Students learn the best of business

IT WAS back to the classroom this week for 60 budding undergraduate entrepreneurs who attended a five-day course on how to set up their own businesses at Durham University.

The students, from Cambridge, Newcastle, Surrey and Warwick universities and also from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US, were encouraged to develop their ideas for a new business, university or social project.

Several of those on the course, CMI Connections run by the Cambridge-MIT Institute, have already set up their own businesses or social enterprises. The students included a law student who has his own web-based business; a music undergraduate who runs his own rock band and hopes to go into the music business when he graduates; and a computing science student who hopes to use his IT skills to help young people.

Debbie Thomson, 20, took the CMI Connections course when it ran at Strathclyde University last August. Six months later, in between sitting final exams for her degree (accountancy with engineering), she is setting up Bel Canto - a business offering high-quality demo recordings for aspiring professional musicians.

Debbie is aiming at the classical music market, and is currently targeting potential clients at music schools like the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama.

'The problem with demo tapes,' said Debbie, 'is that sometimes they are produced very cheaply, and the quality of the recording doesn't do justice to the musician. But we will be offering professional recording quality, we can also help produce high quality artwork, and so we will be making CDs that really do look and sound professional.'

Debbie had never thought of herself as an entrepreneur, until she got the opportunity to attend the Connections course last year. 'I had always thought I would just do my accountancy course, and then go on and become an accountant,' she said.

'But the course made me realise that I didn't necessarily want to work for someone else. I am really enjoying going out and selling the idea. I have my first clients lined up and we will be holding our first recording session at the beginning of March. I am hoping that the business will really be up and running by the time I graduate in June.'

Debbie got the idea for Bel Canto - which means 'beautiful singing' in Italian - from meeting Connections tutor John Park. In between teaching entrepreneurship and creativity, he also runs his own record label - Energy Music Productions. He already produces CDs for private clients.

John Garner, a final year undergraduate at Durham University, took part in the CMI Connections course this time last year. He has just launched JG Neckwear selling high-fashion, hand-finished ties via a website - www.JGNeckwear.com

'It's going quite well so far,' said John, 'and we have managed to sell quite a few ties via the website. But we are now looking to expand and find new outlets. I am having meetings with stockists to see if we can get our ties into shops. We are encouraging celebrities to wear our ties and we are in talks with a couple of Formula One teams about a possible sponsorship deal, whereby we would design exclusive ties for their drivers.

'I am doing an economics degree, and have been learning about how to run a small business at the same time. It is very interesting putting the ideas I have read about into practice.'

The students were coached by several entrepreneurs from the North East, including academic entrepreneur Max Robinson, whose university research led to the successful establishment of a 3D X-ray imaging company, and 24-year-old Lee Sylph, who set up her own Whitley Bay-based business to sell specialist lingerie for women who have undergone breast surgery.

Professor Michael Kelly, executive director of the Cambridge-MIT Institute, said: 'The CMI Connections course is for undergraduates with ideas for a business or social enterprise.

'During the course, they benefit from intensive exposure to the attitudes and skills required, and the expert advice available, to help turn that idea into a reality.

'Previous Connections courses have already helped some participants discover new ideas and get them off the ground, and we hope that this one will be just as valuable for those who take part.'