THE ENTREPRENEURS
ACADEMY.

Where things stand today →

Dave HamletFOUNDER · ENTREPRENEUR · EX-MILITARY

DAVE HAMLET / FOUNDER

I WASN’T THE
OBVIOUS SUCCESS STORY.

I’m Dave Hamlet. State-school educated. Neurodivergent. Into the Army at sixteen. I learned by doing, getting things wrong and finding a way forward.

My route took me from serving in Northern Ireland at eighteen to becoming Commercial Director at Monster Energy, while building ventures of my own.

After building Zoom1hr, I lost it. I had to start again. That comeback became D&G Group Holdings, bringing together D&G Consultants, distribution and our own brands. Building again showed me that what I had learned could work in another business.

That is what I want young people to see at the Academy. They will work alongside us in the businesses we run today, see how we make decisions and have a go themselves. I can share what worked, what went wrong and how I built again.

YOU DON’T HAVE TO START A BUSINESS. LEARNING TO BACK YOURSELF AND WORK THROUGH A PROBLEM IS USEFUL WHATEVER YOU DO.THE BELIEF BEHIND THE ACADEMY
01 · STATE SCHOOL02 · BRITISH ARMY03 · MONSTER ENERGY04 · ZOOM1HR: BUILT IT & LOST IT05 · THE COMEBACK: D&G GROUP HOLDINGS06 · HELPING OTHERS GET STARTED

MY STORY / THE AWARD

ENTREPRENEUR
OF THE YEAR.

BRITISH EX-FORCES IN BUSINESS AWARDS · 2021

Winning this was one of the proudest moments of my life.

The business behind that story was Zoom1hr, the delivery company I co-founded. We were early to offer food and convenience delivery for independent businesses and communities outside the big cities.

I built it quietly alongside a senior leadership role at Monster Energy. I won the Co-op deal, helping bring grocery delivery to towns and rural communities across Wales and the English border. Zoom1hr was valued at £9.3m before the raise. We then raised £1m in six weeks.

DAVE HAMLET · FOUNDER, THE ENTREPRENEURS ACADEMY

Meet the team behind the Academy ↓

2021 award record ↗ · Co-op’s partnership announcement ↗

British Ex-Forces in Business Awards trophy: Entrepreneur of the Year, David Hamlet, Lyfe Linez.
David Hamlet · Entrepreneur of the Year · 2021

HOW WE GOT HERE

IT STARTED WITH
A SCHOOL TALK.

A school talk led to more visits, placements and workshops. Over six years, that work became the idea for the Academy.

DURING COVID

The first classroom.

Dave delivered a virtual careers talk at The Belvidere School through a webcam during lockdown.

YEAR AFTER YEAR

Keeping the door open.

Six work experience and careers sessions at Shrewsbury Colleges Group, returning to work with students year after year.

THE NEXT DOOR

A voice for business.

Dave earned a seat on the Skills Advisory Panel at Shrewsbury Colleges Group, representing the business community as a neurodivergent entrepreneur.

1 MAY 2026

From idea to action.

At Shrewsbury School’s fifth Enterprising Futures Conference, Dave and Tom delivered “From Idea to Action”. Students heard from both the founder and the former placement student who had become his business partner.

9 JULY 2026

Back to Belvidere.

Dave and Andy Goff delivered a full-day entrepreneurs workshop for 25 students at The Belvidere School, their first workshop together. After the opening session, groups used working booklets to develop business plans over three to four hours. They then pitched to the chief executive of Shropshire Chamber of Commerce and other guests, who helped judge the ideas.

WHAT COMES NEXT

The Entrepreneurs Academy.

A place where students can keep working on their ideas after the school session ends.

THE TEAM

THE PEOPLE
BEHIND IT.

Dave knows business. Andy knows schools. Richard brings in local businesses that can help.

Dave Hamlet

FOUNDER / ENTERPRISE

DAVE HAMLET

Dave rebuilt through D&G Group Holdings and is its founder and CEO. Through D&G Consultants, he brings the team and practical business experience behind the Academy.

He sits on the Skills Advisory Panel at Shrewsbury Colleges Group, connecting local education with opportunities in business.

Andy Goff

TEAM / EDUCATION

ANDY GOFF

Thirty years working as a teacher, school leader and in education technology.

Andy has launched products across Europe with Sony, Microsoft, Apple, Toshiba and Oxford University Press, and led the schools video-coaching rollout across the UK and India.

Through his work as AndyAI, he helps us work with schools and understand what their students need.

Richard Canfer Taylor

TEAM / BUSINESS NETWORK

RICHARD
CANFER TAYLOR

Richard, D&G Consultants’ Business Development Director, connects the Academy with the county’s business community and the founding partners who can help fund the first cohort.

He works with the chamber and local businesses to find support for the students.

Photography: D&G Consultants · Interactive Opportunities.