Inspirational Bond alumni are preparing to help the next generation of budding leaders find their spark, by revealing their paths to start-up success in an exclusive one-day business bootcamp at Bond University this week (4 August).
Trailblazing trio Sam Webb (LIVIN), Madeleine Saric (DubleUp) and Navdeep Pasricha (iYouth) will lead the 2017 Ideas Camp, sharing their dynamic career stories in a bid to motivate Year 11 and 12 students to realise their own entrepreneurial dreams.
Bond Business School graduate Sam Webb will reveal how he turned tragedy into triumph, co-founding charity ‘LIVIN’ to increase awareness, and break down the stigma, of mental health.
Sam, a budding actor and reality television star who appeared in the Australian series of ‘Survivor’ and recently debuted on hit-show Neighbours, started the not-for-profit organisation in 2013 with friend Casey Lyons, after losing a close mate to suicide.
“I consider that moment a turning point for me, when I decided I needed to make a change. We channelled our grief and energy into making a positive impact,” he said.
“Our slogan is ‘It Ain’t Weak To Speak’, as many young people are scared to share their battle or ask questions because they are worried about what other people think.
“We want to encourage people to have the confidence to speak up and seek help. Recognising our vulnerabilities can be our greatest strength. Courage is shown by those who reach out.”
Money raised from the charity’s fashion line – which has been worn by celebrities the likes of Chris Hemsworth – has allowed LIVIN to host mental health education sessions across Australia, including in remote locations in the Northern Territory and Western Australia.
“I would love to be able to offer this service to all students, and hope to see mental health and wellbeing become a part of the school curriculum,” he said.
“The most humbling experience for me has been receiving messages from people about how the charity has saved their lives. That’s a huge motivation.
“I live my life by the ‘Triple P’ formula - positivity, persistence and patience. A big part of finding success is being authentic and relentless in chasing your vision. Just because someone else might not believe it’s a good idea, if it’s your passion, you should pursue it.”
Students will also hear the start-up journey of Madeleine Saric, who founded tech accessories business DubleUp before starting a new corporate adventure with O’2 Nails Australia, a tech beauty company.
Bond Business student Navdeep Pasricha, 20, will join the pair in leading Ideas Camp, revealing how he started ‘iYouth’, a training organisation aimed at tackling anxiety and depression, which boasts clients including Westpac, NAB and PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship, Dr Baden U’Ren, said Ideas Camp aimed to ignite the ambition of the next generation of young entrepreneurs.
“Young students are particularly skilled at thinking outside the box, and Bond Business School aims to foster and encourage that innovation and creativity,” he said.
“Ideas Camp gives high school students a keen insight into the world of entrepreneurship and provides them with ‘real-world’ examples of how they can transform their ideas into reality, sooner.”
The intensive one day forum will run from 8:45am to 2:30pm on Friday, 4 August, with Year 11 and 12 students invited to register to attend.
ENDS