I graduated with BSc Management from Manchester Business School. I have sometimes joked that it involved studying 'a little bit of everything and a lot of nothing.' Over the years I've realised I learned some important models and ways of thinking which have come in very useful.

Subject focus

We covered a comprehensive foundation in business principles, but I was particularly drawn to modules connected with:

• Organisational behaviour and change management
• Social responsibility in business
• Strategic thinking and planning
• Leadership and team dynamics

Extra curricular

University provided opportunities to explore entrepreneurial interests through various startup businesses and involvement in student radio. I found these activities to be as important as the academic work, providing early experience in:

• Team leadership and collaboration
• Project management under pressure
• Creative problem-solving
• Story telling
• Understanding audience and stakeholder needs

How to effect social change towards sustainability?

My dissertation reviewed theories of social change in an attempt to unpack the mechanics through which we could move society in the direction of action on climate change.

Ultimately I found that the inherent complexity of sustainability challenges cause us to outsource our understanding of the issue and that there could be no fixed answers better than committing to continuous thought, reflection and action on living within the ecological bounds of the planet.

It stands up well in many ways, but is naive in one crucial aspect. I thought the worst we could face was apathy. Writing this in 2025 it's apparent that even this was optimistic, as climate denial and the popularisation of anti-net-zero policies has taken hold.

Impact

The experience of university built on the workplace experience I'd picked up on my gap year job at LiverpoolFC.tv.

It taught me useful ways of analysing situations and of organising my thoughts. I learned theories of culture, sustainability and operations. It was a chance to begin a lifelong habit of thinking deeply about our world and the impact that business has on it.