Weekend MBA

Alumni profile: From “Lagos to London”

Francesca Hoare — Tue, 04 Mar 2025 09:31:29 +0000

Alumni profile: From “Lagos to London”

Francesca Hoare Tue, 04/03/2025 - 09:31

4 March 2026 Alumni

Besnik Mustafa (Weekend MBA 2025)

After beginning his career at Finance Think, Besnik Mustafa went on to advise Members of Parliament in North Macedonia. He later joined Salience Consulting, gaining experience across multiple international markets.

27 February 2026 Alumni

Alumni Careers: Understanding imposter syndrome and career growth

Imposter syndrome is something our careers consultants encounter frequently when supporting professionals through moments of growth, transition, and increased responsibility.

13 February 2026 Alumni

Alumni Careers: Helping Alumni Stay Visible and Valuable in the Age of Remote Work and AI

As the world of work continues to shift through the rise of remote working and rapid advances in AI, our careers consultants are increasingly supporting professionals who want to stay visible, valued, and strategically positioned.

25 March 2022

Alumni

Lola Aworanti-Ekugo (Weekend MBA 2019) is a Digital and Innovation specialist with over 15 years of experience in the industry. She’s also an advocate for women in STEM, an entrepreneur and author. She has recently launched her first novel “Lagos to London”. A fiction novel aimed at inspiring youths to find their own path and strive to be their best wherever they find themselves in the world. We spoke to her about the process of writing a book, her time at Imperial and why as global citizens we all have a responsibility to promote good values.

What was the inspiration behind this book?

‘Lagos to London’ was inspired by my journey of leaving Nigeria at the young age of 19 to further my education in the UK and having to craft my own path in the world. I was the first of my immediate family to leave home on this quest and it was quite an adventure.

The novel tells a story of two ��ý Remi Coker and Nnamdi Okonkwo from different backgrounds who leave the shores of Nigeria full of hope to further their education abroad. Remi from a prestigious Coker family is expected to return home after her law degree to run the family law firm and Nnamdi, a hustler with a dream is frustrated by the federal university strikes, plans to escape Nigeria and never return.

In my view, the world is at a point where so many young people are leaving their home countries on a quest for greener pastures abroad and trying to find their way in the world without any help. In addition, we also have people in the diaspora who need some guidance in terms of how to hack it and be successful. I felt that this novel was extremely relevant today and this is what led to its release now.

The novel is inspiring young people to strive to be their best wherever they find themselves in the world as global citizens by sharing real world experiences and promoting good values critical to the attainment of success through unique story telling. It is about finding your own path, living your dream, and making your mark wherever you find yourself in the world. This an important and urgent message for young people today.

How did you find the writing process?

The writing process was exciting and therapeutic, however finding the time to write was a challenge for me. I juggled writing with my career, family responsibilities and life in general and as you know with everything, there is an opportunity cost.

I have since come to realise that my career path and creative writing are not so far apart. With my career in digital/technology, I am solving problems, creating new products and solutions with technology and with creative writing I am doing the same but with words.

When I started writing the novel, I made out time to attend a creative writing course at City Academy in London, subsequently I would take out time very early in the mornings, especially Sunday mornings to write.

The process taught me patience and prioritisation.

This is a big departure from your day-to-day corporate life, has it always been a ambition of our to write a novel?

It is interesting because I realised that I could be a creative writer long before I realised that I could be a software engineer. I would write different short stories, songs, and poems when I was much younger and keep them in a folder and showed no one.

My career in digital technologies was a passion that I discovered when I moved to the UK in 2002, for a computer foundation course. It was at that point that I realised that I great at software programming, it came naturally to me.

I have since come to realise that my career path and creative writing are not so far apart. With my career in digital/technology, I am solving problems, creating new products and solutions with technology and with creative writing I am doing the same but with words.

I am thankful to be doing things I love, technology and creative writing. We are many things and can be many things at the same time.

How was your time at Imperial and in London?

The MBA has undoubtedly expanded my perspectives and changed the way I think about and approach certain things for the better. The skills, knowledge and network gained during the programme are a part of me now and all very relevant in everything I do.

What is your top piece of advice for anyone travelling to another country to live?

Be clear on your goals as you set out on your journey and stay focused on them no matter the circumstance.

