LAST LAUGH
I was rejected from an apprenticeship that paid just £89 a week – now I run a business that makes £750,000 a year
Matt started his business when he was just 19 and in university
A YOUNG entrepreneur has revealed how he used an apprenticeship rejection to spur him on to launch a successful business at just 19.
The business leader now runs one of the UK’s most successful digital marketing businesses handling six-figure contracts.
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Matt Pyke, 27 from Cheshire, thought his marketing dreams were over when he was turned down at 16 when he applied for a digital marketing apprenticeship that paid a measly £89 a week.
Matt said he went in for a half-day trial at what he considered to be his dream company at the time.
But by the end of the day, he was told his skills weren’t good enough for the role.
He said: "At the time it was the first job that I had ever applied for, so getting rejected did knock my confidence.”
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Determined not to let the rejection squash his dreams Matt decided to boost his skills while at university and launch his own business instead.
STARTING FROM SCRATCH
He said: “I’ve always had an interest in marketing since I was a teen and I didn’t want to be rejected again so I decided to set a goal to build something while I was at university.”
Matt started freelancing during his first year at Manchester Metropolitan University teaching himself the skills that he had initially needed.
I was 20 and at uni when I started my side hustle… now it’s worth £3 million, I’ve bought a house & a Tesla
Matt said: “I was constantly in my bedroom learning new skills such as SEO social media and website designing skills."
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Matt taught himself these new skills whilst learning what he could from his course.
“On top of my university classes, I was probably studying and working around 12 hours a day." he said.
“Initially I started working for friends and family to build up my experience, it was the money I got from this that I used to start getting software and equipment.
“Everything I paid for was out of my pocket and I kept reinvesting everything into the business.”
SOCIAL LOWS
During this intense period, Matt missed out on a lot of the social side of university life.
He said: “Working so much made it difficult to make friends and socialise. But I did have real friends who have been with me since the beginning.
“Many close friends and family stepped up at the start to help me with promotion when they could.”
Matt officially launched in 2016 at 19 in his first year of university and has been running the business for the past eight years.
“It was just me for three years, but now we’ve grown to a team of 12. We’re making around £750,000 a year and manage high-profile contracts.”
“Our clients vary, we manage marketing for sport, hospitality, health, pharmaceuticals, home and garden, and consumer finance.”
Even after launching his business Matt still completed his studies graduating from Machester Metropolitan University with a Marketing Management degree in 2018.
BUMPY ROAD
Despite his success, Matt has experienced rough patches while running Fly High Media, particularly during the pandemic.
He said: "We lost a few clients during the pandemic, due to their businesses not being able to trade.
“Things were uncertain and rocky for three or four months but we bounced back and recovered.
“I’ve made mistakes too, after university I set up a pricey office.
“But we downsized during Covid as we didn't need an office that size and I wanted to future-proof the company.”
WINNING AWARDS
Even with a few hiccups, Matt’s company has blossomed and his success has been recognised.
Matt's leadership and the success of Fly High Media recently saw him awarded the FSB North West Young Entrepreneur Award, a part of the FSB Celebrating Small Business Awards which shines a spotlight on the UK's most impressive small businesses.
Matt is also in the running for the National Young Entrepreneur Award at the FSB Finals in May - a remarkable feat after his initial rejection.
He said: “It’s crazy to think that I went from rejection to an award-winning leader of a successful agency that competes directly against the marketing agency that rejected my application in the first place."
LUSH LIFESTYLE
Matt says being a business leader has allowed him to achieve milestones others his age would have struggled to reach.
Matt was able to buy his dream car a Range Rover at 24 and purchased his first home this year.
He said: “I can be more flexible with my time now as I have a good team with different departments, so I’m not afraid to take time off.”
REJECTION TO PERFECTION
In the end, Matt believes he would have ended up a business owner regardless of his path, though it may have taken him a little longer without his initial rejection.
“I think if I had been accepted onto the apprenticeship I probably would have made it to business owner eventually," he said.
“I probably would have ended up in a 9-5 job for quite a while before I got to where I wanted to be.
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“I think you're never too young to start a business, as long as you find a niche and are consistent.
“Young entrepreneurs should work to build credibility and continually review processes to improve.”
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