'Being in that environment surrounded by different people, ideas and opportunities was huge for me'

Let us know a little bit about your background.

I’m from a working-class part of Manchester, where I lived for the first 18 years of my life. At my school it wasn’t really seen as normal for boys to go on to university, so choosing that route already felt like stepping outside of what was expected. My journey began at Failsworth School and then Clarendon Sixth Form College, where I was one of the only boys in my year to go down the sixth-form route rather than straight into a trade.

After that I moved to Leeds to study at Leeds Beckett University. In my first year I lived in the city centre, which helped me settle into university life and get involved in everything on campus, then I moved into student housing in Hyde Park, which gave me a real sense of the student community and the city beyond the classroom.

What did you enjoy most about your studies at LBU, and did you feel the course equipped you with the skills and opportunities to do what you’re doing now?

For me, the most valuable parts of my time at LBU came from the wider university environment rather than the course content itself. Coming from a background where going to university wasn’t really the expected or usual route, just being in that environment surrounded by different people, ideas and opportunities was huge for me, especially awards like EUREKA and other opportunities to speak at events and be pushed out of my comfort zone.

I had the time and freedom to pursue extracurricular activities, enter competitions and join clubs, and those experiences combined with my own drive did far more to shape my future than any single module. I’ve always looked for chances to do that “extra” bit, and when I do, I try to do it properly – not just ticking a box but aiming to deliver it as well as I possibly can.

As valuable as university has been for me, that value came from being in the environment – meeting people, spotting opportunities and pushing myself and that contrast is an important part of my story as a student who’s gone on to build their own business and career, starting from a place where that path wasn’t really the norm.

What does it mean to you to be shortlisted for your achievements at the ENA awards?

I’m really proud to have been shortlisted for the ENAs because I know how much work went into my time at university, and because where I’m from this journey isn’t the “normal” one for someone like me. Coming from a background where most people go straight into work or trades, being recognised at this level for my achievements at university and beyond feels both surreal and significant.

I threw myself into every opportunity I could socially, personally and in a business sense from attending events and joining clubs to consistently putting in long days in the library, especially in third year when I was there for 9-10 hours at a time while balancing everything else. After second year, I went to Dubai for an internship, putting myself in at the deep end to gain experience and skills that would push me further.

In my third year I was aiming for a first-class degree while also building Padel Fit, alongside extracurriculars like the Redmayne Bentley Investment Club and winning awards such as the Eureka Award and Social Enterprise Award. I’ve always tried to do more than the bare minimum. If I commit to something, I don’t just want to turn up, I want to give it everything and deliver it to the highest standard I can, whatever it is.

That mindset of “if you’re going to do extra, do it properly” has carried me through university and into what I’m doing now, without me ever feeling like any of it was handed to me. At the time, I never really paused to appreciate any of it whenever I achieved something, I went straight back to the grind.

Being shortlisted now feels a bit bittersweet: it’s a chance to finally look back at the work I thought would go unnoticed, and it also shows people from similar backgrounds that you can step outside the usual boxes, do something different, and still succeed. It motivates me to keep thinking outside the box and pushing myself further with my business and career.

What was the idea behind Padel Fit and what are you working on next in your entrepreneurial journey?

Padel Fit was a project I developed during my degree to combine a strong, sustainable business model with real social impact. The aim was to use sport to help tackle issues like low healthy life expectancy for men, youth crime, and the lack of positive outlets for young people who might otherwise be drawn to crime.

My vision with Padel Fit was to give young people a space where they could see a different future for themselves, to help bridge racial divides between communities, and to include care home sessions that reduced isolation for older people, so the project didn’t just make money but genuinely improved lives in a community close to home.

Although Padel Fit is now a past project, it shaped how I think about entrepreneurship and the kind of impact I want my work to have. Right now, I split my time between running my own business and progressing in my career.

I own Real Reformer, a Reformer Pilates studio in Greater Manchester, and I run every aspect of the business from strategy and branding to operations and the overall client experience. Alongside that, I work as Sales and Operations Manager at Great Grass, where my role focuses on driving sales, managing processes and helping the company grow. Having both a business and a job in two very different sectors lets me develop as an entrepreneur and as a professional at the same time, while keeping that same focus on the long-term.