We chatted to Hayden Burford about his YES experience and where it has lead him in recent years.
School | Timaru Boys High School
YES Product | Disposable Hand Warmers
Now Managing Director of Gizmo, Hayden continued to build the company he developed in YES. Gizmo is a official licensee of the Rugby World Cup 2011 providing branded Rugby World Cup hand warmers.
2011 will be a big year for Gizmo and New Zealand’s hosting of the Rugby World Club provided an unforeseen opportunity for the Gizmo team. Originally focused on selling disposable hand warmers to sports teams the opportunity to become an official licensee and sell product to game attendees provides a new channel with 40 promotional staff supporting the effort.
Now Auckland based, Hayden has remained connected to fellow YES participants even employing a few of his former YES competitors.
‘YES provided me a base of good, practical experience that can be used in the real world of business and definitely recommend to students’.
Hayden Burford’s three tips for budding entrepreneurs:
- Don’t limit what you can do, always look at ways to improve.
- Working hard at the early stage of a business/idea or career is important and success will likely follow.
- Before making an important decision, do some research so you know what you plan on doing is actually what you want do to.
