F2D-ITC – Daring the Next Generation to Dream

Established to help support children and young people through workshops based entrepreneurship, creativity and mentoring, F2D-ITC is celebrated for providing proven qualified mentors and business owners to impart their knowledge and expertise to ensure that tomorrow’s high-flying decision-makers the relevant tools so that they stay ahead of what is an ever-changing world. As qualified mentors and business owners, we would like to pass on our knowledge, experience and expertise to the next generation, with a view to assisting them to succeed and navigate life with a positive mind-set.

Created and founded by Marcus Isaac, Daniel Gardiner and Gary Thompson, in Birmingham, together they have a clothing line F2D and is a pastor and mentor and decided to merge the two and teach children about entrepreneurships. Established to help support children and young people through workshops based on entrepreneurship, care, creativity and mentoring, the book came when we were looking for something that was a perfect and permanent memory of our workshops.

Workshops take place at schools and colleges – including Newman University and we’ve just developed a partnership with South and City College Birmingham - throughout Birmingham city a we set out to pass on our knowledge, experience and expertise to the next generation, with a view to assisting them to succeed and navigate life with a positive mind-set.

“I like clothes”, Marcus said, “and I thought it would be a great thing to have our own clothing line. And, that’s where the idea of F2D came to fruition.

“We thought of the idea of opening a clothing shop, then we decided to take it one step further and start a clothing line. People like Miley Cyrus, Soulja Boy, Ed Sheeran, Zendaya, Dizzee Rascal, people off Love Island have taken up on our clothing line.”

Daniel, who works at Starbanks School, in his home city, explains the book: “We decided to do the book – which covers all angles on how to be an entrepreneur and how to set-up businesses from a young age; like how to start a business, marketing and branding.

“But, as well as that, we care about the pastoral side and wellbeing of children and young people. We teach them how to believe in themselves. We teach and encourage children to create and make their own T-shirts and how to showcase their creations.

“It’s not all about ‘being rich’, or making quick money. Being rich isn’t the be-all-and-end-all. Their mental wellbeing is more important than making money. It’s important to learn about entrepreneurship – especially in today’s world market.

“Believe to achieve!” Instilling a sense of self-sufficiency in the next generation is paramount in the ethos of F2D. “We want to inspire children – especially those in the inner-city areas similar to where we come from,” Marcus said. “We want young people to be proud of themselves and what they have achieved.”

F2D-ITC started two years ago and now, but, despite the inset of the coronavirus pandemic, their book; ‘Entrepreneurship: A Young Person’s Guide’ – which also features a QR code on each page, that when scanned via a phone or tablet, leads the reader to a video covering each chapter of the book, using animation and narration by a member of the team – is set to be stocked in Birmingham Central Library.

“We don’t want to sell the bool. We want the book to be free for children and easy to be picked-up”, Daniel insists. We wrote the book with a view to inspiring and encouraging young people to become the entrepreneurs of tomorrow….. or maybe even today.”  The book now is gaining massive interest in the USA.

Now based in 5 schools in Birmingham, F2D-ITC is really gaining momentum. “This is not about making money,” Marcus says, “it’s about giving back to a community of which I am very much part of. It’s about enlightening the next generation.” Pupils are fully engaged.

Inundated with testimonials from teachers, lecturers and children worldwide the freedom to dream has never been relevant.

‘Entrepreneurship: A Young Persons Guide’ is just another arm in a fast growing F2D-ITC portfolio as they continue to encourage children to be Free 2 Dream!