Tare Isaac - Start-up Case Study
Tare Isaac, who is originally from Nigeria, completed an MA in International Journalism at LJMU. She first founded fashion brand Twin by Tare and later Unity in Design Global Network (UDGN), a social enterprise that works with minority and underrepresented creatives in the fashion industry through education and development support, industry placements and networking.
Where did the idea for your business come from?
The idea for UDGN came from my lived experience. I was a designer, I am Nigerian, so as an immigrant in the UK, I saw the gap in the market. I had met other fashion designers who were on the global talent visa like me, but they didn’t really know how to get their brand out there. The visibility, the support, the community was not there. That’s when I started UDGN to have a safe space, where we could all come together and share ideas. But we also wanted to create something that was lasting and that was taking a holistic approach to the problem of gatekeeping and lack of access for ethnically-diverse people in the fashion industry, as the routes and pathways are very limited for people who look like me. UDGN fills that gap through our Academy and Incubator programmes and through providing placements in the fashion industry. A very new thing we also do is our UDGN Creative Future Summit, a one-day industry event for ethnically-diverse fashion professionals to learn and share ideas. We also ran a pitch competition and picked three winners, who received grant funding to support their creative journeys. Our online platform is built on community, so if people are not ready to engage in our programmes, they can use the digital membership to get involved in the communities. We also have wellbeing support for our members that are going through burnout and things like that.
How long did it take from having the idea to actually launching the business?
For UDGN, I already had connections with others on the global talent visa and from consulting I was doing, so from the time UDGN materialised in my mind, it only took me six to eight months to launch.
Did you use the LJMU Start-Up Hub?
Yes. The LJMU Start-Up Hub helped me at the beginning of my journey in terms of access to mentors. Claire (the business adviser at LJMU) and the whole university have been a big part of my journey. They invested in me by giving me my first £2,500 to actually launch my clothing brand, which I am still running today. The Start-Up Hub played an immense part with the mentorship, guidance and financial support that they have given me. If it hadn’t been for them, I wouldn’t be doing UDGN today.
What are your tips for international students to prepare for setting up a business?
What people should focus on while they are on a student visa is not active business and commercial activity like making money but building community and awareness and taking people on that journey with you, so that when you do launch, you have people that are now willing to give you money. Then you can set up your limited company and can actually start with the business activities. For me, when I was a student, people already knew ‘Tare makes clothes’ so when I was transitioning to the start-up phase of the business, I did a mini-launch first to test the market immediately after finishing university. This wasn’t to sell, but just to introduce me and my products to the market. You have to remember as an international graduate, your ideas and what you would want to produce could be very different from the market you’re in now, so I got to test it and see if this even connects with my audience.
What do you think is the biggest challenge for an international student starting a business in the UK?
I think it always feels like you have no time, as the pressure of your visa is always at the back of your mind, and that affects all business decisions and every other decision that you make
What do you wish you had known before you started?
I’m thankful that I’ve had the journey I’ve had and that I’m still on. The core thing would be the power of negotiation and knowing the value of your product and your business. If you don’t know the value of what you bring, it puts you at a disadvantage, so you need to be firm in your belief in your product. Always start with the craziest idea and let them negotiate it down. Never be afraid to cold e-mail. Most of the connections and partnerships we’ve got with UDGN has come from putting ourselves out there. And also know the importance of how to sell: it’s an underrated skill, but you’re going to be using it every day.
What advice would you give to an international student at LJMU who has a business idea but does not know where to start?
Just take it on! Focus on building your community first. Social media can be your friend as well. Get in front of the camera and tell your story. Take people on that journey with you. Look at other people that look like you who have had similar experiences and barriers to you. Look at what they’ve done and repeat that. You’re not the first person doing what you are trying to do. I feel this is important because you will relate to their journey and you’ll be able to tweak and adjust your own strategy based on what you have seen.
Support from the Student Futures team
If you want to talk about potential careers options with your degree, need help finding opportunities or want support with your CV, application forms or preparing for an interview, you can get advice and guidance by booking a 30-minute 1-2-1 careers meeting with a Careers and Employability Adviser from the LJMU Student Futures Team. You can also come along to a Careers drop-in which take place weekly at the Careers Zones for quick careers queries.
If you are thinking about starting a business, freelancing, pursuing a side-hustle or have an idea that you want to explore further, email the Start-up Hub and a member of the team will be back in touch, or visit the Start-up Hub website.
For help finding part-time, temporary or casual you can fit around your studies, email the Unitemps team or visit their website.