Moving to a new country to learn or work can be quite challenging, so it is important to strive to understand your new environment, network, and always stay true to your values as you find your own path.

This is the essence of the Lagos to London novel.

What’s next for you?

Lagos to London has been very interesting journey so far and it has opened new opportunities and channels. I am currently working on the audio book for the novel and work on the sequel for Lagos to London is underway. In the sequel, expect to see some familiar characters and some new ones with interesting twists, so look out it!

Weekend MBA

Programme

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4 minute read

Alumni profile: RISE and shine

Francesca Hoare — Tue, 04 Mar 2025 09:31:29 +0000

Alumni profile: RISE and shine

Francesca Hoare Tue, 04/03/2025 - 09:31

4 March 2026 Alumni

Besnik Mustafa (Weekend MBA 2025)

27 February 2026 Alumni

Alumni Careers: Understanding imposter syndrome and career growth

Imposter syndrome is something our careers consultants encounter frequently when supporting professionals through moments of growth, transition, and increased responsibility.

13 February 2026 Alumni

Alumni Careers: Helping Alumni Stay Visible and Valuable in the Age of Remote Work and AI

24 September 2020

Alumni

Launching a new business during a global pandemic is a brave feat. Planning, researching, developing products, branding and crowdfunding, as well as studying for a MBA and working full-time makes this an even more impressive achievement.

The lightbulb moment

The story behind RISE Coffee Box is one born out of opportunity and a passion to support small business owners. Missing her morning flat whites on the way to work, Alice Wainwright (Weekend MBA 2019) and her Co-Founder Ben went on the hunt for good coffee to drink at home. Finding the supermarket shelves less than inspiring, she took to the internet to find a coffee subscription. There were plenty out there, but none that offered a variety and mix that inspired her. Here was Alice’s lightbulb moment; a chance to bring delicious and exciting varieties of coffee to the homes of coffee lovers, while supporting small independent coffee makers and ethically-minded startups.

Alice predicted that post-lockdown consumer purchasing behaviour would be changed, possibly forever, and therefore knew it was important to be ahead of the curve and act fast. Putting her PR skills and business acumen from her MBA to work, she set about creating RISE.

RISE and shine

The RISE coffee boxes showcase handpicked, sustainable and premium coffee brands, and include the unique story behind each coffee directly from the roaster, from bean to bag. The desire to share the journey with others and tell their story is just one of the ways in which RISE is unique. It isn’t just about coffee, but how they can offer something sustainable that isn’t solely focused on achieving a big a margin. A huge part of the ethos and mission of RISE is to work with partner brands (coffee roasters, chocolatiers, gift companies, alcoholic beverages etc.) who have a social conscience behind every action they take – from supporting fair farmer’s wages to being plastic free. By working closely with these partners, Alice is able to continuously make improvements to ensure RISE is operating as sustainably as possible.

A wonderful example of this mind-set was the two of the first partnerships that Alice and her Co-Founder established. One was with Redemption Roasters, the world’s first 'behind bars' coffee house, who operate out of HMP The Mount. The company are on a social impact mission to train offenders in coffee industry skills with the aim of reducing reoffending in the UK. And then there is Tony’s Chocolonely, whose sole aim is to make chocolate 100% slave free in West Africa, due to the unequally divided cocoa chain. By giving an added voice and platform to these exceptional startups, RISE is helping to raise the profile of an ethically-sourced and responsible food chain. Alice is determined to succeed and determined to bring others along with her on this incredible journey.

The future

Alice’s vision for the business is to grow RISE’s coffee subscription box by launching her own coffee company later this year, with the aim of shaking up the brown and gold shelves of supermarket coffee. She has already sustainably sourced her coffee beans and equipment, and is now borrowing from other categories, such as craft beer and fashion, to create a brand that stands out. Alice is currently working on multiple gift box creations for RISE coffee subscription box, using themes such as “positivity” and “travel” as inspiration. Her aim is for RISE to take over Nescafe in offices, taking employees on a journey of coffee discovery.

Whilst growing RISE Alice plans to continue support a number of other small brands disrupting their industries. For example, she is consulting with a vegan chocolate company on their marketing and sales and is helping a healthcare start-up that has developed biodegradable sanitary towels with their marketing and gathering feedback from their soft launch.

