Review of the Year, 2009
Hi all, as Christmas fast approaches I think it’s a good time to reflect and give thanks for all the relationships and opportunities I have had, so this post goes out to all my friends, family and readers as a pocket review of my year and its highs and lows.
2009 began in Grimsby at the e-factor running the inc. project in one year we engaged over 1000 students and started 14 funded projects in 17 schools across North East Lincolnshire developing enterprise and entrepreneurship with 14 – 19’s. Some highlights of this project for me were the go-kart project at Oasis Immingham and the small sixth form companies we started at Havelock Academy both of these saw students really challenge themselves to do something amazing, outside their comfort zone.
However the main focus on my work at the e-factor during 2009 was the design and creation of the Enterprise Academy a state of the art teaching facility utilising the latest technology combined with an innovative GCSE curriculum from the ILM and the NCFE; a facility which has now been named the Draycott Suite in honour of my work there…an accolade which I am incredibly flattered to have received at only 25.
I really loved my time at the e-factor, as a member of the management team I had the opportunity to work with some amazing people: Peter Skinner, Mike Chitty, Darren Gelder and Sue Barr along with all the great guys in the e-factor team: Tony, Simon, Mark, Kelly and Charlotte to name but a few; and of course all the fantastic educators in the local schools who made my work such a joy.
However as all good entrepreneurs know… well as Brad Rosser once said, you (as an entrepreneur) need to know when it’s time to shoot yourself (move on) after 25 years in Grimsby though I finally felt like I was outgrowing a small pond…
Since I started working in Grimsby I have; run my own business’, been a director of a Charity, designed degrees, managed international education partnerships, and helped to change enterprise education across the town and won a national award for my work… it was time to leave. While I love Grimsby; my friends, family and colleagues I felt that I had achieved all I could, I needed a new challenge, that’s where my move to Glyndwr came in.
Before that though, let’s talk about me on a personal level… I have grown a lot in the last year, 2009 has probably seen me change more as a person than ever before, I have found my passion: I love teaching enterprise and entrepreneurship, helping young people develop and building new businesses – I know now that I am an entrepreneur; I thrive on change and uncertainty and while I can be an obsessive compulsive idiot I can also be a creative force building new projects…I’m a starter, a designer a detail oriented enigma; an academic, research capable business professional, definitely an odd combination!
I also realised something more important this year…I am not perfect, bullet proof a superman; I am human…I have been involved in some monumental failures behind the scenes: budgets, buildings and curriculums, failures which have helped me develop character and most importantly prove myself under fire in a way I haven’t had to since Mediaworks or my Chinese travels. If I am honest I don’t see these events as failures they are tests, things that have shown me that even in times of greatest adversity I can come through with solutions to problems and create phenomenal outcomes.
Anyway back on target, So as I said I felt that I had done all I could in Grimsby and needed a change so when I heard that a University in North Wales was looking for someone to develop cross curricula enterprise education I decided to put all my effort in to going to for it!
So, one hot week in July after Glastonbury; which by the way was amazing! (Think Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young) I went from London… where I was having a short Holiday and visiting friends up to Wrexham for an interview; one I thought I had messed up massively and then less than 12 hours later I was sat in a hotel room negotiating my new contract.
It was all a bit of a whirlwind then I had about two months over the summer to move my whole life from Grimsby to Wrexham – but I did it with help as always from my ever amazing Dad! I found a new flat and started a new job.
That brings me nicely on to Wrexham and Glyndwr – I now work for the Centre for Entrepreneurial Learning (Cfel) the last three months have been a blur; we have pioneered using Facebook to promote our efforts across the university and created awesome offerings for students (I am writing some new courses atm) I have great colleagues in both Judith and Mary and really love my job: where else do you get to go on adventure weekends and conferences all in the same career?
I highlight these two events as they are also great examples of the crazy, life changing things I have been doing in the last few months, ISBE09 was phenomenal for me: I presented my first paper and caught up with loads of my twitter friends… and even though it was challenging (I took a lot of heat on some of my ideas) it was very enjoyable and a great learning experience in terms of being an academic and presenting to my peers.
Anglesey by comparison was challenging for different reasons: abseiling, kayaking and tombstoning – things that I never thought I would do, but found enjoyably and humbling – a realisation that next year I must also look towards my fitness as a core element of my plan, a very sedentary job is having a negative effect on this and I need to manage my health just like anything else.
There have also been other big events this year; Global enterprise week 09 was a massive success, drawing in huge amounts of great Press including a BBC news story and I have continued to do work with SimVenture – featuring in their latest videos.
Now I am sure I have missed people in this post or events so if I have please forgive me…you are all awesome and I am lucky to have you in my life, I hope you have enjoyed this summary and appreciate the madness of life (I haven’t even mentioned my ongoing PhD here and new business interests) I just don’t have the time.
The reason I have written this isn’t to blow my own horn or pat myself on the back…it’s a review, a note on my life and a log of all the things I am thankful for; this year more than anything I am thankful for my life, my friends and my family – I couldn’t do any of this without you, you give me strength, grounding and humour so where ever you are in the world and however often I see (I know I don’t see many of you enough) let me remind you that I love you all and think of you all the time and hope you have a very, merry Christmas and are set for a great new year.
Peace
Matt
