Turning Ideas into Ventures: Old Haileyburians Share Start-up Advice

Our Connect Careers Webinar – Entrepreneurs and Start-ups: turning ideas into ventures featured OH founders, who shared valuable guidance with pupils, parents and OHs on turning business ideas into successful ventures.

Tom Howe (Trevelyan, 2011), Oliver Phillpott (Kipling, 2010), and Jona Doda (Hailey, 2013) joined Head of Economics, Lee Boney for an inspiring discussion on what it really takes to launch a business. Their overarching message was encouraging – there is no single fixed path to entrepreneurship, and you don’t need decades of experience to get started.

“Your degree subject doesn’t define whether you can start a business. It’s more about learning how to learn, being self-sufficient, and iterating quickly,” highlighted Oliver. In other words, adaptability and execution matter far more than having a flawless initial plan.

As Jona added, “It’s never been easier to start a side project or side hustle, even at 16 or 17. Participating in hackathons and exploring new tech tools like AI gives you an immediate taste of the startup journey.” She emphasised the importance of starting early and using university to build a strong co-founding network.

Tom reassured attendees that missing skills can be built along the way: “Too much emphasis is placed on whether you’re naturally ‘good at sales.’ If you have a product people want and deeply understand your customer’s needs, anyone can learn sales on the job.”

The panel addressed the practicalities of founding a venture, leaving pupils with a fresh perspective on non-linear careers and practical steps for taking an idea from concept to execution.

Watch the full recording below and if you would like to learn more about Haileybury Connect follow the link here.