Where to begin? Well, my name’s Mayowa Balogun. Born in London. Raised in Hertfordshire. Living in Buckinghamshire. Proudly of Nigerian heritage and a believer in God.
As with most, there’s no me without my parents. They’ve equipped me for the different circles I’ve been privileged to enter across education, sport, tech and entrepreneurship. From sending me to some of the best schools in the country, they encouraged me to stretch academically, socially and aspirationally. During this time I developed interest in football, joined professional football academies, including playing professionally for Wigan Athletic FC (Under 21s). Wisely, my parents encouraged me to continue education in tandem, keep other interests alive and think about life outside sport. This prepared me to transition from sports to the corporate world, when the time came.
First, completing my GCSEs, A-Levels and securing a BA Design & Innovation degree with First-Class honours from The Open University. I then joined a software development house - helping design, build and manage apps for clients across various industries.
Amongst education and sports was the idea that being an entrepreneur would play some part in my future. I had a mini tuck-shop at secondary school, selling to my schoolmates. I replicated this years later, selling African snacks to my football teammates. Entrepreneurial interest has been brewing for some years. When family and friends sought unique gifts for their loved ones’ milestone birthdays, I offered commissioned artwork, monetising design skills I’d developed at school. Similarly, when family and friends launched their own ventures, I extended my design services to offer graphic design, print, web design and web development. My customer base soon expanded. More recently, I launched an events company. Through football team socials, I experienced the UK’s vibrant nightlife culture. And seeking to recreate this in a way that celebrates my faith, I launched an events brand that facilitates exactly that. We’ve welcomed over 100 guests, hosting intimate social events and look forward to the future.
Reflecting on my motivations to become an entrepreneur, they stem from a desire to take more control of my future. I take inspiration from entrepreneurs within my immediate and extended family, who highlighted many positives and risks. The benefits include having creative freedom;
Creating something unique and valued by others; building a healthy lifestyle; creating a vehicle of self-expression; and satisfying a genuine desire to be an entrepreneur. I find myself in a fortunate position, surrounded by entrepreneurs whom I can draw knowledge from yet, I still seek more. I’m early in my entrepreneurial journey, I believe doing this now is the most efficient use of my time. That’s what drew me back to academics. Seeking more knowledge that could equip me for being an entrepreneur, I turned to the University of Cambridge - specifically, the Masters in Entrepreneurship degree. Unorthodox right? For most professions, academic knowledge strengthens your credibility and experience. However, for entrepreneurship, it’s usually questioned. Why study a degree in Entrepreneurship? Surely, you get more from just starting a company, building, failing, learning and going again? What can you learn from academics? What can they teach you that business experience can’t? I understand that argument and definitely see the value in that approach. However, I also considered that there may be a unique body of knowledge held by those who may not be entrepreneurs but are dedicated to the topic - studying entrepreneurs’ successes, failures, strategies and patterns over decades. Two years later, having completed the degree, I’m now at a junction. What next? Maybe it’s time to act. But how does it all come together? Education, sport, tech, entrepreneurship and my faith in God.
