January 17, 2019, by International students

International Student Ambassadors: Ashmita from India

Hello!

I’m Ashmita Mangharam and I’m a recent graduate of the University of Nottingham, I studied my Masters in Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Management. I’m currently working on my own business, “Pucho” which is an on-demand delivery service with the help of the Ingenuity Lab.

How did the idea come about and how has the University supported you in starting the business?

The idea came about in conversation with my then friend and classmate and now business partner, Faraz Sabzwari. It was a very normal scenario where we would bounce business ideas with our classmates and on one such occasion we thought of our business idea, “Pucho” which is an on-demand delivery service company. To explain it in one sentence, if you need something picked up or dropped off from point A to B, we will get it done for you. It’s a way of giving customers their time back so they can use it for more productive and important tasks. Our business plan for one of the modules was also based on this idea which gave us a good overview and foundation of the nature of the business.

Since I’m an international student, the University helped me with my Tier 1 visa which is the Graduate Entrepreneurship visa that helps me to remain back in the UK and work on my business. This was done through the Ingenuity Lab based on Jubilee Campus, they also provide us with a work space which helps us with our work.

I aspire for Pucho to be global. I want the company to be an integral part of people’s lives- a company they can rely on.

Why did you decide to pursue an MSc in Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Management?

I always wanted to start my own business, and hence knew this was the right course for me. I did a lot of research before pursuing my Masters in the UK, I went through all the modules and what really caught my attention was the Entrepreneurship Project- As part of our course, we were given a company to work with which gave us first-hand experience of how a start-up functions and the various situations that a new company faces (we were all assigned different companies, my group was assigned a start-up). This also helped give me the confidence to start my own business.

What advice would you have for anyone considering an MSc in Entrepreneurship or starting their own business?

It’s an intense course but extremely interesting nonetheless. With every module, you learn something new and the tutors have their own method and way of teaching which makes it more exciting. I’ve personally learnt a lot during the duration of the course- I was surrounded by very creative people who all came from different backgrounds so it was great to understand everyone’s perspective on a topic.

Starting your own business is brave- it’s too soon for me to advise anyone since I’m just starting out but all I can say is that there is absolutely no replacement for hard work and with whatever you do, give it your 100%.

If you have any questions about studying at the University of Nottingham as an international student, you can get in touch with our International Ambassadors via email.

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