PEOPLE
Secret diary
Secret diary of an
entrepreneur
Michelle Wright set up philanthropy and fundraising
enterprise, Cause4 in 2009 to support charities and social
enterprises to grow through its strategy guidance and
hands-on fundraising support. Since inception, Cause4 has
raised more than £27 million for its clients. Michelle lets us
take a peek at a week in her diary
DAY ONE
KEEPING UP WITH THE
YANKS
for shrinking violets, and as we
heard stories from our hosts,
Alexandra and Sam from Empire
On Sunday 8th June, I arrived
Global Ventures, it was clear that
in New York with nine other
we were going to need to be able
entrepreneurs from the UK on
to perfect our 10-second elevator
the latest Santander Breakthrough pitch. Thank goodness then for
trade mission, in partnership with jet lag and an easy(ish) 4am start
The Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small on Monday morning to help me
Businesses programme.
prepare for the week ahead!
A variety of fast-growth
DAY TWO
businesses from consultancy to
TERROR OF THE RED TAPE
technology to retail, as well our
We started the week at a UK
own social business, Cause4,
Trade and Investment (UKTI)
were all looking to see whether a
heightened presence in New York briefing, making sure that we had
was both desirable and achievable. at least a working sense of the
basic tax and legal implications of
I’ve worked in New York
working in New York. A one-tobefore, but it still took me a
one with the NYC Mayor’s office
while to adjust to the very fast
pace of the city. This isn’t a place then helped me think through
With
fun, knowhow and
a good
business, it’s
possible to
change at
least a little
bit of the
world
some of the essential connections
that I would need to make, with
a reminder that making friends
with a lawyer was going to be
essential. Business in America
works across all 50 states, with
the need to build legal resource
in each one. To fundraise in a
particular state you need to be
registered. This all makes for a
rather terrifying bureaucracy.
The day then finished with an
inspirational meeting with the
Carbon War Room, an initiative
founded by Richard Branson
and other philanthropists to
look at key issues in relation to
sustainable energy. And, as we
started to flag from a busy first
day, an evening reception hosted
by UKTI and Santander led to
connections with the Clinton
Global Initiative.
DAY THREE
ONE MILLION DOLLARS
My first meeting on Tuesday was
with Serena Roosevelt at Nations
Well, an initiative to showcase
projects across the US that are
changing the face of health,
community and education. There
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