Alex McCallion, co-founder of Greater Change
Alex McCallion is an Oxford graduate (Jesus College, Economics and Management) and co-founder of Greater Change, helping to provide a way of giving smarter to the homeless. The app will allow people to give to someone who is homeless directly and know the gift is spent effectively. In order to implement this the project is being crowdfunded on the University’s platform.
I have always loved entrepreneurship and can’t remember a time when I did not want to grow up to be one! I started by selling donuts in school aged 11!
Observing problems but not just accepting them.
What made me realise this kind of idea could work was how many different types of people and organisations were excited by it when I told them about it around a year ago. The idea has come on a long way since then!
I’m not sure it is a skill but I would say the key thing is just endless enthusiasm for what you do. Being able to sell your dream such that other people get on board with it. Problem solving.
There really is never a dull moment! Every day is so different.
I really love Watsi. They have taken this application of Tech for good and made it work so well in a different area of charitable giving. They enable you to directly fund the healthcare of people who cannot afford it in less affluent countries.
I have no idea what I would prioritise as there would be so much to learn from them! I would probably spend the 5 minutes trying to make sure we were able to talk for longer than 5 minutes at some other point!
I think my biggest failure/mistake was for a long time not noting things down during or after conversations about the project. There are so many good ideas and cool things that are forgotten without notes!
Crowdfunding!
Having the University and such an entrepreneurship focused Business School here is awesome! It means there is a lot of help available to Entrepreneurs through the University.
The first place I spoke to someone properly about implementing the idea was the Entrepreneurship Centre in Oxford. They have been great so I would have to say there!
If you have an idea talk to people about it! There are so many people willing to help out and help you refine your idea!
