“Every time I cooked, I got this euphoric feeling.”
Like so many young people, Oscar knew what he liked, but he couldn’t connect it to a career path or specific job. “I found that quite a crippling feeling.”
Growing up in Cambridge, he “didn’t do badly at school”, but struggled with concentration and getting homework done and felt a lot of pressure to get good grades. Originally, Oscar wanted to be a doctor but quickly realised it wasn’t a genuine desire but a reflection of that pressure he felt from those around him. Looking back, it was the creative elements that motivated Oscar. “I could get lost in those for hours,” he recalls, reflecting on his love for Film and Food Technology.
It was only after finishing school and starting university that Oscar discovered his passion for cooking.
“I did economics and basically copied my brother, but it wasn’t for me.”
People would ask Oscar, ‘Why don’t you just become a chef?’ But he dismissed the idea. It didn’t feel like a “typically good career,” and the long hours and low pay made it “out of the question.”
Post-university was a stressful time for Oscar as he moved between various roles, struggling to find a career path that felt right. Deep down, he knew what he truly wanted, “Maybe one day I’ll start a food business.” Consciously or subconsciously, Oscar started choosing opportunities that lined up with that ambition, gradually building the skills and experience that would eventually help him turn that dream into reality.
“Being creative and proactive means you naturally use the skills you’ve gained.”
The turning point arrived during lockdown, while living at home with his parents. Oscar got to the final stage for a low-pay food videographer role in London, only to be told the position was being filled internally. Hurt and confused, he asked himself, “I have all these skills, why am I not getting these jobs?”
Through the frustration and uncertainty, cooking remained his one constant. He regularly made pizzas for his family. His dad finally convinced him to make the leap and turn his passion into a career, by simply asking “Why don’t you just do it this Friday?”
“Looking at me now, you might think I wouldn’t be scared, but I was.”
Every Friday, Oscar began cooking pizzas for his neighbourhood.
“From there, we grew and grew and grew.” Soon after, Oscar’s Lockdown Pizza gained 1000 followers and registered with a food delivery site. Things had finally kicked off.
The beginning was arguably the most stressful time and Oscar recounts one night in particular. “There were loads of delivery drivers outside my house and I couldn’t get the pizzas into the pizza oven, because they were sticking to the peel. It was a borderline traumatic experience.”
But these are the kind of challenges that help you to grow. “You get over it quicker and quicker.”
Oscar is very aware of the support that contributed to his own success.
He understands how difficult it can be to find that initial help, making his involvement with our Activate Your Future programme an obvious choice.
“Lots of people think entrepreneurship is about talent, but I think it’s about opportunity”.
During the workshop, Oscar shared his story and the realities of entrepreneurship. He encouraged attendees to embrace rejection, seek out mentors and focus on opportunities that get them to their long-term ambitions rather than short-term financial gain
“Anyone with enough persistence can get there.”
Beyond sharing his story, our Activate Your Future programme gave him the opportunity to develop skills he enjoys like mentoring and public speaking. All while supporting young people at a stage of life he remembers navigating himself. Having experienced that uncertainty first-hand, Oscar’s overarching advice to young people who are trying to figure out what’s next?
“Pick a career that suits you. It’s not always possible, but you might as damn well try!”
Ready to find a career path that suits you? Head over to our Students Page to find out more.