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Ellen Bundey, the 19 year old who is the fifth highest seller on Depop. Ellen Bundey, 19, from Barming in Kent, founded Rose and Sparkle in 2017, selling affordable glitter and jewellery from her bedroom whilst studying for her A-levels. The store stocks a great variety of glitter, which has now expanded with blends such as "Disco Ball" and "Princess Peach", some of the glitter pots are for sale as low as £1.99. Perhaps a reason why Ellen's store has been ranked as the fifth best seller on the e-commerce app, Depop - which has over 13 million users. In 2019, Ellen ships anything up to 75 orders daily to almost 40 countries, selling over 4.5k items, all whilst studying Geography at the University of Coventry. Ellen uses social media as the main bulk of marketing to promote Rose and Sparkle and its products. More recently, Rose and Sparkle has introduced a biodegradable make-up range, Ellen plans to invest more in Marketing and expanding the range - including seasonal sets. "I will always try to reinforce the roots of having products that are affordable, on-trend and easy to find" If Rose and Sparkle is to get really big, Ellen is willing to work on this full time, but either way she definitely wants to work within the cosmetic marketing or content creating world. However, it is crazy to see Ellen's success from something that was started from her smartphone but has grown so big in such a short space of time - funding the lifestyle of a student. "You can really start and run a business from your bedroom" If you would like to follow Ellen's journey, you can follow the brand on Instagram (@RoseAndSparkle_). If Only They Knew wish Ellen and the company the best of luck in the future.

Who is Elliott Rayne? Elliott is a 19 year old, serial entrepreneur, who was voted the UK's number 1 Next Generation Entrepreneur of 2019 by Enterprise Nation - winning a support package worth £7,500. Elliott works alongside Joe Taylor (also 19), running events company, EJ Events. As well as this, he also works as a freelance website developer and also invests in crypto-currency. What is Elliott's story? The entrepreneur left school and went straight to Stoke-on-Trent for a 6 week intense course to earn qualifications in Telecommunication. From this, Elliott went on to work in the Telecom's industry, becoming a technical account manager. This role allowed him to gain expertise in delving and maintaining traditional TDM legacy and new IP voice networks, including the migration between the 2. At 17, Elliott took the initiative to teach himself about Blockchain, a rapidly advancing opportunity for many entrepreneurs. Using the knowledge that he had then picked up, he began to invest in the long-term trading of crypto coins - something that he is still involved in today. Elliott then paired up with Joe Taylor to create EJ Events in October 2018. The duo then entered a Dragons Den-style process hosted by Enterprise Nation, accompanied with a public vote, in order to win a prize worth £7,500. The founder of ,Enterprise Nation, praised the founders of EJ Events, saying "We love Joe and Elliott's determination and enthusiasm. Their fresh approach and in particular, their focus on social media stands them apart from their competitors". Elliott's tip for young entrepreneurs If Only They Knew spoke to Elliott, who said that his tip for young entrepreneurs wanting to be in a similar position to him (owning businesses and being involved in multiple projects) is to "just start". "Just start. Not tomorrow. Today" Elliott suggests that you don;t need money to make money, "you just need more knowledge than the paying customer". A routine should be used to build your future and bare in mind that the biggest barrier is you. "Cut toxic people and barriers out of your life, focus on you and always be willing to help people" Both Elliott and his company are progressing rapidly, so I'm sure that they will reach even more levels of success in the near future. You can follow Elliott on Instagram here @Elliott_Rayne & visit his website here: www.elliottrayne.co.uk

SE (South East) Dons is a Sunday League football club, hailing from South London and run by UK rap artist Don Strapzy AKA Andrew McHugh. The team found fame both on and off the pitch, winning trophies whilst sharing their journey on YouTube. SE Dons started uploading their football vlogs just 2 years ago and the channel now boasts over 100,000 subscribers and millions of views. This has brought the triumph of SE Dons into the spotlight of many young people across the world, promoting a healthy, positive mindset and lifestyle - influencing many to get involved in football and sports. Founder, Don Strapzy, is known for his football related lyrics and puns, so there’s no doubt that he knows his stuff when it comes to football. On the pitch, SE Dons play in the North Kent Non-League, dominating against many of the teams they come up against - such as their 4-0 win against Sun FC. The dominance on the pitch, perhaps stemming from the family-like nature of the whole team, led to them winning the Kent Cup Champions 2019, as well as the Paul Picard Champions 2019. SE Dons have played with and against many influencers within the UK a community, such as Santan Dave, Stormzy, Ramz, the Play Dirty team (Krept, Bouncer, etc) and many more legends. The team and their performance is proof that teamwork really can make the dream work! I wish the Dons and the team the best of luck in the journey, I’m sure they will continue going up in the ranks. Ted Lawlor, owner of If Only They Knew. You can follow the SE Dons on: Instagram Facebook Their Website & you can follow us here: Instagram Facebook Twitter

