‘Dragon’ to launch his new firms bid in North
Jan 22 2008 by Karen Dent, The Journal
ONE of the original “dragons” from TV’s Dragons’ Den has chosen the North-East to launch his bid to create 5,000 new businesses in the next two years.
Doug Richard – the entrepreneur behind a number of technology and software ventures and famous as the Dragon most likely to dispel entrants’ unrealistic visions – says there is insufficient support in the UK for people with bright business ideas.
Mr Richard, who was in Newcastle yesterday to announce the initiative, said: “I’ve spent the last two years trawling around the UK giving speeches on entrepreneurship and I noticed how receptive an audience there was in the North-East.
“The North-East has gone through a step change in recent years with an ever more successful enterprise culture. This change in mindset has seen the North-East catapulted from the bottom of the league tables of regional economic growth to second only to London according to the latest statistics.”
The Doug Richard Project is a series of “boot camps” which will provide intensive business guidance to 200 aspiring entrepreneurs at a time. Mr Richard – from Los Angeles – says the idea is common in California and he was shocked to discover there is nothing similar in the UK.
The day, which runs from 8am to 7pm, teaches delegates to analyse how business works by looking at examples, which they can then apply to their own idea. The first workshop will be held at Newcastle University on February 27. Fellow Dragon, Darlington-based Duncan Bannatyne, will attend the event.
Mr Richard, who has launched five businesses, admits he has set himself a tough challenge to start 5,000 new firms nationwide by 2010. “If you don’t set a high goal you don’t achieve it. Whenever I have started a business and I say my goals out loud, people laugh at me,” he said.
The course costs £500 plus VAT per person to attend but Mr Richard insists it will be good value for money: “People do circle around the question of the fact that it’s going to cost them money.
“Things that are of value are not free. People don’t really know what to do to find out if theirs is a good idea. Give me a day and I’ll give you momentum.”
Networking group The Bridge Club and South Tyneside Council’s economic development unit Tedco are supporting the initiative.
Caroline Theobald, the Bridge Club’s managing director, said: “It’s a real feather in the North-East’s cap that Doug Richard and his team have chosen to launch their national business start-up project in the region.
By working in partnership with Barclays, Tedco and the University of Newcastle we aim to connect at least 200 new businesses owners with a kick start from the experts.”
The Newcastle University event will be the first of five Doug Richard Project days planned for this year and a further 25 are due to be held in 2009. To find out more, go to www.thedougrichardproject.com or telephone 0207 062-1111 to register.
