March 25, 2016, by The Ingenuity Lab
Ingenuity16 Mentor Profile: Fiona Duncan
During Ingenuity16, a range of successful business men and women based in Nottingham and further afield have got stuck in mentoring the University of Nottingham’s budding entrepreneurs. Their guidance and advice has been incredibly useful for the students and alumni competing for the £100,000 prize fund.
Over the next few weeks, we will be uploading profiles of some of Ingenuity16’s mentors and coaches so you can find out a bit more about them and their top tips for success.
Here’s what we found out when we caught up with mentor Fiona Duncan from RSViP Business Network…
Company name:
Role: Director/Founder
What is your educational background?
BA Hons Degree in Theatre Design at Nottingham Trent University.
How did you originally get involved with the Ingenuity Lab?
I was approached by the Ingenuity Lab to see if I would be interested in getting involved in the Ingenuity16 competition. At the recent bootcamp, I met with some of the entrants, giving them advice on how they can develop and strengthen their business ideas. I think it’s really important for anyone starting out with a business idea to have regular communication with people who have been through everything they are going through.
What piece of advice would you give to anyone interested in setting up their own business?
The best advice I would give anyone starting out with a new business is to follow your instincts, do what makes you happy and only work with like-minded people (wherever possible!).
What do you think are the key challenges that new entrepreneurs will face when setting up a business?
Most industries are now a saturated market, so in most things you do there will be a large amount of competitors out there for you to work against. When you’re growing your business, always focus on what you can do to make yourself stand out and be different. Focus on being that purple cow in the sea of monochrome Holsteins!
What work are you currently involved in?
Business networking, mentoring, event management, PR & marketing.
If you started your business today, what would you do differently?
I would be more confident in myself and self-assured. I think these are two qualities which are massively underestimated by some people. You can have the best business plan in the world, but it means nothing unless you’ve got that confidence and belief in yourself.
If you are interested in finding out more about Fiona Duncan, please visit the RSViP website.
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