The Innovation Centre welcomes Ordable
Ordable are delighted to now be working in the Innovation Centre in Bath and have recently joined the prestigious SETsquared partnership. To welcome the new members, Rosie Bennett (entrepreneur in residence) catches up with CEO Tom Dewhurst. Here’s what he had to say:
- Please can you provide a quick summary of where you are with Ordable and what you see as the next phase for the product and the team
We have recently been making great progress with Ordable. Launching the service in April was exciting and we have been learning from the feedback and our new application of the technology. We are delighted to have Ordable up and running, getting it to this point has been an adventure.
Our progress has sparked interest amongst local mentors and investors, with the team utilising these resources to complete the next phase of product development and to roll-out the service across Bath and Bristol. We are exited to get traction amongst local cafes and coffee shops, reaching as many people and outlets as possible over the coming months.
- How useful has it been to be able to trial your app in the Engine Shed? Has it influenced how you think about developing the next version?
A key message that is repetitively ‘sung’ in the Ordable office (to the point it is now annoying!) is the mantra: Build, Measure, Learn. Launching in the Engine Shed has unearthed some areas to focus on for the technology development and has caused a shift in our positioning within the market.
Based on this feedback, market research and our competition — we are now targeting cafes and coffee shops with our order-ahead, payment and digital loyalty card functionality. This new approach enables these outlets to dramatically increase sales, streamline operations and reward loyal customers.
- What are you looking for now in terms of business support from the Innovation Centre (preparing pitches / funding / route to market / contacts)?
Entrepreneurs need the support of a dedicated team and advisory network, the necessity of this support it exacerbated by my age and experience. Therefore the services provided by the Innovation Centre are essential to the growth of Ordable and offer a gateway to potential success. Specifically the investor network and dedicated mentoring is a major attribute of the centre, with opportunities to bounce ideas of like-minded and experienced individuals. The free tea and coffee goes a long way too!
- Having graduated … do you see being an entrepreneur as a viable career path?
I am not so naive that I fail to realise that the odds are stacked against me as an emerging young entrepreneur. However, I embrace the uncertainty and like the fact that my future is in my hands. I am fortunate to appreciate the passion and determination I have for entrepreneurship, learning the theory at Uni and having the opportunity to put this into practise. I find it rewarding when you are able to create an idea from nothing and to watch random people and customers welcome and enjoy that idea. As a student with little money I didn’t have anything to lose, so it’s worth a shot!
- In retrospect can you summarise your experiences of the various student enterprise events / competitions that you entered — how have they helped you develop as an ‘entrepreneur’?
The University of Bath’s Enterprise department and society are exceptional resources for students with a passion for entrepreneurship. I have been involved with the competitions since my first year, participating in numerous competitions and events. We entered both rounds of the Dragons Den competition and were fortunate enough to receive some seed money to get our idea off the ground, we are very thankful to the Dragons for their support!
Additionally the Business Plan and Apps Crunch competition provided essential feedback, contacts and mentors that have shaped the business into the setup we are today. In one final we experienced an ‘epic-fail’ with a demo we used, learning the hard way to test a demo over and over again (or run a video instead!). I would strongly recommend students to participate in all the events on offer as the support and advice I have received has been second to none. Without this support it would be enormously difficult to be an entrepreneur straight out of Uni.
- What advice would you give to the next round of students thinking about entering one of the enterprise competitions this year (Apps Crunch, Business Plan Competition, Dragon’s Den)?
Heed the immortal words of Nike: Just do it! Whatever your career ambitions or passions might be, the experience, contacts and support you will receive through the competitions is exceptional. In a nutshell, my advice as a Tweet would be:
I believe that you ultimately make your own opportunities. Many of the fantastic things that have transpired for Ordable originated through obscure or unpredictable contacts, leads and meetings.
Also, learn to expertly pitch your idea! I have had to explain what Ordable is to numerous people in a vast amount of formats and lengths, understanding what to say in each situation is vital. The ‘why, what, how — golden circle’ methodology by Simon Sinek is especially useful to help portray your vision at an early stage. In my view, a key ability is to be able to convince others of your dream, vision and ambition; then you will eventually succeed.
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