Being enterprising means having ideas and making them happen. Do you have some of the following skills?

Ask yourself some of the following questions...

Answered yes... Great! How are you going to use it?

Now you have identified you have the key skills to be enterprising, you need to discover the best ways to use them. Have you got that 'can do' attitude in order to make your dreams a reality?

No matter what your age, you can be enterprising in many different ways. Starting from the classroom, lecture theatre or community, to the workplace. Or you could go it alone and use your enterprising skills to start your own business.

The best place to start is to take a look at what you enjoy and where your interests lie. You may already have an idea you would like to pursue.

From this you can decide what is best for YOU!

Fancy being creative in your existing job, rather than going it alone? Why not be enterprising in the workplace? Use your enterprising skills to develop tangible business benefits, thereby helping your company grow and succeed. Last year, Sophia Kyriacou, a project manager at Camelot designed a new lottery scratch card which has made over £1 million per week since its launch!

Are you full of passion and energy? Why not give something back to the community by helping others. Or you could set up a social enterprise (a business where the aims are primarily social or environmental). This way you can channel any profits you make back into the community. Social enterprise activities in the community generate more than £27 billion in the UK. For example, last year Pro Active Sports was created in order to encourage physical activity and sports to primary school children who do not have a dedicated PE teacher.

Are you best suited to use your enterprising skills at school, college or university? Maybe you can come up with an idea to help both your educational institution and fellow students. This could be anything from a fund raising idea to a tuck-shop business adventure! Last year school children in County Durham created Water Works, a charity which sold water in order to raise funds for Water Aid, raising £1,500 in order to supply a village in Ghana with its own borehole water supply.

If you believe you are a risk taker and have a burning business idea, maybe setting up your own business is for you. Use your initiative and entrepreneurial skills to make a profit! Last year James Gibson, a former Nottingham Trent University student bagged himself a laptop after winning the Enterprising Streak competition, with his bin liner dispenser design. James is currently negotiating a licensing deal with a Blue Chip company and has applied for a patent on his invention.

Enterprise week is happening from 12-18th November 2007, so get involved to gain ideas and inspiration for enterprising activities.

Discover your key personality traits with the Shell LiveWire quiz. Use it to find out if you are enterprising and how to use these skills.

http://www.shell-livewire.org/thebigtrip/