Alice’s dream is to own a number of companies across sectors aligned to her passions, whilst consulting small businesses and charities day-to-day on disruptive marketing and innovation. She also wants to create a community space that houses a number of creative events, from half-day idea sessions to practical workshops for SMEs.

On top of all these entrepreneurial achievements Alice is a shining star in the volunteer sector as well as academically. She received the only Imperial Business School Dean’s scholarship for impactful leadership. She is passionate about supporting charities and volunteers for clients assisting with marketing and proposition development and strategy. She also helps coach early stage startups and is a Prince’s Trust Mentor, coaching young adults to grow confidence in pitching ideas. She does all this while continuing to work full time at a digital agency as a Senior Account Director.

Alice is a driven, determined entrepreneur who we're sure is destined to RISE to the top.

Entrepreneurship

Weekend MBA

Programme

Weekend MBA

3 minute read

IWD 2025 - Dr Damla Khan (Weekend MBA 2022)

Francesca Hoare — Thu, 27 Feb 2025 09:26:19 +0000

IWD 2025 - Dr Damla Khan (Weekend MBA 2022)

Francesca Hoare Thu, 27/02/2025 - 09:26

4 March 2026 Alumni

Besnik Mustafa (Weekend MBA 2025)

27 February 2026 Alumni

Alumni Careers: Understanding imposter syndrome and career growth

Imposter syndrome is something our careers consultants encounter frequently when supporting professionals through moments of growth, transition, and increased responsibility.

13 February 2026 Alumni

Alumni Careers: Helping Alumni Stay Visible and Valuable in the Age of Remote Work and AI

27 February 2025

Alumni

Dr. Damla Khan is the founder of Brainsteins, an education services company delivering innovative learning experiences for young people. She is a neuroscientist by training and an Imperial MBA graduate. Passionate about entrepreneurship education, she is also developing TynkerByte, an ed-tech platform. She is part of the Imperial Entrepreneur’s Pledge, supporting future innovators.

What has been your journey since you left Imperial and how did studying for your MBA at Imperial help in your career?

Since leaving Imperial, my journey has been deeply rooted in entrepreneurship. During my MBA, I had the opportunity to explore the startup world and gained significant experience working on Selfily, a digital health app that our team developed as part of the Entrepreneurial Journey module. The lessons I learned from that experience - about product development, business strategy, and the realities of launching a startup - have been invaluable.

I’ve applied those insights directly to founding Brainsteins, where we’re creating innovative learning experiences for young people, and now to developing TynkerByte, an edtech platform I’m currently building.

Beyond the business and entrepreneurship knowledge gained from the MBA, Imperial has expanded my network in ways that have been both professionally and personally beneficial. Most importantly, it helped me become comfortable with being uncomfortable - a crucial mindset for any entrepreneur navigating the challenges of building something new.

Can you tell us more about your company, Brainsteins?

Brainsteins is an education-focussed company committed to delivering innovative learning experiences for children and young adults. Our flagship programme, the KidsMBA, is recognized by Forbes magazine as one of the 'five leading global programmes supporting the next generation of entrepreneurs.' Designed for kids aged 11-15, it provides a valuable head start in the business world by equipping them with essential entrepreneurial skills. We are continuously building on our offerings to include more resources that help young learners gain essential skills in today’s fast paced world!

What have you found the biggest challenge and the most rewarding part of your entrepreneurial journey?

One of the biggest challenges as an entrepreneur is navigating uncertainty. Unlike traditional career paths, where there is often a clear trajectory, entrepreneurship requires you to embrace the unknown, make tough decisions with limited information, and adapt quickly. Whether it’s securing funding, finding the right team, or ensuring product-market fit, every stage presents new obstacles.

At the same time, the most rewarding aspect has been seeing the direct impact of my work. With Brainsteins, I’ve had the privilege of helping young people develop entrepreneurial skills and confidence early in life. Seeing a child go from believing business isn’t for them to presenting innovative ideas and thinking like an entrepreneur is incredibly fulfilling. Knowing that I’m contributing to shaping the next generation of thinkers, innovators, and leaders makes all the challenges worthwhile.

You seem to have a very interesting dual between Scotland and Singapore: have you been able to attend any events since you graduated?

