News, updates and inspiring stories

Founder: Narayani Sinha
Business: Premium brownies and personalised dessert gifting

From Frustration to a Flourishing Business

The Sweet Retreat Company began with a simple observation: many “premium” brownies don’t actually taste premium. Narayani repeatedly found that shop‑bought options were too dry, too dense, overly chewy, or packed with palm oil and unnecessary additives. Wanting something indulgent and ethical, she started experimenting with her own palm‑oil‑free recipes.

After gifting her brownies to friends and family, the enthusiastic feedback made it clear—there was a genuine gap in the market. What started as a personal baking project evolved into a business centred on quality ingredients, sustainability, and thoughtful touches. Today, her brownies are paired with handwritten notes and affirmation cards, creating memorable gifting experiences.

Support That Sparked Growth

Narayani received support from the University’s B‑Enterprising team, including Start-Up Funding. This financial boost helped her reinvest in equipment and materials, allowing her to refine her products and expand her offering. She credits this support with giving her the confidence and resources to keep developing her business.

The Ups and Downs of Being a Student Founder

Narayani describes the best part of running her business as having total creative freedom—bringing her ideas to life and seeing genuine reactions from customers who love what she has created.

The most challenging aspect? The pressure of being responsible for everything. As she describes it, you only make sales when you consistently put yourself out there, and switching off can be difficult. Balancing studies, growth, and constant visibility requires resilience.

Lessons Learned Along the Way

If she could give her earlier self one message, it would be:
Have patience. Progress takes time—don’t doubt yourself.

She emphasises staying true to your own vision and not letting others steer you away from what feels right for your business. Confidence and consistency, she says, make all the difference.

What’s Next?

Narayani is busy developing seasonal products, including a new Valentine’s Day gift box. She remains committed to sustainability, quality, and meaningful design, ensuring every product feels special. She is also open to mentoring other student entrepreneurs who are starting their own ventures.

Founder: Tadiwa Mbiri
Business: Wellbeing driven lifestyle brand

Creating Tools for Joy and Reflection

Meraki Aura is a wellbeing‑driven lifestyle brand offering planners, mindfulness journals and accessories designed to help people bring more positivity and structure into everyday life. Its signature products — the My Systems Planner and Shadow Work Journal — grew from Tadiwa’s personal passion for mental health and reflective practice.

Where the Idea Began

Unsatisfied with the planners she was using, Tadiwa found the solution: make her own — first for herself, then for friends. Their enthusiasm encouraged her to research the market and develop her ideas into a fully formed business.
Her products are grounded in tools she found genuinely helpful for improving her own wellbeing.

Support from B‑Enterprising

Funding from the B‑Enterprising team enabled Tadiwa to purchase samples, set up online and produce her first batch of journals. This support gave her the confidence and resources to start selling through markets and TikTok Shop.

Highlights, Challenges and Growth

Tadiwa loves the creativity of running her business — from designing products to producing content. She has developed new skills in photography and videography and reinvested profits to grow Meraki Aura.

Challenges included managing everything alone, balancing orders with university and work, and staying patient when online content didn’t perform as expected. Despite this, she values the personal and professional growth the experience has given her.

Key Lessons

She wishes she had known sooner how digital tools could streamline order management.
Her biggest takeaway?

“Start immediately — even if you’re unsure. Research, try things, and move your idea forward.”

Where She Is Now

Alongside full‑time work, Tadiwa continues to run Meraki Aura online and stocks products at Birmingham’s Red Brick Market, allowing her to maintain balance while still doing what she enjoys. She encourages any student with a business idea to connect with B-Enterprising to explore what’s possible...

Five weeks.  

Forty female founders.  

Four Universities.  

Six finalists. 

One winner. 

The Female Founders programme is a collaboration bringing together four Birmingham universities to support and showcase female entrepreneurial talent from across our city. Due to exceptional demand, we welcomed fifty people to the first session, with seventeen being University of Birmingham (UoB) students/graduates. 

The programme brought together innovative women in the region over a six-week programme of practical workshops. A community was developed where participants gained the knowledge, tools, and inspiration to turn their ideas and passions into viable commercial ventures. 

A shortlist of finalists pitched to win a share of a £4,000 prize fund. Each university nominated a finalist, with additional wild card options being agreed upon by the institutions. The University of Birmingham had two students in the final, Serena Berko and Audrey Berling after they showed commitment and creativity throughout, well done both! Audrey was crowned the winner of Female Founders 2025. Congratulations Audrey for an excellent pitch and engagement throughout the competition. 

