Secret Millionaire, Mike Greene becomes Entrepreneur-in-residence at Allia Future Business Centre, Peterborough
Support and advice for budding entrepreneurs and start-up businesses
Mike Greene, serial entrepreneur, Secret Millionaire, author and passionate advocate for Peterborough, has agreed to provide free advice to the city’s budding entrepreneurs and businesses wanting to make a difference to society, at a free, weekly clinic at Allia Future Business Centre.
Mike is hoping to be able to guide, inspire and challenge people to take the next step in their entrepreneurial journey. He said: “I am humbled and honoured to be Entrepreneur-in-residence at Future Business Centre in Peterborough. As an ambassador for the Centre, I want to make sure more people get to hear about what goes on here – I see it as the entrepreneurial heart of Peterborough.”
He continued:”I grew up in poverty and came to Peterborough aged 11 as a scared kid. I think of Peterborough as my home now and I want to encourage people to realise that they don’t have to leave Peterborough to make a successful future. I want to talk them into making the city, the place they want to be based, for instance Peterborough’s technology successes are one of its best kept secrets.”
He added: “I have mentored businesses and business people from global corporations to funky new start-ups and so I have a perspective on lots of different types of businesses. I can also teach people what I have learnt from my own business failures and successes.
Mike Greene will be at Allia Future Business Centre every Thursday from 9am to 5pm starting Thursday January 26th. The weekly clinic is free and entrepreneurs and potential entrepreneurs can discuss any business topic they wish, although some of the issues Mike thinks he may be able to help with include:
- How to get funding
- How to get your business funding ready and what are the likely costs, timescales and conditions of funding
- How to start marketing with no money
- How to attract, motivate and retain the best people
Each person can spend up to 30 minutes talking to Mike. Find out more by visiting the Allia Future Business Centre or emailing seriousimpact@allia.org.uk
Several times a year Mike will bring in business angels and introduce them to start-ups. He himself has invested in 30 start-ups already. He said: “94% of start-ups that approach me are not investment ready. Sometimes they have a bright idea, but haven’t tested it and I teach them that testing an idea and delivering a proof of concept doesn’t need to cost money but can add 10 times the value to their idea. Sometimes they haven’t got a good team around them and I help them build that, and sometimes they have started a business but don’t know how to scale it or increase its value.”
He continued, “I have had great successes but I have also had business failures, so have most successful business people; I believe you have got to get used to failure because each time you challenge yourself, you learn success principles. I realised from my life, that sometimes going backwards gives you the opportunity to consolidate your learning and move forward better, faster and more effectively. If I can help 1 in 20 businesses get going, that otherwise would have given up or failed I will be very happy.”
Paul Hughes, Allia’s Director of Enterprise Support said, “We are enormously excited that Mike Greene is joining us as Entrepreneur-in-residence at our Future Business Centre in Peterborough. We know there is a lot of energy around creating and growing new businesses in the city, and our particular focus is those that aim to make a positive impact on society and employment. Mike’s support will complement our Serious Impact programme which provides free support and advice for people with ideas or those who have just started or wish to grow their business along with the technical support we can give people at our new Innovation lab. All of these elements we hope will make Allia Future Business Centre a hub for Peterborough’s entrepreneurs and ventures wishing to make a positive difference.”
Mike Greene concluded: “It’s a great time to be getting into business. So many young people think the only option for them is in getting a job – I want to show them that starting a business could be for them. Nobody starts a business because they want to be alone and the Future Business Centre has everything you need to fly. I would say to potential entrepreneurs, however young or old, come and talk to me about what you would really like to be doing as a business. Real success is waking up every morning doing what makes you happy.”
To tell us you are interested in meeting Mike Greene email seriousimpact@allia.org.uk
