23 December 2010 by Rebecca
We've scoured the archives to bring you the best of the Smarta
videos in 2010. Covering five disciplines from 'best start up' to
'best social media lesson', how better to round off the year than a
gander at these pearls of wisdom?
Best start-up
Wonga.com is getting a lot of flak in the press at the moment.
The Metro and The Evening Standard have labelled the outfit,
'glorified loan sharks'. Mayor of London Boris Johnson is under
fire for considering Wonga's bid to sponsor the free tube service
on New Year's Eve. But here's the truth behind the bad press: back
in January 2010 we interviewed founder Erroll Damelin to find out
exactly how his model worked, and why Wonga was good news for the
cash-strapped and budget-conscious. Check out the video.
Best social enterprise
Proof that a social enterprise can be both innovative and
daring, Ben Keene's Tribewanted convinced a Fijian tribe to loan
him their island in order to run a serious of projects to improve
living, learning and working conditions. Ben Keene's business
survived a coup, the loss of a co-founder and some serious
battering in the press. Here's how.
Best branding lesson
There's no denying that wholesome fast food chain Leon has
redefined the idea of corporate branding. The (mostly) London-based
business was founded by John Vincent and Henry Dimbleby to provide
an alternative to grey, over-chilled sarnies or greasy burgers.
Here, the pair reveal their branding secrets.
A music legend
Gordon Mac, founder of Kiss FM, has become an industry legend.
Partying hard, working harder, and building a brand that still
thrives to this day, Mac is firmly ensconced in the music hall of
fame. Find out how he launched the iconic station and how he
motivated his DJs to support him when he was but an unknown
entrepreneur.
Best social media lesson
Shaa Wasmund, founder of Smarta, knows the business of
marketing. She has worked with the likes of Chris Eubank and James
Dyson, helping them to become the household names we know today.
Her new baby is social media and she's taken to the medium like a
duck to water. Find out the secrets to social networking success
here