About us
Make Your Mark is the national campaign to unlock the UK’s enterprise potential. We aim to create a culture
that supports enterprising people to create economic and social impact.
This year we will scale up our successful young-people-facing activities whilst also reaching others with untapped potential. We will:
- 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 should always be bold, audience-led, catalytic in making things happen and connectors who get people together
- The best things happen when people work together, and our partners in business, government, education, the third sector and the media help us achieve greater things
- That joining-up existing activities, coordinating new ones and main streaming enterprise within every type of organisation can have a big impact
- The energy and approach of successful entrepreneurs should be shared more widely
- We should encourage and recognise our entrepreneurial staff, who run websites, businesses and networks and bake great cakes!
Want to know more? Take a look at our vision.
Corporate and media support
Make Your Mark works closely with both corporate and media partners on specific elements of the campaign including 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.
Inspiring stories
The campaign is backed by a range of celebrities from the worlds of TV, music, fashion, sport and business.These include Peter Jones, Levi Roots and Jacqueline Gold, Laura Bailey and Wayne Hemingway, Jamelia and Kasabian.
Over 1,000 entrepreneurs and over 800 networks actively support 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 turn their ideas into reality. New and existing businesses often fail to grow at a rate that would drive UK competitiveness and productivity.This is against a backdrop of 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. This is demonstrated by:
- 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 not least in:
- Demonstrating that every part of society has a role to play in creating an entrepreneurial culture, including education, business,media, government and the third sector, as no single sector or organisation can create opportunities on this ambitious scale
- Promoting the vital role of enterprising people in creating enterprising businesses and enterprising communities
Who is behind Make Your Mark?
The campaign 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. Their Director Generals sit on our board. It is 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 - 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.