{"id":26776,"date":"2025-02-28T17:24:26","date_gmt":"2025-02-28T17:24:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/news\/?p=26776"},"modified":"2025-02-28T17:24:26","modified_gmt":"2025-02-28T17:24:26","slug":"hobbyists-unite-in-new-series-of-tvs-make-it-at-market","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.open.ac.uk\/blogs\/news\/business-law\/hobbyists-unite-in-new-series-of-tvs-make-it-at-market\/","title":{"rendered":"Hobbyists unite in new series of TV’s Make it at Market"},"content":{"rendered":"

This week sees the return of the popular and award-winning series Make it at Market<\/span><\/span><\/a>,<\/span> <\/span>which follows the fortunes of several keen entrepreneurs, hoping to turn their hobby into their livelihood.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

A new 15-part <\/span>OU\/BBC co-produced series<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>will <\/span>begin<\/span> on <\/span>BBC One<\/span> and <\/span><\/span>BBC iPlayer<\/span><\/span><\/a> from Monday March 3 on weekdays at 15:45 across three weeks.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It’s all set in a unique, life-changing boot camp on the grounds of Waterperry Gardens in Oxfordshire, where maker-in-chief Dom Chinea and a hand-picked team of extraordinary professional mentors help these budding makers turn their hobbies and skills into successful businesses.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

They have eight weeks to prove they have what it takes to put the advice they\u2019ve been given into practice and start building a successful business.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Open University has two academic consultants on the series, both from The Open University Business School<\/a>, Professor Richard Blundel and Dr Aqueel Waga.<\/p>\n

Prof Richard Blundel<\/a> has studied the growth process in a wide variety of craft businesses, including cheesemakers and furniture makers.\u00a0 He has also conducted research on improving the environmental performance of small and medium sized enterprises.\u00a0 He\u00a0commented:<\/p>\n

\u201cI am pleased that the OU has collaborated with this new series. The programme offers viewers accessible, thought-provoking insights into the task of converting a personal hobby into a truly sustainable business – the challenges and the opportunities.<\/p>\n

“As they follow each craftsperson along their learning journey, viewers can also see how important it is to seek support, and the vital role that mentors can play in this process.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Dr Aqueel Waga<\/a>‘s research examines the processes and practices that drive the emergence and development of socially and environmentally sustainable small-scale businesses, a key theme at the Centre for Social and Sustainable Enterprise (CSSE)<\/a> at The Open University Business School.<\/p>\n

He said:<\/p>\n

“I am delighted to be part of the new OU-BBC co-production series, which offers valuable insights into transforming hobbies into sustainable businesses.<\/p>\n

“This series shares entrepreneurial experiences and underscores the importance of seeking support from mentors and networks to effectively access and utilise entrepreneurial resources.<\/p>\n

“The focus is not only on for-profit business purposes but also on the value of craft entrepreneurs in responsibly using resources to establish eco-friendly and sustainable ventures\u201d.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Supporting Online Content:<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Visit our <\/span>Broadcast & Partnerships site,<\/span><\/b> OU Connect<\/span><\/a>, to discover valuable information and advice on turning your hobby into a thriving business from presenter Dom Chinea, series mentors, and the OU\u2019s academic consultants. Explore the interactive, read the flipbook, and watch the interviews.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This series was commissioned by <\/span>Broadcast & Partnerships<\/span><\/a> and is supported by the Faculty of Business and Law, with particular relevance to <\/span>Q91 | BA (Honours) Business Management<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>F61 | Master in Business Administration<\/span><\/a> and<\/span> Q61 | BA\/BSc (Honours) Design and Innovation<\/span><\/a>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n