I am an EU student who moved to London around four years ago to pursue my studies and build a long-term career. When I first enrolled on my foundation course at ARU London, I was faced with an important decision about how to support myself financially while studying. Like many students in London, I considered taking on part-time jobs such as Uber driving or other temporary work. However, I also had a strong ambition to build something of my own.
At the time, I had very limited financial resources, and the only support available to me was my student loan. Although the amount was modest and challenging for London living costs, I decided to use my first student loan payment to start importing small products from China and building my own brand from day one. That decision became the foundation of my entrepreneurial journey.
Today, that small beginning has grown into two expanding UK brands. Kentures focuses on electric vehicle charging solutions, while Trendlox operates in the health and beauty technology sector. Our products are now available across major UK platforms and retailers including Amazon, Tesco Marketplace, Superdrug, The Range, BrandAlley, and several others.
What inspired me to start my business was my strong belief in independence, innovation, and the desire to create something meaningful that can positively impact society. I have always believed in working for myself, building opportunities, and contributing value through entrepreneurship.
The support from Mike and the Enterprise Team has been extremely valuable throughout my journey. I still remember one of my first meetings with Mike when I spoke about looking for investors. His advice completely changed my mindset. He explained that investors are not simply searching for ideas; they are interested in structured, growing businesses that demonstrate real progress and commitment. That advice pushed me to focus on building and growing the business first instead of depending on external funding too early. Since then, Mike has continued to be a great mentor and source of inspiration.
My course at ARU London has also played a major role in shaping my business journey. Studying International Business gave me a much broader understanding of how businesses operate professionally, especially in areas such as international trade, management, strategy, and business development. Many of the lessons I learned during my studies have directly influenced the way I run and expand my businesses today.
My advice to students interested in entrepreneurship would be: Start small, believe in your vision, and stay consistent. Do not wait for perfect conditions or expect others to constantly encourage you. Self-belief and persistence are extremely important. Also, do not assume investors will provide money at the beginning — focus first on building something real, even if you start small.