Despite splitting my time between Scotland and Singapore, I frequently attend Imperial events in Singapore. These events provide a great opportunity to meet fellow alumni, build new collaborations, and stay updated on the latest developments in business, technology, and entrepreneurship. Being part of such a dynamic and supportive network reinforces the strong foundation that Imperial provided, and I truly appreciate the ongoing connection.

As we mark International Women’s Day, how can we encourage more women to pursue entrepreneurship in their careers?

Encouraging more women to pursue entrepreneurship starts with embedding the foundations of entrepreneurial thinking at an early age. Working with kids as young as 11, I have seen first-hand how business education and access to entrepreneurial learning can transform the way they think. Many young people assume they won’t need to consider business because they don’t see themselves as future entrepreneurs - but the reality is, you never know where your path will lead.

I am a neuroscientist by training, yet my journey took an unconventional turn into entrepreneurship. Whether you aspire to work in medicine, mathematics, or any other field, understanding business and entrepreneurship is essential. If nothing else, we are all consumers - so why not be smart ones?

This mindset shift needs to start early. Entrepreneurship education should be integrated into classrooms, discussed at home, and reinforced through enrichment programs. By normalizing business and entrepreneurial thinking from a young age, we can empower more women to see it as a viable and exciting career path.

Are there any female role models who have inspired you professionally?

It may be a cliché, but my mother has been my biggest inspiration—both personally and professionally. Growing up, I watched her navigate her career, education, and motherhood with excellence in all areas, and because of that, I saw it as completely normal. She never made me feel that being a woman could in any way limit what I could aspire to or achieve.

Her ability to balance it all with grace and determination built the foundation for my own confidence and ambition. As I continue to evolve and grow, I know I can pursue my goals because I have that strong foundation. She is, simply put, par excellence.

What advice would you give to an aspiring entrepreneur?

I am early in my journey but my biggest advice to an aspiring entrepreneur is to embrace uncertainty and take action. There is never a 'perfect' time to start, and you will never have all the answers—but progress comes from doing, learning, and iterating.

Surround yourself with the right people—mentors, advisors, and a strong network can make all the difference. Entrepreneurship can be challenging, and having a support system helps you navigate the highs and lows.

Growth happens outside your comfort zone, and the ability to adapt, pivot, and keep pushing forward is what sets successful entrepreneurs apart.

Most importantly, stay connected to your 'why.' Entrepreneurship is a long journey, and having a clear purpose will keep you motivated through the challenges and setbacks.

You are a part of Imperial Entrepreneur’s Pledge – thank you! Why is this such an important scheme for you to be a part of?

Being part of the Imperial Entrepreneur’s Pledge is incredibly important to me because it’s a way to give back to the ecosystem that played a pivotal role in my entrepreneurial journey. Imperial provided me with the knowledge, network, and opportunities that helped shape my path, and I want to ensure that future entrepreneurs have access to the same support. By being part of this scheme, I hope to contribute to fostering the next generation of innovators and leaders, just as others have done for me. It’s about building a cycle of support and opportunity, and I’m proud to be a part of it.

Culture and Inclusion

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Celebrating International Women’s Day

5 minute read

Weekend MBA

Alumni profile: From “Lagos to London”

Alumni profile: From “Lagos to London”

Besnik Mustafa (Weekend MBA 2025)

Alumni Careers: Understanding imposter syndrome and career growth

Alumni Careers: Helping Alumni Stay Visible and Valuable in the Age of Remote Work and AI

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Alumni profile: RISE and shine

Alumni profile: RISE and shine

Besnik Mustafa (Weekend MBA 2025)

Alumni Careers: Understanding imposter syndrome and career growth

Alumni Careers: Helping Alumni Stay Visible and Valuable in the Age of Remote Work and AI

The lightbulb moment

RISE and shine

The future

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IWD 2025 - Dr Damla Khan (Weekend MBA 2022)

IWD 2025 - Dr Damla Khan (Weekend MBA 2022)

Besnik Mustafa (Weekend MBA 2025)

Alumni Careers: Understanding imposter syndrome and career growth

Alumni Careers: Helping Alumni Stay Visible and Valuable in the Age of Remote Work and AI

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Celebrating International Women’s Day