Two graduates from BU’s BA (Hons) Business Studies have gone on to launch an enterprise they began planning in their final year.
BA (Hons) Business Studies is now called BA (Hons) Business and Management.
Jordan Stovold and Jordan Harris both graduated in 2016, having specialised in the enterprise pathway of the business studies degree. Before finishing their studies they began writing the business plan for Viewscape, a company specialising in virtual reality and 3D modelling for the built environment.
They have since gone on to put their business plans into action, and are now working with clients in the real estate, architectural, hospitality and retail sectors, from offices in Bournemouth and London.
Reflecting on his four years at university, which included a year’s placement at Mace Group, Jordan S said: “My time at BU was pivotal in shaping my chosen career path and, given the choice to go back, I would do exactly the same course. As one of the only business degree courses available with a specialism in entrepreneurship, it was the inspiring group of lecturers which helped me to choose this pathway for my final year. In these seminars, I met my business partner Jordan and we began to discuss ideas.
“It has been clear over the last 18 months that the theory of starting and growing a business, which we gained on the course, has given us the confidence and competence to implement our business plan. Our specialised lecturers were knowledgeable and engaging and encouraged our cohort to plan our businesses around our studies if we hoped to put them into practice after graduation. The opportunity to have elements of your business plan assessed in an academic environment, by leading academics in their fields, resulted in plenty of insight and development opportunities.”
Jordan also credits his placement year with helping to shape the ideas for Viewscape. He said: “Spending the year at a global construction, property and facilities management consultancy gave me an interest in property. This year in industry also gave me skills in many aspects of managing the built environment, which has proven invaluable for building relationships in the architecture sector.”
Immediately after graduation, Jordan worked temporarily as a research assistant at BU. This role involved researching digital agencies in the Bournemouth area, which also helped to build relationships with local businesses. Jordan said: “BU has been central in getting me to this point and I believe it will continue to play a role through the rest of my career, with opportunities to attend events, make connections and possibly enrol for further study on the MSc Innovation Management & Entrepreneurship."