From finding himself in court at age 11 due to misbehaviour, to becoming a Behaviour-Change Specialist and author. Gethin Jones, owner of Unlocking Potential, is proof that one can turn their life around whilst also helping others doing the same - making a real difference in the community. If Only They Knew had the pleasure of speaking to Gethin and finding out more about his journey. What is Gethin's background? Gethin was in care from an early age, causing trauma that triggered bad behaviour. This bad behaviour led to Gethin receiving a criminal conviction at the age of 11. The trouble continued, and 14 days after his 14th birthday, he was sent to a detention centre - which at the time, were renowned for being environments built upon fear and bullying. One of the first things Gethin had to do in the centre, was to write a letter to his Mum, explaining that he was sorry and would begin behaving - naturallly, this made the 14 year old miss his mother, despite their lack of a relationship. Little did he know, that imprisonment would become the norm up until his adult years. What was the switch that made Gethin change his life around? Gethin explains that it was a long process of transformation, having to understand his skills and abilities in order to make them benefit him in some way as well as taking on therapeutic methods to relieve his stress. For example, he realised that he had a form of positive manipulation, as his communication and negotiation skills allowed him to create good relationships with those in power in order to get by and get him what he needed. He likens himself to Fletcher from the popular BBC sitcom, Porridge, due to his persuasive qualities. After realising that he naturally had transferable skills, it allowed him to better himself. He gained a Leadership and Management NVQ level 5 qualification due to the fact that he was a natural leader. His leadership skills were shown at a young age as he used to lead his friends into trouble, causing him to be kicked out of multiple care homes. It is these transferable skills that allowed him to take advantage of many new opportunities. "Leadership is leadership, whether you can lead them left or lead them right" Gethin also found the therapeutic nature of writing and expressing himself when listening to an external speaker whilst in prison in 2001. He connected with the speaker's history and was inspired by the speakers transformation to success. This gave Gethin hope that life can be different. After this moment, Gethin began writing poems to express himself, of which he says have never been seen by anybody else but himself. Gethin's process of rehabiliation After many years of transforming himself and some time volunteering with a charity, he found his first work opportunity. Gethin was open and honest about his past to the interviewer (a lady named Cecil) as he wanted to express his past but wanted people to know him as Gethin, rather than focusing too much on his past. Cecil appreciated Gethin's honesty and background - giving the opportunity to work in her team. This particular stage of Gethin's life is summed up by a phrase that stems from Buddhism: "When the pupil is ready, the teacher will appear." What challenges did Gethin face? Gethin struggled to make that change within himself as he was worried about what his friends may think, he did not want them to think that he somehow sold out. "Negative behaviour stops people reaching their full potential." As well as this, he was worried about the stigma that the new people in his life would attach to his past, as he believes that this would have hindered his career progression. When leaving his workplace to go into public speaking, he explained to his coworkers about his past - to which, their jaws dropped in shock. "The reason why my career progressed as it did, was because not everybody knew about my past. If people would have known it, I may not have gone through the ranks as quickly as I had" What does Gethin do today? Today, Gethin continues to write in the form of blogs to articulate his thoughts and feelings, whilst sharing his story. He also has written a personal development book, called "Unconscious Incarceration" - which is available here. Gethin states that the media tend to overstate his background, always labelling him as an ex-offender, which he understands, but also wants to stress the fact that he is now not only a changed man, but is also now an entrepreneur - changing lives across the UK (my words, not his ;D). Gethin owns a group called Unlocking Potential, where he trains and develops prisoners, social workers and anybody involved with vulnerable groups. Gethin trains them how to develop human relationships in order to rehabilitate and change their lives. Gethin explains that the people he works with, often see situations as an 'us versus them' situation, causing conflict in many areas of their lives. "It's not the system that rehabilitates, its individuals that work within it." What is the plan for Gethin and Unlocking Potential? The plan is to have Unlocking potential running sufficiently without Gethin at the forefront so he can go on to embed himself in the political world - making even more of a difference across Britain. He feels there should be more pressure on the government and organisations to help the society that work within, and that people should live their lives by example. "There's no i in team, but there are 3 i's in personal responsibility". I asked Gethin what he would want his legacy to be, to which he described a workshop he was in previously where a gentleman called Harry stated that he wanted his tombstone to be engraved with the words "He made a difference". Gethin carries the same mindset, stating that he just wants to make a difference. If you would like to find out more about Gethin and Unlocking Potential, you can connect with him via the following pages: Linkedin Twitter Gethin's website Gethin's book

