Interview Series for Business Students: Q&A with Daniel Jennings from Loughborough University London

Tell us one thing about you that’s not on your resume.

Growing up I had the opportunity to live in a fair few countries including the Netherlands, Dubai, Denmark, Singapore, and now the UK.

What has your experience been like at Loughborough University London?

Although I have only been studying at Loughborough University London for about a month, the experience has been absolutely fantastic. I am extremely impressed with the level of knowledge shared by my lecturers. In addition to that, Loughborough University London has provided me with plenty of opportunities, which has enabled me to gain more business skills.

What other schools were you considering, and why did you choose Loughborough University London?

To be honest, Loughborough University London was my only choice. I knew that if I wanted to study anything sports-related Loughborough University was the best option out there, so I did not consider other places. I also decided to apply for Loughborough University London because of their high status within entrepreneurship, which is a big part of my life.

What influenced you to pursue the MSc Sport Marketing degree course?

Before studying MSc Sport Marketing, I was studying Applied Sport Science with Management at Loughborough College. Throughout my three years at Loughborough College, I found myself choosing all my optional modules to be business/marketing related. While at Loughborough, I engaged with the Coach and Volunteer Academy at Loughborough University, which provided me with work experience within sport marketing. Since then, sport marketing has been my chosen path.

What has your experience been like with the programme? What did you find especially valuable about your degree course?

My experience with the program has been nothing short of amazing. Though I have not been part of my programme for long, I am overwhelmed by how much effort Loughborough University London has put in to provide students with guest speakers and real-life scenarios to really inspire learning within the industry.

What was your favourite class/module and why?

Since I have only had two modules so far, there is not much to choose from, however, I was pleasantly surprised by the Sport Business and Innovation module. The reason why I have chosen this module is because it focuses on entrepreneurship, which is a huge passion of mine. I had so much fun coming up with a new feasible business innovation for one of my assessments. It really is a dream module, with so many inspiring guest speakers and of course a wonderful and engaging lecturer.

What has been most challenging about studying MSc Sport Marketing?

The only challenge I have experienced while studying MSc Sport Marketing is trying to go back into studying and reading pages and pages of academic journals after a long break during the pandemic.

Have you participated in any relevant internships? If so, where were they and can you tell us about your experience?

Although I have not participated in any internships, I did get the opportunity to work with Loughborough Sport and Basketball England as part of the coach and volunteer academy (CVA), while studying my undergraduate.

What are your future career plans and aspirations?

For the future, I hope to be able to pursue my passion for entrepreneurship and be able to start my own business within the sports industry. However, I also have a great passion for sport sponsorship, so hopefully, I will find a way of combining the two.

What do you think are the challenges that young entrepreneurs face?

As a young entrepreneur myself, I do think that one of my challenges is industry experience. As a young entrepreneur, coming up with an idea may be easy, however, being able to apply business and industry knowledge can be difficult, as we often do not have much. This can also mean that investors may look away from young entrepreneurs as our ideas may seem wild without the knowledge to back them.

Have you overcome any challenges as an entrepreneur yourself? If so, can you give us an example?

As an entrepreneur, I believe that the main job is to overcome challenges, whether they be business-related, social or personal. Specific to myself, the main challenge which I have overcome as an entrepreneur would be public speaking. Many of my fellow Generation Z’s might agree that when we can we will avoid public speaking. Nevertheless, an entrepreneur must be able to sell the idea and that is how I overcame the fear of public speaking. Plus lots and lots of practice.

What is the best entrepreneurship advice you have received?

The best advice I have been given was from my Business Enterprise lecturer Iqbal Ullah, who told me that “no idea is a bad idea”, which really helped spark my creativity as an entrepreneur.

What advice would you give someone interested in your study programme or Loughborough University London?

I would say do it! There is no better place in the world to study sports. However, I would say that if you decide to study at Loughborough University London, participate in all the events and take advantage of all the support available because Loughborough University London provides a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Do you have any favourite books, websites, or media that you would recommend for someone interested in your field of study?

I love watching TEDTalk and would really recommend anyone whether they are interested in marketing or any other field to watch as many TEDTalks as possible to broaden their minds with golden nuggets from industry experts and inspirational people.

Anything else you’d like to share?

Being an entrepreneur does not have to be a one-man job and for me, my partner Jade has been the greatest support possible and she has taught me something that I believe all young entrepreneurs with lots of energy and ideas should follow - to only focus on one idea at a time. Otherwise, everything can easily become overwhelming and stressful.