Enterprising students launch the Student Survival Pack

Moving to University is a life-changing event. To help make the transition smoother, three second year BA(Hons) Business Entrepreneurship students have launched a new business, The Student Survival Pack, to help students settle into their new lives with ease.

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BSc(Hons) Business & Entrepreneurship

The Student Survival Pack, created by Harry Cole, Alex Broadley and Marcus Nelson, is a delivery service tailored to students moving into halls of residence. It removes the doubt of what to bring to University, providing students with essential items to start their journey. There are three boxes available: Bedroom, Bathroom and Kitchen.

Alex Broadley said:

Launching our business was quite daunting, but it has been made a lot easier knowing you have the support around you from the University and fellow students.

Harry Cole added: "There is a certain feeling of pride involved in setting up your own business. I think it has to be acknowledged that with business, as with life, there are many ups and down. It is not all straight-forward or plain sailing. However, there are so many benefits. For me, the flexibility and chance to work on projects of my choice are key because they help ensure I am passionate about what I am working on."

The Student Survival Pack team successfully sent out their first delivery to Falmouth and Exeter students this September, and received positive feedback from their initial clients.

Speaking about the challenges of setting up a business, Alex said: "The main challenge is staying strong with your idea and believing that it's going to succeed. When you first start a business you have a lot of self-doubt, as you're investing time and money, and no-one is paying attention to what you're doing."

Harry added: "One of the main challenges of our team was the adaption to working with such a large group of people. Originally our team had 15 members. As the year went on, we learnt we did not need anywhere near this many people and have since trimmed it down to a group of three."

The three lead members of the group now are Harry, Alex and Marcus Nelson.

Harry said:"The Entrepreneurship course [gives you] a practical approach to learning and is certainly hands on. This may seem scary to some, but I feel as though it's benefited my learning far more than any standard business course could have. We are introduced to specialists with skills that will truly benefit our business and give us an insight into how corporate culture truly works, giving us a head-start in the world of work."

Alex agreed: "I had already set up a business on a small scale before coming to Falmouth University, but my coaches have been invaluable in providing me with the necessary skills and confidence to go even further. On 8 June I launched an online store for Small Wallets and was contacted by a PR company representing TransferWise, who were looking for '20 under 20' of the brightest entrepreneurs in the UK and Ireland. I entered not expecting to hear anything, but a few weeks later I received an email [saying] I had received one of the places. This opportunity wouldn't have happened without Falmouth University."

Over the next few years, the Student Survival Pack team plan on growing their business. Their current target market are students from Falmouth University and the University of Exeter, however in future they would like to expand to other Universities in the South West.