Success Stories
Want to know more about the students and graduates who have been there and done it? Read about some recent successful graduate business and the people behind them?
James Taylor, Sportstars Ltd
James Taylor, a graduate of the School of Pyschology at Cardiff University, established Sportstars in Feb 2005, a company providing sports coaching for children aged 4-12. Sportstars started out focusing on the holiday courses and getting kids engaged in sports outside of school, but as the business developed teaching in schools has turned into its main activity. In 2006, James won the Shell Livewire Young Entrepreneur of the Year award for Wales.
What is the secret of your success?
I am ambitious, set my goals high and have the heart to achieve them. I love what I do and employ the right people who follow the same dream. Yes, I want to make money and, yes, I want to grow my business – but I couldn’t do it without a passion for the subject. I have also created big fans out of my customers, so they act as ambassadors.
What does it feel like to be the boss of your own company?
Fantastic. The freedom to go on holiday when you want, start when you want, go to the gym in the middle of the day and decide what money you earn is great. I do things my own way and I know that the harder I work, the luckier I get.
How has Cardiff University helped you in your career?
I developed the company from my academic knowledge of child psychology and teacher training which I added to my coaching skills. It gave me a good overview. I was also supported by an entrepreneur scholarship from the Knowledge Exploitation Fund, which gives higher education institutions the funding to promote entrepreneurship and innovation. My full-time employees are either graduates of Cardiff University or the University of Wales Institute, Cardiff, and my part-time staff are all undergraduates.
Josephine Becket, Whereareyounow
Josephine Beckett graduated in 2004 with a BA Journalism. She then went on to start whereareyounow? a fashion design company initially based in Cardiff and is now located in London.
How were the knowledge and skills you gained at University of use to you?
I think University gave me the confidence I needed to succeed in business. I am not afraid to ask questions, negotiate deals or organise staff and I believe this is largely due to my excellent tutors at Cardiff. Organisation, and the ability to set your own - and meet - deadlines, are also invaluable skills instilled in you through your degree course.
What made you decide to start up your own business? Briefly describe the process you went through to get the business off the ground.
I have always hated narrowing my options and have never excelled at any one thing. At school, I always liked to do a bit of everything and so running my own business suits me perfectly. I can be creative as well as strategic. I can deal with people and numbers alike. I have a genuine passion for what I do and, above all, I love the challenge!
What advice would you give to students thinking of starting their own business?
Know your strengths and don't try and do everything. If you are not a business woman (or man), then concentrate on what you are good at and maybe link up with a more strategic person to push your idea forward. Tell everyone you meet what you are doing - you never know who you're talking to. And lastly, it may sound obvious, but don't even contemplate starting your own business unless you are 100% behind it, otherwise it just won't work.
Gareth Blake, Hipo Hyfryd
Gareth Blake graduated with a BSc Computer Science in 2005. He now runs his own ethical confectionery company Hipo Hyfryd based in Cardiff.
How were the knowledge and skills you gained at University of use to you in your business?
Basic HTML skills were developed during my degree and were useful in developing the web site. Mainly I gained the knowledge that a 9-5 job was definitely not for me and that I needed to do something that would allow me to constantly learn and develop.
What made you decide to start up your own business? Briefly describe the process you went through to get the business off the ground.
I am a very independent person that does things the way I want to do them and sadly in this tragic age of control freak bosses and rigid styles there was no room for me. I discovered both a love of chocolate and a huge gap in the market for ethically produced products so I pounced.
The business was set up very slowly over a period of 3 years. During this time I studied the chemical and crystaline structure of chocolate and came up with ways of making dairy-free truffles that maintained their creaminess. I studied the market and searched for funding. Eventually I found KEF which generously funded my living expenses for 10 months and Design Wales that helped pay for the re-branding of my fledgling company. I am now expanding and growing as fast as I can. Hopefully I will be employing people within 6-12 months.
What advice would you give to students thinking of starting their own business?
Seek funding every where. and never feel stupid for asking advice. Most importantly develop slowly as mistakes made in the early stages do not effect you greatly but if you develop rapidly and make mistakes at a later stage then it will cost you financially and may damage your reputation.