North Hertfordshire College’s Level 3 Business students put their entrepreneurial skills to the test with a Dragon’s Den inspired challenge! The experience was designed as part of their ‘Pitching a New Business’ unit.
Working in teams, our learners were tasked with creating original business ideas for the project. This was the perfect opportunity for our aspiring business leaders to bring together some of the knowledge, skills, and behaviours they’ve developed over their studies. Learners worked through an idea generation process for their new products or services, considering different factors involved in setting up a micro-business, and models for business operations.
There was also the opportunity for learners to practice some of the all-important interpersonal skills that they’ll need for success in the sector, such as communication and collaboration. John Patmore, a Level 3 Business student with North Hertfordshire College, told us: “I found the experience very useful, as it helped us build a stronger team and develop our business understanding at the same time.”
We’re impressed with the creativity of their ideas, too! Some of the businesses pitched in the session include:
- The Ark Pet Sitting Service – a pet sitting provider which uses technology to update owners
- Metrix & Me – a biometric security system
- Userv – a service comparison platform
- Apawthecry – a calming oil for anxious dogs
- Hyperflow – a high-tech headphone company
The teams then created presentations for their original business ideas before pitching them to staff from across the College. As they would be asked questions about the potential viability of their new products and services, our learners needed to prepare market and financial analyses, including any legal aspects involved in their planned creations.
When it came to the presentations, there was an added surprise waiting for our learners – they not only presented to NHC staff, but some of our Business Studies alumni too! This was a great opportunity for our learners to receive some feedback from those who have previously been in their shoes, and to pick up some extra tips about their next steps.
Esther Franks, one of NHC’s Business Students, told us: “I found the experience of doing a business pitch really fun, as I was able to practice what it would be like to be in a real-life negotiation about my own business.”
Reflecting on the benefits of the project for her learners, Level 3 Business Course Team Leader Esther Oduor told us: “The ‘Dragon’s Den’ style pitch gave students a glimpse of being an entrepreneur, alongside working on various skills such as presentation, communication, and professionalism. Students were also able to work as a team and build their confidence. The students performed very well, and all the groups were able to secure ‘funding’ for their businesses – great work!”
If you’re interested in starting your own business one day, why not check out North Hertfordshire College’s Business courses? With NHC, you can stay close to home and build the skills you need to go far in your future career!