About Me
Job title: Deputy Director, Student Entrepreneurship and Enterprise
Degree: MA in Marketing and Chartered Marketer.
My professional journey has three chapters. I began as a professional marketer, working for 15 years on several global brands such as Land Rover and Barclays, then a scale-up in financial services business before moving into higher education, where I’ve been for the last 15 years. As an Associate Professor of Marketing I loved the chance to educate and inspire young marketers, teaching them about a discipline I love, hopefully inspiring them about their future.
These two chapters led me to my current role, where my knowledge of business, my experience of creating products and brands, as well as my approach to student engagement means I can support our students and graduates to realise their start-up ambitions.
Briefly describe your current role.
I lead the B-Enterprising team, the team dedicated to helping students and graduates gain new entrepreneurial skills and start their own businesses. I know everyone says this, but we really do have the best job in the university. We get to work with a wide range of disciplines, staff from across the whole university, inspiring alumni and most importantly ambitious students and graduates who want to turn their great ideas into reality. We’ve supported a business that has designed a new material that creates water from air, ones that are disrupting the art industry and EdTech, and everything in between.
What is the biggest mistake you have made since graduating and what have you learned from it?
Not assessing an opportunity correctly. Once when I was head hunted by a company, I was too flattered by this to judge whether this was the right organisation for me, it wasn’t!
Working in marketing has taught me the importance to understand the true value of an opportunity, an important skill in all parts of your professional life. Self-awareness and being able to assess the right time to move and the next step is essential for future success. It will stop you making the wrong choice but more importantly it will help you be more curious and interested in what is happening around you, allowing you to seize – even create – your own opportunities.
What is the best piece of advice you have been given?
Be curious you just never know what you might find! I’ve already said how important curiosity is, and it is obviously an important attribute in learning but it’s a skill needed throughout your career. We’ve recently updated our Graduate Attributes under the three areas of Intellectually Curious, Future Focused and Practical Wisdom. These in-demand skills are critical as they help you see if things should be done differently, more efficiently, or creatively. Skills needed professionally no matter the sector, whether you work for yourself or a large multi-national organisation.
What have you learned since graduating that could be helpful to other graduates?
Building and maintaining a strong professional network is crucial, so stay connected at every stage of your journey.
Can you recommend us something?
Be open to exploring different career paths and opportunities, even if they’re not exactly what you envisioned after graduation. Some of our most successful founders didn’t set out to start their own business but they saw an opportunity and took it! This is when UoB Elevate, the university’s dedicated incubator, can help. We support students and graduates realise the potential of their ideas. The Elevate programme consists of workshops, events, mentoring and business support, even scholarships. This wide range of support and networking opportunities takes place within a growing community of entrepreneurial students and graduates at The Exchange in the heart of the city centre. The next deadline for applications is 27th June 2024 for those interested in getting support for their start-up. Further information and links to apply can be found here