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Accounting graduate leaves University of Dundee as CEO of new business
A University of Dundee accounting graduate left university not only with a degree but also as CEO of a newly established company.
Isaac Jarman, 23 years old, graduated yesterday with a BA (Hons) in Accounting from the University’s Business School. He is one of 137 business students graduating from Caird Hall, with Business School ceremonies continuing to this day.
However, Isaac is already in the working world as co-founder of a newly created company that could change the way we listen to music in pubs and clubs.
He co-founded JuteBox Live along with two friends who are current students at the university, Samuel Cole It is Matthew Gibson-Smithboth pursuing a master’s degree in International Banking and Finance.
Together, the friends developed an app that allows customers at bars and clubs to request a song over the phone. The venue can then accept the song or reject it.
Pictured (LR): Matthew Gibson-Smith, Isaac Jarman and Samuel Cole
The students received funding to develop the app by winning the university’s annual venture competition in February. Then in April, the app was released to the public via mobile app stores.
Isaac said: “I believed in what we were doing from the beginning, but there were difficult days along the way when we thought it would never happen.
“We overcame several challenges and little by little this became more and more a reality. It was a great feeling when we got app store approval.”
The entrepreneurs were inspired to create their product following their experiences running dance music events in Dundee.
Originally from Belfast, Isaac fell in love with the city of Dundee and the University when he visited an older friend who was studying medicine. During his first year as a student, he and some friends founded the Dundee Electronic Music Society (DEMS). Within a few months it became the university’s most popular student society, holding club nights and an annual charity fundraising festival, DEMSFest.
Last year’s DEMSFest, held at DUSA, attracted crowds of 1,200 and raised £10,000 for the Brain Tumor Society. This year’s festival was at Mains Castle and fundraising is still being finalized.
Isaac said: “There weren’t any events or live music nights in Dundee that we liked and we thought, ‘why don’t we change that’.
“We started the partnership and took it upon ourselves to organize nights hoping other people would enjoy them too, but knowing that if they didn’t we would still have fun doing it.
“It grew really quickly and we thought that rather than just doing nights we should do something to give back, so we organized DEMSFest to raise money for charity.”
Isaac and other committee members have spent the past year training members of the society who will take over management of DEMS upon graduation.
He added: “It’s strange graduating and leaving Dundee now – it’s been a big part of my life.
“I’m very happy with my time here, with all the experiences I’ve had, the people I’ve met and the opportunities I’ve had.
“I liked the city when I came to visit, but the main reason I came was the Business School and I’m very happy I came. The support has been brilliant.”