This theme of passion and innovation reverberated throughout the evening of Thursday 5 April, at our Sheffield Alumni in London networking (Spring 2018) event, at Browns Covent Garden.

A collaboration between the Sheffield University Management School, Department of Economics and School of Law, the event had a positive attendance with 39 alumni present, in addition to staff and faculty from the University of Sheffield.

Our alumni guests were in high spirits, excited to reconnect with old colleagues and form new relationships that would last beyond the evening.

The event focused on the theme of entrepreneurship, with participants sharing personal stories of triumph, adversity, and discussion for the interest of all that attended.

The highlight of the evening came from passionate presentation from our alumni guest speakers, Tom Brooks (Department of Economics) and Peter Dowds (School of Law), co-founders of Mopp and Elder.

In our feedback and through our conversations with guests, our alumni duo made a big impression, delivering a talk with warmth, humour, intrigue, passion, and in their trademark down-to-earth style.

Highlights of the talk included their early recollections of starting fledgling businesses; the story of buying a container-load of Sapporo (on a whim) was obviously both fasincating and thoroughly enjoyable to hear about!

Hearing how the duo overcome further dramas, and failed ventures, before developing MOPP, their 'UBER for the cleaning business', was fascinating.

Their current business, Elder, further cements their entreprenurial credentials.

The values and emphasis on having a business that 'means something' ensures that their online-bookable homecare services is truely accessible for all.