In between learning Italian, taking piano lessons, doing her Duke of Edinburgh award, working part time in WH Smiths and studying four AS levels, Rachel Jervis found time to be not just the managing director of a company – but an award winning one.
Rachel, whose weekly schedule would leave most people exhausted, has been named this year’s Best Business Entrepreneur in the Peterborough-wide Young Enterprise programme.
She led a 20-strong team of her peers from Thomas Deacon Academy as they set up a company, appointed directors, carried out market research, produced a range of greetings cards and then sold them to friends, relatives and at Young Enterprise Board trade fairs.
The year 12 pupil had to undergo a stringent interview process to land her position at the head of the company. After applying for the role she was interviewed by Young Enterprise business advisors and references from her teachers were taken up.
“I thought it would be a really challenging project to be involved in,” said Rachel, who lives in Park Crescent. “I thought I was quite a good team leader and wanted to see how I’d cope in a real situation.”
The team called their business TDA Pinnacle and manufactured greetings cards. And Rachel, 17, had some tough decisions to take.
“We started off making magnetic cards but they didn’t sell well so we had to change tactics,” said Rachel. “It wasn’t always smooth running but there were plenty of challenges.”
For Rachel the personal challenge was time management.
“Finding time to manage other people, to make sure everyone was doing what they were supposed to be doing was tricky,” said Rachel. “But I learnt so much too – about running a business, efficiency and quality. I proved to myself I can be a good leader which is something to bear in mind when I’m making decisions about my future.”
Under Rachel’s leadership TDA Pinnacle recorded a final profit of more than £400 and paid out a 10% dividend on shares they’d sold to friends and family – an impressive return on investment during a recession.
The Young Enterprise Company encourages students to set up and run companies over the course of a school year, marketing and producing products or services to sell to students, school visitors and at Young Enterprise Board trade fairs. Each school company is supported by advisors recruited from the business community.
Anne Corder Recruitment supports the Best Business Entrepreneur award won by Rachel. The finalists all underwent a grilling by Anne Corder and other judges.
Anne said: “Rachel demonstrated many of the qualities and characteristics synonymous with an entrepreneur – spark, confidence, personality, a bold approach, commercial and business awareness and a willingness to take risks.”
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