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Student Residency Winners - Heart & Soul Events

Tue, 29/10/2024 - 10:40

Tell us about your business and what you do?  

Heart and Soul Events Co. is a creative and collaborative Events Business offering Event Planning & Management and Event Décor & Design services.  

The two main branches of the Business starting out are ‘Heart and Soul Event Design’ wedding and event décor and styling & ‘Art & Soul Socials’ planning and hosting creative events across Derby in collaboration with local artists. 

  

What's the story behind why you started your business, what inspired and helped you to make your first steps? 

We met during our Event Management course at University of Derby, after both deciding to change careers and follow ours passion for the events industry. 

After working on various projects together, both of our research often focused around social, economic and environmental sustainability and the benefits of attending events for wellbeing. Heart and Soul Events Co. allows us to combine our event planning and management knowledge and experience with our passion for creativity and collaboration through our decor and design services and Art and Soul socials.  

After volunteering at Banks Mill Open Studios and starting to build business plans whilst at university, we reached out to the team when we were ready to start putting our plans into action. This led to applying for and being successful in winning a student residency, and also gaining some funding through the Try It fund for our business start-up. We have since moved into studio 3.4 starting our journey as Heart and Soul Events Co. 

  

What University did you graduate from?  What course did you study? 

We both recently graduated from the University of Derby after studying Event Management 

 

Were there any University services that you used for your business? 

YES! The Innovation Hothouse, Try it Fund and  Volunteering at Open Studios in 2023 

 

How did the University of Derby services support your business? 

We became members of Innovation Hothouse, won a student residency opportunity at Banks Mill, we also won funding through the Try It fund and Louise had mentoring from Lucinda White through the entrepreneurs in residence programme.  

  

What UoD networks did you find useful during your studies and post graduation, if any?  

Definitely the community at Banks mill and the support from Innovation Hothouse 

 

How will/does being based at Banks Mill help your business? 

It gives us a base to create our decor ideas and a professional place to work from. The network of creative people in the same building is amazing as well as the business support that Banks Mill provides. 

 

What other work experience/support/training have you gained relevant to what you’re doing now? 

We both graduated with a First Class BA Honours from our Event Management degree. Carla works in holiday and travel planning and customer service roles and Louise has a background in management, business development, sales and the wedding industry. We’ve both worked for Cancer Research UK as part of their core events team. 

 

What are you working on in the studio now?  

We're currently focusing on wedding and event decor designs and styling as well as creating our own decor pieces. We recently launched our first Art and Soul Social event at Mr Shaw’s House on Sadler Gate. 

 

What are your plans for your business for the next 12 months?  

We want to build our social media and client base, host regular Art and Soul events in Derby in collaboration with local artists and offer Art and Soul socials as workplace wellbeing events. We’ll also be creating and showcasing our wedding and event decor designs. 

 

 

  • Dawn Wesselby won the Student Residency in 2022. She has developed her artistic potential with the support availabl… https://t.co/QjdVIzaXf5 1 year 4 months ago