Tag Archives: Pioneer Programme

“I’ve been given the skills and confidence to put my ideas out into the world”

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MSc Culinary Innovation Management student, Annabel Ola, shares her experience of taking part in Birkbeck’s Pioneer Programme and winning the 2022 Pioneer Award. 

Tell us about your business idea, what is BEKIRI?  

BEKIRI exists to expand the boundaries of modern luxury patisserie. The fusion of classic recipes and African ingredients will offer a new dimension of cultural discovery and appreciation for customers. 

How did BEKIRI come into existence?  

I’ve always loved food. On a trip to Paris, I was in local patisseries, impressed by everything but also unable to find anything I really identified with. So, I started my own specialty cheesecake market stall in my local area, hoping to fill that gap. It worked for a while, but I realised I wanted something a bit more intricate. That’s how I came upon the idea of BEKIRI.  

You had the idea, then what?  

I decided to do the MSc Culinary Innovation Management at Birkbeck, a course run in conjunction with Le Cordon Bleu London Culinary Arts Institute. While it’s not a programme on how to make a patisseries, it is about how to manage and run a food establishment – perfect for what I wanted and needed for BEKIRI.   

How did you get involved in the Pioneer Programme?  

My course was great at providing skills and knowledge for the practical management and operational side of things. But I also wanted something to help me with the vision and implementation of a business strategy. I knew Birkbeck offers lots of support for students with entrepreneurial ideas, so I was actively looking at the different schemes and came across Pioneer on the Enterprise webpage. EnterpriseEnterpriseEnterprise webpageEnterprise webpage page. One of my lecturers also recommended the programme, so I signed up. 

How was it?  

So useful! Through the programme, I was able to take something that was just an idea, identify the different areas to consider, then take action to make it a reality. I learned how to make a really clear business plan, and even got support on developing knowledge in areas like finance and marketing. We were matched with buddies – other students who had their own expertise and knowledge in specific areas – and I’ve created a marketing strategy and set up the financial side of things with the help of mine. I also got feedback and a session on pitching. I’ve never been keen on public speaking, and it was obvious that I was nervous during my entry pitch. By the time I did my final pitch, I was praised for being calm, confident and clear! 

 

Other than practical skills, what are some of your biggest takeaways?  

I’ve been given the skills and confidence to put my ideas out into the world. It’s given me the self-belief to put resources or pitch packs together, contact people, and make unique connections. The fact that I was doing all of this alongside a community of fellow entrepreneurs was also really helpful. All the finalists are still in touch and so supportive of one another.   

Would you recommend the Pioneer programme to current or prospective students?  

100%! It’ll give you a support network, contacts and knowledge to build your confidence. When I joined the programme at the start, I wasn’t convinced I’d enter the competition. By the end, my confidence had grown so much that I decided to enter – and I ended up winning! Even if you don’t win, it’s so valuable. You pick up so many skills and contacts, it’s a great springboard.  

What’s next?  

The prize money is going into product development to get an initial menu together. I’ve pitched for BEKIRI to trade at Mercato Mayfair – an upscale foodhall with a focus on sustainability and uniqueness – and there’s interest from them. I’m also looking for more opportunities to pitch my business and figure out what strategy is best to get more funding. Someone that I met on the programme is helping me figure that out too! I’m so excited that it’s coming together… I can’t wait to see where I can take BEKIRI next. 

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How I’ve found my first term at Birkbeck

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Wojciech Zaluski, MSc International Marketing student, shares his experiences of his first term at Birkbeck, reflecting on how he’s found in-person lectures and what the most enjoyable aspects of his course have been so far.

My first term at Birkbeck was my first formal interaction with the British education system and my reappearance within formal learning – it’s been a long time since I finished my Master’s degree in Philosophy at the Jagiellonian University in Poland.

As 2021 was another year overshadowed by the COVID-19 pandemic, before the start of the term we were informed that we could choose whether we study in-person or join lectures and seminars online. I chose to study in-person, and as I am studying part time, my first term only had two modules and classes took place during the evenings, due to Birkbeck’s evening teaching model.

