What do you want to be when you grow up? A loaded question for any child – or adult for that matter. How can you limit such talent and possibilities to a single career or job? Does anyone stay true to their childhood ambitions? We asked 7 founders what their dream career was as a child.
Or Retzkin – EyeControl
“When I was a child my dream career was to be a goalkeeper. I don’t think that I will be able to do it as a professional, but who knows?”
Katie Whitlock – TAP London
“I had a phase of wanted to be a bus driver but then I actually always quite liked business so I used to have various little shops. My grandparents lived in the middle of nowhere. I set up a shop in their shed but unfortunately, there was no passing trade. They would come and buy their stuff back from me.”
Elizabeth Lindsey – Byte Back
I had more than one dream career! I really wanted to be a teacher, I used to play class with my dolls where I would do out a lesson plan on Egypt and the pyramids and stuff. I was a really nerdy kid – well I’m still a really nerdy adult but I just loved teaching my dolls. I don’t think I’d love to be a teacher now – I love what I do but I love that part of what I do is support teachers – facilitating teaching. I loved school.”
Conor Wilson – Sproose
”I wanted to be a Formula One driver. I was so keen. When I was ten years old I was earning 50 quid a week which is the equivalent of two PlayStation games a week just doing paper rounds trying to save up for a Go-kart. By the time I was 14 (a solid four years of saving) I managed to get it.”
Polly Gilbert – TAP London
“I had aspirations to be a bit of a civil servant. I would either be giving my Beanie Babies injections or I would be lining them all up and taking a register, that kind of thing. I had modest aspirations to be a teacher or my mum is a nurse so I think I liked nursing.”
Dame Stephanie Shirley
“I was a tubby child who wanted to be a ballet dancer. Later, my dreams were of being a vet. The passion for science that determined my future career came in my teens.”
Ismail Jeilani – Scoodle
“I wanted to be a banker which is pretty ironic. I remember being attracted to the salary for sure but I came to realise that money isn’t a defining note in any meaningful happiness.”