This week, we caught up with recent LLB Law graduate Paul Musa, who created his startup What&Where while still studying at our University. Paul received £1,000 in funding from the Students’ Union and the University’s Student Enterprise Team to help get the project off the ground.
What&Where is an online platform that enables students to discover the best local and independent businesses in Southampton and receive discounts and deals. Think Unidays but for local and independent food and drink places.
We find out Paul’s advice for new and returning students, and he also tells us a bit about his website.
What advice do you have for our freshers’ and students?
Firstly, embrace everything from funding opportunities to getting involved in societies, essentially READ YOUR EMAILS.
Secondly, work smart, not hard and then reward yourself socially. Have a productive library session and then unwind.
What do you miss most about Southampton?
Definitely watching Arsenal vs Tottenham games in pubs and sports bars with my Arsenal and Tottenham friends. We had a massive Arsenal contingent in Southampton so it was always nice to pack out Wild Lime on a Saturday, shirts and scarves on for 90 minutes, and giving our Spurs mates stick.
Where was your favourite place to go out?
100% Bedford Place. It is so underrated. Everyone just thinks that it’s only popular during Big Night Out and Freshers’, but Friday and Saturday night at Buddha and Tokyo are really good. What a lot of people don’t know as well is that Orange Rooms is also a bar and you can go there for a nice late afternoon drink, perhaps on a date!
If you had to pick your favourite place on the What&Where platform, where would it be?
Very tough question but I am going to give two answers. Cattle Steakhouse because they do an amazing mixed grill and have loads of charging points, so I love going there to eat and work on my laptop. 5 Rivers is up there, they do really nice Indian pub grub.
What is the best deal/discount that students can redeem now?
We have an amazing deal right now with Steak of the Art that runs until 14 November. It includes a burger, chips and house wine or beer for £12. Quite good, bearing in mind you get to visit one of the nicest places in the whole city (Ocean Village), and get great value for money.
What’s next for What&Where?
Well we have a Food & Grove event on 22 October. There’s going to be free food, cocktail tasters, voucher giveaways, a DJ and shisha. The central purpose is to get students to know more about our brand and the amazing local and independent companies that we work with. You can sign up at What&Where’s website to be invited along.
Do you have an idea that would benefit from funding? Find out more about our University’s SEED Start Up Fund and the Students’ Union Enterprise Fund.
