Year 8 students at Withernsea High School were recently given the opportunity to benefit from the knowledge and experience of some of the region’s most successful business leaders during a masterclass in entrepreneurship.

The ‘NxGen – Inspiring the next generation’ session was delivered by members of For Entrepreneurs Only (FEO), an award-winning Hull-based company made up of local entrepreneurs who collectively turn over around £4bn annually and employ over 24,000 people.

The day-long event provided a unique opportunity for around 70 students in the Year 8 cohort to spend quality time with some of the region’s most inspirational business leaders. Listening to those with first-hand experience, students learned about the different aspects of creating a successful business - from having the right attitude and good people skills, through to effective marketing strategies and strong financial management.

Working in groups, students were tasked with coming up with their own unique product or service which they then produced a business plan for. Each team member took on a different role within their ‘company’ and representatives from FEO were on-hand to deliver expert advice and guidance as the students prepared to present their ideas.

Presentations were judged on the quality of the business idea; marketing considerations; projected finances; the attitude of team members and presentation skills. A total of ten teams pitched a high standard of ideas, with the judges having the difficult job of narrowing them down to a top three.

After impressing the judges with their overall business idea, the winning proposal came from Neve Gorman, Sophie Rogers, Charlotte Weekes and Darcey Wilson who took first place with their idea for ‘Dream Designs’ - an all-encompassing events company that would take care of the logistics for a wide variety of events, including weddings and funerals.  

Commenting on the days’ activities, Darcey Wilson, who took responsibility for the winning team’s marketing and communications, said: ‘I really enjoyed the FEO masterclass. As soon as we walked in, everyone got started with their tasks straight away. The time flew by and it was really fun!

I hadn’t really thought much about future careers before the masterclass, but since taking part it’s made me think more about what I could earn in the future by being successful in business.’   

Commenting on the experience of helping to present her teams’ ideas to their peers, Darcey added: ‘At first it was nerve-wracking, but it was fine and wasn’t a big deal to be fair! The FEO members told us to “go big” and be confident with our presentations, which really helped us to feel more comfortable. Everyone got involved and cheered each other on. It was really good and I would definitely take part in another event like this if I had the chance.’

In addition to the group awards, half a dozen individual students were also singled out as ‘Budding Entrepreneurs’ by FEO members for their excellent attitude, behaviour and future potential. These awards went to Brogan Hinchcliffe, Harry Fletcher, Kacey Rees, Harvey Monkman, Lucas Littlewood and Callum Webb. 

Leading the masterclass was April Madden, FEO’s Administration and Events Coordinator. Praising the students for their engagement and business acumen, April said: ‘It is always a pleasure to attend Withernsea High School. The students were all fully engaged throughout the day and came up with some great business ideas.

The FEO NxGen is a group of business owners who volunteer their time to help inspire young people to become entrepreneurs, a career path that can, given hard work, resilience and determination, reap rewards on so many levels.

To encourage entrepreneurship in Hull and the surrounding areas can only benefit the region, with regards to employment, skill set and, of course, inspiring entrepreneurship in the next generation.’

Entreprenuers from a diverse range of backgrounds, including Wealth and Performance Management, Marketing, and Decorating Contractors, were on-hand to support the students during the masterclass session. Among them were former Withernsea High School student Paul Duplock, owner of PJD electrical, who commented on the ‘great enthusiasm from the students’, and Chris Jacobsen, owner of Slice Marketing, who described the students as a ‘great group of kids who came together to show some original thinking and teamwork to produce fantastic presentations.’  

It was a welcome return to the school for FEO, who last delivered a masterclass to reduced numbers in June 2021 as the cautious recovery from the pandemic continued.

For the students who participated this year, having missed out on taking part in events in Year 7 due to the pandemic, the event marked their first taste of interacting with external providers a part of the school’s comprehensive careers programme. 

Withernsea High School Careers Leader Viki Foster commented: ‘It was great to welcome FEO back for their first full-scale event in school since November 2019. As always, the masterclass sessions offered our students a full day of fun activities and inspiring talks from local business owners.

The students who took part were fully engaged and were a credit to themselves and to the school. FEO members were really impressed by students’ business knowledge and their awareness of the financial markets, with many of them being picked out for recognition thanks to their in depth and knowledgeable conversations about business.

Events such as the NxGen masterclass are crucial in expanding our students’ horizons by inspiring confidence, creativity and resilience. I would like to thank the FEO team for giving up their time to deliver these workshops to our students who I know greatly enjoyed themselves and benefited from the experience.’

The goal of FEO is to help build the local economy by creating a private sector renaissance. They help entrepreneurs in Hull and East Yorkshire create wealth and jobs. Through regular events and initiatives, they aim to motivate, educate, inspire and support others - offering their time, energy, passion and resources to help promote Hull and the Humber region as a great place to start up and run a business.

Following an anonymous nomination and a bid supported by a number of local organisations, including Withernsea High School, FEO received royal recognition in June 2021 when they were named recipients of the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. This prestigious award recognises the outstanding support that FEO offers to aspiring business owners and start-up companies through effective mentoring, experience and inspiration.

For more information about FEO, please visit their website: www.forentrepreneursonly.co.uk

ABOVE: Sweet success! Winning team ‘Dream Designs’ (pictured left to right) Neve Gorman, Sophie Rogers, Charlotte Weekes and Darcey Wilson pose with their prizes. [Photo Credit: Viki Foster]

ABOVE: FEO members (left to right) Paul Duplock, Rob Purfield, Steve Hoey, Chris Jacobsen, Graeme Pittaway and Amy Gray supported students throughout the day. [Photo Credit: April Madden, FEO]

ABOVE: Former Withernsea High School student, and owner of PJD Electrical, Paul Duplock, was one of the entrepreneurs on-hand to help advise students.