Funky entrepreneurs pick up a top award

11:07am Thursday 22nd March 2001

A business set up by pupils at Haberdasher's Aske's School for Boys in Elstree won an award at a trade fair recently.

The Funky Furball Company, set up by pupil Kumal Koya, won this year's award for customer service at the annual young enterprise trade fair, held at the Galleria Outlet Centre in Hatfield.

The fair is held every year by the Young Enterprise organisation, to encourage pupils to try and run their own businesses. This year 29 companies from Hertfordshire took part.

After nearly a year in business the Funky Furball Company is expected to break even or make a small profit, and economics teacher Liam Canny said he was proud of his students for running it so well.

"I am delighted, especially with Kumal, the managing director. He has a good business strategy and shows strong leadership qualities.

"They manufactured furballs, which are ping pong balls covered in fur, and they became different characters at different times of the year. There was a furball for Father Christmas and another on Valentines Day."

He said the exercise was valuable because students learned the harsh reality of what it is like to run a business in the real world, and gained expert advice from two retired businessmen, John Hible and Clive Waugh.