Jamie Smith

Jamie Smith is a published author, entrepreneur, professional speaker and executive director who graduated from Staffordshire University with a BA (Hons) in Literature Studies in 1993. He then went on to complete a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) in 1999.

Here, Jamie shares how his time at Staffordshire University not only provided him with an education, but gave him the connections and inspiration to create several successful businesses, then make a fortune on the stock market before choosing a senior management career focused on inspiring others to transform their lives through education.

Staffordshire University transformed my life chances….

“It sounds like a glib statement, but my time at Staffordshire University and the people I met really did transform my life. That is why I’m still so passionate about the place. People there invested more time in me than they should have – they have been brilliantly friendly and supportive, well above and beyond what I could have expected or felt I deserved.

Growing up, I wasn’t so much a rough diamond, I was just rough! My mother was a single parent with a disability and life was tough. We didn’t have much money – I got my first job when I was 9 and no one else in my family had ever been to university.

When I finished school, I did my A Levels but never felt that university was an option and took a variety of jobs, as well as selling collectible toys and comics on ebay, making quite a bit of money.

One day I watched ‘Dead Poets Society’ and was really inspired by the difference this teacher in the film could make to his pupils’ lives. So, probably not very sensibly in hindsight, I based my future career plans on the back of a 90-minute acting performance from Robin Williams and enrolled at University, planning to become an English teacher.

More than just a qualification

I didn’t live on campus at university because I only lived in Mow Cop – but I never felt that I missed out on anything. The social life was great, I made some good friends and felt like part of the family – it was an awesome time.

Although I was studying literature, I started to realise my main subject area was people. The more I learned and listened to people, their life stories, how people’s decisions led to other implications – the more this helped me develop a commercial knowledge. This led to me starting to ‘dabble’ in buying stocks and shares on the stock market.

When I graduated I was offered a job in the MIS team at the university. In time I was promoted and ended up in the strategic planning office working closely with the then vice-chancellor, Christine King. Christine and her executive team were so generous with their time, introducing me to various people who would go on to become great connections.

I moved on to other jobs and returned to study at the university for an MBA in 1999.

Studying the MBA gave me a growth mindset. I use the knowledge I gained every day in my leadership role

When I did my MBA, it gave me the chance to connect with a cohort of students who were the most extraordinary people. One of the lecturers was Professor Steve Worthington, one of the most foremost authorities on e-commerce at the time. One of my course mates was the Vice President of after sales at Rolls Royce, who is still a friend to this day. I have such fond memories of the trips we went on – in year one we did a team building exercise on a ravine in North Wales and it was very physically gruelling. In year two we went on a learning expedition to Prague and in year three we had the most amazing experience visiting China and Hong Kong – learning how to negotiate and do business there was very powerful.

I apply the skills I gained in my MBA every single day in my role – leadership and management, recruitment and selection, operations management, financial planning, marketing – the MBA from Staffordshire University gave me a masterclass in all aspects of successful business.

A thirst for knowledge that fuelled success

Ever since my time at university, I have taken on transformational roles. Even though I studied literature, the whole time I was there I was developing my business experience. I worked at the university for three years after I graduated, then took an executive role in a college in inner city Birmingham. I took on a specific brief to transform things – and am really proud to have done a big deal with IBM to build a smarter planet laboratory at the college, known as the classroom of the future.

I had continued to buy and sell shares on the stock market, purely through curiosity, observation and teaching myself what to do. The banking crisis of 2007 gave me a once in a lifetime opportunity to make a lot of money and I found myself in a position that I didn’t HAVE to work for a while. What’s great about that is that I can focus on what I really want to do and what gives me purpose, and that is definitely education.

The best solution for transforming life chances is education. For a typical person from a normal background, new skills and knowledge is what they need to transform their life chances. Conversely, it is lack of access to education that will cause the biggest problems in the future.

When you work in education, no matter how tough things can be, you know you have been part of making the world better.

Staffordshire is where my heart is

I’ve had the chance to work all over the world, but my heart has always been in Staffordshire due to the quality of life here and the people. I jumped at the chance to take on a leadership role at South Staffordshire College, where I am currently an Executive Director on the senior leadership team. I’m also the chair of governors at a local school which I’m very proud to say has been graded as Outstanding by Ofsted.

People say working with me is like working with tigger -I bounce into work every day, make decisions about exciting things I love and I’m passionate about anything that brings business together with education.

To work somewhere where 800 people all come to work every day to collectively put their energy to educating people and improving their lives, it’s awesome.”

Lessons learned and advice for the next generation of Staffordshire graduates…

I was invited back to talk to existing Staffordshire University students recently and my first thought was ‘I wonder if you even know how special this place is?’ My advice to them is the same as my advice to anyone reading this.

You are learning from people who are absolutely expert practitioners in what they do. Use that knowledge and those connections. Don’t see them as teachers and support staff, as their jobs – see them as a whole – life experiences, and journeys.

Learn how to effectively listen and get to know them and it opens up opportunities. Stick with it, care more, don’t drop out – have friends, relationships, networks and connections.

In other places you might get a degree, but you won’t get an education. At Staffordshire University you get a bond, connections, and the chance to learn those wider life lessons.

I know I could walk in there any day of the week and be treated like family. When you’re a student there you may think that’s normal, but trust me, I’ve spent the last 10 to 15 years working with executives in China, America and everywhere in between. I know many leadership teams. They all have strengths and weaknesses but there is something very special about Staffordshire University because it is so friendly. They say they are the connected university and that is very true and unique in its DNA.

My mission and passion – education– is all because education, and Staffordshire University specifically, did transform my life. Even having a book published came about as a result of one of my old tutors taking a look at something I wrote for my family – a guide to making money from stocks and shares that is now sold on Amazon.

I’ve led a ridiculously lucky life. I can’t believe the chances I’ve had… and they all link back to my time and contacts at Staffordshire University.

My daughter is carrying on the family tradition, and it was totally her decision!

Although it’s years since I was a student there, my daughter recently became a student at Staffordshire University and has found the exact same things as I did more than 20 years ago.

She was blown away by the people and the place when she visited an open day, and she’s now studying a travel and tourism course which is linked to Merlin Entertainments – yet again giving her those connections that will give her the best possible start to her career.

Year of graduation

1999