Lounge x The Prince's Trust: Meet Jenna Hyde

Lounge x The Prince's Trust: Meet Jenna Hyde

March 2021

7 Min read


Lounge
Lounge March 07, 2021

This International Women’s Day, we’re here to shout from the rooftops about just how incredible women are. From our boss babes to this generation’s trailblazers, we’re here to inspire and empower our Female Family and remind each and every one of you just how amazing you really are.

To celebrate our Female Family worldwide, we’ve teamed up with The Prince’s Trust for their #ChangeAGirlsLife campaign. This iconic partnership with the charity will see us donating £1 from every order placed directly to the charity to help support young women across the UK who are living in extremely challenging circumstances.


What is The Prince’s Trust?


The Prince’s Trust is a UK charity founded by Prince Charles in 1976 to equip vulnerable young people with the tools, grants, education and mentorship to succeed and achieve their goals.


What is the #ChangeAGirlsLife Campaign all about?


The #ChangeAGirlsLife campaign is a campaign specifically designed to help young women by raising life-changing funds to support them in their careers. Their tag line, ‘Women Supporting Women’ hits so close to home for us, now more than ever.

Did you know…

1. 78% of all those who lost their jobs over the course of the pandemic were women.

2. By the end of primary school, Generation Z girls have similar levels of wellbeing and self-esteem as boys but then experience a sudden decline in both by age 17.

3. The fraction of young women reporting severe mental health problems doubled during the pandemic.

And that's why we’re here, with you, to #ChangeAGirlsLife.

 

Jenna's Story with The Prince's Trust


As part of this fantastic partnership, we sat down with Jenna Hyde, a Delivery Partner for The Prince’s Trust, and also someone who has benefitted from the charity’s mission directly as an alumni of their Enterprise programme! We chatted with Jenna to find out all about her journey with the charity.


Related: Everything You Need to Know about International Women’s Day

 

It's lovely to meet you, Jenna. The first thing that a lot of our Loungers will probably want to know is what made you want to start up your own business?


I’ve always wanted to start up my own business but I was constantly guided down the route of work in the media industry, learn your trade and maybe start up your own business later down the line. That would be perfect for some people but I just knew that I wanted to work for myself.

I’ve always been really self motivated, so I went through university and then went for a job at a media company because I wanted to work in media. So, that’s when I came up against my first hurdle as I had an academic background and then they asked for my portfolio - I didn’t know that I’d need a portfolio! So, then I had to start thinking about different things like my practical skills in media but I just had this nagging feeling that I really wanted to work for myself.

I then came across another hurdle and I thought to myself, ‘How am I going to obtain the finance and support to start this up?’ My mum told me to get in touch with The Prince’s Trust as they have an Enterprise Programme so I called them but I didn’t really think that much about it. Anyway, they called me in and asked me to pitch my idea. They helped me write my business plan, I learnt more about my competitors and then I pitched for the finance and mentorship for two years. The Prince’s Trust helped me actualise my ambition of having my own business when all of the doors were shut.

How was the pitch process? We imagine it would be quite nerve-wracking!


Honestly, they were so supportive and they do their best to ask you questions which you’ll probably be asked later down the line which gives you a good set up in the long run. You do get asked some challenging questions, but it’s such a good training ground and you feel like you’re in a safe environment.


Have you always had a passion for media?


I’ve always loved the video and podcast space! Interestingly, since the pandemic, I’ve actually pivoted my business. For example, when I couldn’t be on set to film or record, it felt like another stumbling block but now, I’ve pivoted my business to adapt to the current climate. It gave me a moment to reflect on my ‘why’ and it got me thinking, ‘Is there a way I can give more added value than what I’m currently giving?’

I’ve now pivoted my business to a video subscription service called Class of Hyde aimed at schools, colleges and universities and the employability sector to bring career and mindset inspiration directly from industry to young people, in a vast range of industries. I have also re-invented House of Hyde Media to a media training company, coaching individuals and companies in podcasting, and utilising video.


How did you find starting up your business in the beginning?


I found it quite daunting starting my own business because you get a lot of people saying, ‘you’re too young’ and people tend to project their negative self beliefs on you. This is where The Prince’s Trust is so amazing because you feel like you’re part of a team when you’re just starting out and they provide a fantastic platform.


Do you think more needs to be done to encourage entrepreneurship?


Outside of The Prince’s Trust, I think we should definitely be encouraging and embracing entrepreneurship more. We need to give young people more opportunities - these are our future leaders and innovators! Writing people off because they’re too young is a big mistake.


Your story is inspirational to so many women. What has been the highlight for you so far?


That’s a really tough one! I think as awful as the pandemic was, the flipside of it was that it forced me to think about why I was doing what I was doing and how I can add more value. It also gave me a moment to pause, self reflect and build on my resilience. The icing on the cake, for me, was definitely pivoting and expanding my business offering. I should also mention that The Prince’s Trust supported me with my pivot and again with mentorship. They made me feel like I wasn’t alone.



How do you think the #ChangeAGirlsLife Campaign will inspire women this International Women's Day?


I think what the #ChangeAGirlsLife campaign will be so amazing for is giving women endless opportunities. That mentorship and that support is so important, especially with negative self beliefs that we push on ourselves or that others reflect on us, but we need to be working together to break through those ceilings. In order to do that, we need to be given opportunities to develop. 

The #ChangeAGirlsLifeCampaign is all about discovering those opportunities for success and that doesn’t necessarily mean setting up your own business. It can be about landing your dream job, understanding where your strengths are, and being supported in that space.


What does International Women's Day mean to you?


For me, International Women’s Day is all about opportunity and support. It gives women an amazing platform to support each other. It also gives you the space to understand the women around you which I think is a fantastic thing.


What would be your advice for someone who wants to start up their own business or do something out of their comfort zone?


In life, we naturally come up against certain blocks such as, ‘I can’t do that because’ or ‘I’m too young to do that because’ and you really can come upon that sense of imposter syndrome. If you can start identifying those blocks and start dissolving them, that’s going to set you on the right path.

It’s all about learning to tackle those feelings and not letting people project their negative self-limiting beliefs on you. As long as you don’t give up and you’re sturdy and strong in your beliefs, other people’s opinions won’t have an impact on you. 

You can find out more about Jenna’s business, Class of Hyde, here.


 

Getting support from The Prince's Trust


To find out more about The Prince’s Trust and the programmes they offer to young people, you can find out more here. Whether you’re looking to plunge into the new year with your new business venture, land that dream job or want to excel in your career and build confidence, The Prince’s Trust can help.

Remember, with every Lounge order placed on 8th March, we will donate £1 from every order directly to the charity for International Women’s Day.

We’ve got this, girls. Our time is now.