A SWANSEA University graduate who couldn’t find a job is celebrating after starting her own business and achieving great success.
Kylie Hearne, 26, set up Stardust Boutique, a clothing store specialising in women’s gowns, whilst looking for work after leaving the university.
The young entrepreneur won the Princes Trust Young Ambassador of the Year Award in November 2012 for her business, situated in Sketty, and has reached the finals of Prince’s Trust Celebrate Success Awards, hosted by Ant and Dec and the Prince himself.
The Classical Civilisation graduate began her own business venture in 2010, six months after leaving university.
“After six months I began to struggle in the job market. So I started renting out dresses to people on Facebook. That began to go really well and I went on the Explore Enterprise programme with the Princes Trust which taught me vital skills such as marketing, advertising, pitfalls, perks and tax regulations.
“After this, it escalated and turned into a full-time job. I never intended to open a shop but in 2011 I had to open a shop in Sketty .
“Since then, I have hired a full-time member of staff and have volunteers helping out and my dresses have appeared in Miss Wales and Miss World pageant competitions, and I met Prince Charles too!”
Kylie encourages students to think about entrepreneurial careers, especially in the current employment market:
“I think that opening my business has shown that you don’t have to do something based on your degree title.
“You can apply the skills that you learn in your degree in any job, without even realising you have learnt them.
Stardust Boutique is on Eversley Road, Sketty and at stardustboutique.com.
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