鈥淭he best thing about my degree was the year-long industry placement, which gave me hands-on experience of applying theory and also helped to build my professional network.鈥�
Some BU graduates prefer to head out into the world of business by themselves, exploring new business ventures and concepts, much like graduate, Claire Timbrell.
In setting up an escape room, Claire knew she could rely on her existing marketing skills to bring an emerging new trend to the UK, that of the escape room experience: 鈥淭he concept of escape rooms is still new and people are sceptical," she said.
"Marketing is about challenging people鈥檚 perceptions and raising awareness. My degree helped me to understand that and use it practically to shape our business.
鈥淣o two days are the same. One day we can have 90 people through for a corporate team building event, and the next we can have a group of five teenagers celebrating their birthday with dad."
Explaining how marketing is crucial to the process of business, Claire said: 鈥淢arketing underpins everything we do, from the creation of the The MacGuffin Project experience through to the analysis of the business and future planning, hence why we are through to the semi-finals for the Venus Marketing and PR Award.
After spending several years moving around the country, across London, Bristol and Cardiff, Claire set-up shop聽in Bournemouth: 鈥淢y partner took on a contract in Bournemouth several years ago and we both knew that we would live here eventually; we never thought it would be so soon.
鈥淲hen we had the idea for The MacGuffin Project, Bournemouth was the obvious choice. Our target markets are all here (students, corporates, tourists and families), it鈥檚 a hub of digital and creative folk, ideal for such an innovative business, and there鈥檚 a beautiful beach to enjoy!鈥�
In offering advice to those wishing to follow in her footsteps, Claire said: 鈥淪etting up a business isn鈥檛 for the faint-hearted. It鈥檚 life-changing hard work and incredibly scary at times, but can also be the most rewarding thing you will ever do.
鈥淲hatever your vision or aspiration - be brave, try everything and fail fast.聽 If you鈥檙e not prepared to fail and learn, you will never come up with anything new. Finally, surround yourself with the right people - No man (or woman) is an island.鈥�
A placement year often gives graduates the opportunities to apply some of their own learning in real-world scenarios;聽in Claire鈥檚 case, the year was responsible for helping to found business connections and testing things she learned in the lecture theatre: 鈥淭he best thing about my degree was the year-long industry placement, which gave me hands-on experience of applying theory and also helped to build my professional network!鈥�
As an entrepreneur, Claire can also often be found taking care of a diverse range of business activities: 鈥淥utside of the venue, we can be crunching numbers to share with our investors and the next day we are in the London studio testing a talking wardrobe鈥�! It鈥檚 a crazy world we have created but we wouldn鈥檛 have it any other way!鈥