What course did you study?  

I graduated from Queen’s Business School in 2019 with a degree in BSc International Business with French.   

 

Why did you choose this course?  

I have grown up around business, being surrounded by my family-owned company. Additionally, I have always had a love for languages, and so this course perfectly combined my two interests.   

 

Did you do a placement whilst at Queen’s? 

For my placement year I worked in adVentures Startup Studio in Paris. The company combines technologies and entrepreneurial talents to breed innovative start-ups that create value, and ultimately contribute to the common good. For my role I worked in Business Development, whereby I assisted in three very early-stage start-ups.   

 

What has your career path been since graduation? 

Once I graduated, I was the Director and Co-founder of ‘Dip’, which was a local tech start-up. I worked in Business Development alongside four other co-founders.  

I then joined the Queen's University SU Enterprise team. In this role I advise student entrepreneurs on their business ideas. I also run a programme whereby I teach aspiring female entrepreneurs about business.   

Alongside my job with SU Enterprise, I also run my own business ‘VAVA Influence’, which I started in 2020 alongside my co-founder Chloe. The purpose of our company is to connect businesses with social media influencers for promotional marketing purposes.   

 

How did your degree prepare you for your current job role?  

My degree has been instrumental in preparing me for my current career in several ways. Firstly, it equipped me with the skills to navigate diverse personalities and working styles within a team, fostering adaptability and effective collaboration—an invaluable asset in any professional setting.

Additionally, my coursework delved into the intricacies of international and global business, providing insights that have proven useful in my current role.

The practical exposure gained during my professional placement further improved my understanding of working in a formal environment, bridging the gap between theory and real-world application.

Beyond academics, my engagement in extracurricular activities, particularly in sports and enterprise competitions, has imparted practical knowledge about teamwork and the challenges inherent in start-up environments.   

Collectively, these experiences from my degree have laid a solid foundation for success in my current career by shaping my skills, fostering adaptability, and offering insights applicable to the professional landscape. 

 

What were your favourite courses, modules or educational takeaways from your time at Queen's and why were they impactful?  

I enjoyed the International Business module and learning about how business is done all over the world, the complexities of managing international subsidiaries, and how culture varies in a business setting. I am grateful for this experience as I am not sure I would have had the opportunity to learn about these things until faced with them in the future and having to learn on the job. 

 

Did you study abroad? If so, where and what did you gain from this experience? 

I studied abroad in Paris and from this experience I gained lots of life experience, built resilience, and gained an increase in my international awareness. 

 

Did you do any extra-curricular activities whilst at Queen’s? How did this help you to advance personally and professionally?    

During my time at Queen’s, I was in the 1st ladies rowing team, which allowed me to build friendships and stay active while studying. As well as being a member of a competitive sports team, I took part in numerous business events and competitions such as QUB Dragons Den, the Make it Happen fund, and InnovateHer. I also took Italian lessons at the language centre due to my love for languages.  

These activities enhanced my university experience exponentially in terms of learning, friendships, and the learning of occupational skills such as time management and teamwork 

 

What advice do you have for someone considering studying at Queen’s Business School?   

The advice I would give to prospective students is to engage with your lecturers and classmates, as they will quickly become your valuable network. I also believe that you should take note of the courses and modules that you have a particular interest in, as this will come in handy after you graduate and help inform your career decisions.

Finally, get involved with everything at university! It can provide you with so much more than just a degree. 

 

 What career advice would you give someone looking to go down a similar career path as you?    

Networking is so key for this industry, so make sure you build your connections and LinkedIn profile early as it can become extremely helpful. Push yourself out your comfort zone and put yourself in rooms, situations, and events where you are one of the least experienced people in the room and listen more than you speak – be like a sponge and absorb everything! 

 

What has been your career highlight so far?   

I have so many to list! A memorable moment for me is the very first VAVA Awards, which is a red-carpet occasion that brings together under one roof, the best-of-the-best Content Creators from the North and South of Ireland to celebrate all that they have achieved.   

Another highlight was creating Northern Irelands first ever TikTok House which aimed to bring content creators together to live and collaborate on content production. We hosted 8-10 Northern Ireland based influencers. A total of 96 videos were made by the residents for the TikTok platform and they generated 269,301 likes and 4046 comments.   

I was fortunate enough to feature in the Belfast Telegraph as one of NI’s 30 Under 30, which profiles 30 of Northern Ireland’s best business minds under the age of 30 and was interviewed on how I got started.  

Finally, another achievement was being promoted to a permanent member of staff at SU Enterprise. 

 

 

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