James Dyson: You need a good idea

BBC 2's business programme, Working Lunch has teamed up with the Design Council to launch The Big Zipper Challenge, a search for the most innovative ideas Britain's schools can produce.

Up for grabs is a video camera, a lunch with VIPs in London, an appearance on Working Lunch and a tour of the studios.

The British Chambers of Commerce is actively involved in the challenge.

As well as judging the competition, it will be dispatching an army of local entrepreneurs into the classroom to help youngsters to hone their ideas.

To kick off the competition, Shami Ahmed, founder of the Joe Bloggs clothing empire, gate-crashed a business studies class in Haverstock School, North London.

Shami started in business with his parents when he was 14 years old.

"Joe Bloggs was a brand I just thought of by accident," he told the students, "Everyone laughed and I thought that was a good enough reaction for me, because at least it got a reaction".

Shami was asked what to do to make the most of a good idea.

"Do your research," he replied.

"What's going to be so special about what you are going to do? Why would anyone want to buy it? Is it the price, the style, or the brand. And can you make a profit?"

James Dyson and Shami Ahmed trod completely different paths to success.

Shami left school as soon as he could to take over his parents' shop.

Stelios: Take a longer view

Dyson studied design at art college before coming up with his first successful invention, the Ballbarrow - a wheelbarrow with a ball instead of a wheel.

But they both want to show young people how what they do can be fun and exciting.

Dyson says: "We are creating things. Everybody in my business gets a huge satisfaction out of knowing that we are all producing things for real people every day."

Stelios Haji-Ioannou, the man who got Easyjet off the ground, is the son of a Greek shipping magnate.

From an early age, he discussed business with his family over the dinner table.

But he warns against any potential high flyers thinking their moneymaking ideas could make them too rich, too quick.

"The problem about when you are 15," Stelios tells Working Lunch, "is that you think that you can become a millionaire by the time you are 17, which I think is unrealistic.

"You have to take a longer view and ask is it a really good idea, or is it an opportunity which may disappear tomorrow?"

Stelios tells anyone trying to make it in business, or in the Big Zipper Challenge, that they have to stick their necks out.

"There's nothing wrong in admitting there is risk in any business. To have a significant return, you need to take a risk," he says.

The Working Lunch Big Zipper Challenge is aimed at students aged 14 and above.

They have to come up with an idea to benefit their school or community and draw up a business plan.

"The business plan says why backers should put money in," advises Shami Ahmed.

"It's not about what you can do for yourself, it's about what you can do for them."

Risk-taking

Stelios's tip is to be honest about possible problems.

"Always try and make it balanced. Say: This is the upside, but it could go wrong because of this, and that's how I plan to deal with the risk."

But before the plan, comes the brainwave.

"You can't do business until you come up with a really good idea," says James Dyson.

"Even if you've got just the germ of an idea, if you start working on it, it's surprising how different you can make it and how much better you can make it," he says.

For more information about the Big Zipper Challenge, you can e-mail [email protected] or look at the education section of the Working Lunch website: www.bbc.co.uk/workinglunch