The Importance of Belief, Passion & Community as a Student Entrepreneur

For this episode, I’m joined by Jessica Duckworth – a final-year music student at the University of Birmingham and the founder of Duckworth Publications, a startup making choral music more accessible to community groups. What started as a passion project following an internship in music publishing has grown into a purposeful venture that aims to bridge the gap between those who can and can’t read sheet music, helping people stay engaged in music communities they love.

Throughout her time at university, Jessica has embraced a wide range of roles — from student ambassador and outreach mentor to research assistant in copyright law and social media officer for university concerts. Alongside these commitments, she’s been building a business grounded in purpose and creativity.

In this episode, we talk about what it means to be a student founder in a creative field, the power of accessibility and community, and how Jessica has carved out space for impact while navigating university life. It's a thoughtful and honest conversation about staying rooted in your values, following what brings you joy, and turning challenges into opportunities.