Meet The Team

​Job Role

As Centre manager I have oversight over all the activity of the Centre for Entrepreneurship with a remit to set strategic direction. This encompasses our four vision statements and includes entrepreneurial engagement, enterprise skill development both in and out of the curriculum, academic engagement and start-up support for students and graduates.

I work closely with senior colleagues across the five academic schools and the careers service to promote the value of entrepreneurship and the impact of enterprise education on the employability agenda. In addition I am the Finance Director of EEUK, enabling me to promote external engagement and best practice.​

Personal Introduction

I founded my first business shortly after graduating from Cardiff Uni, a business which won a number of awards before going on to employ 5 people and reach an annual turnover of close to £500k. In doing this I have experienced the rollercoaster which is the experience of most entrepreneurs and can relate to the excitement and fear which most students face when considering starting a business.

I believe that all our futures will be best served by encouraging the brightest and most energetic individuals to create a better, more sustainable future through the creation of new organisations – this is entrepreneurship.

Contact Information
Telephone: 029 2041 6338
Email: saicheler@cardiffmet.ac.uk 
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Job Role

I’m Senior Lecturer in enterprise and entrepreneurship education.  My focus is on delivering, enabling and championing an enterprise enriched curriculum.  I have academic experience in partnerships, teaching for innovation and programme development.  Additional to this I have analytical and leadership experience in employer engagement and entrepreneurship support.  Here at Cardiff Metropolitan University, I translate themed academic objectives into authentic learning, enabling students to become graduates who can deliver value for society.

I am interested in scholarly research around enterprise and entrepreneurship education and have contributed to Advance HE, Quality Assurance Agency and governmental publications.  I hold several awards and most recently gained an Honorary Fellowship from Enterprise Educators UK.

Personal Intro

Foundations in entrepreneurship came twenty-five years ago when a lecturer nurtured an entrepreneurial spirt in me.  They gave me knowhow, opportunity and belief.  I’ve since moved through building an e-commerce music sales website and property investments alongside a career in academia.  In a senior educational leadership role, I worked with the biggest graduate recruiters and supported students to gain million-pound investments.  My teaching experience is in delivering entrepreneurship education for students from anthropology and zoology. 

I co-founded a company in 2023 where we support executives and tourists with high-level short stay accommodation.  In winter you’ll find me ice skating, in summer you’ll find me towing my caravan to the beach.​

Contact Information
Email: ndcoles@cardiffmet.ac.uk

I provide 1:1 support to student and graduate start-up businesses. 

I use my expertise to advise on aspects of business registration, law, IP, marketing and financial planning. My specialist areas are freelancing and the creative industries. In addition, I plan and deliver group workshops on specific areas of entrepreneurship. 

I work closely with external entrepreneurship educators such as Business Wales and Big Ideas Wales. I am a founding 300 member of Be The Spark. I am also a Big Ideas Wales Role Model. I am the lead on accessibility and disability for the Centre For Entrepreneurship. 

I’ve been self-employed all my working life, I’ve been a sole trader, freelancer and founded a Ltd. company.

I work part-time in my role at CFE and continue self-employment alongside.  It allows me to keep up to date and share real-world examples of entrepreneurship.

I trained at RADA in Prop Making and have worked in the creative industries for 15 years.  

I experience a disability, I turned to self-employment to allow me flexibility around my health conditions.  I support many students with disabilities in my role.

Contact Information
Email: fehunt@cardiffmet.ac.uk

I provide 1:1 support to student and graduate start-up businesses. 

I have established and managed two successful social enterprises, overseeing the construction, fit- out and management of St Pauls Centre on behalf of the Church in Wales. I have an extensive background in the arts as a Casting Director/Agent and Producer for Film/TV and Theatre with professional knowledge of business from start-up to multi-nationals. I plan and deliver group workshops on specific areas of entrepreneurship and I am passionate about innovation and supporting students/graduates to achieve their business ambitions.

I am a Business Development Advisor and Communications professional, owning my own company advising SME's and an experienced Non-Exec Director and a Fellow of the Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM). I have a Master's in Leadership & Management with a Foundation Degree in Strategic Social-Media. I have been a Digital Project Manager and Business Advisor for Neath Port Talbot Council Enterprise Club and Business Manager for Thrive Enterprises (Port Talbot Women's Aid, where I established and managed two successful social enterprises). ​

​​Contact Information​​

Email: rwilliams4@cardiffmet.ac.uk

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As Enterprise Champion, I plan, design, and deliver a range of events, workshops and programmes related to enterprise and entrepreneurship.

