"Chase your dreams, not the competition"

Jamal Edwards' talk had the highest percentage of youths in the audience. As a "youth" myself, I shouldn't have noticed. But I love that as a young, accessible entrepreneur, Edwards has managed to interest so many of my generation in pushing their potential. He didn't audition for a show like Britain's Got Talent or The X-Factor but, as a normal guy from a normal background, he made himself a business out of nothing but his own passion and a camera he received for Christmas. His business that has led to the success of other artists, one of the more famous ones being Ed Sheeran.

Listening to Edwards talk made me realise what a natural businessman he was, which was lucky as he doesn't appear to have been taught any business at school. He spoke of new ventures which he's undertaking as he doesn't want to exclude or alienate anyone from SBTV. He wants to continue letting it grow and change. He mentioned expanding overseas as well as posting videos of poetry.

He's a businessman without the greed. Though he likes the money, he claims that if you're only doing it for the money then it will not go well. He puts his success down mainly to being his own target audience. Shrewd.

He clearly wants to be an inspiration and a role model, but at the moment he humbly believes that he has yet to reach that stage - and that he hasn't reached his fullest potential yet. But when you knock out quotes like "chase your dreams, not the competition" and already own a very successful business at the age of 21, it's obvious that you're going to be an inspiration.


Maz Haynes and Elise Cook