The North-east’s own double Commonwealth Games champion, European and world medallist and triple Olympic finalist swimmer, Hannah Miley, is to join a host of entrepreneurs and business owners who will share their inspirational stories at Elevator’s Making It Happen conference later this year.
As keynote speaker, Hannah will share her experience of success and the lessons she has learned with future entrepreneurs and aspiring business leaders.
Hosted by Gavin Oates from Tree of Knowledge, the ninth ‘Making It Happen’ conference will take place on Thursday, October 11 at Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre.
The annual event is being organised by Elevator, which works across Scotland to help facilitate the start-up and growth of new and existing businesses.
The conference aims to inspire and motivate entrepreneurs, business owners and university students, with a tailored session for school pupils and college students in the morning.
Hannah will be joined by some of Scotland’s most exciting entrepreneurs, including Jeanette Forbes, chief executive of PCL Group, Ros Marshall and Kirsty Lunn, who set up breastfeeding friendly underwear company Molke and Sandy McKinnon, founder of Foodstory.
Along with University of Aberdeen Business School, Elevator will host a £1,000 competition open to new business ideas through to existing businesses operating in Aberdeen City or Shire.
Professor Norman Hutchison, director of external engagement at the University of Aberdeen Business School, said: “The University of Aberdeen Business School is delighted to support the next generation of entrepreneurs and business innovators by sponsoring Elevator’s Making it Happen Conference on October 11.
“The University has played a key role in many business success stories and we are committed towards encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship in generations to come.”
Applications for the pitching competition are open until Friday, September 28. Any business operating or planning to operate in Aberdeen City or Shire can sumbit a 60-second video pitch.
Five successful finalists will be annnounced by October 2 and they will be invited to deliver a two-minute pitch, live on stage in front of an audience of more than 400 people at the conference.
As a double Commonwealth Games champion, European and world medallist and triple Olympic finalist swimmer, Hannah Miley strongly believes her own success is due to hard work and her commitment to the sport.
“The message I will be sharing at the Elevator conference is that the key to success is never giving up, know that everything happens for a reason and always look for the positive, which applies to business as well as other fields such as sport. I am not the biggest, I am not the strongest, but I will be the hardest working athlete I can be,” she said.
Professor Gary McEwan, chief executive of Elevator, believes the conference is crucial to the development of the region’s entrepreneurs, as well as providing direction to current business owners.
Prof McEwan said: “We have the skills and intellect to create homegrown talent throughout the region, and each year, Elevator’s ‘Making It Happen’ conference continues to help build an entrepreneurial society in the North-east of Scotland.
“The conference is a great way of communicating with and identifying potential future entrepreneurs, who have a real passion and commitment to their business. The line up of incredible and successful guest speakers, will provide the next generation of young entrepreneurs with valuable life lessons and crucial advice to help their business ideas become a success.”
The schools session will run from 9.30am to 12noon and the afternoon session is from 1-4pm. Entry is free of charge.
For more information or to sign up to the 2018 Making It Happen conference, click here.
