Panel
In addition to the professional panel and mentors, separate Business Stress Testing sessions will be held regularly throughout the programme to ensure that each Endeavouree is fully on track with a business plan that is real-worldready. Endeavourees will be expected to rapidly adapt flaws highlighted in their plans and presentations in keeping with the commercial spirit of the programme.
Michael Dawson
CEO
The Gift Voucher Shop
An entrepreneur his entire life, Michael has made an impact and left his entrepreneurial mark across a diverse range of career paths, including youth work, politics, lottery, to the business he heads up today. With The Gift Voucher Shop, Michael has led the business in the development of unique pre-paid products and innovative distribution markets within the gifting and corporate incentives space. Since 2006 he has moved his core technology focus from secure paper to electronic card products enabling the business to expand into the savings and loyalty businesses. Michael was one of 2007s finalists in the Enrst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year programme. In 2009, The Gift Voucher Shop won an Ulster Bank Business Achievers Award under the category of Business Going International, and won the Marketing in Innovation category at the AIM Awards. Michael is Director of the Fingal County Enterprise Board, Fingal Tourism, and represents the SFA on the European Union Policy Committee with IBEC.