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Career profile
Meet Tanuvi, a business founder.
Tanuvi wanted to solve the paper waste problem in the visitor attraction industry.
Find out about Tanuvi's career and how she considers the environment in what she does.
Tanuvi: Hi, my name is Tanuvi Ethunandan. I'm the CEO and co-founder of a tech start-up. And here is why I love my green career.
We came up with our business idea by solving a genuine problem in the visitor tracking industry.
We saw that paper maps are really wasteful and thought how could we incorporate digital tech to make the system a lot more sustainable? The app we're developing is helping visitors like those of the Eden Project here today to be more conscious of where they're visiting.
The key thing is we shift people away from the busy areas, so we stop queues and traffic jams. The second thing is we get rid of paper maps by asking people to go digital instead. And finally, we want to encourage people to use public transport.
So within our app, we actually let people know and we consult with our clients where the nearest public transport links are so they can walk down, cycle down, even take the bus down rather than driving.
My role in the business is actually to take charge of the business and financial strategy, which is really exciting. I liaise with clients and talk to our product development team and understand what needs to be prioritised.
So I actually didn't have any experience in coding before I started the business, but I got involved in the tech space and brought my skills from my previous background. I'm a chartered accountant by trade would certainly help me setting up the business by looking at the financial strategy side of things, but by no means is it essential to set up a business.
I even completed some online courses which are free to attend, which helped me get more comfortable with the technical jargon, which meant that I felt a lot more confident in the space. There were so many different ways to join the tech space or the start-up world, and it's just being enthusiastic to learn but bring your existing skill sets, whether you're creative, whether you're financially inclined whether you are interested in speaking to new clients, bring those skills and enter the tech space and it genuinely is one of the most rewarding careers in my opinion.
My top tip is to speak to founders who've already started up their own businesses. They're more than willing to help you along your journey and also do courses in your own free time to upskill where possible, and most importantly, have an objective, put the plans in place and take the plunge.
It's a really exciting time to set up your own business. So don't be afraid to ask for help.
There are so many different ways to join the tech space or start-up world, and it’s just being enthusiastic to learn.
Tanuvi, business founder
- Tanuvi was a chartered accountant before becoming a business founder. Her experience as a chartered accounted proved to be useful when she took charge of the business and financial strategy.
- She completed an online course to understand more about coding. It wasn't essential, but helped her feel confident working in the tech space.
- The digital app her company created spreads visitors away from the busy attraction areas, which reduces queues and traffic. The app is available on mobile devices, cutting out the need for paper maps, which reduces waste.
Green business
Starting your own business gives you permission to be creative, to reimagine the world for the better.
You also have the opportunity to run your business in a more climate-friendly way by making your services sustainable and regenerative, limiting the impact it might have on the planet.
The possibilities are endless and every industry and sector needs help to 'green' their operations and their business models.
You can combine your unique skills and passions to create sustainable solutions, just like Tanuvi.
What to expect
The salary and working hours when you own a business can vary enormously, but what's most important is that you love what you do and work hard at it.
Working for yourself looks different for each person and each business, but in general it means you:
- run your own business and are responsible for its success
- can decide how, when and where you do your work
- charge an agreed, fixed price for your work
- sell goods or services to make a profit
- can hire people at your own expense to help you or to do the work for you.
You can be both employed and self-employed at the same time. You can work for your employer during the day, for example, and run your own business in the evenings and at weekends. It’s important to contact HMRC for advice if you’re not sure if you’re self-employed.
You can get help with setting up or developing your business through the government’s business support services, for example, for advice about tax or about how to find funding to start your business.
This information is a guide (source: GOV.UK)
For careers advice in all parts of the UK visit: England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales
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