Real story of the month

Small idea, great success...

3 Months to Excel came around when we did a apprentice style competition in the VYG, it enticed as me because I liked the apprentice and I have never seen it done anywhere else before for local young people.

The challenge was to achieve something big in 3 months the would make a difference to our lives, I had no idea what I was going to do at the start but the youth leader gave us good ideas of how to be creative, so I realised that I really like dog tags and rosary beads because of the different styles that were available, I noticed that had never seen a mixture of the two together, so I decided that would be my project.

So straight away I started researching material, prices and potential customers, after doing that I had a few samples made and took them to various places to get feedback from e.g. my university and the VYG, I got very good feedback, so I decided I would use my own money to start up my own business.

The 3 Months to Excel competition kept me motivated throughout the whole time with the weekly inspirational messages and tips on how to be successful.

Since then my idea has exploded I have won a competition called ‘Make Your Mark’ in the market ran by Enterprise UK and they gave me 10 days free trading at Broadway market in Hackney, which went very well and attracted media attention from Waltham Forest Guardian, who done an article about me and my business, the BBC TV programme ‘Working Lunch’ and the Whipps cross’s radio programme.

I am now in national competition ran by Enterprise UK which if I win will give me 6 months free trading at any UK market of my choice. Also through media attention I have been able it get some MOBO award winning artists to wear and promote my designs and many more are lined up for the near future.

Through the 3 Months to Excel event I was able to bring my idea to life and now I'm not only selling my designs locally but also nationally, my desire in the future is to bring out more designs and become international.

Ondre Johnson, Finsbury Park