The version of you who is still in school, college, uni, or between things right now might not see it yet, but your “different” route into work can become your biggest advantage. This is the story of how starting a small business at 13 accidentally kick-started a career in sales and marketing - and why betting on a degree apprenticeship, instead of the traditional university route everyone talks about, has been one of the most powerful decisions so far.

Starting a business at 13

At 13, the idea was simple: create something people wanted, put it in front of them, and see if they would buy it. It didn’t feel like “entrepreneurship” then; it felt like solving a problem, being a bit brave, and learning as things went right and wrong. The early lessons weren’t from textbooks but from real people saying “yes”, “no”, “maybe later,” or just ignoring messages completely.

That small business planted the seed for an interest in sales and marketing - understanding why people choose one thing over another, how to talk about value confidently, and how to deal with rejection without taking it personally. Looking back, that 13-year-old experiment was more than a hobby: it was a first sales role, a first marketing test, and a first taste of building something from scratch.

Being the youngest in the room

One surprising advantage of starting early is often being the youngest person in the room. Surrounded by colleagues with years of industry experience, it’s easy to feel underqualified - but that perspective can be your edge. You bring curiosity, fresh thinking, and new energy that challenge routines others take for granted.

The key is to flip the mindset: instead of seeing your age as a gap to fill, treat it as a space to learn fast. Absorb everything - feedback, habits, and how seasoned professionals make decisions. Ask questions others might overlook and connect insights from your generation’s digital mindset to more traditional approaches. People remember eagerness and initiative, not age. Being young means you have time on your side - the years ahead to grow, experiment, and refine your approach while already gaining real-world responsibilities.

When your school shouts “university” the loudest

In many schools, the loudest message is still clear: go to university, get a degree, then figure it out from there. Apprenticeships are often mentioned as an “alternative option,” not an equal one - and degree apprenticeships barely get airtime at all. That can make even researching them feel like you’re going against the script everyone expects you to follow.

Choosing to look properly at degree apprenticeships means being willing to tune out some of that noise and ask better questions: What kind of learner are you? Do you want to earn while you learn? Do you get more energy from real work than from endless lectures? If the answer is “yes” to those, then a sales degree apprenticeship - combining a BSc with hands-on experience - isn’t a backup plan; it’s a strategic move that puts you ahead of many peers in real-world skills.

Researching degree apprenticeships (properly)

Because schools often under-explain this route, you have to be intentional about researching it yourself. That means going beyond “earn while you learn” and digging into:

• The structure of the programme: how often you’re at university versus in the business, what modules you study, and how they link to your day job.
• The career paths of former apprentices: where they moved after finishing - full-time roles, promotions, or even different companies.

Doing this research early helps you spot deadlines, understand competition, and make applications that don’t sound copy-and-paste. It also gives you language for interviews and assessment centres so you can confidently explain why you chose this route on purpose - not because you “couldn’t get into uni.”

Rough assessment centres and standing out your way

Applying for multiple apprenticeships often means a long, tiring cycle of online tests, video interviews and assessment centres - and some of them are rough. You’ll meet people who seem louder, more confident, or more polished. You’ll sit in group tasks where others talk over you and replay moments in your head afterwards wondering if you said the “right” thing.

The truth is, there’s no single “assessment centre personality” that always wins. What stands out is authenticity paired with preparation: knowing your own story, being honest about what you’re still learning, and showing you’ve researched the company and role. Even if you don’t see it yet, your unique mix of experiences - starting a business at 13, helping family, part-time jobs, clubs - is what makes you different in a good way. Don’t hide that; use it.

Resilience: applying early and not giving up

With competitive programmes, resilience isn’t just a buzzword - it’s a daily decision. You apply for many apprenticeships knowing that you won’t hear back from all of them, and that some will say no. You go to assessment centres that leave you drained, then still show up for the next one with fresh energy. You learn to separate “I got rejected” from “I am not good enough.”

Starting early is one of the most underrated forms of resilience. It gives you:

• More cycles of feedback and learning, so your later applications are stronger.
• Room to make mistakes in interviews, reflect, and adjust.
• Time to build small wins - like getting to later stages - which keep your confidence up.

Over time, every “no” teaches you something: a skill to polish, an example to sharpen, a company that wasn’t the right fit. The goal isn’t to avoid rejection; it’s to keep moving through it.

Life as a sales degree apprentice now

Now, as a Sales Degree Apprentice, day-to-day life is a blend of studying leadership and business management at university and applying that learning directly in a real sales environment - continuously developing communication, resilience, and commercial awareness.

Being in a live sales environment means learning fast from real consequences. When an approach works, you see it in relationships and results. When it doesn’t, you adapt quickly. At the same time, the degree side gives you frameworks and theory to understand why certain tactics work, not just that they do. Together, they build confidence and credibility.

Advice if you are where I was

If you’re still at the “not quite there yet” stage, here are some honest, practical takeaways:

• Start something, even small: a mini business, a passion project, selling a product or service - it builds real skills and stories for future applications.
• Research degree apprenticeships early: don’t wait for school to spoon-feed the info; explore providers, universities, and deadlines yourself.
• Apply widely and early: treat each application as practice, not a one-shot chance; track your progress to stay consistent.
• Be authentically you at assessment centres: prepare well, know your examples, but don’t mimic others - your uniqueness is what stands out.
• Expect setbacks and keep going: rejection will happen. Let it sting, then learn from it and move on.

Your path doesn’t need to look like everyone else’s to be successful. In fact, combining a 13-year-old’s first business with the courage to choose a degree apprenticeship - and the mindset to turn being the youngest person in the room into an advantage - is exactly the kind of “different” that sets you up to lead later.

Amy McNay

Sales Degree Apprentice @ CEVA Logistics

You can find out more and connect with Amy on LinkedIn.