Balancing a full-time degree with launching a business is now mainstream in the UK. According to Santander’s 2024 Student Enterprise report, around 17 per cent of UK students were running a business alongside their studies, contributing an estimated £478 million to the national economy. The average student venture turned over roughly £7,800 a year, with many operating in digital services, creative industries and e-commerce. Flexible online tools, university enterprise hubs and a thriving freelance economy mean that a student start-up can move from idea to income far faster than in the past.

Juliana Geller’s story is a case in point. Originally from Brazil, she moved to Birmingham to study on the Future Media programme at Birmingham City University. The West Midlands has one of the UK’s fastest-growing digital and creative clusters, and when she studied there in the early 2010s the city already offered a lively community of agencies, freelancers and tech meet-ups. Juliana immersed herself in that environment and began building a consultancy while she was still a full-time postgraduate student.

Why networking matters for a student start-up

Between lectures, assignments and client work, she quickly learned that stamina alone is not enough. She says:

“One thing I have learned is that you have to make sure you have time for yourself, no matter what. Make time to exercise, make time to eat out sometimes, whatever helps you relax and feel better.”

That emphasis on self-care is as relevant now as it was then. Student founders often juggle coursework, part-time jobs and early client work, so protecting your energy is a business skill in its own right. Burnout does not build a brand; sustainable progress does.

Turn freelance work into a repeatable offer

Juliana’s freelance work centred on two core services: developing digital marketing strategies and training marketing teams to implement them. She also provided content curation and community management. Over time, she shaped these separate activities into a clear, repeatable business model:

“For the business I am setting up, the services will be researching and developing strategies and training marketing teams to deploy them, doing the content curation and community management. That means I’ll make myself redundant by the end of a job. It might sound strange, but making myself redundant will allow me to embrace new projects. I am fuelled by challenges and the idea of having fresh starts with each project thrills me.”

This “teach a client to fish” approach is especially valuable in the UK’s digital sector. IAB UK’s 2024 Digital Ad Spend report found that UK digital advertising investment reached £31.4 billion, and businesses of every size need people who can translate fast-moving platforms into practical strategy. A student founder who can demonstrate real results, share knowledge and then move on to the next challenge is well placed to build a sustainable portfolio career.

Find mentors and use UK start-up support

Juliana did not build her business in isolation. Like many new entrepreneurs, she benefited from business mentors. Her tutor on the Future Media course, Mike Villiers-Stuart, and Alison Grade, a Nesta Creative Enterprise trainer and founder of Mission Accomplished, gave her advice, feedback and introductions. Today, UK students can tap into university incubators, Start Up Loans, local Growth Hubs and national programmes such as the Santander Universities Entrepreneurship Awards or the Young Enterprise Company Programme. The ongoing Alison Rose Review of Female Entrepreneurship continues to make the case for supporting women founders, while the British Business Bank’s Start Up Loans programme has provided more than £1 billion in funding since 2012, as of 2024. The principle remains the same: find people who have travelled the road before you and ask for their guidance.

Build confidence and stay visible

Alongside mentoring, Juliana believes that attitude sets successful founders apart. She explains:

“Be resilient. Driven. Focused. Try and make the most of everything, even the bad things. Face everything as a learning experience. And learn to talk about yourself and your projects, be positive and excited about them when you are talking to people. Make people believe you as much as you do. More than you do, if possible.”

That ability to communicate with confidence is at the heart of effective networking. Whether you are at a formal pitch event, a careers fair or a casual coffee, being able to explain what you do, who you help and why it matters makes you memorable. Networking is not about collecting contacts; it is about building relationships based on genuine curiosity and mutual value. For practical support, see our guide to the best women in business networks in the UK.

Because digital media changes constantly, Juliana kept her knowledge fresh by monitoring industry news and sharing useful links on social platforms such as X (formerly Twitter) and LinkedIn. Every morning she read through her feeds and posted content relevant to her audience: digital marketing, start-up life and entrepreneurship. She notes:

“I share links that are relevant to what I do and to my target audience. Using the right hashtags always helps to get the right attention too.”

Today, the platforms may have shifted, but the tactic is the same. A focused social media strategy helps student founders establish credibility, start conversations and stay visible to potential clients and collaborators. Choose one or two platforms where your audience is active, post consistently, and engage rather than broadcast. Comment thoughtfully on other people’s posts, answer questions and share what you are learning. Over time, this positions you as a helpful expert rather than a salesperson. Our free digital support guide for women in business lists current programmes that can help you build these skills.

Juliana also made sure her networking was not confined to the screen. She attended industry events and treated informal conversations as opportunities to connect. For student founders, this mix of online and offline relationship-building is one of the fastest ways to find clients, mentors and peers. A single conversation at a meet-up can lead to a referral, a collaboration or a friendship that sustains you through the harder moments of self-employment.

Action steps for your new business

If you are building a student business, her approach offers a clear template:

• Protect your wellbeing so you can keep showing up.
• Define a service you can deliver and explain in one sentence.
• Find mentors inside and outside your university.
• Share useful content regularly on the platforms your audience uses.
• Attend events and turn everyday conversations into connections.
• Follow up after meetings with a short, personalised message.
• Stay resilient and treat setbacks as feedback.

Juliana Geller’s experience is a reminder that a student start-up does not have to wait until graduation. With the right support, a clear offer and a willingness to network, it is possible to build a consultancy while still writing essays and sitting seminars. The key is to start before you feel ready, stay curious, and keep the conversation going.