Meet the team
Meet the team: professionally trained students pleased to help with your business needsThe Business Solutions Centre team are eager and well-equipped to provide you with business solutions. Their areas of interest and expertise span a huge range of today's key business concerns.
Advisors
Sofía is studying Business Management with Enterprise and Entrepreneurship
Her particular areas of interests include arts, fashion, project management, and entrepreneurship.
Sofía was inspired to study Business Management with Enterprise and Entrepreneurship as she wanted to know more about the creative side of running a business. When she was 16, she started her own fashion brand, but felt she needed more business knowledge and networking experience in order to succeed.
Sofía believes the keys to success are determination and organisation, knowing what you want to achieve and setting a plan to go from where you are now to where you want to get.
After graduating, Sofía hopes to do a Master’s focused on the fashion and arts industry, to be able to work for the top fashion brands in the market and relaunch her brand in the near future.
Patricia is studying BA (Hons) Business Management with Enterprise and Entrepreneurship.
Her particular areas of interest include strategic management, statutory compliance, lean to agile management, cost analysis, financial reporting and risk management.
Patricia was first inspired to study Business Management with Enterprise and Entrepreneurship as she wanted to understand the entrepreneurial mindset, hoping to help start-ups improve their financial systems, budgeting and budgetary control, financial performance and cost management.
Patricia believes the key to a successful business is a combination of vision, strong determination and robust systems and procedures.
After graduating, Patricia hopes to continue to work with small business to support them in performance management, business risk assessment and meet regulatory statutory compliance.
Prior to studying, Patricia worked with various commercial entities and non-profit organisations where she gained extensive experience in business process development, setting up financial systems, cost management budgeting and budgetary control, financial performance and cost management.
With her commercial orientation, Patricia has supported small business in setting up financial systems to help them meet funding conditions and monitoring evaluation.
Williet is a Business Studies student.
Her particular areas of interest include management, marketing and company law.
Williet was first inspired to study Business Studies as she had her own business in Ghana. When she moved to the UK, she worked as a safeguarding Admin Lead and PCN role in a medical practice, which allowed her to interact and communicate with people.
Williet believes the key to a successful business is a good marketing campaign.
After graduating, Williet wants to do a Master’s in Business Law and then work for IBM.
Sara is studying MSc in Business Project Management.
Her particular areas of interest include project management, budgeting, forecasting, and technology.
Sara was first inspired to study Project Management as a career change from finance. She decided that she wanted to work on projects from start to finish, rather than just focus on the financial components.
Sara believes the key to a successful business is focusing on the customer’s problem that you are solving, differentiating yourself from competition, goal setting and determination.
After graduating, Sara hopes to either work in project management in a technology company or start her own business.
Hanna is studying Business Management with Project Management.
As an advisor, she is passionate about helping others grow and reach their goals. She has been working on the Twitter strategy, writing reports and help sheets, and delivered virtual workshops. In short, Hanna believes the key to business success is consistency, communication and listening to stakeholders. Her areas of interest include project management, marketing, human behaviour, technology, economics, and the environment.
Sofia Konstantinou is studying BA (Hons) Business Management.
Whilst working for the Business Solutions Centre, Sofia has collaborated on creating content about Market Research and Consumer Behaviour, that was used to help in the relocation of traders from the Elephant and Castle Shopping Centre. Moreover, she has interviewed small business owners and created tailored reports on small businesses. Her areas of interest include brand management, leadership, sustainability, and entrepreneurship. Sofia believes that precision and efficiency is the key to building a strong foundation in every business, while vision and close team building are necessary for its success.
Ariana Ionescu is studying BA (Hons) Marketing with Advertising and Digital Communications. Her particular areas of interest include brand management, marketing research and advertising.
Ariana believes the key to a successful business is a combination of a well-researched business plan, implementing a customer-centric approach, targeted marketing, a memorable brand, a strong network and most important of all, patience!
Whilst working for the Business Solutions Centre, Ariana has been working with clients and businesses from the Elephant & Castle Shopping Centre on Marketing subjects, helped organise a Social Media workshop pre-pandemic and managed the Business Solutions Centre Twitter account.
Max Smith is a BA (Hons) Accounting and Finances student.
Studying Accounting and Finance has given Max the chance to explore different subject interests. He particularly enjoys Financial Accounting and Finance/Investment.
Max was first inspired to study Accounting and Finance because of his love for numbers, to view data in a numerical form and through statistics. Max also believes the flexibility in an Accounting and Finance degree upon graduation is a huge advantage.
Max believes that within business the key to success is to please all key stake holders, to build up a personal relationship between a client and adviser and that this is achieved through outstanding interpersonal skills.
After graduating from LSBU Max is hoping to qualify as a chartered accountant and to work in Finance in The City.
Supervisor
Martina is an MSc Marketing graduate and the owner and director of 3P Translation, a business that helps UK-based SMEs in the food, hospitality, tourism and travel industries communicate with their customers and partners abroad through bespoke linguistic consultancy, translation and interpreting services. Martina also delivers regular seminars and workshops on marketing, personal branding and international expansion for small businesses and freelancers.
Her particular areas of interest include marketing strategy, personal branding, consumer behaviour, social media and digital marketing, business development and planning, and small business management.
Martina feels the key to a successful business is passion - and, of course, the right business mind-set and hard work.
Martina is very passionate about using her personal experience as a small business owner and combining it with what she learned at University to help local SMEs achieve their objectives and grow in their respective markets.
As the Supervisor at the Business Solutions Centre, Martina supports the personal, professional and academic growth of advisors through daily operational support, report checking, and training. Martina is also in charge of marketing the Business Solutions Centre to the local business community.
Find out more about Martina's business, 3P Translation.
You can also read more about Martina's experiences and achievements, including being a finalist for an Institute of Directors award.