16 year old Mohamed Ali, is a motivational speaker who has spoke to crowds of 400+! 😱 Mohamed also owns multiple businesses: Trading, network marketing & a social media manager! 👌 Mohamed: 🗣 “Passion is definitely the word which describes my feelings for business. ❤️ I own 2 business trading &network marketing and also in the process of my building my third business which is a clothing line designed by myself and ready to be launched mid 2018. 📈 I am also a motivational speaker who has spoken in front of over 400 people and in powerd hundreds of people & now realising a hit with huge artists featuring in the video. 🔥 The main reason I have been successful in this industry is because I truly believe that you can not take 1 million in to the grave with you it’s all about how many people turn up at your funeral *HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE YOU HELPED * because that’s what really matters !!!! 🙌 I put people before profits!” 🔑 Follow Mohamed here: @Momo.2018.n.l.a

Meet Mohamed Ali Elhag Mohamed Ali Elhag started his business journey at 15 years old, crushing the network marketing industry at such a young age - providing both ups and downs. This is a follow up post from his previous article. The following write-up is from Mohamed himself, where he talks about his journey in more detail. Mohamed: I heard two of the people that I was associated with at the time talking “you can make a lot of money this trading thing". I paid 0 attention; to be honest i was not Interested at all. I couldn’t even imagine sitting in-front of a screen for hours looking at charts & numbers. They talked about a certain meeting on trading in London, Canary Wharf to be precise, and how they really wanted to go and was really looking forward to it - while the only thing I was looking forward to was dipping my apple pie in the Oreo Mac-flurry I ordered. 3 Days later, it was finally 11/11/2017 - the day of the meeting. I poured my milk onto my rice Krispies, then sat down and scrolled through YouTube. I came across a video of Alex Morton (on the value of hard work in network marketing), it hit me so hard that I jumped up and put on a shirt and tie: got dressed: picked up the phone and called one of the two people that said they really wanted to go to the meeting. We both had a exam two days later however the urge to go overpowered both of us...we took the train to Canary Wharf, it was our first time, so after taking snaps for 40 minutes we remembered that we came for the meeting. When we arrived to the meeting, we were shown a opportunity that really hooked us...we stayed there for 5 hours: I can certainly tell you that on 11/11/2017 in South Quay, Canary wharf, my life changed for the better. Thank you Mohamed for sharing the story of how your life changed for the better because of trading. You can follow Mohamed on Instagram, here: @immohamedelhag If you would like to be featured on 'If Only They Knew', DM us on Instagram, Twitter of Facebook.

Mike Tyson has become an infamous figure, both inside and outside the ring. He holds the record as the youngest boxer to ever win a Heavyweight title, solidifying his legacy at just 20 years old. Outside of the ring, he was known for his violent onslaughts, both verbally and physically - but what is it that caused both this violence and the passion that led to him being a legend of his era? Perhaps the stem of all of Mike’s success and struggle came from the death of one of his first pigeons, of which he always had a passion for looking after. Here’s the story... Mike robbed a house and used the money he took to buy a few pigeons. Unfortunately, opposing criminals in his neighbourhood wanted to “tax” Mike for his criminal activity. The group of kids thought that by taking Mike’s pigeons, this would count as a form of punishment. After Mikes refusal, one of the kids racially abused Mike and then instantly tore the head off the pigeon. Instantly, Mike felt pure pain and was pressured by the kids to fight the brute who took away something of value from Mike - being the first real fight that Mike Tyson ever had. From there, he knew exactly what pain was and channeled it into boxing, leading to him being one of the most infamous boxers to ever grace the planet. Rather poetically, the retired champion now owns thousands of pigeons in his own coop. The reason he feels passionate about his pigeons now is because he said it reminds them of his childhood, perhaps as a bizarre way of somehow spiritually reshaping his life as he admits that he has so many regrets from his younger years. So, perhaps it was the death of his pigeon that kickstarted the pain and passion within one of the greatest Boxers to ever enter the ring. What are your thoughts? Let me know by DM’ing me on Instagram @IfOnlyTheyKnewUK

