Travel plans and business possibilities

Opportunity to explore

For 20-year-olds Maura and Casper, returning from their travels in South East Asia meant finding new jobs and saving for their next adventure. Exploring how they could turn their business ambitions into reality became part of the picture when a family member introduced them to FEO Ignition.

The programme offered an opportunity to explore their ideas, learn from experienced entrepreneurs and gain the focus to take their next steps.

Exploring ideas and finding direction

Maura and Casper approached FEO Ignition with open minds, ready to learn and consider what working for themselves could look like.

They left each session buzzing with ideas and enthusiasm. Hearing from successful business owners, alongside others beginning their entrepreneurial journeys, helped them see new possibilities for their own future.

Now, both are looking ahead with greater confidence and a clearer sense that running their own businesses is within reach.

Casper: “I’ve come away feeling that anything is possible”

For Casper, meeting people who had built successful businesses helped make entrepreneurship feel more accessible.

“FEO Ignition was a great way to feel inspired by people who started where we are now and have gone on to build successful businesses,” he said. “It was also exciting to hear ideas from people who are just beginning their journey.

“I’ve come away feeling that anything is possible, and I’m excited to see what the future holds.

“Before the programme, I thought business was complicated and full of hidden pitfalls. Now, I feel I have the support of people who really know what they’re doing because they’ve experienced it themselves. If I have questions, I know there are people I can turn to.

“I would thoroughly recommend FEO Ignition to anyone with even the smallest spark of an idea. FEO can help you bring it to life.”

That access to practical experience and encouragement helped change Casper’s outlook. He now knows there are people he can approach for support.

Maura: Making the possibility feel real

For Maura, FEO Ignition helped bridge the gap between thinking about running a business and seeing it as a realistic option.

“I thoroughly enjoyed FEO Ignition,” she said. “It helped me see running a business as a realistic possibility and made me feel excited about my future.

“We learned some really valuable lessons, and I appreciated successful business owners giving their time to share their expertise with us.

“The support FEO has given us has been invaluable, and I’m excited about what comes next.”

Learning directly from business owners gave Maura valuable insight and helped her feel more confident about exploring her ambitions.

Opening the door to a different future

Maura and Casper’s experience highlights the value of encouraging young people to consider entrepreneurship as a potential career path.

For those who haven’t explored working for themselves, getting a job can feel like the obvious next step, rather than one of several options.

FEO’s NXGEN masterclass aims to help young people in schools and colleges explore those possibilities, while Maura and Casper’s experience of Ignition shows how encouragement from a family member can also open the door to a different future.

Their experience shows how an introduction, combined with practical learning and support, can help business ambitions feel more achievable.

Building businesses - without leaving adventure behind

Travel remains an important part of Maura and Casper’s plans. Their ambition is to build businesses that allow them to shape their own working lives while continuing to explore the world.

FEO Ignition has given them a fresh perspective on how those ambitions could fit together, along with experienced people to turn to as they consider their next steps.

They joined ready to explore the possibilities. They left with fresh inspiration, greater confidence and a new direction to pursue.