Humanities and Social Sciences

City of Prospect’s Director of Business Chris Hannaford

Entrepreneurship and Innovation – Guest Speakers

Mitchell Stapleton-Coory – Adelaide University Thinclab

Entrepreneur, Mitchell Stapleton-Coory, founder of the hospitality app BELLR, recently spoke to the class about his entrepreneurial experience. Mitchell, who is part of the Adelaide University Thinclab, outlined his personal successes and challenges beginning with his life after school.

 

Mitchell explained that prior to starting his Law degree he took several years off to work in sales at Telstra to fund his desire to travel overseas and learn more about the world. He recommended to the class that they should travel while they are young to broaden their horizons and get an understanding of what life is like elsewhere. He emphasised that future employers will look upon this favourably and will see you as a more appealing employee. It was during his travels that he first decided that one day he would like to work in his own business. Mitchell after a 5-year gap began his law degree but found settling into university life rather difficult and failed his first semester. However, he did not give up and soon learned how to juggle life working and studying part-time while pursuing his desire to run his own business. Now in his final semester of his law degree he is the top of his class something of which he is very proud.

 

He showed the boys a timeline of his business ventures since 2012 which included a failed app that is no longer in circulation, a furniture design company, and then finally BELLR. Mitchell explained that each business experience was worthwhile building his skills about how to set-up and run a business, and importantly how to communicate with people.

 

BELLR is built on his experiences, particularly from working in the hospitality industry. For 3 years Mitchell worked in bars and kept posing the question to himself, "What can I do with what I have learned? How can I improve the industry?"

 

Mitchell recognised a problem with the launch of Uber Eats in Adelaide. Restaurants and cafés noticed a distinct drop in customers dining in, and bars noticed a drop-in clientele. With his best friend and now business partner, they saw the solution to this problem was to create an app that would post real-time promotions to attract customers.

 

BELLR was entered into several accelerator programs including the Adelaide University Tech Challenge, Lion Unleashed, Adelaide University Echallenge and one run by Amatil. Mitchell’s app won or was placed in each of these programs resulting in prize money to develop BELLR and make the app a reality. Now Mitchell through his association with the Thinclab, mentors budding entrepreneurs to set-up and pitch their start-ups to potential investors.

 

Mitchell explained that entrepreneurs need persistence, dedication and complete belief in their idea. They need to be willing to learn skills. For example, Mitchell taught himself to code and design an app plus the ability to convincingly pitch an idea to potential investors. He also explained that entrepreneurs need a ‘thick skin’ to take the hits and they should expect rejection. He stressed that out in the real world there are some really ‘mean’ people who will undermine and steal your ideas. The more prepared you are for this, the better.

 

Later in the semester we will have Mitchell back to teach the boys skills associated with pitching a start-up idea. The success of BELLR in winning competitions and gaining start-up capital was all down to how well it was pitched, so Mitchell will be able to provide the boys with tips and build their confidence to convince the audience at the showcase evening about why their start-up idea is fabulous.

 

Entrepreneur Mitchell Stapleton-Coory founder of the hospitality app BELLR
Entrepreneur Mitchell Stapleton-Coory founder of the hospitality app BELLR
Entrepreneur Mitchell Stapleton-Coory founder of the hospitality app BELLR
Entrepreneur Mitchell Stapleton-Coory founder of the hospitality app BELLR
Entrepreneur Mitchell Stapleton-Coory founder of the hospitality app BELLR
Entrepreneur Mitchell Stapleton-Coory founder of the hospitality app BELLR
Entrepreneur Mitchell Stapleton-Coory founder of the hospitality app BELLR
Entrepreneur Mitchell Stapleton-Coory founder of the hospitality app BELLR

 

City of Prospect

Chris Hannaford, the City of Prospect Director of Business and Innovation, and Emma Grivell, Economic Development and Support Officer, spoke to the class about how the Council supports local businesses and entrepreneurs.

 

It was important for the boys to find out more about what is done by the council to assist business and entrepreneurs, as every entrepreneur who has spoken to the class so far has mentioned the programs and support available to assist start-up companies run by government and the community.

 

Chris explained the council’s Smart City strategy the first program of its kind Australia designed to attract more business due to faster internet speeds with the NBN. The City of Prospect has been recognised for this venture by being placed in the top 21 Intelligent Communities globally. Prospect has been placed in the top 21 for the past last 6 years, thanks to its targeted smart broadband and programs working with businesses and local schools.

 

The Council has formed business hub office spaces for entrepreneurs who work from home to rent at low cost, so they can access the fastest internet speed in Australia. Plus, these spaces offer them the opportunity to network with other businesses.

 

Emma outlined Network Prospect to the class explaining what the Council does to support local business with marketing campaigns, business events, and training courses. The fast internet access has been expanded to form an Innovation Precinct between the cinema complex and the new Town Hall (construction of which will be completed in October). This ‘Gig City’ will provide internet speeds of 10 gigabytes per second along this part of Prospect Road. It is designed to attract ‘smart’ businesses like defence, data security, health services and gaming related businesses. The Council hopes to attract 2 or 3 large employers to set up in the city to take advantage of the internet speed.

 

The City of Prospect has also installed free public WIFI from Rose St to Coles which has allowed the Council to collect valuable data for local business. As the public accesses the WIFI,  data is collected about how many people are along Prospect Road. This data is then shared with local businesses, which they then use this to roster enough staff for busy periods and to review their opening times to take advantage of when the road is at its busiest. The free WIFI has also encouraged outdoor dining along Prospect Road’s many restaurants and cafes. Essentially the free WIFI has allowed local businesses to make more money from better market knowledge.

 

To prove the success of these initiatives to attract businesses to the City of Prospect, Chris and Emma shared the data the Council has collected about the growth of new businesses in the area. Each year between 2014 and 2017, 40 new businesses per annum have been established in Prospect thanks to Network Prospect and the NBN. Furthermore, commercial vacancy rates along Prospect Rd are the lowest in the state at only 1.5 % while a precinct like Greenhill Road is 7.5%. These figures inform the Council that the initiatives to attract and support business are working.

 

The City of Prospect is an active supporter of the Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Blackfriars and will be involved with the judging of students’ innovations at the Showcase Evening at the end of the semester.

 

Kathleen Johnson 

CURRICULUM LEADER - HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES