About us
Make Your Mark is the national campaign to unlock the UK’s enterprise potential. We inspire people to have ideas and make them happen. We aim to create a culture which supports enterprising people and recognises that making money and having a positive social impact can go hand in hand.
This year we will scale up our successful young-people-facing activities, whilst also reaching others with untapped potential, and:
• Increase numbers of people with confidence and motivation to be enterprising, through initiatives like Enterprise Week and Girls! Make Your Mark
• Increase numbers of people who have enterprise experiences and ambitions, through activities like Make Your Mark Clubs and Make Your Mark Challenge, the UK’s biggest live enterprise competition
• Reach new groups by looking at the barriers and triggers to enterprise within the over 50s, women and specific ethnic groups
We believe
• We can make a huge difference by unleashing the potential of every young person in all parts of the UK and from all backgrounds
• We are bold, audience-led, catalytic and connectors
• People should talk about their ideas and put them into action
• The energy and approach of successful entrepreneurs should be shared more widely
• The best things happen when people work together, and our partners help us achieve greater things
• Those in education, business, government, third sector and the media should include enterprise in what they are doing and saying
• Failure is not a bad thing. Risks are good.
• We should encourage and recognise our entrepreneurial staff, who run websites, businesses and networks and bake great cakes!
You can find out more about what we believe in our vision.
Corporate and media support
Make Your Mark works closely with both business and media on specific elements of the campaign. Partners include Microsoft, Vodafone, Cobra, Bebo, MySpace, the BBC (including Dragons’ Den, BBC news and economics and Newsnight), handbag.com, The Financial Times, Daily Mail and Metro among others.
Role models and ambassadors
The campaign is backed by a range of celebrities from the worlds of TV, music, fashion, sport and business. These include Peter Jones, James Caan and Jacqueline Gold, Laura Bailey and Wayne Hemingway, Jamelia and Kasabian.
There are also over 1,000 entrepreneurs and networks supporting the campaign and we share their inspirational stories to inspire others.
Why do we need the campaign?
Many people have untapped entrepreneurial potential and lack the motivation, confidence, experience and capability to be enterprising. New and existing businesses often fail to grow at a rate that would drive up UK competitiveness and productivity.
This is against a backdrop of a ferociously competitive global markets and unprecedented global challenges. We aim to use enterprise to unlock the talent and potential of everyone in the UK.
Campaign impact to date
• Since 2004 we have seen an increase in enterprise participation, aspiration and action amongst young people, helping to create a new generation of entrepreneurs
• The proportion of business start-ups by 16-24 year olds rose from 6.5% in 2003 to 8% by 2007
• Running a business is the top career choice for nearly two-thirds (62%) of young people
• Make Your Mark has played a major role in shaping enterprise policy and practice – for example, programmes and activities covering the whole ‘enterprise journey’ have become more popular
• Progress in enterprise behaviour and attitude has been highest among young people over the time Make Your Mark has been campaigning
Who is behind Make Your Mark?
It was founded by the four leading UK business membership organisations – the British Chambers of Commerce, the CBI, the Federation of Small Businesses and the Institute of Directors. It is also supported by the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and is endorsed by the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown.
National organisations working closely with the campaign include:
Arts Council England – Association of Colleges – Black Training and Enterprise Group – Business in the Community – Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform – Department for Children, Schools and Families - Enterprise Education Trust - Learning and Skills Council – National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship - National Education Business Partnership Network – National Federation of Enterprise Agencies – Prowess – Quality Improvement Agency – Scottish Government – South-East England Development Agency (representing Regional Development Agencies) – Shell LiveWIRE – Social Enterprise Coalition – Specialist Schools and Academies Trust – The Prince’s Trust – UnLtd – Young Enterprise