Last year, I launched a competition which saw hundreds of you sharing your DO IT! OR DITCH IT stories with me. A heart-felt thanks to each and every one of you who submitted an entry. I was really touched reading all of your tales of DO IT! or DITCH IT situations.

As announced at the end of May, James Caan, was appointed by Lord Young as Chairman of the Board on the government initiative Start Up Loans. The £82.5 million project sees James Caan and Bev James working together once again, along with an impressive team of board members. The EBA are delighted to support the Start Up Loans company in their quest to provide 18-24 year olds with the tools, mentoring and capital required to start up their own business. Could you be the volunteer mentor that James Caan is looking for?

James Eder started his business: The Beans Group after setting up the business he had planned out as part of his University degree. James is now an Ambassador for Start-Up Loans along with 11 other young entrepreneurs. Here is James’ Start-Up journey:

My mission is to help other business owners to achieve their own dreams of success. I want more people to understand that we are in control of our own decisions and can choose to be successful if we wish.

I coach senior executives, who are often some of the smartest people I’ve met, yet they often seem to struggle to reach the results they want despite taking logical and rational decisions.