Livity founders win Ernst & Young award

Sam Conniff, co-founder of social enterprise Livity and a 2010 Young Gun, has been named among the winners of the 2011 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of The Year awards.

Conniff and co-founder Michelle Clothier, whose marketing agency works with young people to create communications campaigns for clients such as Google, BBC, O2 and the Cabinet Office, were two of 19 entrepreneurs honoured by Ernst & Young for their achievements in London and the South region.

According to Clothier,  the pair now plan to build on the success of Livity and continue to take more young people on board.

Discussing their latest accolade, Clothier said: ” “When Sam and I found out what amazing people we were shortlisted against in the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur awards, we felt proud to be finalists amongst such amazing leaders and organisations.”

Having lost out in the 2008 Ernst & Young awards to the Big Issue’s Ian MacArthur and John Bird, Clothier claims the wait has been worth it.

“Rather than be disappointed to lose, we felt inspired to go away and ‘be better’ and so we pledged to continue building the business of Livity, proving the concept of Livity and delivering more business and social benefits to our clients and young people in equal amounts… until we were good enough to try again for the awards – and win. Think it, say it, do it. And here we are”.