Zoe Jackson MBE

Multi-award-winning entrepreneur Zoe Jackson MBE set up the Living the Dream Performing Arts Company at the age of 16 in 2006 to inspire young people and to subsidise her own performing arts training. Zoe is passionate about championing young talent, creating affordable access to the arts and empowering young people to live their dreams. Through the arts and enterprise, she campaigns to raise awareness and support for the challenges facing young people. Zoe's strength as a leader and an inspiring role model is in her passion for engaging and empowering young people.

E: £2k-£5k

Personal Appearances, Motivational Speakers, Keynote Speakers Arts & Culture, Business, Entrepreneurs

Living the Dream has grown to include a school of performing arts, a professional dance company, a talent agency and a charity, the Dream Foundation.

Zoe is passionate about championing young talent, creating affordable access to the arts and empowering young people to live their dreams. Through the arts and enterprise, she campaigns to raise awareness and support for the challenges facing young people. Zoe’s strength as a leader and an inspiring role model is in her passion for engaging and empowering young people.

In June 2015, Zoe was honoured in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List with an award of the Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for services to young entrepreneurs and the performing arts. This year Zoe also received the first ‘Queen’s Young Leaders Award’ recognising 60 young people across the Commonwealth who are making a difference in their communities.

Zoe has received numerous other awards including the Women of the Future in the Arts, Media and Culture award with Shell and Future 100 Social Entrepreneurs award with Ernst and Young. She has been listed as one of Cosmopolitan magazine’s “40 fierce women under 40”, Elle Magazine’s “Top 100 Inspiring Women” and recently won the Silver Creative Industries Entrepreneur of the Year with Great British Entrepreneurs.

She has worked as a creative director for global brands including British Airways. She is a regular speaker, inspiring audiences in education and the corporate world with her story, from global CEO’s at Vodafone, sharing a platform with Richard Branson on behalf of young entrepreneurs in the UK to working with students throughout the UK to inspire them to think creatively and entrepreneurially.

Zoe has been instrumental in influencing Government policy, from persuading David Cameron to launch the Start-up Loans Scheme to working with BTEC to redesign performing arts BTEC and Business qualifications.

Sir Richard Branson has given Zoe his support and endorsement since she worked with him and Virgin to campaign for the Government’s Start Up Loans scheme and she is now the London ambassador for Virgin Media Pioneers to inspire young entrepreneurs.