TheEmployable is going well. So well, I think I might be able to retire at 45… But taking a step back and the reality is; as well as it is going, I still have to pay the mortgage, the bills and all the coffees that I love so much.

So why do I remain so confident? Well, over the last week I have submerged myself into the community of
 the ’employable’ the ‘entrepreneur’ the ‘idealistic’ and the ‘dreamer’ and boy do they exist. It concerns me that so little attention is given to the amount of innovation (some good, some not so good) that currently exists. Why do politicians concentrate purely on what is about the happen with the economy, rather than what is currently happening, or could happen within young and old entrepreneurs setting up fledgling businesses.

There are still 1000’s of inventions, discoveries, ideas and businesses still to be made, and its not always about reinventing the wheel. Passion, love and enthusiam for what you do, is just as important, as is shown with http://www.gigsandfestivals.co.uk/ the interview feature from this Monday. Simon, the founder is not creating anything that hasn’t been done before, he is just doing it well, and with knowledge, research, ability and guts, he will do it better than the platforms that currently exist. Check out the interview here;http://theemployable.com/2011/10/24/the-new-kid-on-the-bloc-the-graduate-startup-with-music-at-its-heart/

Creating an idea is easy, doing it is not. 3 months ago, I was packing my boxes in my office, closing its
 doors and waiting for a few phone calls to say thank you. I had had plenty of ideas, prior to this moment, but I remember a telling conversation a little while prior, when I had been told by someone, “Stop worrying about coming up with ideas, you concentrate on your job; which is making money” I was not looking to reinvent the wheel either; its just I had ideas that I thought could improve things.

But like most people, with concerns of the economic climate, I would be fearful of leaving my job, to start something with no money and no security. This is an issue that all governments need to address. Creating the right conditions for someone to start the ‘next big thing’ is key. If a little bit of funding is spent, if support is offered, how many other Edwin’s from ‘Give me Tap’ or Simon Robinson’s of ‘Gigs and Festivals’ can we find? And not everyone is free from monetary concerns, if you have a mortgage to pay, how do you start a business, and potentially leave a job in the process?

On Wednesday this week, we talk to Mark Nagurski, Digital Content Champion for Digital Derry. Mark looks after the digital content sector in Derry, N. Ireland and his role is to help develop the sector, encourage new startups and stitch together a range of exciting initiatives in the region. Mark will be answering questions that might help fledgling startups and ‘idea makers’ and also about some exciting projects that are kicking off to help support people with digital content ideas in the North West of Northern Ireland . In the short term feel free to check out the Digital Derry Website for a sneak peak; http://www.digitalderry.org/

I was at the launch last Thursday of Digtal Derry’s plans and I listened to some very good startup ideas, and
 what they had all been able acheive, with just a little bit of support in the last 12 months. Most tellingly is that most of the startups that were presenting, currently have full time jobs, so its not a case of having to wait until you lose your job, before you can consider creating your own one! Mark Nagurski ended the evening with a rousing speech, and I got the impression that with the support they were going to be offering, there was really no excuses for anyone with a Digital Content idea, not to at least find out if it was a good idea, or not.

We run an article later on today, and the interview ends with Suleman Sacranie of 99pshopper  empassionately stating “I would encourage everyone to go out there to go and find the Genius in them”….What a wonderful statement and a lovely way to end this blog. Its just its a shame that it took me until I was an unemployed blogaholic, that I hopefully begin this journey. Perhaps there is a lesson in there for all of us….

Check out the next addition of the diary here..

To find out more about TheEmployable and how to get involved in TheEmployable movement, please check out http://theemployable.com/how-to-get-involved/