Students were inspired to build resilience and overcome obstacles by an impressive lineup of business leaders and a groundbreaking surgeon at a University of Portsmouth event.
Students were inspired to build resilience and overcome obstacles by an impressive lineup of business leaders and a groundbreaking surgeon at a University of Portsmouth event.
Organised by the University's Careers and Employability Service and Students' Union, and hosted by by University Chancellor and former President, WPP UK, Karen Blackett OBE, the event entitled: Minor Setback, Major Comeback saw students treated to a fantastic evening with some of the country’s highest achievers, listening as their personal stories and lived experiences were laid bare with honesty and humour.
Joining Karen on the panel were:
- Tim Campbell MBE: The first-ever winner of the BBC’s The Apprentice, now a successful entrepreneur and mentor.
- Nishma Patel Robb: Founder and Chief Executive of The Glittersphere, where she empowers women through personal branding, reinvention, community, and storytelling.
- Dr Tevin Tobun: CEO of GV Group, passionate about social mobility and sustainable business.
- Dr. Samantha Tross: One of the UK’s leading orthopaedic surgeons and an advocate for diversity in medicine.
Delivered as part of Black History Month, students had the privilege of hearing firsthand how the panel bounced back from their setbacks as members of the People of Global Majority (PGM) community, turning their trials into triumphs instead.
The Art of Resilience
The packed audience learned about resilience and the ability to adapt and thrive in the face of adversity, cultivating a mindset that embraces challenges as opportunities for growth and learning. Resilience, we learned, is not just about bouncing back from setbacks but also about developing the strength to move forward with renewed purpose and determination.
Karen recalled an awful experience from her past that had the potential to throw her off track. Karen remembered: “I was a business director pitching for a piece of business and we didn’t win it. The feedback that I got from the clients was that they didn’t want a female business director, let alone a Black one. That was personal, because that was about me, not the business. And that almost made me give up because I was so hurt by it.”
“I was a business director pitching for a piece of business and we didn’t win it. The feedback that I got from the clients was that they didn’t want a female business director, let alone a Black one. That was personal, because that was about me, not the business. And that almost made me give up because I was so hurt by it.”
– Karen Blackett OBE
However, Karen was able to call on her own resilience and the support of those close to her to bounce back: “The thing that got me through that experience was somebody telling me about a Buddhist philosophy about holding on to anger: you’re the only one that it hurts. So I had to let it go and focus on others who wanted to work with me. You can only do that by having amazing cheerleaders who keep you going when you want to give up.”
There are practical steps you can take too, to help equip you with the right mentality to overcome the obstacles you encounter along the way. As Tim elaborated: “I tend to write things down. I write about how I’m feeling. I write out what factually happened. And then I write what I can do to mitigate or deal with the challenges I’m facing. When you write stuff down, it takes the emotion away and allows it to be processed. It’s all well and good to suffer some anxiety or challenge: but what are you going to do about it?”
“At the heart of everything is having the confidence in yourself and your own ability, and once you learn that - everything else falls into place.”
– Tim Campbell MBE
Know yourself
In Tim’s view, the secret to mastering the Art of Resilience is actually pretty simple – you need to look inwards, towards your own thoughts and feelings: “At the heart of everything is having the confidence in yourself and your own ability, and once you learn that - everything else falls into place.”
Minor Setback, Major Comeback
I have faced so many challenges within my career and all of them seemed momentous at the time.
Having my heart set on a job and everyone saying, yeah, it's got to be your job, it's going to be your job, Nishma, and I didn't get it.
There's been various different specific things that have gone wrong, dealing with failed businesses, dealing with people who don't like you.
We allowed a client to be about 70 % of our turnover and then they issued us a 30 day notice that they were not renewing the contract.
The biggest challenge I would say is overcoming self -doubt.
So it's not something external, it's internal.
We create things in our mind, you know, sometimes about what's next, what's right, what's the next step.
I was a business director pitching for a piece of business and we didn't win it.
And the feedback that I got from the clients was that they didn't want a female business director, let alone a black one.
The way that I get over that is to keep constantly reminding myself of the good things that I've achieved and also surrounding myself with people
who are very supportive and also remind me of who I am in those moments when I have doubt.
Sometimes when we're faced with difficulties, we can over-index on how important they are or how big they are or what the actual issue is.
If I don't pass this exam, my life's going to end.
I mean, you know, it's just an exam.
I had to dig deep to remember who I was when I started.
When you face a challenge, don't keep it to yourself.
Share it, talk it out.
Dream big, always.
But dream perhaps honestly as well.
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Samantha agreed: “Know yourself. Everything starts with the self, and if you know your self worth you will know when you are in situations that are not aligned with you, you will know what boundaries to set, and you’ll know when it’s time to walk away from a situation which is counterproductive.
“An event is just an event until you give it meaning. So you have the power to control whatever situation you’re in, and you shouldn’t give that power away.”
“Spend time on self-validation and don’t wait for it to come externally. Change your mindset with regards to failure, see it as an opportunity for growth”
Nishma said, “Knowing yourself can help you to identify whether the next step – in your professional or personal life – is really the right move for you.
“I have a clear mantra: I see life as a series of music albums, each capturing a different chapter of our journey. While it’s natural to imagine ‘what’s next’ or ‘what’s right,’ we often over-nurture an idea without pausing to ask if it truly aligns with who we are or where we want to go."
“Dream big, always, but dream honestly as well.”
Knowing who you truly are can give you the inner confidence to build resilience.
Resources and events
In closing, Yvonne Howard, the University’s Director of Student Racial and Equity, shared information about resources and events for PGM students, as reducing the progression gap for PGM students, into the jobs market, is one of the objectives in the University’s Access and Participation Plan.