In my first term, I found having in-person lectures to be really stimulating; the lecturers are very approachable and engage us in conversations. Students are encouraged to talk to each other and share their insights, and because classes are very international with students from all walks of life, those conversations are especially interesting. I was able to share my thoughts and exchange my ideas with students from Japan, Brasilia, USA, Ukraine, and the UK.

In all our lectures, what we were learning was strongly focused on the state of culture and society now, so it all felt very relevant. We were asked to discuss articles that highlighted how the internet is shaping our society and economy and at the same time how COVID-19 is shaping the marketing strategies of big companies. My first module was in Strategic Marketing Management, and we were assigned a group project. I joined a group of students from the USA, England, and Portugal, and we worked together on developing a marketing strategy for Netflix. Grace, a fellow student from the USA, proposed we should focus on the needs and interests of Gen Z, the generation born between 1997 to 2012. That was very interesting for me as someone who represents Gen X/Millennials.

Everything relating to your studies is organised through an online system that allows students to choose their options, check their agenda, and access study materials. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised how well everything works and how easy it is to navigate the online platform. We can focus on our studies, but Birkbeck has additional options which also are accessible through your online student account. For example, you can sign up to the Library and access lots of books and articles online; you can use the Birkbeck Futures platform to build your professional career; you can join Pioneer, a programme for people looking to develop a new business.

Each class that you have has a recorded version of the lecture available online, which is really helpful as it means you can listen to lectures more than once – I often revisit parts of lectures until I fully understand the concepts being discussed. There is also a reading list, which means you know what to read to understand the topics and you can be prepared when joining live seminar discussions.

Every week, students receive a general newsletter of what is happening at Birkbeck, and it is a wonderful source of information to learn what Birkbeck has to offer outside your studies. You can learn about job fairs, activities organised by the Birkbeck Students’ Union, and interesting things that are going on.

In summary, going into my second term, I feel energised and inspired to explore the subjects on my own. I am looking forward to learning more and getting a better understanding of modern marketing. I am also looking forward to meeting other students again, and I feel that in the second term we will feel more at ease and more open to sharing our ideas.

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How Birkbeck has helped me achieve three of my biggest dreams

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Faranak Pourzamanie attended the recent Certificate Holder Celebration, after completing a Certificate of Higher Education in Management. Faranak is now studying BSc Management with Accountancy and Finance at Birkbeck, and explains how Birkbeck has changed her life.

Faranak Pourzamanie

As a completely new student to the UK’s education system, Birkbeck has given me the great opportunity of achieving not one, but in fact three, of my biggest dreams.

Firstly, I was able to enter university through Birkbeck’s Certificate of Higher Education in Management. I came to the UK with my family and had no qualifications, and I was reluctant to spend extra years at college to get into university. After two frustrating years of applying to different universities, my friend introduced me to Birkbeck and told me to apply for their Certificate of Higher Education in Management. I was hopeless, but I didn’t give up and applied. I was elated when Birkbeck accepted my application and gave me the opportunity to “jump” to higher education. Even though academic study wasn’t that easy, I had great support from the College which helped me achieve my Certificate of Higher Education.

Secondly, another dream of mine was to open my own business. Studying at Birkbeck gave me the opportunity to partake in the Pioneer programme, which introduced me to resources and people who have started their entrepreneurial journey. Listening to a number of guest speakers at Birkbeck events also really inspired me to set up my business. The Pioneer programme really helped me shape my business idea and make it happen. I have now started my online business selling saffron, and I’m applying the knowledge I have from the programme as well as getting help and advice from people I met through the programme.

Lastly, the final dream was getting a job while studying at university. Networking with one of the guest speakers after a lecture allowed me to know more about working in the corporate world. This individual has trusted me by putting me in front of the right people, which has opened the doors to the beginning of my career.

In conclusion, one small step to Birkbeck has given me so much in such a short time. I’m so happy that I had the College’s help in my life journey so far. Soon I will be graduating from my undergraduate degree at Birkbeck, BSc Management with Accountancy and Finance, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.

Certificate Holder Celebration

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