Who is Austin Okolo? Austin Uche Okolo is a university student, studying Bio-Science, and also plays football for Rising Ballers FC - a team picking up lots of momentum within the social media world. As well as this, Austin also runs clothing line, BTSO. What is BTSO Clothing? BTSO stands for "Born To Stand Out". True to their name, the team provides clothing that helps people stand out - with one of their more popular pieces being the clothing with their reflective logo on. The company goes beyond clothing as they run a social media page that not only showcases their clothing, but also posts "Standout Sunday" videos, in which influencial figures share their advice for those wanting to be successful and also stand out. What is Austin's vision? Austin plans to empower as many people as possible through his personal efforts as well as his brands. Also, he wants to become a house hold name when it comes to sport and leisure wear - so watch out for when BTSO open up a store in the next few years ;). How can you buy clothing from BTSO? If you would like to purchase items from BTSO, you can do so by visiting their Instagram @BTSOclothing. Similarly, if you would like to follow Austin's journey, you can do so via Instagram @AustinOkoloo.

My honest review of MYLK PLUS Before getting into the review, it's important to understand what MYLK PLUS is and who created it as this gives a sense of the brand's personality and goal. What is MYLK PLUS? MYLK PLUS is a brand created by Camilla Ainsworth, who was a finalist of BBC's The Apprentice 2018 - with Camilla being the youngest finalist on the show. The brand itself is a fun, energetic entity that sells dairy free, nut milk. The idea came after the founder, Camilla, found out that she was lactose intolerant but could not find an affordable, good quality lactose-free milk. Because of this, Camilla took advantage of this opportunity and has forced her way into the market with her crazy flavours and vibrant, unique branding - with the bright pink standing out in any store. Where can you buy MYLK PLUS? MYLK PLUS products can be purchased both online and is currently rolling out in most Holland & Barretts stores across the UK. My honest review I recently purchased a pack of 4 Salted Honeycomb Hazelnut bottles, which is part of MYLK PLUS's limited edition range. The 4 pack cost £11 for the pack and an extra £2 for shipping. Within the pack containing 4 330ml bottles, there's enough to last depending on how you consume the milk. If you were to have it with your cereal, 330ml is more than enough to fill your bowl, therefore I'd recommend having only half the bottle with your cereal - leaving you with more opportunities to have the rest of the milk at another opportunity. In terms of the quality of the milk, it is very thin which makes it more refreshing than traditional milk which often seems too thick. The flavour is also strong which is good for small doses, but honestly, much like anything sweet, it can be too sickly if you consume too much - depending on how sweet your tooth is, of course! The strong flavour does give any meal a huge boost though, adding this to your cereal is sure to liven up your morning! Here's a few pro's and con's of this limited edition hazelnut milk: Pro's Super tasty Supporting a good cause (MYLK PLUS's movement to satisfy those with dietary needs and those looking for alternatives to cow milk) Not thick, so goes with anything - cereal, shakes, etc Fortified with calcium and vitamin D3. Vegan friendly, no refined sugar, low carb, dairy free Natural ingredients Con's Expensive if bought online Sickly if you have too much Small shelf life once opened (2 days in fridge) Overall, the milk may be expensive if purchased online, but as I mentioned earlier, this does not seem too bad when you understand that this is the product of a very young entrepreneur with a mission - it's important that we all show support to anybody doing great things. Adding on to this, you can also purchase the milk from Holland & Barrett stores at a cheaper price. The actual milk was great and I will definitely be reordering another batch. This is just the start for MYLK PLUS and they will most definitely change the dairy free market with their innovative ideas and branding. The future is bright...well, in this case, the future is a very bright pink! Feel free to watch my review here: If Only They Knew wish Camilla and the MYLK PLUS team the best of luck in their journey. Ted - If Only They Knew

