So why did I start the BLS? Is the dream still achievable now that I am out of university? Is the BLS still going according to plan? Has the dream died when I left campus? These are some of the questions I would like to answer...
Look at how many big ideas started on campus and at student level. A number of those students are now billionaires such as Bill Gates (founder of Microsoft) and Mark Zuckerberg (founder of Facebook), it all started on campus. University provides the perfect mix and resources to move forward with innovative ideas and the biggest resource are those around you. Others that share your dream can bring their ideas and talents to the table. This is how student businesses are started...
So why did I start the BLS? I started the BLS to develop today's students to become tomorrow's business leaders. But how does that work? The mission expressed above is achieved by the 5 objectives set out by the BLS as found in the constitution. I am not going to go into too much detail here but by reading the objectives you will see how the BLS sets itself out to develop students into business leaders.
But what is the big idea, what is the end product? My dream was to create a 'student' company, a company run by students to generate income. To run just like a normal company would. With all the functions and departments with the aim of achieving the 5 objectives in a real company situation. Just imagine for example a 'student' marketing company set up at campus. Offering the local business community marketing support and charging a reduced fee. Generating income and making profit, in order to achieve income and profit the 5 objectives would be achieved. At the end of the day business is set up to achieve income and profit. Employment would be impossible if there was no income and would not be sustainable if there was no profit. The beauty is that as the 'student' business grows so does its reach and influence. The 'student' business model can be duplicated into other campuses and universities. And this is how a company is born! With a head office and branches scattered across varies campuses and universities. With investors and one day shareholders, the dream born on campus!
From here those that have made the business a success will no doubt develop businesses outside the boundaries of campus but keep close links to the universities their branches are operating in. This of course will be a revenue generator and the source for new innovative ideas and recruitment.
Is the BLS still going according to plan? Unfortunately it seems that the BLS is without a leader who can keep driving it on. A president of the BLS has to realise that the responsibilities he/she has would be the same as a CEO of a company but of course with less pressure. The BLS is therefore looking for a new CEO who can pick it up again and keep the dream alive! I am no longer at university and to be honest I think I needed an extra year with the BLS to get all its structures in place. The BLS was about 1 years old when I left and after that most of the leadership could not keep it going.
I truly believe that the dream of BLS is relevant and can work.
If you feel that the constitution of the BLS appeals to you then please get in touch with me. Whether you are at the NMMU or another university, it really does not matter. I believe we can start the 'student' company.
Shaun Pritchard
Look at how many big ideas started on campus and at student level. A number of those students are now billionaires such as Bill Gates (founder of Microsoft) and Mark Zuckerberg (founder of Facebook), it all started on campus. University provides the perfect mix and resources to move forward with innovative ideas and the biggest resource are those around you. Others that share your dream can bring their ideas and talents to the table. This is how student businesses are started...
So why did I start the BLS? I started the BLS to develop today's students to become tomorrow's business leaders. But how does that work? The mission expressed above is achieved by the 5 objectives set out by the BLS as found in the constitution. I am not going to go into too much detail here but by reading the objectives you will see how the BLS sets itself out to develop students into business leaders.
But what is the big idea, what is the end product? My dream was to create a 'student' company, a company run by students to generate income. To run just like a normal company would. With all the functions and departments with the aim of achieving the 5 objectives in a real company situation. Just imagine for example a 'student' marketing company set up at campus. Offering the local business community marketing support and charging a reduced fee. Generating income and making profit, in order to achieve income and profit the 5 objectives would be achieved. At the end of the day business is set up to achieve income and profit. Employment would be impossible if there was no income and would not be sustainable if there was no profit. The beauty is that as the 'student' business grows so does its reach and influence. The 'student' business model can be duplicated into other campuses and universities. And this is how a company is born! With a head office and branches scattered across varies campuses and universities. With investors and one day shareholders, the dream born on campus!
From here those that have made the business a success will no doubt develop businesses outside the boundaries of campus but keep close links to the universities their branches are operating in. This of course will be a revenue generator and the source for new innovative ideas and recruitment.
Is the BLS still going according to plan? Unfortunately it seems that the BLS is without a leader who can keep driving it on. A president of the BLS has to realise that the responsibilities he/she has would be the same as a CEO of a company but of course with less pressure. The BLS is therefore looking for a new CEO who can pick it up again and keep the dream alive! I am no longer at university and to be honest I think I needed an extra year with the BLS to get all its structures in place. The BLS was about 1 years old when I left and after that most of the leadership could not keep it going.
I truly believe that the dream of BLS is relevant and can work.
If you feel that the constitution of the BLS appeals to you then please get in touch with me. Whether you are at the NMMU or another university, it really does not matter. I believe we can start the 'student' company.
Shaun Pritchard
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