I host extracurricular activities run by the Centre, facilitate workshops and contribute to the delivery of multiple enterprise events. Within the curriculum, I am involved with the delivery of enterprise education sessions within modules and liaising with academics on the inclusion of entrepreneurship within their programmes.

 I work closely with other professional services departments, such as the Careers team and employability leads, to contribute to joint activities and to promote entrepreneurship within the schools. I have also completed the "Preparing to Teach in PcET" course at Cardiff Met. ​

Contact Information

Email: hwillis@cardiffmet.ac.uk

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I am passionate about making entrepreneurship inspiring, accessible and achievable for all. I am proud to work within Wales where the support network and ecosystem for entrepreneurs has boomed and provides a wealth of opportunities for those with an entrepreneurial spark. My role at Cardiff Met involves the development of student and graduates' entrepreneurial mindset and key skills, advocating and encouraging engagement with the Centre for Entrepreneurship across the university.​​

Contact Information

Email: iford@cardiffmet.ac.uk

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As Social Enterprise champion I work across all schools at Cardiff Met. My role is to engage and empower students with social enterprise and sustainability. I run interactive workshops, sessions, courses and events. Supporting students and staff who want to start their own social enterprise. My job includes network building both inside and outside the university, with students, graduates, local social businesses, and other partners. 

As enterprise champion I work closely with CSAD and the Employability team to provide the best experiences for our students, helping them create positive and lasting social impact with their work.

​Contact Information

Email: rknox@cardiffmet.ac.uk

My role includes the planning, delivery and administration of start-up activities and events and a range of projects designed to provide opportunities for student and graduate start-ups. I coordinate bursaries, provide start-up support and coordinate the delivery of our annual business and freelancer bootcamps.

Alongside working as creative freelancer for over 20 years, I was contracted as a project manager for small-scale arts-based projects to large scale multidisciplinary European-wide projects. Working part-time allows me to manage my two businesses within textile design and the circular economy. ​​

As a Marketing and Events Officer, I am responsible for creating marketing materials across various social media platforms, creating stakeholder relationships, and implementing a multi-channel approach to our strategy. I am also part of a team that produces various engaging events for both internal and external stakeholders. My aim is to produce campaigns to make students and graduates feel more engaged with CFE, whilst encouraging them to confidently start their entrepreneurial journey.

 I graduated from Cardiff Met with a first-class degree in Fashion Marketing Management and I'm currently studying Digital Marketing Management (MSc). I could talk about marketing all day, which is why I am currently working on various marketing projects with charities and non-profit organizations.​

As a Business and Innovation Advisor, my role is to work closely with Students and Graduates, helping them to develop their idea from concept right through to first customer and revenue generation. I am also involved with PhD students, looking for opportunities to commercialise these particularly niche projects.

I provide 1-2-1 support to our students, and graduates, advising them on all aspects of business and freelancing, pointing them in the direction of additional support and workshops as necessary. With PhD projects I help the researcher understand the potential commercial viability of their project and possible routes to market.

I've had a portfolio career with experience in public sector, private sector, regional and international business. Most recently, I established my own suite of businesses which I run in tandem with my role at the University. The common thread that connects all of my business experiences is communication and relationships. Nothing happens until you talk to somebody.

I graduated with an MBA from the University of South Wales, and my own particular interest lies in communication – you can't change culture or engage in entrepreneurial action through emails and memos. You change it through relationships, one conversation at a time.  

Contact Information

Email: mmanson@cardiffmet.ac.uk

Responsible for the running of the Centre for Entrepreneurship's mentorship programme, Catalyst. The role consists of the recruitment and management of a bank of experienced mentors who provide additional start-up support for students and graduates of Cardiff Met. Our mentors are predominately, but not exclusively, Cardiff Met alumni whilst our mentees are current students or graduates within 3 years of graduation. Post mentor/mentee matching, I maintain contact with both, ensuring continued value to all parties.

In addition, I support the CFE team in delivering entrepreneurial engagement, enterprise skill development and start-up support.

After graduating with a BEng (Hons) from Warwick University in 1998 and a spell traveling and finding what I wanted from life, I set-up my first business in 2003 as a partnership. This ended in 2005, at which point I set-up solo and built a business in the hospitality sector from 1 to a team of 28 FTE with a £2.8m turnover.

I have an interest in start-ups, property and customer experience, in which I co-own a specialist consultancy and training business.​

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