Do you have a dream? Pitch it to me and Simon Squibb at Virgin Hotels in London

Wherever I go in the world, I’m pitched all sorts of business ideas from strangers and I’m always amazed by the brilliant ideas people have. As such, I’ve always dreamed of having an elevator where people could pitch their ideas.  

I was moved by how Simon Squibb transformed a disused staircase in London into a hub for entrepreneurs. At the top, they set up a video doorbell that entrepreneurs can pitch to, and then the best of those pitches were shared on social media to help raise their profile and get their business started.  

One day, Jack Whettingsteel, one of Simon’s co-founders, approached me on a Virgin Atlantic flight. He shared his idea of turning the elevator inside Virgin Hotels London-Shoreditch into a pitching ground for entrepreneurs and I jumped at the idea. Thankfully, Virgin Hotels was also excited, and we brought Virgin StartUp into the mix too.  

Oh, did I mention Jack’s partner Alessia is a wonderful Virgin Atlantic crew member! I love it when our companies and people come together. And who better to do it with than Simon Squibb and HelpBnk!

Tania Steere / Virgin Management

We’ll be launching an ‘Elevator of Dreams’ at Virgin Hotels London-Shoreditch, starting on January 17th, which also happens to be Founder Friday (the first Friday in January when people are back at work and dreaming of starting their own venture).

The Elevator is a place where aspiring founders can go to pitch their business ideas to a global audience of potential investors. Located by the lifts outside the Founders Room at Virgin Hotels London, budding entrepreneurs can buzz the video doorbell and quickly present their dream ideas to the camera. Simon and I will use our social media platforms to share feedback on our favourite pitches.  

Virgin Hotels

 All the pitches made to the Elevator of Dreams will be uploaded to the HelpBnk platform, where potential investors can view and support aspiring entrepreneurs on their start-up journey.  

 The top five pitches will also be invited to join the Virgin StartUp Community, where founders can access 1:1 mentoring with founders of some of the UK’s fastest growing businesses, tap into online courses and workshops and sign-up to exclusive in-person events and networking opportunities. A further five founders will be given access to Virgin StartUp’s How to Build a Business course, helping early-stage founders take the next step towards achieving their dreams.  

Simon is a great example of how anyone can pursue their dream. I was so inspired to hear his story. At 15-years-old, Simon found himself homeless and sleeping on the streets. He was too young to get a proper job, so starting his own business was his only option. He started a gardening company and fell in love with the entrepreneurial process of generating an idea, and bringing it to life. Over the years he became determined to help as many other entrepreneurs as he can. He launched HelpBnk as a platform where founders can ask any question that crops up, and other entrepreneurs answer them. I would have loved platforms like HelpBnk and the Virgin StartUp Community this when I started out! Simon’s latest passion is walking up to people on the street, asking them what their dream is, and then helping them make it happen.  

I’ve been pitched ideas in so many places – from planes to elevators to cruise ships to coffee shops - and it always makes me smile. I even got pitched an idea at the side of the road in Cape Argus where I did my first ever cycling road race and was learning how to ride my racing bike. There are so many great ideas out there, and I hope that by sharing them we can help support entrepreneurs on their journey.   

So if you’re in London in the next three months, come on over to Virgin Hotels and throw caution to the wind. You never know where it might lead.