Inspiring the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs: The Edge Lectures

The EDGE Lectures have been a key part of Ellesmere College's Leadership and Entrepreneurship Programme for Sixth Form students for many years now - designed to enrich the offering given to students to give them the 'edge' when it comes to entering the world of university and work.

Each term, the College invites back key speakers from our network of over 5000 Old Ellesmerians (OEs), parents and local business people, who bring their expertise and experience to deliver inspiring and informative talks on subjects related to business, entrepreneurship and careers.

This week, Ellesmere College was delighted to welcome back recent OE, Natalie Lloyd who gave her views and life experiences on:  

"Entrepreneurship - Creating the Dream and Running With It."

After leaving Ellesmere in 2003, Natalie was unsure what she wanted to be. She studied Chemistry, Biology and Geography at A Level, knowing that half the battle of doing well was choosing to study subjects that she enjoyed. Still keeping her options open, she applied for six different university courses from Marine Biology to Equine Science at six different universities around the UK - again looking at cities she would be happy living in and subjects she would be interested in studying.

Fast forward 15 years and Natalie successfully graduated from Newcastle-upon-Tyne University with a degree in Zoology, however, despite interviewing to be a gorilla keeper, working as a luxury event planner and enjoying a prosperous career in PR and Marketing, she has just launched her own active-wear business!

A jack of all trades, Natalie believes her all round education at Ellesmere is the secret to her success, equipping her with the ability to keep calm under pressure, the confidence to embrace opportunities, the humility to accept criticism but tenacity to keep carrying on!

Natalie's website is www.nattily.co.uk

Nick Pettingale, Director of External Relations, commented, "At Ellesmere we believe in the individual and therefore 'The Edge' lectures create a breadth of professional input and real life experience for our students to learn from. The most exciting aspect from my perspective is the individual connections that are created with our Old Ellesmerians. Anyone in business today knows that success is based on relationships and our goal with 'The Edge' is to create those relationships before our students even leave the Sixth Form".

For more information about our Autumn EDGE Lecture programme please visit: The EDGE Lectures

Date for your Diary:

Wednesday 6^th February - Francesca Trotman: "Plastics and the planet - Your part in killing the oceans."

Image: Natalie Lloyd (third from right) with some members of the Sixth Form audience. 

15th November 2018  Back to News