Generation Next case study: Tari Mangozho

Nottingham Trent University Business and Marketing placement student Tari Mangozho is pursuing a digital marketing career and hopes to grow her self-confidence. Tari speaks to Tim Smith about how joining Generation Next membership has been a confidence booster.

For someone trying to develop confidence, how did it feel going to networking events? 

I guess one can assume that it would be intimidating going to a networking event with all these industry professionals, but I realised it’s not as intimidating as you would think it would be. Everyone has a background story and you learn that each person started off in this [same] position.

What stands out in your mind as influential from the Generation Next events you went to?

I attended a conference about facing adversity and entrepreneurial thinking. There was a guest speaker: Jon Watts. I believe he was incarcerated at 16 years old but he managed to turn his hobby into a passion with a career as a chef. It showed me how growth is not like a linear process. There will be ups and downs. That kind of encouraged me to explore different things in my career. If there are ups and down, you know not to get too stressed out and you know to focus on a clear vision.

That’s a really good example of something inspirational.  What other takeaways have helped with your career journey?

They taught me how to reflect. I went to a webinar about the importance of reflection and it shifted my focus a bit, looking at the bigger picture of things. I didn’t realise looking back –  or reflecting back – on something can actually help you see what you want for yourself in the future.

And in terms of you going into the digital marketing industry, what impact has Generation Next had on you?

You need confidence skills and I keep talking about confidence because it’s really something I wanted to gain from this experience, but you need it. It’s definitely helped develop my networking skills. It’s built my confidence speaking to people that I’ve never spoken to before. I feel like the time that we’re living in is less social. People keep to themselves, it’s all about social media these days. It has been really helpful to actually go to [events] where you’re intending to network with each other.

What would you say to other people that might be considering Generation Next?

I would say go for it. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain, and it’s really enjoyable. It’s not as intimidating or scary as you might think it is. I would definitely recommend it.

Generation Next is a membership network run by East Midlands Chamber for young professionals working in Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire. It runs social events and webinars for its members to help build their skills and connect with likeminded individuals. To find out more, get in touch with the team at gennext@emc-dnl.co.uk.