Newcastle Startup Week: A snapshot of day one and its inspirational speakers

Now in its third year, Newcastle Startup Week has returned to the region once again to inspire the next generation of startups and entrepreneurs.

If you’re not familiar with Newcastle Startup Week, it is run and hosted by Paul Lancaster (Plan Digital UK) and Sarah Crimmens, both of whom possess decades of experience in the digital and entrepreneurial sectors.

From today (May 13), the five-day event is showcasing internationally-acclaimed speakers, discussing tips on how to turn your business idea into something tangible with longevity and room for growth.

Fortunately for you, Bdaily has been given access to attend the entire five-day event so we can update you on the topics that we think you can tailor to suit your business model and entrepreneurial needs.

Day One’s topic has been all about ‘Inspiration’ - as it has been since 2017 when Newcastle Startup Week began - and kicked things off at Newcastle’s popular Boiler Shop venue.

Now, let me tell you, Newcastle Startup Week did not fall short in delivering some incredibly motivational people to stand up and, well, grab the attention from pretty much everyone in attendance.

Here, we’ve whittled down the key notes some of the speakers discussed.

Ed Molyneux at Newcastle Startup Week by Tynesight Photographic Services.

Ed Molyneux, FreeAgent

Ed is the founder and CEO of FreeAgent, which specialises in “helping businesses be happier by putting them in control of their finances”. Here’s five ‘essential’ tips from Ed himself, which really resonated with the audience and hopefully will with you.

• The first is a little quirky: ‘Be a painkiller, not a vitamin’. Please stay with me because it, 100 per cent, makes sense. What Ed means is: “If you’re going to grow, you need to be something people really need”, and sometimes a painkiller is more of a necessity.

• “It’s not all about unicorns”. Ed tells the audience: “You don’t always need venture capital funding, and don’t be tempted down that route if you don’t think you’re going to change the world. Harsh words? Not necessarily, he just means that sometimes the organic way of investment is sometimes the route most in favour.

• ‘Ready, Aim, Fire’ “If you have too much capital in your business to begin with, you’re just going to put it out there and then think: ‘Now what?’” Moral of the story? Be one step ahead of your finances and think about where to invest your money.

• ‘Riding the rollercoaster’ is what it says on the tin. “Entrepreneurship is like a rollercoaster, it takes a real emotional toll on people… Things are back and forth all the time… It’s a marathon, not a sprint. Celebrate the successes.” It sounds cliche, we knot, but take time to breathe, prioritise the important things in your business as well as what matters most to you in life in terms of health and happiness.

• ‘The Flywheel Effect’: An effective, final tip. Ed describes it as “starting out yourself, the wheel is only slightly turning. But then, more people come on board and if they keep pushing in the same direction, the wheel will go faster and faster.” Essentially, in the long run, if people like your idea they will want to get a taste of it, and will help you achieve it.

Brad Burton at Newcastle Startup Week by Tynesight Photographic Services.

Brad Burton, Freelance coach, mentor and speaker

Another of today’s guests who definitely stood out was Brad Burton, the self-proclaimed ‘UK’s #1 Motivational Speaker’. To be honest, we’re not surprised he has this title; he truly knows how to win over an audience with his incredibly inspiring words.

With four books, mentoring and coaching skills aplenty, and ranked #29 in the global Motivational Speakers chart, it’s no wonder Newcastle Startup Week invited him along.

Bursting with inspirational quotes and tips, here are Brad’s three main tips you can apply to kickstart - or simply boost - your entrepreneurship.

• It’s all about making the right decisions. Brad discusses the fact he made some of the worst decisions of his life when he was young, but ultimately he wouldn’t be where he is today without them. Essentially, it’s about reflecting on the goals you have set yourself and making rational decisions on how to achieve them. If these decisions take time, prioritise the most important ones and set your business in motion.

• ‘Control. Security. Approval’ - Brad suggests we make decisions based on one of these three things. Look at how you make your decisions when it comes to your business. Is it for a sense of financial security? Popularity and acceptance? Taking ownership of something?

• ‘Why wait? asks Brad. “Your most important asset is your time, and it is the one thing that we give up so freely.” Stop giving time to those that don’t give it back, and start making more time for the things that matter - your business, your health, your family and friends and life goals.

Keep up to date with #NewcastleStartupWeek on Twitter, and follow Bdaily for the highlights of the event throughout this week.