Versa: Issue Ten

6 OA Events
7
On Friday 11th March, the School were delighted to
hold the Combined Cadet Force Annual General
Inspection at The Woollam Playing Fields. In 2020,
the CCF AGI was held during an uncertain period and
narrowly escaped cancellation being just a few weeks shy from
the Government’s first Covid-19 lockdown announcement.
This year’s inspecting officer was Lt Col Keith “Kenny” Everitt,
Retd. Kenny joined the Army as a fifteen-year-old and served
WINTER
RUGBY
Social
CCF AGI
On Saturday 4th December, the School
held a Winter Rugby Social in which
OAs and former staff were welcomed to
Woollams for the 1st XV game versus
Merchant Taylors’ School.
Although it was a chilly day and our
noses were red and our hands cold,
members of the School community
24 years in the Royal Artillery, leaving as a WO1 (RSM).
He then became the St Albans School SSI, and afterwards
Contingent Commander, leading the Corps with distinction
until his retirement in 2021 as a Lieutenant Colonel.
It was lovely to see OAs and former staff on the day, some
dressed appropriately in military uniform. We hope that
guests enjoyed the Inspection and lunch and hope to see you
again next year.
enjoyed watching the match over
mulled wine and mince pies.
The game was an intense one and at
half time we were 0-17 down. However,
we had a dramatic turnaround and
by fulltime, we had won 20-17! Many
thanks to all who attended and well
done to the 1st XV!
You’re an award winning entrepreneur, what have been
your successes?
The biggest wins have come in the form of the fantastic
experiences I have had and the amazing people I have been
privileged to meet. A highlight was when we were invited to
pitch at Buckingham Palace in front of 500 people from all
over the world. Awards are a nice touch too and the Sports
30U30 was a great leadership programme.
Tell me about your various companies and why you
decided to set them up?
JAFA (Just a Fan's Analysis) is the digital home for
sports fans to voice their opinion and debate. Fan Insight
helps organisations understand sports fans through data
driven insights. Both companies came about whilst I was
undertaking my MBA programme. What started as a student
project ultimately grew legs. We were able to raise our first
round of funding and progress from there. LSTN (London
SportsTech Network) was set-up with the goal of bringing
the London and UK SportsTech scene together through
regular networking events.
What is involved in starting your own business?
Every business is different, but for me it is just about starting
somewhere. Everyone has a different starting point and
platform to build from. However, no plan survives first
contact. Things will change including the industry and world
around you and you will need to adapt. Therefore, just starting
somewhere is important. There’s always a reason to not start.
What skills are needed?
Tenacity and perseverance. Prepare for your stress levels
to be tested. Your own business is a total rollercoaster.
Being able to ride that rollercoaster all the way through is
important. A strong support network and high tolerance for
stress is critical.
What are the pitfalls people should avoid?
THE ROLE OF AN
Entrepreneur
The life of an entrepreneur goes beyond owning a business, it is integrated into the fibre of every decision you make and the
passion for what you do. You can read on page 18 of the School side of this issue about how St Albans School are educating
pupils on the key skills of entrepreneurialism across the curriculum. As our pupils leave and become OAs, these skills prove
vital for those looking to set up on their own, as Dan Bedi (OA 2008), entrepreneur and business owner explains…
I honestly think that despite the advice that’s out there, you
should not mix family and business. Taking investment from
family and friends is something regularly done. However, I
would steer clear if at all possible.
to revenues, contracts, investment rounds – even signed
pieces of paper can be reversed.
What did you learn at School which assisted your career?
I think the team mentality grown on the sports field helped.
Still being a part of the OA Football Club continues that
legacy. The Young Enterprise project [now, the Charity
Challenge], where in the Sixth Form you create business
enterprises for charity, was a good foundation and probably
seeded some ideas that creating a business was possible. The
School provided the grounding and confidence to know that
you can build your own dreams too.
Do you have any advice for current pupils looking to take
a similar career path?
Network, network, network. Building a network is crucial in
any industry but especially building your own business. You
would be surprised how many people are willing to help if
you can provide them a tangible problem you need to solve.
What is the future for your various ventures?
A London based sports agency acquired JAFA and Fan
Insight in late 2021 and they continue to run this. LSTN will
continue to provide a valuable community for SportsTech
founders as well as members of the sports industry.
“The School
provided the
grounding and
confidence to
know that you can
build your own
dreams”
What do you know now that you wish you had known
when starting out?
Until money is in the bank, nothing is done. This can apply