A recent graduate from University College London has shared her journey from facing 100 job rejections to becoming a founder at age 22. Despite graduating with a first in Geography, making the Dean's list, and having her dissertation nominated for a prize, she struggled to secure employment. She applied to roles in communications, consultancy, and charities but received no offers.
She noted that many of her peers faced similar challenges, with 1.2 million graduate applications for only 17,000 roles in 2024. Over one million young people in the UK are currently not in education or employment, and 84% of them actively want a job or training. She also highlighted the burden of student debt, with the average graduate in England owing around £53,000.
After months of rejection, she decided to create her own opportunity. Using prize money from a pitch competition, she founded a storytelling agency, Empower Sounds Media, which was later incubated at UCL's startup incubator. Within a year, she was named one of the UK's Top 100 Female Founders by Small Business Britain and returned to UCL as a guest lecturer.
She advises graduates to think entrepreneurially and build unconventional paths. Winning even a small amount of prize money gave her the confidence to pitch to major companies like Google and Chanel. She emphasises that skills alone are no longer enough and encourages graduates to create their own opportunities.
