B: Inspired eZine November 2016 | Página 5

2014 - 2015 2015 - 2016 Despite the weight of BCoEC’s founder, Richard Branson, and the Virgin brand, there were challenges at the outset. “There was a lot of apprehension,” says Lisa. “For entrepreneurs, support was tough to come by and often disjointed. We had to prove ourselves; prove that the programme was worth the investment of time for the entrepreneur’s development. Many people also expected immediate funding, and we didn’t have access to financial streams until much later.” Lisa believes the hurdles were met and overcome thanks in no small part to the team of people who helped her build BCoEC into what it is today. “We would not have reached our goals without such a dedicated, passionate and skilled team. We’re small in number but our impact has far outweighed our size. We pack a mighty punch!” 5