When someone is considering a career change, not knowing what the job is actually like can stop them in their tracks. It can be difficult to know what to expect from a new career if you’ve never experienced it – what if you’re not suited to the job? It’s a decision filled with uncertainty. If only there was a way you could sample a new career without putting your existing job on the line…

Enter Savvy Guest, a way of letting people sample careers by connecting them with professionals with experience or a role in the industry they want to venture in. Savvy Guest gives people the opportunity to meet and talk to the people who have the answers to their questions. 

Dijonn Taylor founded Savvy Guest after realising her school Careers Officer (who was also the Geography teacher) wasn’t the most suitable person to advise her on what path to go down. She thought the best way to figure out if a career was right for someone was for them to speak with someone who has been there and done it.

Read on to discover Dijonn’s journey to founding Savvy Guest and giving people the leg-up they need to follow their dream jobs.

1. Which 3 skills would you say are crucial to being a company founder?

• Project management and planning  
• Problem-solving
• Strategic thinking

2. What’s your biggest business achievement to date?

Receiving an honorary title of Global Digital Ambassador for the World Assessment Council, USA. The recognition was given based on my outstanding profile, a widespread network of influence and interests. Being an Ambassador allows me to promote the cause of digital in education and learning which is so apt during this time. 

3. What are the challenges you face now that are different from when you started your business?

It can be challenging to encourage partners to change and adapt the ways they engage digitally.         

4. What are the biggest barriers you face when it comes to growing your business?

Determining whether you want to grow your company and become an employer, or subcontracting the work and using associates. It’s a tough decision. 

5. If you could learn more about one area of marketing, what would it be?

I understand marketing to be centred around building relationships with potential customers. I do not have a huge marketing budget, so I’d be interested in learning creative ways to engage which might not be conventional – but then again, I am not that conventional person!  I’d like to learn more about digital marketing in general. 

6. How did you recognise that you were an entrepreneurial person?

I have always been a resourceful person who looked at ways of simplifying things. I realised early on that I enjoyed solving problems. I made positive changes in my previous work and job roles in travel, training and management.

I’ve always been drawn to finding new and effective ways of working and knew I could capitalise on this outside of the constraints of working for someone else. 

7. What makes you proudest about having a company that is involved in Tech for Good?

It was evident when I created the platform, it was a destination – a place where adults could go to gain career insight, expertise and honest shared experiences from employees/ business people who were very inspirational but not always reachable.  Savvy Guest offers social value, social capital and social responsibility to all users and businesses engaged in our platform.  

8. If someone was struggling with their confidence, what would your advice be?

Watch or listen to uplifting podcasts with entrepreneurs. Attend networking events, meet other people to develop your confidence and push beyond personal boundaries which can be very challenging but can also help build motivation and build self-esteem.  

9. If you could magically change one thing about your business now, what would it be?

I’m not sure about changing one thing but I would like to see more companies use our platform to enable internal staff to share insights about job roles and career progression.               

10. Tell us about another brilliant businesswoman in the Tech for Good sector that our readers should know about

Kirsty Devlin has run a number of Tech for Good initiatives. Recode has been very successful in supporting learning in tech for residents in Bolton.

Be our guest

I hope you enjoyed learning Dijonn’s story! If you’re in need of another female founder fix, read our latest interviews with Kirsten Little, co-founder of Make and Little Peaches, founder of DisabiliTease!

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