31 Oct 2012

Calling all Pioneers: your opinions wanted!

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Calling all Pioneers: your opinions wanted!

The Olympics made 2012 a memorable one for UK businesses but it was an eventful year for the Pioneers’ community too and we’re expecting 2013 to be just as busy.

Help us to improve Virgin Media Pioneers

In 2012, we launched the new Virgin Media Pioneers 2.0 website with a number of new features, took the first intake of Pioneers through ‘The Project‘ and witnessed the launch of the Start-Up Loans initiative which came about via Pioneers’ Youth Investment Fund campaign.

Pioneers were also given the opportunity to enter a ‘Pitch 2 Rich‘ competition with four Pioneers winning the opportunity to pitch their businesses to Richard Branson and take home a share of the allocated £5,000 prize fund. Another group of Pioneers returned from enjoying an all-expenses paid trade mission with Pioneer-at-Large Richard Branson in India where they were able to network with fellow entrepreneurs from the UK and India.

“Good brands reflect the histories of the time and the group of people that made them”. - Richard Branson, Business Stripped Bare

How are we doing?

As we often emphasise, in order to move businesses forward whilst making sure they’re still in keeping with the core vision and values, it’s important to take time out to reflect. As a result, Virgin Media Pioneers is looking to dig a little deeper into understanding how we impact on the start-up community and your businesses: what works well and where improvements can be made for the future. We want to ensure we’re giving you everything you need to get your bright idea off the ground and then get it rocketing; keeping you inspired, connected and able to get ahead at every stage of your entrepreneurial journey.

Thank you

We’d really appreciate it if you’d join your fellow Pioneers in completing the 15 minute survey below. We’ve engaged an external and independent research agency to conduct this survey. All the data collected will be stored securely and none of your personally identifiable information will be passed on to Virgin Media. You will not receive any sales calls as a result of anything you say in this survey either.

Now over to the external researchers

We’re conducting research on behalf of Virgin Media Pioneers into the Pioneers programme. This research will help the team understand the impact of the work, including what has worked well and where improvements could be made for the future.

The survey should only take 15 minutes and your feedback will make a huge difference to how the programme grows over the next year. We hope you’ll take part.

Just so you know, we have been engaged as an external and independent research agency to conduct this survey. All the data we collect is stored on a secure server and none of your personally identifiable information is passed on to Virgin Media. You will not receive any sales calls as a result of anything you say in this survey. We strictly adhere to the Market Research Society Code of Conduct and the Data Protection Act, and use all personal information in a responsible and secure manner.

So let’s get going!

Click here to start taking part in the PIoneers Survey

21 comments

21 comments

Most Recent Most Voted

timknight

Did the winner get notified, was looking forward to winning this one ;)

virginmediapioneers

Hi Tim. We’re going to be putting up an article about the highlights from the survey and the winner on Friday. Hope you’re having a good week.

marijadjaleva

You guys have done a brilliant job so far! As a Pioneer and a VMP ‘The Project’ finalist, the experience opened so many opportunities for me, I am very grateful for that. It was a stepping stone for my future career development as well. Very happy that experience with Virgin Media is part of my CV :) Thank you so much!
There is room for improvements though. I agree with some of the comments related to communication aspect. You know, get out there and promote the Pioneers ethos more, because you really have to offer so much! Also, the website can be more interactive and much more clever, in terms of ‘suggest like-minded pioneers with similar background, skills, profession’… Not another social network, but you can combine the best of everything that benefits pioneers the most.

To sum up, keep the excellent work and we will get much much further, TOGETHER!

x

virginmediapioneers

Thank you! Great feedback. We really appreciate you taking the time and are so pleased ‘The Project’ made a difference.

Pierre

Liking the new website.

An Ipad and Iphone application would be really useful!

virginmediapioneers

Thank you! Agreed about the apps. Will keep you posted.

charmainecapener

Done – you’ve boosted my business so much since I joined in July 2011 and for that I’m very grateful. I appreciate that VMP is to encourage the next generation but sometimes I do feel a little ‘old’ amongst the rising stars, it would be great to have some information or discussion specifically regarding funding for us over 25′s – thanks again :)

virginmediapioneers

Thanks Charmaine.

We love having you as a Pioneer and we’ll continue to keep our eyes peeled for funding opps for over 25s too. Promise!

enamgbewonyo

I agree Charmaine there is a distinct lack of funding for those of us over the 25 threshold. While we should of course support young people starting businesses, there are a wealth of initiatives and funds for young people and none at all for those 25+. More often than not we are the ones who’ve been made redundant or have mortgages, student loans and other financial commitments/strains that mean we are in dire need of financial help but also means it’s harder for us to secure loans…..the 25+ Investment Fund anyone?? I’d be the first to sign that petition :D

Funding issues aside what I love about VMP is that you always think of creative ways to engage and inspire the VMP community. I too have been lucky enough to benefit from some of your fantastic opportunities and love the fact that the team behind it all make themselves so accessible to us pioneers, they’re always an email/ phone call away! Great job guys look forward to what you have in store for us next year!!

virginmediapioneers

Thank you! Really appreciate the feedback and we promise we’ve got lots of exciting things in store for this year too.

kiranmray

Wow you guys have done a lot this year! Survey done- glad to be of help x

virginmediapioneers

Thanks Kiran!

timknight

I took part, but it didn’t leave me room to comment…. I would have liked to say that there doesn’t seem to be any way to give feedback or contact people, all the options on the site are useless as noone replies, but I also appreciate that we get everything for free, so basically just improve the communication aspect a little.

I have made the best contacts through Virgin Media Pioneers, and I champion the website to everyone I know and try to market it through my projects to my readers, it is a great site, and something I am proud to be part of.

virginmediapioneers

Thanks Tim. Glad to have caught up with you on Twitter and email.

haylea

Done! :)

virginmediapioneers

Thanks Hayley!

mariaalbertsen

Just about to do it, I agree with Alison about it being quite youth focused but I believe thats one of the aims of VMP, to encourage the next generation of entrepreneurs, and rightly so, just don’t forget about us ‘older’ ones who have so much to give still too :) As, always, i think you guys are brilliant and I have gained so much from your continued support….. Thank you !

virginmediapioneers

Thanks Maria and don’t worry, we won’t forget about any of our Pioneers.

Ronke Ige

Always happy to assist where required for the wonder that is Virgin Media Pioneers, clicking link to hit the survey now : ) xx

virginmediapioneers

Thank you!

alisonmcgillivray

I filled out your survey… Being over 40 and from across the pond, I’d say the site is British and youth-focused. Not that that is bad, but that it makes it less relevant to my situation.
Re: the survey itself, I would have included a more pointed question about numbers of contacts you have found through the site that one considers will be useful to thier specific enterprise… Also perhaps, a question on what drew me to Virgin Media Pioneers and what I was hoping to find here.

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