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Interview with UKC student and entrepreneur Lavinia Gyamfuah

The word ‘student’ nowadays seems to conjure up two words: lazy and unhealthy. Whilst perhaps true for some of us, these is one UKC student who is subverting this stereotype completely. London-born Lavinia Gyamfuah has started her very own business ‘LAV Enterprises’, creating healthy and simple fruit and herbal drinks. She has recently been shortlisted in the Shell Live Wire Awards, where she could win some much needed funding to help her develop her business. InQuire talks to Lavinia about her entrepreneurial escapades…

How did you start the business?

I started the business last year in August, by playing around with my juicer mixing different combinations of fruits, vegetables and herbs together and got really good feedback from my friends and family, which is when I decided to turn this idea into a business.

What is the business about?

Currently, LAV Enterprises LTD. is about creating new and exciting ways to consume non-alcoholic beverages. We have created a fruit and herbal drink which is designed using purer ingredients to provide a refreshing taste. We aim to attract the health conscious consumer with products that are tasty, simple and convenient in order to meet their growing need for a healthy lifestyle.

How do you juggle the company and being at university?

I have learnt how to be organised and prioritise better. Building sustainable businesses is my hobby and is something that I am really passionate about. I believe you can always make time for the things you are passionate about so it has just become part my day to day routine. Waking up early helps too!

What is the competition about?

LAV Enterprises LTD. has been shortlisted to win some funding from Shell Live Wire Awards. This Award is for young entrepreneurs and takes place monthly. Having entered, I have been shortlisted to win an award for funding which could help me develop my business to launch my products. In order to win, I need people to vote for me by registering on the shell live wire website and voting on my pitch LAV Enterprises. Please support me by voting at http://www.shell-livewire.org/awards/grand-ideas-awards Thank you!

What inspires you?

I am inspired by what I see around me. Ultimately, this has made me want to create a change in the world with positive measures of futurity. I want to make people more conscious of their consumption from the stage of raw materials to a finished product. The environment is important to me, and I want to highlight commercially that we need to be more conscious of sustainable factors. I enjoy helping people and I want to continue by raising awareness through creating healthier alternatives to our lifestyles.

You can find Lavinia @LAVenterprises and also on Facebook with LAV Enterprises

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