Earn While You Learn

By Will Wainewright

Campus Market Boys
“The fact that we are starting out in business just proves anybody can be enterprising.” So says Scott Murphy, one half of the student team behind York Student Market, a new enterprise venture setting out to supply students on campus with a regular market space to exchange goods.

Minutes earlier his business partner Matthew Freckelton has announced the clearing of a cheque to Companies House, a payment that finalises their status as owners of a limited company.

Both leading members of York Entrepreur Soc and Interns at CETLE (Centre for Excellence in the Teaching and Learning of Enterprise), the University’s enterprise centre in Vanbrugh, the pair have been planning their first steps into the world of business for some months.

“We spotted a gap in the market that no one is doing anything to plug and thought we would give it a go,” says Freckelton. “We hope York Student Market can become a mainstay service on campus and benefit students for years to come.”

“It’s an exciting opportunity to put the skills we have learnt into place,” adds Scott Murphy, a final year History student. The pair have made use of the facilities on offer at CETLE, where photo, video and web editing software is available, along with providing the all-important postal address and meeting space essential to anyone wanting to start up.

The pair do not see owning their own business as the ultimate goal, but as a means to building experience and enhancing their CV.

“We have not done this purely to line our pockets,” says Freckleton. “It has just been a really good experience and we hope that, if successful, York Student Market can become a permanent fixture on campus.”

The New Alan Sugar
2004 music graduate George Hudson may not fit the obvious template for an entrepreneur – but he believes this proves anyone is equipped for business, whatever their subject.

“You don’t have to study business studies to go into business,” says the founder of Entrepreneur Soc and Big Band Soc. “I made the most of my time at university and that is the most important thing for the entrepreneur as the experience really sets you up for later in life.”

Alongside his campus creations, Hudson went into business while at university, setting up the VIP bar card scheme in York and Leeds.

After graduating he won a place on the Kauffman Scholarship, a government initiative that sends promising business stars of the future to America to study at Harvard and Stanford. “America has a really encouraging business environment for the entrepreneur,” explains Hudson.

Upon his return to the UK he set up GH Media which offers creative services and consulting in the advertising industry. His most recent project is Tuney, a sort of audio Youtube that links up student radio stations.
Just 22, Hudson has some advice for entrepreneurs looking to follow in his footsteps. “Take advantage of UK regional agencies, you can get some good funding. And never forget the importance of networking – that is the most important thing for people starting up on their own.”

YUSU Prez
Alongside graduating last year and becoming YUSU President at, Tim Ngwena has spared the time to set up a registered company.

Magik3 Design Studios produces K3 hosting, which offers free web hosting for student societies.

Time management is obviously not a problem for Ngwena, who says that “setting up on your own means you end up valuing time and consequently, you start to get more and more done with it.”

Ngwena was runner up last year in the Real World Entrepreneur of the Year Awards and puts it down as his single most important achievement to date.

“Alongside recognition it gave me a much more focused sense of purpose as to what I was doing and made me think critically about where I was going with it.”

Ngwena thinks that starting up as a student “gives you real independenceand takes the pressure off, especially in the current job climate. Just think carefully about what you are doing and why.”

YUSU’s poster boy remains enthusiastic about York students following in his footsteps and taking on the world of business. “The best thing about owning your own business is freedom. When you run your own business, the way you work is organic and in many ways, naturally works for you.”