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Sports entrepreneur launches new business

10/01/2017

An entrepreneurial sports graduate has launched his own head-hunting company thanks to support from a University of Wolverhampton business scheme.

Nathaniel Keay spotted a gap in the market for a recruitment company focused on sports graduates and launched his business, Mesolean Group Limited.

The 27-year-old received consultancy and business incubation space through the University’s SPEED project, which aims to help create new business start-ups in the West Midlands.

‌The BSc (Hons) Exercise and Sports Science graduate’s business is going from strength to strength, with plans to expand this year with a new arm of the company focused on supporting business start-ups.

Nathaniel, from Birmingham, said: “I realised there was a need for a business where people could get transitional support to bridge the gap between graduating and gaining employment. I conducted market research with 150 students from different universities and found there was no sports agency to help place them into work, and similarly company directors said they felt it was something that was needed.

“I’ve received consultancy for the past six months through the SPEED project at the University, and it was been brilliant, invaluable and indispensable. My mentor has been fantastic, and being partnered with a professional who has operated in the industry for 30 years has been extremely helpful.”

nathaniel_keay

Nathaniel added that the transferable skills learnt during his undergraduate degree, such as research methods and presentation skills, have also really benefitted his business.

As part of his work, Nathaniel has been going into colleges and universities to share his expertise about what students need to be a successful practitioner in sport, and explaining the need for experience and professional accreditation.

Ginger Nijjar, Business Development Consultant from SPEED, said: “Nathaniel is a shining example of a graduate who has been channelled to successfully carve, create and control his own future. We believe enterprise support to fledgling entrepreneurs will have a significant and positive impact on the economic well-being of the local region.”  

Nathaniel hopes to expand his business with a new arm, Mesolean Management, to manage and support business start-ups and also to grow his business beyond the West Midlands region.

For more information about Mesolean Group Limited, contact visit: www.mesoleangroup.co.uk 

SPEED is an element of the Enterprise Action project which is a three-year project designed to support entrepreneurs in the Black Country and the Marches areas of the West Midlands to start up a business.  It is hoped that the project, funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), will assist 480 entrepreneurs and lead to the creation of 250 new enterprises.

For details about SPEED, visit: www.wlv.ac.uk/speed

ENDS

Pic: Nathaniel Keay

Video: Nathaniel Keay talks about his business and the support he has received from the University of Wolverhampton’s SPEED project: https://youtu.be/piFcArtfm-g

 

For more information please contact the Media Relations Office on 01902 32 2736 or 01902 518647.

Date Issued: Tuesday, 10 January 2017

For more information please contact the Corporate Communications Team.

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