example ready and a budget in mind. Then you are set for negotiation.

As for salary scales and qualification levels, I asked the experts. When I briefly explained why I was asking for help, professionals in the industry area were more than happy to share their thoughts. Don’t be shy or too proud to ask for help from peers, colleagues or even tenuous business links. At some stage you will be the expert and can pay it back by sharing your knowledge.

I would also highly recommend keeping a contact book/list from the day you first come up with your business idea. Use it to collect the names and contact details of each person you meet who may be interested in your idea, have expertise, or have access to information and people to help you. I have been carrying my original notebook (and now phone notes) in my bag for three years and they have travelled everywhere with me. The contacts, notes, links and ideas that it now contains proved invaluable during this process. No matter how much time had passed, people were delighted to give help and advice.

  

On the subject of asking for help, I would like to give “ Peter” a mention. This is the very lovely man who has answered all of my questions regarding the competition entry on behalf of Accenture. I have no idea who he is apart from his first name but suffice to say that he always replied within 24 hours and gave as much guidance as allowed. Professional all the way!

Once I had all of my information together, I was able to draw down the financials for the first year. This took into account seed capital needed, running costs, how much the business would make and how it would change over time.

All of a sudden the business was no longer an idea in my head, it became financially viable and I knew it would definitely be an asset to the relevant sector. Now I just have to convince Accenture to come to the same conclusion (no self inflicted pressure there then!).

After a final review of the judging criteria and ensuring that I had ticked all of the boxes, it was time to hit the button and press SEND. To say that there was a sense of relief mixed with euphoria on completion of the document is an understatement. Spending time planning and gathering troops to help you reach your goal is one thing but to potentially have that goal within grasp is on another level completely.  

The next stage of the competition is a short list of round two applicants who will be invited for a meet and greet event in the Accenture offices. This is the opportunity to talk with some of the Accenture consultants and meet with previous winners of the award. From this group, six finalists will be selected to attend “development days” and get the opportunity to pitch their idea to a panel of judges.

The actual prize at the end of the rainbow is (drum roll) the Leaders of Tomorrow Tour to an Accenture global innovation centre (New York).  The winner is also given the option of pursuing the business idea as part of the NDRC Launchpad programme or an internship with Accenture.

I have always believed that if you can dream it, you can do it. Now I just need Accenture to share the same philosophy and take my idea through to the next round. Fingers crossed for a good result on February 17th!!! J

Round 1

So here I am…..a sales and marketing professional by day, student by night and a very hopeful activist/ change maker all the time in between.

Last September, I became one of the students selected for the inaugural year of DIT’s MSc Digital Marketing and Analytics. This is not a course for anyone who is not completely dedicated and ready to sacrifice personal time and energy (trust me). However, it is exactly the right place to be if you want to maximize your potential in the digital world and you are committed to being the best you can be in your chosen profession.

After just one semester, I know how to create a comprehensive digital audit on a business and develop a subsequent digital strategy. I can consult and advise on (deep breath) market trends, acquisition/retention/conversion, mobile marketing, branding, advertising, search, social, UX experience, performance, control/ measurement and driving consumer behaviour online.  With all of this information on board after only one semester, I am really looking forward to seeing what I can achieve by the time I graduate!

It was the Consumer Led Market and Research module of the course that led me to the “Accenture Leaders of Tomorrow Award”. While most of the students in the class developed their research assignments around an area of industry they work in, I developed mine around an idea that I have for a new business. Truth be told, I started the research a few years ago after my first meeting with Moses (pictured below) at an orphanage in Uganda. This story deserves a blog to itself but this little man has been the inspiration and motivation for the business idea development. Since that day, I have been working on the research but needed digital knowledge that would lend a competitive edge.  

Two research papers completed  (plus a lot of coffee, a blizzard of paper in my livingroom and many long nights of study later), I had fine-tuned my idea. At this point, I knew that I had uncovered a gap in the market and decided to act on it.

The next step was to research entrepreneurial and startup business competitions.  There are a few really good ones to choose from depending on the particular business vertical and angle that you want to apply your idea to.  I wanted to find the one that would (a) embrace new technology, (b) support women in business and (c) have considerable company expertise for guidance and mentoring.

When I was applying to study with DIT originally, I attended one of their breakfast seminars to learn more about the course content and structure. It was on that morning that David Rohan from Accenture was speaking.  David gave a great talk and the discussed the skills gap in the area of analytics that DIT was addressing. Ding ding!!…Accenture moved to the top of my list of companies to work with in the future. 

So when I found the “Accenture Leaders of Tomorrow Award” link on Twitter, I was within a few clicks of throwing my hat in the ring. The application was relatively straightforward and required a business outline giving short details on what it would do, who the target market is and what technology would be used.

A few weeks later and just before Christmas, I received notification of success in round one. It was a brilliant start to the festivities and even more reason for celebrations (as if I needed an excuse). I then had five weeks to develop a business case for round two.

This part of the process was to coincide with an assignment for our analytics module, an exam and a trade conference.  Time to put the pedal to the metal!!!