Audrey commented that the programme was...

“Such an amazing experience to pitch my business start-up to a wonderful panel of investors and judges. Thank you so much for believing in me and giving 6 women the platform to be heard. Women-led businesses are incredibly important. I will never forget the amazing, 40 brilliant women I worked alongside throughout. 
 
This win was emotional, coming after a string of tough losses and questioning if I am capable. But as I try to practice what I preach to my students, if you work hard enough at something, get up after setbacks, and remain slightly crazy enough to believe anything is possible, you can achieve more than your wildest dreams.” - Post | Feed | LinkedIn 

Female Founders will be back in Autumn 2026. Express your Interest here. Who knows where this journey will take you? 

Henna Chumber is a PhD Psychology student whose start‑up, ConnectedCulture, is reshaping how cultural perspectives are understood within mental health care.

ConnectedCulture is a growing educational platform that supports mental health professionals and communities to better recognise, respect, and respond to culturally informed experiences of mental illness. From understanding how symptoms are interpreted in different cultures to navigating stigma and intergenerational trauma, Henna is building resources that help bridge gaps in communication and care.

The idea emerged during a visit to Australia in 2024, where Henna noticed clear parallels between the underrepresentation she saw in their services and her own experiences working in UK mental health settings. Witnessing cultural misunderstandings first-hand—sometimes even being mocked—motivated her to take action. ConnectedCulture became her way of transforming frustration into impact.

Support

We asked Henna, what support from the B-Enterprising team did you receive?, she told us: “I had a 1:1 a couple of months ago where I was advised to apply for the start-up fund. It was really useful having a grounded conversation about my business ideas. I have always found the B-Enterprising team extremely friendly and approachable and I look forward to talking to them more!”

Henna has been able to move the project forward while balancing her part‑time PhD and three internships. The funding has helped her bring in support for admin, marketing, and preparing educational materials—freeing up time to focus on meaningful development.

Learning Process

• Progress takes time—and celebrating smaller milestones is essential.
• Resilience matters—staying rooted in your purpose keeps you going.
• Wearing many hats is tough, but the learning curve is worth it.

ConnectedCulture continues to grow alongside Henna’s PhD research into feelings of alienation within mental health care. Her long‑term ambition is for ConnectedCulture to become more than a business—a movement that shifts how we think about culture, community, and care.

Inspired by Henna’s journey?

Explore how B‑Enterprising can support you in turning your ideas into something real. Whether you're just curious or ready to launch, our team is here to help.

From Farm to Flat White: Kahawa Roots Brewing Change

At B-Enterprising, entrepreneurship isn’t just about starting a business—it’s about creating impact. Kahawa Roots UK LTD is a shining example of this ethos. Founded by MSc Sustainable Innovation and Entrepreneurship students Rupal Karar and Cetric Mululu, Kahawa Roots is more than a coffee company; it’s a movement for fairness, sustainability, and transparency in the global coffee trade.

A Vision Born from Experience 

The idea for Kahawa Roots began with a simple but powerful observation: Kenyan smallholder farmers produce some of the world’s finest Arabica coffee, yet they often earn very little due to intermediaries and lack of traceability. Cetric, who grew up in Kenya, saw this disparity first hand. Years later, at the University of Birmingham, he met Rupal, and together they decided to change the narrative.

Their mission? To connect farmers directly with conscious consumers and UK roasters, ensuring fair prices, premium quality, and sustainable practices. Kahawa Roots owns and integrates every step of the process—from farming and processing to export and delivery—creating a transparent supply chain that empowers farmers and protects biodiversity.

Support from B-Enterprising

"We received valuable support from the B-Enterprising team during the early stages of Kahawa Root's development. Their guidance helped us refine our business model, connect with relevant networks, and access resources tailored for social enterprises. Overall, B-Enterprising played a key role in shaping our strategy and accelerating our progress towards launching a mission-driven coffee business" - Rupal

Kahawa Roots received the £500 Start-Up Fund grant, as well as accessing Business Start-Up Advice.

Where They Are Now

Kahawa Roots has already established operations in Kenya, partnering with over 2,000 smallholder farmers. They’re in advanced talks with UK specialty roasters and working on certifications and a digital traceability platform to scale their impact. Their goal is clear: measurable social and environmental change, aligned with global sustainability goals. 

They have also secured a place on this years UoB Elevate at The Exchange cohort, check out their profile.

