I grew up in Hertfordshire, near North London and when I left school, I didn’t really know what I wanted to do with my life. I had quite a challenging upbringing and, at that time, I was not academically focused. I tried several different jobs before deciding to study nursing. I love people, so I knew that whatever career I ended up in, I wanted to work with people and make a difference for others. When I first left school, I did a travel and tourism course. I was thinking of becoming an air hostess, as I liked the idea of travelling and being in an international environment, but that turned out not to be the right path for me.

At one time, I had three different jobs so that I could earn money while considering what to do next for my career. I had a full-time telesales job, I was working in a Jewish restaurant in the evenings, and I had a weekend job at Toys R Us in Brent Cross. On the weekends, I was working alongside some university students who were about the same age as me and they inspired me to go to university. However, I wanted to study towards a worthwhile career, rather than just going to university for the sake of it. Around the same time, a friend from my telesales job, whose mum was a nurse, suggested that nursing would be a good option for me. Nursing appealed to me, as it meant that I could go to university to get a degree that would immediately give me a job in a fulfilling career working with people. So, I quit my telesales job and did an access to nursing course to get onto a nursing degree course. I was blessed to be accepted onto one of the best nursing courses in the UK, at Hertfordshire University.

I absolutely loved my nursing career and enjoyed being able to make a difference for my patients and colleagues. Hospitals can be quite stressful places so, apart from providing excellent clinical care, I saw my role as bringing a positive energy to the environment. I would always come to work looking presentable as I loved cheering the patients up, making them feel comfortable and safe. I also found that connecting with the relatives gave them peace of mind that their loved one had a nice friendly nurse looking after them when they had to go home after visiting hours.

My nursing career grew me as a person in many ways. Despite previously having not been very focused at school, I was determined to work hard at university. I graduated with First Class Honours and one of the highest grades in my year group. This gave me the confidence that I could achieve anything I put my mind to when I have a strong motivation. If I have a purpose and goal, I will achieve it, as I don’t give up. Working in the healthcare sector has also given me a lot of contacts and insight into the structure and working of hospitals.

While I loved nursing, I felt that I needed to keep growing and get out of my comfort zone. I believe that the two strongest human needs are connection and growth, and I wanted to keep developing and realise my full potential. While I was still in my nurse training, for a couple of years, I had a very successful, business-minded friend. He inspired me to think bigger, and it was at that time that the first seeds were planted in my mind that I could start my own business in the future.