Liam Saunders

If you seek the academic knowledge and practical experience to be successful in business, either as an employed business professional or an entrepreneur, this course is for you.

University was critical preparation for my career; at Solent I was able to learn and develop my academic knowledge of business through a comprehensive degree programme, learning about everything from the marketing mix to contract law. This has proved to be truly invaluable in setting up and running my business, VIP IT. Being able to draw upon this knowledge has empowered me to take informed business decisions and grow my business based upon established and proven business principles.

Alongside this, I was also able to gain valuable practical business experience through an exciting live client marketing brief with Ahmad Tea during my first year and an interesting business project in the third year of my course. From these practical experiences, I was able to learn how to communicate and pitch to businesses with confidence. These skills are essential to my chosen career path, as I’m required to draw upon them on a regular basis within my business.

Since leaving Solent, I have been focused on building my business, VIP IT. In two years, the business has grown to serve clients across a range of sectors including law, property, hospitality, marketing, technology, beauty, automotive, music, and home care.

During the first year of starting my business, I also returned to Solent University to complete a master’s degree in project management – which further enhanced my professional skillset and provided me with a unique edge in marketing. I now offer digital marketing solutions that are grounded in project management best practice.

My career highlight so far was delivering a 100 per cent increase in bookings for a hospitality client, following a six-month SEO campaign. 

If you want a career in business and marketing, try to gain professional industry qualifications. The marketing sector as a whole is becoming ever more professional and businesses now expect more than ever for marketing professionals to have relevant industry qualifications.

And don't forget to seek out work experience or an internship within the business environment - the knowledge and experience you will gain in a practical setting is invaluable.