The best way to record and distribute Podcasts for free (you may want to skip reading this & go straight to a video tutorial on this topic by clicking here) What is a Podcast Podcasts are mostly audio files that typically include conversations or interviews, more recently, Podcasts have also been complimented with video footage of the conversation. Despite the sudden rise in popularity, specifically amongst businesses, Podcasts have been around for many years now - with Google Trends showing that Podcasts initially came to light in 2003. How to record a Podcast There are multiple ways to record a Podcast, although these typically include using a microphone plugged into a computer to record audio via a software programme. Not only is this a long-winded way to record as you would have to add the multiple microphone recordings and then edit the audio, but is typically expensive as you are likely to need a good quality microphone as well as a good recording programme. However, now you can use a smartphone application called Anchor Fm which allows users to record and edit Podcasts from your phone, eliminating the need for external microphones and editing experience. How to distribute a Podcast If you are an independent Podcaster, you may struggle with this stage as you would need to find a way to upload your Podcast to multiple platforms to ensure that it is universally available - but this is not easy. An easier way to distribute your Podcast is perhaps by using Youtube if you have recorded the Podcast as it's the easiest platform to upload to. However, if you use Anchor FM, it automatically distributes it to the main Podcast platforms such as Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts and Spotify - eliminating the need to upload individually. Moreover, you can download the Podcast episode in full and can also use Headliner to create Audiograms that you can then upload to social media platforms such as Instagram TV, Facebook and more. Here's an example of a well distributed Podcast Feel free to check out our Instagram (@IfOnlyTheyKnewUK) to see how I shared the Podcast as an Audiogram on both my Instagram feed and IGTV. If you have a Podcast, feel free to share it with me and I will leave a rating and a comment (if possible). Also, I'd appreciate it if you could leave a rating on my Podcast, just search 'If Only They Knew' on any Podcast platform.

Who is Stephanie Njoaguani? Stephanie is a Bournemouth University student as well as a Branding and Social media strategist. What is Stephanie's story? Back in 2016, Stephanie started The Creative Africa, a platform that shares resources, skills and opportunities to creative African teens. However, the young entrepreneur found this journey a bit of a struggle as her end goal was undecided at the time, similarly, Stephanie didn't know who, specifically, her audience was and what message she wanted to send to them. All Stephanie knew was that she wanted to create an effective platform to reach out to teenagers and add value to their lives. Stephanie admits that in her early stages, she really didn't know a lot. It took me a while to realize that not being clear on my audience at the time, having specific marketing strategy and goals for how I was going to reach the people I wanted to reach had really held me back. Then, the budding business woman stumbled across Wix (the popular website building platform), Stephanie loved it. The flexible nature of Wix allowed for greater creativity in the creation of content. However, despite the creative possibilities that the platform allowed for, Stephanie wasn't sure what to actually create! So in order to combat this challenge, the following questions had to be answered: 1. "What did I want to create?" 2. "Why did I want to create what I wanted to create? " 3. "Who was I creating it for?" 4. "How would they use and feel about what I was going to create?" 5. "How would I get it to them?" 6. "What was the end result when the whole process was finished? - i.e what did I want The Creative Africa to look like in people's heads at the end of this six question process?" This formed the strategic overview of The Creative Africa, allowing the brand to connect with the target audience effectively. So, what exactly is The Creative Africa? The Creative Africa is a platform that aims to educate and inform young African creatives on how to use their skills to put themselves on the map. The team are currently working on getting sponsors and mentors involved in the programme as well as producing videos in order to coach and educate their followers. Stephanie has spent the past year researching the market and solidifying her mission to ensure they reach the right people with the right resources. More recently, in 2019, The Creative Africa has emerged as finalists for the Next Generation Award UK. You can follow the awards here: https://www.enterprisenation.com/opportunities/opportunity/?id=d24a2acc-681a-e911-a96c-002248072abd Similarly, if you’re interested in Stephanie and The Creative Africa, you can follow their journey here: https://www.linkedin.com/company/creative-africa-ltd/

A team of 12 high school students from California, have invented a product that can go a long way in helping to solve homelessness. What is the invention? The team of girls invented a a solar-powered tent that can fold into a backpack, the tent also has the following: Insulated fabric Safety locking system Sanitation system Solar panels. This product will allow the homeless to be secure and clean, perhaps meaning that they can feel more confident to apply for jobs and more opportunities. The San Fernando High School students are part of a non-profit organisation called 'DIY Girls' which aims to inspire other girls to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. After finalising the idea, the girls were awarded a $10,000 Lemelson-MIT InvenTeam grant. However, even though MIT invited the team to present their invention, they couldn't afford the trip to the ceremony in Boston. Because of this, a GoFundMe campaign was set up. raising over $15,000 to allow the girls to present their genius idea. The group's coordinator wrote on their GoFundMe page: "The ingenuity that is possible when students are given the time and resources to explore their passions is remarkable" You can follow the journey of the DIY Girls on Instagram (@DIYGirls_InvenTeam) and on their website (https://www.diygirls.org/). IOTK wish the girls and their organisation the best of luck with all their projects.