entrepreneurial leadership - some thoughts and tips

Thoughts about entrepreneurial leadershipLondon Borough of Lambeth

12 February 2014

A bit about Learning Pool …

• Started life as an IDeA innovation project• Became a private company in 2006• Has over 400 public sector customers (including Lambeth)• Provides an e-learning platform and content services • Now employs 65 people across the UK & Ireland• Has built the UK’s largest public sector community with 1m

people

A bit about me …

• Started my career in local government• Was person number 5 in a tiny team that’s now O2• Spent 10 years in CIPFA’s commercial subsidiary• Left to become a Silicon Valley dotcommer• Became an entrepreneur later in life than most• Have founded 4 startups of my own … so far!

Have a vision and communicate it

Be able to compartmentalise

Resilience is key

Make decisions quickly

Urgency and impatience have their place

It’s easier to stamp on a seedling

Focus … and focus on the right things

Be hungry like a wolf

Remember your people are your best asset

No-one knows what’s going to happen next

Final thought …

“You have to be optimistic to be an entrepreneur”

What’s next for me

• Heading up a social innovation project for vInspired• Building my non executive portfolio• Balancing my paid and pro bono work for maximum job

satisfaction• Will more than likely start another business

• Email address mary@kickhq.com• Read my blog at www.kickingassets.co.uk

• Connect with me on Twitter at @MMaryMcKenna