"From an early age I knew I wanted to run my own company and be a marketer. To do this, I knew I needed a great deal of expertise in the field, as well as experience.”

What did you study at Aston University? 
BSc Business and Management

What year did you graduate? 
2014

Organisation? 
Dandy Marketing

Tell us about your journey so far?

My career started with my placement year during my BSc Business Management Degree at Aston University. I had an extremely successful year at ATS Euromaster, culminating in a full-time offer of employment upon completion of my degree.

Being part of the Michelin group, we dealt with a lot of agencies within the marketing department. It was at this time a friend and colleague of mine wondered, could we do it better? Could we create the perfect Digital Marketing Agency that has the capacity to get results for businesses of all sizes and in all industries. We then created Dandy Marketing, an agency that offers SEO, PPC and Social media marketing for businesses who need to be more visible online.

We're now two years in, and our unique agency business model means that we've supported large multi-nationals as well as one-man bands. All with great success.

Why did you decide to do a BSc?

From an early age I knew I wanted to run my own company and be a marketer. To do this, I knew I needed a great deal of expertise in the field, as well as experience. The degree offered by Aston University allowed me to specialise in marketing and business psychology, meaning I could get a deeper understanding of what it takes to run a marketing business, where I deal with a great variety of people. The degree also offered a year in industry, meaning I could gain valuable experience, putting into practice what I'd learnt.

Why did you decide to study at Aston Business School?

For me, doing a Business degree, it was a no-brainer. Already ranked as one of the top business schools in the country, I could tell as soon as I arrived on the Open day that this was a University that was serious about its Business Degrees. The lecturers comprised of many who had worked at the sharp-end in various different industries, so they could take this 'real-world' experience and apply it to the theory. 

What was the highlight of your BSc experience?

For me, it was the practical side of the courses. For example, within Marketing Strategy, we were able to simulate running a business. It was an extremely effective and engaging way to learn. 

How has the Aston BSc helped your career?

Without the Aston BSc in Business and Management, I wouldn't have started my business today. The modules gave me the confidence and expertise to feel like I could run an agency in my mid-twenties, and the experience I gained through my placement showed me I could perform in a corporate environment.

What is next on the career horizon for you?

My goal is to continue to grow our agency. Our model uses consultants to support us with specialist work, allowing us to concentrate on strategy and client support. By growing our network of consultants, we're able to grow our agency without too much risk or expense. Because of this, we're able to fully focus on getting results for our business, whilst being supported by experts in their field. Whilst we're doing well in the UK, our next goal is to take our services internationally over the next 3 years.

What advice would you give to someone looking to start or run their own business?

Just go for it! We hesitated for about 6 months wondering if it was the right thing to do. Then we realised, what have we got to lose!? You won't know until you try, so my advice is to find something you love doing, find an angle that differentiates you from others and take the plunge. Its the best thing I ever did, and whilst I work ridiculous hours, it never really feels like work. If anything, its fun!