This time last year, Bright One was just the spark of an idea. It wasn’t until SHINE, the UnConference for Social Entrepreneurs, before we took this social idea into action.

SHINE gives you the chance to come together with other social entrepreneurs: form practical collaborations, develop and pitch your ideas and debate the future of social enterprise. Bright One was pitched to a panel of judges at last year’s event and, though it didn’t win the money up for grabs, it paved the way for us to become the fully operaitonal organisation we are today.

The UnConference format is peer-created, many to many, pick and mix and a knowledge-ecology. That means:

- You generate content and we offer you the platform
- Choose what you go to
- Don’t just listen – speak out, have a conversation
- Network with social entrepreneurs at all stages of business

So what can you expect? SHINE09 offers three key threads of content:

• Inspiration: The stories of those who’ve cut the path. Talk to each other about your ideas, successes and failures and be inspired.

• Context: How is the field of social enterprise developing? What is shaping the context in which you operate? What are the barriers and what are the accelerators?

• Practical Help: a mini business school with high-value sessions contributed from our best Management Consultancies and Business Support Agencies.

All in all, it promises to be a fantastic event. We’ve already bought our tickets, but if you’re yet to buy yours, go to www.shineunconference.com. As an added bonus, you can get money off your ticket to SHINE09 with the promotion code ZAJTUSPP!

So what are you waiting for? A chance to be surrounded by like-minded entrepreneurs and with money off your ticket – go get yours now and we’ll see you there!