My MCNI journey so far has been; well, nuts!

I have been lucky enough to have been thrust into the fast-paced world of marketing, and loving every second of it. My only problem is, I am in the final semester of my BA in Broadcast Journalism, which I am studying for at the University of Leeds.

My days are blurring into each other. Weekends no longer exist. I feel guilty for indulging in the odd Channel Four documentary which I previously would kid myself was legitimate course research! Juggling my desperation for a first class honors degree with my determination to succeed in marketing will almost certainly bring about a grey hair or two.

You may wonder, ‘why do you bother?’ and I’ll tell you why.

I’m a woman with a point to prove. I’m actively fighting against stereotypes associated with the working-class background I was born into. Opportunities haven’t been handed to me on a plate; I’ve worked for them and I’m determined for them to pay off in the long run.

I’ve been lucky enough to meet two very kind entrepreneurs who don’t treat me with any stigma or prejudice; they judge me on the quality of work I produce and my attitude towards the job. They do not discriminate (positively or negatively) based on my social class.

I’ve been introduced into a new world, and I’m loving every second of it. The main lesson I’ve learned, however, is that the luxury of sleep is no longer applicable to my life! Oh well, plenty of time for that when you’re dead I guess…

Have you tried sprinkling fresh strawberries with black peppercorns? Or plonking mango on your seared tuna? Try it, you’ll be amazed. I love testing the bounds of the possible, eclectic is a constant companion. I can’t help seeing things differently and getting bored with the mundane. Since I sold my business in December 2007 (timing, timing, timing!) I’ve lived a life full of variety – from the immense highs of becoming a Dad again and the thrills of Arctic adventures to the harsh reality of AIDS wards in Africa, to the surreal reality of training to fight Somali pirates – but in all that time  I’ve never been tempted back into business……until now.

From the moment David Pollock asked me to help judge an apps competition, I could feel the buzz about this sector. I asked Charles Dunstone, boss of Carphone Warehouse what he believed was the future of apps. Even I was taken aback when he said that it was the end of the internet as we know it. Apps certainly have the potential to be life changing, look at elegant apps like Word Lens, which uses the i-phone camera to read foreign language signs and replaces the writing with English translation in the same colour and font. The effect is amazing.

We plan to develop really great apps that really do what you expect them to do. Our first app LoopyLingo feels a bit like MadLibs the US paper based word game – but because its an app, LoopyLingo is much more than that. It appeals from 7yrs and upwards. Be as rude, naughty or witty as you like and the result is a nonsense often hilarious story. First story is free, so give it a go and try before you buy.

LogFire is our new app that works best on tablets – if you got the new Samsumg Galaxy this one is for you. It’s really simple but perfectly executed, HD quality video and real crackling logs sound makes it very realistic. We all feel better sitting around log fire, when we’ve tested this before launch it’s a real talking point and definitely gives a feel good kick. The perfect app for Valentines romance.

LoopyLingo, LogFire  and with apps like TalkBack and SpinThe Bottle and new gaming apps on the way. That’s what I love about this business, every day it’s a different concept. It keeps my mind entertained and hopefully our customers happy. Variety truly is the spice of life.

My name is Amy, and I’m currently a twenty-year-old journalism student.

Not too long ago, on a cold December morning, I was making my way up as usual to the University of Leeds. But, this wasn’t to be a regular day of lectures for me.

As part of my scholarship to the university, I’d been scheduled in for a tutorial with an entrepreneur who’d offered to mentor some students. All I knew was that he was going to talk to me and give me some guidance about business plans. Not really knowing too much about what to expect, I made my way into the room.

‘Dylan Thwaites.,’ he said, offering his hand to me. ‘Pleased to meet you.’

As we sat down and began our conversation, I was taken aback by his openness of character. I had (admittedly, misinformed) preconceptions of what he would be like. I didn’t realise that a successful businessman could be so friendly and approachable.
After discussing potential future business and employment plans, Dylan looked me in the eye.

‘When you talk about communications and marketing, your eyes light up,’ he said.

‘The entrepreneur has a point!’ I thought.

Needless to say, we had a long discussion, through which I began to realise that a career in marketing is something that I would be very keen to pursue, and as the meeting came to it’s end, I saw an opportunity.

‘So…do you have any jobs then?’ I asked, probably a little too boldly.

At first Dylan looked quite taken aback and I worried I’d been a bit cheeky by asking. He said nothing, and seemed to be wracking his brains. I sat there, nervously picking at the skin around my nails until he replied.

‘To be honest Amy… I don’t really have any openings at the moment’

What happened next is what Dylan teasingly describes as me inventing a job for myself at his new company, May Contain Nuts Inc. Somehow, in about a ten second window I managed to convince him that there may well be a role for me in his company, after all.

The rest, as they say, is history, and now, as crazy as it seems, I’ve got the chance to prove that I can actually succeed in marketing, working with two former entrepreneurs of the year.

My first real test is the launch of the LogFire App on Android. It’s a really good quality tablet app, which as you might guess shows a real flickering fire. My role, is that I need to get as many people as possible to make videos of the fire in as many places as possible and for them to upload them onto YouTube.

The main thing I’ve learned so far, is that it’s impossible to know what the future may hold if you don’t seize the opportunity! So, watch this space, to see if I can actually pull this off and succeed in following my marketing dreams…

How exciting, launching a new business into a new market place!

Apps is the new frontier – it’s a bit like the California gold rush of the modern age. I’m always looking for new markets and new ideas. Mobile handset sales continues to grow exponentially and everything we do now on our computes will soon be available via Apps on our mobile. The fastest way to learn about a new market is to start a business, invest your hard earned cash and make sure you get a return. Where do the good ideas come from? – the younger generation to whom Facebook, Twitter and iPhones are second nature, an extension of themselves. That’s the way I came up with the Apps competitions in schools. Everyone you talk to has an Apps idea but the key to success is implementation and great marketing. We’ve amassed a great team behind us.

Dylan Thwaites the perfect business partner for this venture. He’s one of the few Brits to capitalized in the last internet rush – search. How did we get together? Well he won Ernst & Young UK Technology Entrepreneur of the Year 2006, I won it in 2007. People just kept putting us together at dinners, lunches and events. Eventually we said maybe we should start a business together. Apps was the obvious choice. So far we’ve developed LoopyLingo, SpinTheBottle, Talkback, BabyApp, AssassinMaster, LogFire, there’s loads more in the pipeline. Watch this space and read this blog. This is going to be fun…