Alan Dring, Managing Director, The Mad Approach Ltd
Staffordshire Entreprenuers is a ratified Society. The society offers a vast network connecting you with the people you need to know to assist with the growth of your enterprise. We aim to have top entrepreneurial talent speaking to our members as well as running skills workshops and networking events. We are working with NACUE & SV2UK and numerous other small businesses to bring you, our members, the best start for your Business start-ups.
18th november
What is SVC2UK?
What is SVC2UK all about? Silicon Valley comes to the UK (SVC2UK) is an annual event that will return this November during Global Entrepreneurship Week to welcome iconic serial entrepreneurs and investors to take part in a series of events, aimed to inspire students, alumni and potential entrepreneurs to re-write the rules and reshape major industries from media, games, education and healthcare industries. This event is co-founded by Sherry Coutu (Serial entrepreneur, Investor) and Reid Hoffman (Executive chairman and co-founder of LinkedIn), has attracted prominent speakers, angels and venture capitalists from Silicon Valley and their UK counterparts to inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs – and this year we are inviting societies to get involved! The event will see students across the country engaging in Enterprise Events, sending an app delegation to a series
Silicon Valley comes to the UK (SVC2UK) is an annual event that will return this November during Global Entrepreneurship Week to welcome iconic serial entrepreneurs and investors to take part in a series of events, aimed to inspire students, alumni and potential entrepreneurs to re-write the rules and reshape major industries from media, games, education and healthcare industries.
SV2UK Guests include:
Tony Altham, Managing Director, AdGiftsOnLine
Background
My first paid job was at the age of 7 when I used to milk cows by hand on a smallholding in North Devon and my pay was 6d (old pence) per day and a bacon and egg breakfast. Until the age of 16 all I wanted to do was to be a farmer. I left school in 1975 with little confidence or self belief and without much of an idea what to do with my life and therefore proceeded to drift into and through my A levels. Having missed the final papers on my A Levels because I was paying more attention to a new girlfriend than to the correct dates on the exam timetable, I spectacularly flunked my exams and then started a Foundation Course in Art & Design and A Level Re-sits, before going to Wolverhampton Polytechnic for a term with the grand vision that I would be a product designer. I gave up my college studies and got married in December 1978 and eventually got a job as a Trainee Architectural Technician at Cannock Chase District Council in March 1979 where I studied on Day Release and at Night Classes for 3 years. I then gave up work to go back to college full time as a ‘Mature Student’ to study at Birmingham School of Architecture in September 1982. I qualified as a Chartered Architect in 1989 although I am no longer in practice. I have run my own businesses since January 1992 after leaving my job as a Team Leader Project Architect with a firm of Architects in Birmingham. My first move into self employment was when I joined my youngest brother in a cartoon design, illustration and graphic design business in January 1992 and I was a partner in this venture until August 1998. In 1992 my wife set up a promotional products business which I then joined as a Partner and which has evolved over the years from a sole trader, to a partnership and finally to the current status as AdGiftsOnline Limited. AdGiftsOnline.com provides corporate merchandise solutions to clients across the UK and overseas via its various websites.
Alan Dring, Managing Director, The Mad Approach Ltd
Born bred and educated in Liverpool (a dyed- in- the- wool scouser and Liverpool supporter) I eventually found myself in Stoke in 1993. I started my career in the Inland Revenue in 1968 before moving into the building society industry in 1972 with Nationwide. Qualifying as a member of the Building Societies Institute (later to be amalgamated with the Institute of Bankers) my career took me to six other cities before I arrived as Head of Intermediary Sales at Britannia in Leek. In 1988 I became the Head of Sales at Standard Life Bank and spent the following 7 years travelling weekly to Edinburgh managing a team of 125( two thirds were graduates) staff across four departments returning to the pleasures of the Potteries on a Friday. With three children (a solicitor, a teacher and a marketing manager) I have a close knowledge of the challenges that face today’s youth as they confront the opportunities of higher education and the career decision maze. In my career I have been involved either directly or indirectly in recruiting well over 300 graduates and have been a regular speaker at universities and other places of higher education on topics ranging from,’’ Making the right decision’’ to ‘’How to present yourself to best advantage’’. In 2008 along with my wife I established The Mad Approach, a business support consultancy dedicated to helping small businesses in Staffordshire to grow and be better prepared for the difficult competitive markets that are facing the area over the next 5 years and beyond.
In Partnership:
The Staffordshire Entreprenuers Committee Members & the Speakers Look forward to meeting you on the day.
