Member Article

23 year old Sheffield graduate leaves investment banking to set up Moonpig rival

A young Yorkshire entrepreneur has given up on a career in investment banking to launch her own card company designed to rival industry giants Moon Pig and Funky Pigeon.

Lauren Nicholson, 23, will launch Remember the Date later this month; a site dedicated to taking the pressure off people who regularly forget anniversaries and birthdays.

The Sheffield University Economics graduate will unveil the concept and quirky card designs at the prestigious ExCel venue in London where she has been invited to sit on a panel of experts at the Ipex conference 2014.

The ethical business, which is supported by the Prince’s Trust, boasts a carbon neutral printing status, free delivery, and is committed to supporting other young people to start their own business by donating at least 5% of profits to the Prince’s Trust.

Determined to make Remember the Date a success, Lauren is currently working part time at the University of Sheffield whilst also managing every aspect of the business, from processing the orders and posting the cards to connecting with customers via social media.

She said: “It’s been tough to get to this stage where I am actually processing orders but I genuinely believe in what I am doing, and that it will be a real success.

“Through a comprehensive business development strategy I am confident that Remember the Date will become a household brand, up there with MoonPig and Funky Pigeon.

“I did a lot of research before I decided to do this and I know that Remember the Date is truly unique, not only because of our carbon neutral printing status but we also promise free delivery anywhere in mainland UK.

“Moreover, we promise to ensure the card reaches its destination in time by posting it out far enough in advance to prevent any late arrival.

“For me, it is very much about enhancing the customer experience and listening to what our customers want. For example, Remember the Date allows users to enter and order cards for important personal milestones, birthdays, anniversaries and other celebrations in one sitting – meaning they have one job ticked off their list for the rest of their year!”

Lauren says she was also motivated to start her own business amidst fears that finding work after University would be a struggle – despite having degree in Economics from a prestigious University.

She said: “I was very worried about leaving university and ending up in a career I didn’t feel comfortable doing, and that’s if I was even lucky enough to find a job in the first place.

“I think people leaving University now are having to work harder to stand out from the crowd and find their place in the world of work.

“It’s no longer a case of getting a degree and walking into a graduate job the next day. I also think that more young people will look to start their own business after finishing university, as there has never been more help and support out there.

“But I believe that if you have the drive and ambition to do something, you’ll find a way to do it.”

The Ipex is the first international print and marketing communications event bringing people from the industry together to debate, discover and develop inspirational campaigns, creative ideas and strategies for the first time.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Clare Burnett .