James Caan backs young entrpreneur in music workshop scheme
SAM Robson has fought back from redundancy to launch a niche firm giving workshops in schools to help pupils follow their dreams of a career in the music industry.
The 23-year-old from Ipswich, pictured left, founded Industry Education In Music with a £2,500 Start-Up Loan from a government-backed scheme to help 18 to 30-year-olds become entrepreneurs.
After growing up in Stowmarket, Suffolk, Sam moved to Brighton aged 16 and a year later was running a small independent record label and organising nationwide tours for his acts, while also singing with a rock band called Thankyou Anyway.
He moved back to Suffolk when the band split a couple of years ago, but last year was made redundant from his job giving workshops in schools for firms running training courses.
After successfully applying for a Start-Up Loan through Foundation East he now stages workshops in schools to show there is more to the industry than being “famous”.
Sam said: “Often young people see the end product on the screen and do not see the hundreds of full-time careers that are behind that product.
“I would not have been able to start without the loan. Cash-flow was imperative while the business started. Since January I have delivered 15 workshops in East Anglia and have 15 more lined up across the country.”
Start-Up Loan details are at startuploans.co.uk. Last month’s Sunday Express interview with James Caan about the scheme is at sundayexpress.co.uk/jamescaan. If you have had a problem launching your own venture tell jon.coates@express.co.uk and we may print Mr Caan’s solution.