A Brew with Purpose

Kahawa Roots isn’t just about coffee—it’s about creating a fairer, greener future. Every cup tells a story of resilience, adaptability, and community empowerment. As Rupal says, success isn’t just about having a great idea; it’s about persistent execution and listening to the communities you serve.
Read more about Kahawa Roots by visiting their website.

Meet Ashlin Evans a passionate MRes Interdisciplinary Studies graduate at the University of Birmingham who’s turning creativity into a career through her freelance business, Ashlin Evans Creative.

Ashlin is on the cusp of officially registering her business, which brings together her diverse skills in film, TV, theatre, and live events. But what truly sets them apart is their commitment to neurodiversity representation and accessibility — a focus shaped by her own lived experience and academic research.

“I wanted to integrate all my employable skills in one place,” Ashlin explains. “Many actors register as self-employed or specialise in one discipline, but I wanted to create a career that draws from my strengths and allows me to collaborate across boundaries.

From Idea to Action

Ashlin’s journey began with a clear vision: to build a professional identity that reflects her values and talents. Her business is not just about creative work — it’s about making space for underrepresented voices and creating inclusive environments in the performance industry.

With support from the B-Enterprising team, Ashlin applied for and received a £500 start-up grant, which she used to invest in professional headshots and a subscription to Spotlight, a leading platform for performers. These tools helped her raise her profile and begin building her network.

“The grant made the first steps towards building my industry profile so much easier and more immediate after finishing full-time education.”

The Highs and Lows of Freelancing 

Running a business comes with its challenges — from navigating legalities to managing time and finances. But for Ashlin, the rewards far outweigh the hurdles.

“The best part is working for myself and making my own decisions. It’s exciting to see the care I’m putting into something that will grow over time.”

They are honest about the slow start and the uncertainty that can come with it, but they're also optimistic and determined.

“The first few years are definitely the steepest climbs, but it’s exciting to think about the possibilities.” 

Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

Ashlin’s biggest takeaway? It’s not as scary as it seems.

“Taking time to set things up properly is a good thing. The beauty of having your own business is knowing you can work however you want to care for it.”

She’s grateful for the support she received from the University and is looking forward to officially launching her business soon.

Inspired by Ashlin’s story? 

If you’re a student or recent graduate with a business idea — no matter how big or small — the B-Enterprising team is here to help. From funding opportunities to expert advice, we’re ready to support your journey.

•  Visit Enterprise and entrepreneurship to find out more and take your first step into enterprise.
•  Visit Seed Funding for specific information on what funding you can access.

Economics student Will Sutton has always enjoyed finding practical solutions, but he did not expect his business idea to appear while cleaning his Dad’s car over Christmas. That small moment sparked WeCleanCars.uk, a mobile car‑cleaning service built on convenience, quality and a scalable “Uber‑like” model — and it has grown rapidly ever since.

From one idea to hundreds of customers

Returning to Birmingham after the break, Will set himself a bold personal target: knock on 100 doors every weekend until he built a customer base. His very first weekend brought his first booking, and he quickly committed to documenting every job on social media.

At first, his videos reached only a handful of viewers. But persistence paid off. As he refined his approach and improved his customer experience, his conversion rate rose steadily. Then, one TikTok video changed everything — drawing more than 50,000 views and generating 100–150 enquiries almost overnight. Suddenly, WeCleanCars.uk had momentum.

Managing this surge meant raising prices, improving systems, and eventually delegating work to others. The business began to grow beyond what Will could manage alone, marking the point where it shifted from a side‑project to a real venture with long‑term potential.

Support that accelerates growth

Alongside his own hard work, Will benefitted from support from the University’s B‑Enterprising team. He received £500 in start‑up funding, which helped develop a custom booking system — now central to the business’s operations. Will even plans to turn this system into a future SaaS product, offering it to other small businesses looking to streamline their bookings.

Learning what entrepreneurship really feels like

For Will, running a business as a student is both energising and demanding:

“The best part is that it becomes a lifestyle. You feel such a sense of purpose.”

But he is equally honest about the challenges:

“It’s also the worst part — it becomes all you think about.”

Even so, the experience has taught him lessons he could not have gained in a classroom. His biggest advice to his earlier self?
“Charge higher prices.”

And his key insight for aspiring founders?

Innovation is not always about inventing something new — it is about showing your idea to people who have not seen it before.

Looking ahead

WeCleanCars.uk is already expanding into Coventry, with plans for London in the coming months. With a scalable model and strong demand, the business is entering an exciting new chapter.

Will is also keen to mentor other students starting their own ventures, passing on what he has learned from building a business from the ground up.