Business module over!

Today we had our final presentation for enterprise and innovation, and I am relieved that is now over. I was interested in the content of this module; it just dragged on for such a long time that it made me resent it slightly.
I think though that my groups presentation went really well. It was all visuals for our slides, so I think this made people listen to what we were going to say. Well at least I hope so. We got some really good feedback after we had finished, so this is a good start and hopefully we will all end up with a good mark for it.
I think the good visuals in our presentation really demonstrated our business well, and gave a true idea and representation of what our business involves and how it would happen.
For the first time I think this was the closest time to the deadline that I have actually completed a piece of work! Usually I’m finished a week before, but literally we were running through it an hour before we had to do it.
I thought the presentations were going to be more formal, but they were quite relaxed and I think that this made the group feel relaxed so the presentation came across clear and there weren’t many mistakes.
I think that this module has helped in getting to know what it would involve if you wanted to start up your own business or company. I think it informs you of how many things there are to consider and how a good idea isn’t enough sometimes.
Below are some of my personal reflections that I wrote whilst completing this module.
I have always thought from when I started becoming interested in fashion that I wanted to start up my own business and run things the way that I wanted to. Looking at large fashion brands and high street fashion shops now I have always felt that I wanted to do things differently. However after Completing the Enterprise and Innovation lecture and seminar course I am not so sure that I want to, or would be able to set up my own business by myself.
After seeing statistics about how so many companies fail within the first year, and then how after 3 years 8/10 companies shut down, it does scare me a bit. I never like to fail at anything, so with the odds so highly stacked against you in the first place it does give you a fear of even starting in the first place.
I have realised that you have to have such an innovative idea now to be able to succeed, designing and selling clothes isn’t enough anymore. There needs to be an edge, something that people desire or need.
There were so many things that I didn’t realise came along with starting your own business, and so many different choices and decisions to make. Such as deciding on the legal status of your company, and this decision leads to so many other rules and regulations that have to be taken into account.
Also the amount of money that would be needed to start a company is great, and then it is not guaranteed that you are going to make your money back, and you could be left in a situation with ridiculous amounts of debt and you are no better off.
I think that If I was to start my own company I would want to do it with someone else as well, so that I wouldn’t have to have so much pressure on just myself and you have someone to discuss ideas and choices with.
I am thinking now that I would like to work first for quite a while so I have some experience of how a company works and to learn the best way to start my own business. I would think about starting my own company whilst I was still in work to try and get the best of both worlds, whilst having the security to do so.


Second set:
After nearly completing this module, I am still in two minds about what I would want to start working as, whether just to bite the bullet and go for it and try to become a freelance designer/ or PR or to start working for a company and move my way up to a higher post. There is a different sense of achievement that comes with both, and I still find it hard to choose between. As I am so independent and innovative in the way that I think, I sometimes feel that I would work better for myself, and that I could do things in the way that I wanted. I feel that if I worked for a large company I would find it hard not to say when I think they are making a mistake or going about things in the wrong way. But then on the other side, starting your own business needs a lot of hard work and motivation, and when I have just finished university I don’t know how much self motivation I will have left and would it be enough to succeed in a business that is falling as it is.
I think that I will only know what I really want to do, when I’m there doing it, I am really indecisive as it is, so choosing what you really want to do with your life is not the easiest of choices. I will always worry that I have made the wrong decision, so I think for now I am just going to wait until the time comes, there is nothing much else that I can really do.