The biggest piece of advice I’d give my 21-year-old self is to take advantage of every opportunity you can.

It doesn’t matter if it doesn’t go well, just throw yourself out there and be open to whatever happens.

At 21, I was studying for my MSc in international business at the University of Leeds whilst starting out my first venture Yellow Label, a foodtech startup that helped to reduce food waste in supermarkets.

Before enjoying student life in Leeds, I completed a BA in economics and politics in Manchester.

In between my degrees, I worked for a consulting firm in Hong Kong and was able to visit their tech firm in Beijing which exposed me to the industry in a way that has impacted my career ever since.

I’d tell my younger self: ‘Don’t wait for the storm to pass; dance in the rain’

I gained hands on experience in the tech startup world overseas, at an age where I was hungry to learn everything I could. It’s been transformational to my career ever since.

After founding Yellow Label and my software company Finstant, I now find myself on the other side of the investment spectrum as an investment and portfolio manager at GC Angels.

I’ve been in this role since April 2022 and have loved every minute so far!

The Manchester tech scene is an incredibly existing ecosystem, and we don’t seem to have any boundaries regarding the types of businesses that are springing up.

It’s great that I can look back on a career that spans investment, data analysis, project management and strategic planning, and founding two startups, and now play a pivotal role in the deals pipeline for the Manchester start-up scene. That’s something my 21-year-old self would be very proud of.

I’ve lived through a lot of great personal life experiences too, including travelling all over the world and buying and developing a house. There’s also been the moments that haven’t been so great like being held at knifepoint in Morocco (long story!).

‘I wish I’d worn more hair gel when I had the choice!’

That said, it means that I value my happiness. I have a good idea of how to achieve this, and this is my personal and professional pursuit for the foreseeable.

Overall, when I look back at my younger self, I do have a lot of hindsight about things I would have changed with my initial ventures, but nothing I regret doing. Life is all about taking every opportunity and learning from all experiences, the good and the bad.