Sample Business and Management Personal Statement
Although the current economic malaise may seem to suggest otherwise, from an entrepreneurial point of view, my generation is extremely fortunate. For the digital and online technologies of the twenty-first century have blessed us with opportunities that previous generations never had to launch business ventures that are funded principally by inspiration and imagination rather than capital. I am one of these young entrepreneurs. While I was still just a boy I founded my own online retail business, based around sourcing electronic goods from China and Hong Kong. Nurturing this venture over the years has been a voyage of discovery through the fundamentals of business principles. From day one I was confronted by some of the key dilemmas faced by all businesses, such as whether or not it would be more cost effective for the business plans to embrace logistical models such as drop shipping, and whether it would ultimately be more profitable to compete with rivals based on price or quality of service. I have also learnt the importance of continual innovation, and I have now successfully branched out into a new venture in harnessing the power of social media for businesses and creative projects.
Even as I took my first steps into the world of commerce, I was conscious of the need to acquire and accumulate business and management theories and practices to maximise my chances of success. I embraced the tools that I learnt through GCSE business studies, applying techniques such as SWOT analysis to my business, and additionally studied quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques and cultivated advanced mathematical skills to help me understand my target market and stay ahead of the competition. Now, as I approach the end of secondary education, my objective is to truly master the intricacies of business and management through university-level study. From my own experiences I am aware that business success is predicated on a very broad assortment of subject areas, ranging from the creativity of marketing to the complexity of financial models. Having learnt something of these areas through my own business plan experiences, I am now ready to devote all of my academic efforts to them.
My experiences as an entrepreneur have been complemented by work placements I have completed in the creative media sector. This summer I worked at a music production company. In addition to fulfilling one of my creative ambitions, namely learning how to use music production and editing software, as an experience in business management the experience was also highly worthwhile. I was given a large level of responsibility for marketing activities, a pressure that I thrived on, and I also learnt about the ways in which organizations successfully manage large and ambitious projects. With my own business experiences being based more around my own initiative, the opportunity to observe how an organization functions was very insightful. In the summer of 2010 I worked as a production assistant on the shooting of the film Remorse. With this role requiring me to simultaneously organize a shooting schedule, manage the finances for the shoot and handle promotional activities, through the experience I truly learnt the meaning of the term ‘multi-tasking’. Though the working hours were extremely demanding, being involved with the film and combining my managerial skills with a creative outlet was extraordinary, and I am proud to have picked up skills along the way that add to what I have learnt through my part-time work as a waiter.
Now in my final year of secondary education, I look back on my years at school and college with a deep gratitude for all the opportunities I have had to work with others and to test myself. I have enjoyed the cut and thrust of debating, in the process winning various public speaking competitions. I am equally passionate about writing, with my crowning achievement in this area being awarded the creative writing prize at school. While at school I also took on the responsibility of head of house, using this position to cajole my housemates into participating in a wide range of inter-house competitions. However, I am just as comfortable working as a team member as I am taking charge, and particularly enjoyed the group expeditions I completed with the Duke of Edinburgh scheme. My involvement in the National Youth Choir has additionally taught me how to be a team player. Participating in team sports, in particular football and hockey, has also been an important part of my life, as has been competing in fencing. I also have a strong altruistic streak, which has to date taken the form of volunteering with a youth theatre and raising money for a local children’s hospice through a recycling scheme for mobile phones and printer ink cartridges.
Before I embark on university life, I am looking forward to further developing my interests in creative media through completing a long-term internship at a creative agency in London. I also have plans to broaden my horizons through travelling, through which I partly hope to learn about business cultures in other continents. I believe that these plans will only enhance my readiness to study business and management the following year.
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