September 27, 2017, by The Ingenuity Lab

Message from Steve Chapman – Welcome back!

Welcome back everyone, I hope you all had a good summer, and are as excited about the coming year as we are.

For us at the Ingenuity Lab, it’s all about the community and how we build that community to provide support for you as entrepreneurs to fulfill your potential. It’s worth reminding you that we are also part of the Haydn Green Institute community, full of amazing innovators and creatives who all add to the vibrant environment we are so lucky to have here. It’s fair to say that the HGI team, including the Lab, are close-knit. We all share a passion for what we do and enjoy exploring the landscape between innovation and creativity. I am certain that the more we work together, sharing information, skills and ideas, we can all achieve so much more this coming year.

The Ingenuity Lab

However the entrepreneurial journey is not just one of building a business, it’s so much more than that. It will take far more of you than you ever anticipated and require personal change and development. You’re putting not only your ideas on the line, but yourself, so you have to be sure that you are ready for the journey, ready to grow, evolve and embrace uncertainty. You will fail many times, that I can assure you, but every time you get back up and brush yourself off, you will become a stronger and more resilient individual.

I would advise you all to take stock at this time and think about what lifestyle you want. It is all too easy to think that you should be looking to raise six-figure investments, but ask yourself is that for you? Do you want a business that simply gives you what you need financially and allows more time to focus on other things outside of work? Or are you going to go for broke and build an empire with all the risk and complications that path will bring? Either is valid, both have equal merit and value, and there are many shades in between. Do what feels right, not what you think you should be doing or achieving; and don’t put pressure on yourself to be something you’re not, via comparison with others who have chosen a different path. It’s your life so create the one you want, and entrepreneurship can be a great way to do that.

Ingenuity Lab members (l to r): Lili Zhu, Mo Kalby, and Shrenik Parmar

Also, think about what you want your business to do?  If it’s making money for an exit, that’s great and you need to look at what product or service you are developing, your strategy and be honest that the path chosen is likely to succeed.  However, for many there are other drivers such as social impact. If part of what drives you is to help others, solve a social issue, or create a lifesaving product or service, then place that at the core of everything you do. Money isn’t the only driver, it is essential to generate income to make your business sustainable but the reasons of why you generate income may differ.

So going into 2017/18 take some time to think about what feels right and makes sense for you, then set about creating the future that you want.

We have a welcome event on the 12^th of October and I look forward to seeing you there. Good luck from all the Lab Team and the HGI family; we look forward to working towards greater success!

We are always looking to promote the work and interesting activities of our Ingenuity Lab members. If you would like to be featured, please email us with your press release.

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