Meet James, a student on his journey to becoming an entrepreneur. He shares his experience of studying at Salford and how he got second place in The Big Pitch Competition.
What brought you to Salford?
I came to university a bit older, whereas a lot of people started fresh from school. I discovered Salford through the postgraduate options, and it opened the portal to what’s available at Salford as of practical learning, facilities and cultures. I thought… I may as well apply to do my undergraduate there.
Tell us a bit about your opportunity with The Big Pitch
A design agency in Leeds called Born Ugly visited our course and challenged us to sell the unsellable, such as rice or air, and make people want to buy it. I went with seeds and invented a product called Bloom Boom, which are sustainable party poppers where confetti are embedded with wildflower seeds.
One week later, I received an email about The Big Pitch which is a competition for Salford students to fund their business idea. I spent a month developing the idea as part of my module and in preparation for The Big Pitch, which was funny because the deadlines were both on the same day. I used my graphic design skills to my advantage by creating a presentation and I got second place.
Currently, as part of my final major project, I’m getting the product ready for market. This includes finalising the product branding, marketing material, the website and any related merchandise. Very busy.
What’s next after Salford?
Currently, I’ve been building up my freelance portfolio for a business called Frogs Mug Studio and developing Bloom Boom. The plan is to get part-time or full-time work in the creative industry and work on these two businesses until one or both make enough money for me to go full-time.
What’s your advice for future students?
If you have a certain purpose you want to follow, follow it. I tried every job under the sun, from a vet, personal trainer, engineer, and a biologist, but everything led back to graphic designing.
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