My story? It’s an a convoluted one to say the least yet I only left John Lyon 5 years ago… At John Lyon, I wanted to be a lawyer, or so I thought, so almost the whole year thought. There were a small range of options, to name a few, lawyer, accountant or banker.

In lower-sixth, at the start of the summer holidays, I did a week in commercial law at a leading solicitors firm in the city & a week in the legal and democratic services department of county council. I learnt reading over contracts regarding disputes between insurers of crude oil, didn’t evoke feelings for me. I did my week at a small county council in rural England, I could see how my actions impacted people, I learnt I much rather have an impact & have gratification from my role.

I didn’t study Law, I missed my grades, thankfully! I studied politics and thought my calling was actually to be the first-Rishi Sunak, failed at that. I was involved in student politics for all 3-years at university and realised it wasn’t the politics I was attracted to, but problem-solving & seeing a genuine impact. I went onto do non-profit strategy consulting while in my final year & on my master’s; I had found it, fixing problems! Problems which infuriate me and other people, to make things more efficient and streamlined.  I worked alongside real consultants from PA Consulting & Atkins while on my master’s and I asked, do you ever feel unfulfilled if your recommendations which you have worked on weeks & months for don’t get implemented; ‘all the time Vish!’.

So how could I get that feeling of enjoyment without the unfulfillment? Don’t be hired by someone else to potentially-fix a problem, hire yourself to fix a problem. So I started my own start-up, Project Student Housing (PSH). My student housing infuriated me, with the 20th century-paper-based model. Having been on both sides of the coin, tenant and landlord, I thought tech has to be a solution, a software to make this all linear! And so PSH was born!

My advice for students & fellow OLs? Not many people know their calling at 22 let alone 12, my only piece of advice, try & fail. If you think you want to study medicine, go and do a week in an hospital ward. If you think you want to be a lawyer go and do a week at a pro-bono legal clinic. You have 9 weeks of summer, one week can teach you a lot about yourself and your future.