Young Entrepreneurs, Global Perspectives

Entrepreneurship is a global language.

Recently, the Young Entrepreneurs Academy had the pleasure of delivering our Start Your First Business Workshop for Immerse Education at UCL School of Management, bringing together aspiring young people from around the world to explore business management and entrepreneurship.

While much of our work focuses on supporting schools across the UK, this event gave us the opportunity to work with an international cohort of students, each bringing their own experiences, perspectives, and ways of thinking into the room.

One of the most exciting parts of the workshop was seeing how differently each group approached the same challenge. Students were tasked with developing their own business ideas, but no two solutions looked the same. Their cultures, interests, and personal experiences influenced the opportunities they identified, the customers they wanted to serve, and the businesses they created.

It highlighted how diverse perspectives lead to fresh ideas, challenge assumptions, and encourage innovative thinking.

Alongside the practical workshop activities, students also heard directly from two inspiring entrepreneurs who shared honest insights into what building a business really looks like.

Paolo Ben Salmi, entrepreneur, TEDx speaker, author, and founder of THE B!G QUESTION, spoke about his entrepreneurial journey, the importance of purpose, and the lessons he has learned from starting businesses at a young age.

Abi Oyepitan, founder of LIHA Beauty, former Olympian, and brand adviser, shared her experience of building a globally recognised brand and the resilience required to grow a business over time.

Rather than presenting entrepreneurship as a perfect journey, both speakers gave students a realistic view of the challenges, setbacks, and opportunities that come with building something from the ground up.

One of the highlights of many of our workshops is hearing from our guest entrepreneurs. There is something very valuable about learning from people who have built businesses themselves. Students have the opportunity to ask questions, hear honest stories about the highs and lows of entrepreneurship, and gain practical insights that go far beyond a textbook.

Thank you to Immerse Education and UCL School of Management for inviting us to be part of such a fantastic programme, and to our facilitators, Paul Herman and Dennis, for leading two engaging workshop sessions.