Ariatu PR Founder, Ronke Lawal, was born in Hackney, East London. Having graduated from Lancaster University and the University of Richmond Virginia (USA) with a degree in International Business (Economics), she started her own PR and Communications business in 2004.

"My time at Lancaster was not only an adventure, but an opportunity for me to find out more about who I really am and what I was capable of beyond the confines of the safety of home. I left London with absolutely no clue in terms of what life would be like so far away from the big city, but I knew that I had to venture out knowing that if I didn't get the chance to live outside of London I'd stay forever. I obviously returned to London after my degree, but my three years as part of Lancaster University opened my eyes to a whole new world, not only through my degree in International Business (Economics) but also through the opportunities that my degree afforded me. The biggest opportunity was the chance to travel and study at Richmond University in Virginia in the United States of America. That was an exciting experience and though it was only one year it's a year that I believe changed my view of the world.

I admit that it was not always easy, in fact I faced some challenging times especially because I was still finding my confidence as a person and still finding my own identity as an individual. But I will say that despite the challenges I felt safe and my experiences enabled me to have an entrepreneurial vision. My times at Lancaster, in some ways, gave me an entrepreneurial spirit that I use in my own business, but also the tenacity to dare - daring to move so far (twice) was very adventurous - it instilled the courage I needed to start my own business. And when I started my business I definitely believe that the root to my success has been the consistency and dedication required to see things through, as well as learning about my own personal boundaries. I think that there must be a link to me committing to my degree in spite of the challenges which enabled me to commit to my business. I loved my degree and sometimes wish that I could do it all over again. The inquisitiveness I use in my business and my passion for learning and communicating effectively stems from my degree learning process which has given me the necessary skills required to be a thought leader in the public relations and communications field. I continue to learn and grow in my business, but it was the courage to grow beyond my comfort zone which will always make me remember my time at Lancaster with pride.

www.ronkelawal.com