Sophie Mei of Sophie Mei Ltd., named one of the
Future 100 Young Social Entrepreneurs for 2009
It was announced on Monday, that I am one of the Future 100 Young Social Entrepreneur of the Year winners, during Global Entrepreneurship Week 2009.
This week has been Global Entrepreneurship Week and there have been events taking place all over the country.
Today, I went to give a talk in one of The Big Wheel pods in Sheffield City Centre – it was to inspire young school students within the city.
Got to say that it was a little difficult as the pod was quite wobbly, the girls look petrified and I could barely see as my crazy hair got the better of me with the gale force winds.
However, it was lovely chatting to some inspirational young people as they start out in their chosen careers. It made me reminisce back to my school days… I feel old!
Anyhow, Global Entrepreneur Week (as well as being a mouthful) is looking to unleash people’s enterprising ideas to tackle some of society’s biggest issues such as climate change, poverty, gender equality and health.
The Future 100 Awards puts the spotlight on young people aged 18-35 who are demonstrating entrepreneurial flair and innovation in running a responsible business venture; one which demonstrates a balance between economic, environmental and social goals to achieve ultimate business success.
My business – Sophie Mei Ltd’s aims include: bridging social and cultural gaps in the UK and globally through the physical activity of bellydance and other dance forms; reaching out to the excluded and instigating social change through inspirational events and presentations aimed at the general public; creating real and creative opportunities for people; bringing bellydance to the mainstream and bringing its physical and mental benefits to both the general public and vulnerable or marginalised groups.
Founder of Striding Out and organiser of the Future100 awards, Heather Wilkinson said: “The future of our world is in the hands of individuals who are committed to generating commercial and ethical returns. Challenging economic times can offer opportunities to question the way we operate as both a business community and a society. We are profiling the ‘Future 100′ young entrepreneurs who are changing the face of everyday business and improve commerce’s impact on the wider world.”
The Future 100 awards, encourages and rewards extraordinary vision, ethical business practice and social responsibility. They aim to showcase businesses that offer innovative and sustainable solutions to social problems. The Future 100 Awards is organized by Striding Out www.stridingout.co.uk, a social enterprise which is committed to supporting the development and growth of young and ethical entrepreneurs.
Yesterday, I went down to London to do a speech and collect my Future 100 award. At first, it felt surreal being in a large filled room of southerne sounding and smart- looking business people (thank God I’d changed into a black dress rather than my red number). Nonetheless, in my heels its always hard to blend in with the crowd but I’m starting to get used to being different – I think that’s where being a bellydancer helps.
After a nice evening’s networking with other social entrepreneurs and meeting Angela Smith (Cabinet member for the third sector), we then clambered back to St P’s for our bowls of Hot choc at Pain Quotidien and large fluffy cupcakes – these always make it worth the journey.
