Starting a Business

Joe: Golf is a sport played all over the world. But wherever you are, after you’ve hit your shot, there can be a long walk to go and get your ball. But now, there’s a new way to get around the golf course. You just hop on, and I’ll see you down there.

This simple idea, to make a small and lightweight golf cart which will fold and fit in the boot of the car, was invented by a British engineering student. Now, just a few years later, the RolleyGolf is being sold around the world. That student inventor is now an international businessman…

Joe: Hello!

Arnold: Hello!

Joe: …and the winner of several young entrepreneur awards.

So Arnold, how did you come up with the idea?

Arnold: RolleyGolf’s idea came up at university when I was studying design and we took that design to a golf course and discovered there was a niche in the market.

Joe: So you actually sold some before you’d even built them?

Arnold: Yes, we created one RolleyGolf, and on the basis of one RolleyGolf, we built many for clients.

Joe: And do you still play golf?

Arnold: It’s my major passion in life.

Joe: Well, let’s go!

Arnold: Let’s do it.

Joe: Arnold is one of thousands of young people in Britain with ideas for a new business.

One famous businessman who helps young people get started is Sir Richard Branson. He was once in Arnold’s position, facing the same challenges as a young entrepreneur. Now, he’s the head of the massive Virgin group, which includes mobile phone, media and travel companies. They sponsor Virgin Pioneers, which was set up to support young business people.

Joe: Sir Richard, as a businessman, what was it like for you when you started?

Sir Richard: Ah… It’s difficult… You know, 45 years ago when I started off in business, the word entrepreneur didn’t really exist, so for many years all that really mattered was the word survival. And I sort of threw myself in the deep end and had to fight to survive. And I suppose I was lucky to survive, and lucky that Virgin grew into the company it has today.

Joe: Do you think it’s a good time to start a business in Britain?

Sir Richard: I think it’s a great time to start a business anywhere in the world. If, you know, what is a business? A business is just coming up with an idea that’s going to make a positive difference to other people’s lives. If you’ve got an idea like that, you know, just do it.

Other young pioneers gave their advice too.

Entrepreneur 1: My top tips for young entrepreneurs all over the world are to believe in yourself, be passionate about your idea, if you have a dream, you have to do everything in your power to make that happen.

Entrepreneur 2: Surround yourself with people that can help lift you and your business higher.

Entrepreneur 3: Meet as many people as you can. Talk to as many people as you can.

Entrepreneur 4: Just get started as soon as possible. Start small, but do get started.

Joe: Arnold wanted to produce his golf cart in Britain. This was difficult, because a lot of companies these days manufacture their products in East Asia, especially China. Arnold’s company now make around 50 of his products every single month, and many of the parts are handmade in this small workshop in South London.

Can I come in?

Michael Winch cuts and shapes many of the parts for the cart in his workshop.

Michael: What we do is we receive a piece of raw material and machine it and we make it into something which is more valuable than the original piece of material.

Joe: So it sounds like a lot of hard work, but do you enjoy it?

Michael: It’s great fun, yeah.

Joe: Arnold’s invention is now legal on the roads in Britain, so I’m sure he won’t mind if I borrow one to get home. See ya!