Faith Oni: My start-up journey

Final year BA Childhood Studies student Faith always knew that she wanted to provide support to young people but sought alternative career choices. After receiving support from Essex Startups, she felt inspired to apply for the Santander Universities Explorer Programme and pursue an entrepreneurial pathway.

How it started…

I am a naturally shy person, so I came to Essex filled with a mixture of nervousness and excitement. Growing up in East London, I was keen to find the balance between gaining some independence and being able to pop home when I felt like it – not least to keep my mum happy!

During my second year of study, all of my peers seemed clear that working within a childcare setting was what they wanted to do upon graduation. I didn’t feel the same, so started to think about alternative career options that would allow me to utilise my experience and passion for supporting young people.

I discovered the Essex Startups team and started attending a range of the workshops they offer. I didn’t have a business idea of any sort, but I was eager to understand the process of starting a business. Despite often feeling out of my depth, I acquired a huge amount of knowledge about viability, scalability, market research, and that it’s ok to make mistakes along the way. I attended the first event convinced that I would need to think up a completely unique idea, but the most invaluable lesson was the importance of developing an idea that I was passionate about and aligned with my personal values.

The involvement with Essex Startups instilled in me the power of building a network, be it personal or professional, to enhance opportunities and broaden perspectives. I was inspired to venture out of my comfort zone even further and joined the Public Speaking Society (later becoming the Welfare Officer for the group) and took on the role of Communications Officer for the University’s volunteering scheme (VTeam).

Developing my business idea…

Having considered a number of ideas since embarking on my entrepreneurial journey, I eventually settled of Scholars of Life at the end of last year. Taking account of everything I had learnt from my academic studies, the Essex Startups workshops, and the experience I had gained from my extra-curricular activities, I focused on who I wanted to help and why.

I spent time reflecting on the process I had gone through to reach my current point in life and recognised that there had been significant gaps where educational and career guidance had been lacking. As a teenager I felt very unsure of I wanted to do long term but felt pressured to make the ‘right’ choices at GCSE and for further education in order to pave the way for my career. What I needed was personalised advice that recognised my interests, academic strengths, extra-curricular activities, and ultimate ambitions.

Scholars for Life is a platform that supports young people in the decision-making process within compulsory education and beyond. The purpose of the platform is to facilitate connections between young people and education/career advisors and sector-specific professionals in order to provide tailored guidance, industry insight, and explore opportunities to gain relevant paid or voluntary work experience. My aim is to empower young people to make informed decisions to maximise their educational and employment potential.

Working with Santander Universities…

I never expected to be selected for the Santander Universities Explorer Programme, I signed up to it on a whim. After initially hearing about it via an Essex Startups newsletter, the application process was so simple that decided I had nothing to lose. This 12-week incubator programme has been instrumental in validating my idea, designing a Minimum Viable Product (MVP), and allowing me to work collaboratively with other students from around the world.

Working with the team at Santander Universities has given me the structure to approach building my business plan with confidence and manage my time effectively. They’ve helped me set the SMART goals needed to fulfil my potential and achieve the necessary outcomes.

I was selected as Lite Connector for the group, giving me the responsibility of coordinating communication between the students and programme organisers, which has offered the opportunity to develop my leadership and negotiation skills.

Being part of this programme has offered me a new perspective that encourages me to hold myself accountable every day in order to accomplish the personal and professional objectives I set myself. I have grown as a person throughout the process and feel a renewed sense of determination and belief in my abilities.

What’s next…

I have designed and built my MVP in the form of a multi-layered questionnaire, which will serve as the entry point for my service by gathering the information needed to build a detailed profile of the user and beginning the process of providing tailored educational and careers guidance.

The questionnaire is ready to test with the range of audiences I want to offer my service to, including young people making their GCSE and A’ Level choices, and those considering further and higher education.

Despite initially being the ‘convenient’ choice, my time at Essex has exceeded any expectations I had about university life and allowed me to develop my knowledge, skills, and courage. I certainly feel that I will leave enriched by the Essex Spirit and prepared to embrace the opportunities and challenges that come my way.

Words of wisdom…

Feel the fear and do it anyway! I heard this said a couple of years ago and it really resonated with me. It can be applied to anything and forces you to ask yourself ‘what’s the worst that could happen?!’

Make the most of your time at university and get involved with the clubs and services that interest you. Being involved in the Public Speaking Society provided me with an introduction to the world of business, giving me the chance to work as Exhibition Assistant for the Excel Baby Show 2023. Without this involvement, I wouldn’t have had the courage or experience needed to speak to 150 people over the course of three days or have felt confident managing the stall alone. More possibilities open up when you put yourself out there and can help you to overcome feelings of tedium with your studies and imposter syndrome.

Don’t wait for tomorrow if you can do it today, just get started – by being focused and getting stuck-in you are only going to gain.

Find out more

If you have a potential business idea, or are interested in developing your business skills, find out more about the training, events and support Essex Startups offers to current students and recent graduates.

Applications are now open Santander Universities Explorer 2023 Autumn Programme. The Explorer programme helps student entrepreneurs develop their business ideas and experience what life as an entrepreneur could look like. For 12 weeks, participants will work on their idea, turning it into a viable solution that helps contribute towards the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Apply now for the Santander Universities Explorer Programme.