The graduate making a solid investment in her future

MOST students come out of university saddled with debt.

But not entrepreneur Ellie Burrell, who not only graduated with savings but soon after invested in two businesses, aged just 23.

Within weeks of leaving Hull University with a first class degree she bought a hairdressing salon in east Hull and has now reopened the Jaz Cafe Bar on Lowgate. The lunchtime favourite with lawyers closed early last year.

Ms Burrell – who ran a Hull bar, Ruby Lounge, while commuting to Scarborough to study marine biology – is determined to succeed in a notoriously tough business and despite the harsh economic times.

She says the support from friends – including chef Gerard Baker, who’s food historian to TV’s Hairy Bikers – has been a huge help.

Ms Burrell, who grew up on a farm at Garton, in Holderness, said: “I think I was very lucky to stumble across this opportunity. I wasn’t daft – I had a business advisor to advise me. It is a big commitment and I made sure I wasn’t jumping into the fire. We opened just before Christmas and it was fantastic – people came from nowhere.

“The first week in January was quiet but every business was – but I do see an increase with lunches everyday. Obviously it is going to take time. Because I am not tied into a brewery it gives me a lot of freedom.”

She added: “I think a lot of people are a bit sceptical about my age, but I am not stupid and I wouldn’t go into something that I wouldn’t succeed in. I will do my upmost to make it a success.”

She said her studies in marine biology included carrying out research and assessing data which helped her run two businesses, including WestOne hairdresser on Holderness Road. Together with Jaz Cafe Bar, they employ around 25 people.

“If you think about it logically, many of the approaches and skills needed to do this kind of work are transferable into business – assessing the impact of specific actions, carrying out research and experimenting with different approaches, analysing and interpreting data and writing up reports on findings and recommending action.

“I simply followed the same model when assessing the viability of my new business ventures and it seems that spending the time following this formula is already paying off.”

A new website is being developed so people can order lunches in advance and find out about offers and other events. This will go live at the end of the month.