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Simon Brown is a physicist who promoted graduate employability at Sheffield Hallam University for 15 years, then at Southampton Solent University.  He first worked in the hologram business but found he was better at the technical side than at selling.  Now he is an independent consultant and sees himself more as an enterprise educator than an entrepreneur, but has been appointed Entrepreneur in Residence by Plymouth University.

His talk aimed to use his journey through life to highlight the characteristics and attributes of the entrepreneurial mind set and not to present a pathway for others to follow. Individuals should find their own paths based on their passions, which are the main part of being an entrepreneur, and more important than having an MBA: you might be able to identify the current market and write reports, but fail in a real market when doing business.

He suggested several tips for entrepreneurs.  Find a gap in the market and think it through deeply to identify a business opportunity. Record every stage or change when developing a business idea, and review your ideas when the time is ripe. Research your target market in the real world.  Don’t waste time on the second best ideas.  Be disciplined and see things through to a conclusion.

(based on articles by Enqi Fan and Bhavik Mavadia)