#InnovationMonth: wiGroup CEO attends Endeavor International Selection Panel as winner of FNB Business Innovation Awards 2016

Bevan became an Endeavor entrepreneur a couple of years ago, so he attended as an observer and GAP candidate.

“I am incredibly grateful to FNB Business and Endeavor for the opportunity to go back to an ISP, and to further advance wiGroup’s position, product and strategy in order to make the biggest difference we can make,” he said.

We asked him about the experience in comparison to his previous ISP.

You were looking forward to "gaining access to a global platform of leading business luminaries and a peer group of highly ambitious founders". How did the Boston ISP live up to your expectations?

It was wonderful to see the caliber of panelists that I was able to present to, and more importantly to have their expertise across industry, which assisted in getting different perspectives on the challenges we face as an organisation.

What were some of the similarities and differences between the Boston ISP and the Florianópolis one, where you were selected in 2014?

The similarity was the way each ISP made me think more global, and raised my awareness of the possibility. The key difference was one of motivating to be selected, and perhaps putting your guard up against challenges you may face, when I was at the Brazil ISP. In contrast, when I was at the Boston ISP I was far more focused on the challenges, rather than the successes in order to get the best value out of being a GAP candidate.

Comment on your experience as an observer as opposed to a candidate?

Observing always brings perspective to general challenges, and due to you not being on the spot, it assists in your mind being open to hear in order to understand and change, rather than just to listen and feel that you need the answers.

Endeavor helps entrepreneurs to think bigger, make better decisions and multiply their influence. Has this ISP enlarged your thinking, and if so, how?

Yes, thinking global rather than local and assisting my belief that a $100m turnover is achievable in the short to medium term.

Do you believe your title as FNB Business Innovator of the Year opened any additional doors or opportunities?

Certainly in the local market we’re feeling the effect of the award in order to get to the right people, and for them to be more committed in their engagement due to the credibility of the awards.