Interview with Lauren Leisk — BA ( Hons ) Business Management
Management
About you
“ I graduated with a BA ( Hons ) Business Management from QMU in 2016 .”
Why did you did you choose to study BA ( Hons ) Business Management at QMU ?
“ I really enjoyed business subjects throughout my time at Broxburn Academy . I decided to study BA ( Hons ) Business Management at QMU as the course covers a wide range of business related topics and I could choose which employment area I wanted to go into after I graduated .
“ I visited QMU during an open day and I loved the friendly size of the campus compared with other universities in Edinburgh . Most importantly , QMU ’ s graduate employment rate is very high too .
“ I love how modern the QMU campus is and that everything is in the one place . QMU is also a very ‘ green ’ and socially responsible university , which is something I ’ m very passionate about ( the topic of my dissertation ). QMU has such an embracing , friendly environment which makes you feel welcome .”
Why did you choose to study in Edinburgh / Scotland ?
“ I never really considered moving away from home as I ’ m close with my family and friends . Edinburgh is such a beautiful place and I felt there was no better place to study than Scotland ’ s capital city !”
What was the highlight of the course for you ?
“ I really enjoyed the Business Management course . I learnt so much over the four years that I can now put into real life practice .
“ I think the most interesting part for me was in my final year during dissertation time . Carrying out research on a topic that you are so passionate about is such a great experience and although it ’ s a very challenging time , the hard work really pays off once you gain the results .”
What are your top tips for future BA ( Hons ) Business Management students ?
“ If you were like me after leaving high school and had a real interest in business , but not sure which business path you ’ d like to embark on , then BA ( Hons ) Business Management at QMU covers everything from accounting and human resources to entrepreneurship and procurement . You can discover what subject you ’ re most interested in and what area might suit you as a graduate career .”
What have you done since graduating from QMU ?
“ I graduated with a first class BA ( Hons ) Business Management degree . Throughout my time at QMU , I worked my way up in a popular restaurant chain , from a host , to a waitress , to a shift manager . After graduation , I took on a General Manager position in a high volume restaurant in Edinburgh city centre and became the company ’ s youngest store manager in the UK . I had a team of 25 people working for me and I was responsible for the profit and loss of the store . It was a fantastic experience , and I could put into practice everything I had learnt throughout my time at QMU , including developing marketing strategies , operations management , business strategy and finance .”
Do you have any graduate career plans ?
“ After working as a general manager for over a year , I ’ ve now started up my own business . I discovered I had Irritable Bowel Syndrome ( IBS ) at the age of 20 , and I had a really busy lifestyle . I struggled to find readily available food products that were suitable for my diet , and discovered a gap in the market to fulfil .
“ In September 2017 , I created Fodilicious , an innovative and UK exclusive food manufacturing business providing convenient , healthy meal options following the low FODMAP diet , ( IBS-friendly ) helping IBS sufferers to live a better quality lifestyle . Our products are also gluten-free and dairy-free too , effectively positioning Fodilicious in the fast growing ‘ free from ’ food market .
“ I ’ m also working with experts at QMU ’ s Scottish Centre for Food Development & Innovation to potentially launch a new product range . The team are absolutely fantastic , highly experienced and a pleasure to work with .
“ I ’ m so excited to embark on this next stage of my career . I was really passionate about entrepreneurship at university , and I can ’ t wait to make a difference in the ‘ free from ’ food market , helping others like me and giving back to the community .”
Would you consider further study at QMU ?
“ Yes , of course ! At QMU , I learnt that the business environment is always changing . I believe that you have to continuously learn and study to keep up with change , which is how I will make my business , Fodilicious , successful !”
NOTES : Lauren ’ s company is also now based within the Business Innovation Zone at QMU , where she benefits from access to small business start-up support and guidance from the campus-based Business Gateway .
106