Smart author inspires students to get a start

A SUCCESSFUL entrepreneur and author visited the University of Worcester to talk to students about starting their own businesses.

Robin Bennett, author of Start-up Smart, wanted to prove business start-ups do not necessarily involve large expensive bank loans, just good planning and sensible cash flow management.

Many of the 100 students who attended were either in the process of starting their own businesses, had business ideas they wanted to explore, or were interested in small business start-up for the future.

Mr Bennett founded the Bennett Group in 1992 shortly after graduating from London University with a degree in modern languages. As a typical penniless graduate, his entry into the business world was one that was based around the very small sources of finance that were available to him.

Mr Bennett provided the students with an informative and amusing story of his own ventures into business, explaining how he set up his many different companies and the lessons and insights he has learnt in the process.

He answered a variety of questions from the students, and discussed with them their own business ideas and how they could best prepare themselves with the highest chances for success in the competitive business world.

Student Kieran Virr said: ?Robin?s talk was excellent, I didn?t quite realise how possible, and ultimately sensible, it is to start small businesses successfully with just a small amount of investment rather than having to go to the bank for a large loan. The tips and ideas that Robin has shared have really inspired me with the confidence that being a successful entrepreneur is still a great opportunity in the business environment today, so long as sensible planning and a good commonsense approach is taken to starting, and managing, your own business venture.?