EBS Alumni Dr Rotimi Alabi shares his experience of working with EBS

My entrepreneurship journey really got off to a start when I joined the RSE Enterprise Fellowship program which EBS delivered. This one year programme created the foundation that my knowledge of running and building a business is built on. The programme was delivered by seasoned entrepreneurs in EBS who had successfully navigated several times over the path I was about to travel and it covered all aspects of business training. From the rudimentary activities of writing investable business plans to more nuanced and tactful management of your board and employees, all of the business training aspects covered are still very relevant four years on, and I expect will continue to be throughout my entrepreneurial life. For instance, 6 months into the programme (about October 2017), I received training about building and managing your team which is one of the training modules EBS provide. In May 2021, after growing the company to 9 employees, I find myself needing to call on that training to manage my team, to the point I have flashbacks about specific things said during the training.

Another key aspect of working with EBS is the mentoring provided. I count myself lucky to have been paired with, (in my opinion) the greatest entrepreneur I have ever met. I recognise that in an age where entrepreneurs just setting out look towards the likes of Jeff Bezos or Elon Musk as role models and for inspiration it is often impossible to see the great unsung entrepreneurs with wealth of experience around us. One of such great unsung entrepreneurs is Gordon Short who is my mentor and now a very dear friend. Gordon and I have been working together since May 2017. Gordon’s guidance has been invaluable to my journey. Gordon has seen me grow from no employees to 9, from no money to 2 successful investment rounds, from an idea to a product, and from simple customer interest to paying customers. Gordon has been ever-present from the very low to the very high. One such very low was the near collapse of the business after we lost a £1.3Mn investment during the start of the COVID pandemic in March 2020. Gordon was the first person I called even before my Board to break the news. Gordon literally held my hand through this most difficult of times where we had daily calls to work through and walk out of that situation. 9 months later we closed a £1.24 Mn investment in a complete turnaround. I cannot say enough good words about EBS and my mentor Gordon Short and the part they have played in my entrepreneurship journey and my life. Thank you EBS and thank you Gordon.”