Entrepreneur of the Month: Conview

Aston University undergraduate student Richard Nyande is the founder of Conview.

Richard, tell us about yourself…

“I am a 21-year-old university undergraduate student who is currently studying Computing for Business. I have always been interested in a role which combines business, IT and creative design. However, I found it difficult to find a role which provides those opportunities. I then decided to use my own initiative and gain experience through developing a creative business brand. I now see myself as a creative director with a business role that combines all of the above.”

Tell us more about Conview…

“Conview is the medium of street modern haute couture premium fashion, media, and lifestyle. Our reputation and distinctive image have been developed across several products and social media channels. We believe that our range of product offerings is unique compared to our competitors. We pride ourselves in providing good quality products and excellent services to our customers.

Our aim is to continue to bring the brand to life and create a fun, accessible shopping experience coupled with passion and purpose for our customers. We aim to influence the way that fashion is advertised and celebrated throughout the world. We combine customers’ insights with our design, marketing, and imaging skills to offer a broad lifestyle product collection with a unified vision. We’re constantly looking for new ways to improve our services and to deliver a seamless brand experience.”

What made you jump at the chance of coming on BSEEN?

“Whilst studying at Aston, I was introduced to the BSEEN programme through my placement advisor and discovered how helpful BSEEN could be for entrepreneurs who want to start working on their own business. BSEEN has a great team and provides a good level of support whenever you need it. BSEEN provides different opportunities to not only develop your business, but to also network, collaborate and work with other entrepreneurs. If you need support and guidance to develop your business, BSEEN is the place.”

What do you think you have learned the most from your BSEEN journey?

“I’ve learnt a lot during my BSEEN journey. The number one thing that I have learnt is about being willing to act. Through trial and error, learning from the BSEEN team and my mentor, I understood that researching and understanding the idea before executing it is extremely important. The ability to execute your idea will allow you to understand the business even further and find out where you can better develop it in order to excel it to the position you want it to be.”

What has been your business stand out moment since being on BSEEN?

“The business is still in its development stage. However, one of my stand out moments since being on the BSEEN programme was to exhibit at the BSEEN Showcase 2019. The showcase benefited me more than I imagined. Not only did I receive the affirmation for the work I put into the business, allowing me to understand that I was going in the right direction, but I was also able to network with different designers, which in turn resulted in finding my current supplier and manufacturer.”

Any advice for entrepreneurial students or graduates thinking about starting their own business?

“My best advice is to be able to understand that the business process is a marathon not a sprint. If you expect your business idea to blow up in the first few months of starting, I highly recommend you stand back and really research your business idea properly as there is probably more to the business than you originally thought. Bear in mind that people may sometimes tell you that your business idea may not work, they may look down on it but if you enjoy the process (including both the win and the losses) your business will flourish above it all. I received business support where I didn’t expect and this gave me a different perspective of entrepreneurship and new ventures. Know your value!”

What are your next steps for your business?

“Now that I have established the type of products I will be selling to the consumers, my aim is to further develop the customer experience through providing more content on the Conview website and social media platforms. We will potentially hold our own fashion show and a pop up store.”