Motivational Speaker on Business Start-up and Fund-raising *Winner, UK 2009 Start Up Business of the Year (Sponsored by Visa)

Have you ever known someone get a standing ovation in their absence (when they’re still alive)? At a recent major start-up conference, one of the distinguished panelists related the story of an audacious man who, armed with a phone, a PC and an unshakable belief helped conjure up £2.75m from 58 investors. All in 3 months at the beginning of 2009 when banks were crashing and the financial markets were leading us to the brink of an economic winter.

He didn’t buy into the panic; instead he persevered and went on to co-found what became the 2009 UK Start Up Business of the Year, with a business that is on the point of turning over £10m in it’s first year of trading. Enthralled and elated, the conference audience got to their feet to pay tribute to this act of business heroism and insight.

Now, the man himself is about to start telling the story and drawing the lessons from it.

What sets Wilkinson apart from the ‘mega-stars’ who have risen to fame on the back of TV shows like Dragon’s Den is that he’s not one of those untouchable ‘business heroes’; rather, he’s an ‘ordinary bloke’ - down to earth in a way that allows most entrepreneurs and business people to identify with him and his experiences.

As a speaker, Colin is fresh and is not over-exposed. His story is recent and still unfolding. It’s the kind of story that lives with you, acts as a source of nourishment and motivation in tough times and it encourages people to be bold, to strive and venture out. It also imparts real-world, fund-raising know-how.

Belief is often cited as the force that moves mountains, but how do you actually enter in to that hallowed state? Colin explains how to distinguish between mere wishful thinking and the kind of belief that has the power to bring a business to life. “Alchemy” he calls it.

In his past he’s started a range of other business including the UK’s largest dedicated video conferencing company with broadcaster Noel Edmonds, a major tourist attraction in Venice, and was at one time the youngest director of a PLC in Britain – Eidos plc, which went on to become the fastest-growing company on the London Stock Exchange over 5 years. He now devotes his time to starting new businesses, and business turn-around.

He has unstoppable enthusiasm and energy and believes that a sense of humour, humility and humanity at work is essential.

His guiding-principle can be summed up in a 1-line quote from Goethe:
“Dream no small dreams for they have not the power to change the hearts of men.”

“Earlier this year Colin Wilkinson helped to mastermind one of the most impressive feats in angel fundraising seen in the UK.”
Emmett Kilduff: MD - CMyPitch Angel Investment Network

"You cannot fail to be convinced by what Colin Wilkinson says when he speaks - he has taken speaking about an opportunity to a new level.”
Modwenna Rease-Mogg: Judge on The Pitch Perfect,
& Publisher and Editor of Angel News ; Author: ‘Dragons or Angels; What investors in business are really like’


“… The Yes & Club hosted an inspiring (and intoxicating) event with a chap called Colin Wilkinson“
Oliver Mardling: CEO - WhatTalent.com


“I really enjoyed your talk and the decision theme struck a big chord with me. I realised that every successful thing I've done succeeded because I took the plunge.”
Drew Ellis: MD - Eye to Eye


“Thank you so much for last night. All I've had is great feedback. They're a hard audience to impress but you exceeded all expectations.”
Rob Locke: MD - Yes& Club


“Colin's talk is absolutely exhilarating. The stories are fabulous. The lessons are timeless. If you want someone who has created numerous businesses from sheer drive and determination to inspire and motivate your audience, Colin is the man.”
Jim McLaughlin: MD - Optima Performance Development


On The 2009 Business Award:
“The company’s originality, flair, and remarkable rate of growth simply blew the judges away. This inspiring business, and the people behind it, highlights the exceptional talent, ambition and determination that sits at the very heart of the UK’s entrepreneurial community …

… Colin joined the project several years in, but it’s undoubtedly his financing expertise and commercial insight that has turned the production into a phenomenally successful, scalable business.”
Sara Rizk, Deputy Editor, Startups.co.uk, on the2009 UK Start up Business of the year award.


In the Book: How they started in tough times – Introduction Section:
“Three Sixty Entertainment is one of the youngest businesses featured in this book [which includes, amongst others, IBM, Penguin and LinkedIn]. And it is the most successful business ever to have won the Start-up Award. [It’s] worth a special mention here … we expect that it will see dramatic growth over the next 10 years, and indeed will become a major household name over that time.”
David Lester: Author, and MD of Crimson Business.