I joined Elixirr as an analyst in September shortly after graduating university. But in reality, the start of my journey into the seemingly mysterious world of consulting began during the lockdown period of the pandemic.

With daily life disrupted, I wanted to spend my time doing something meaningful. I found myself working for the world’s largest consultancy for non-profits and social enterprises. But this organisation has a unique twist… all the branches are run entirely by university students. Whilst others baked banana bread or spent hours on Zoom quizzes, it didn’t take me long to decide that making a tangible impact on organisations around the world was a better way to spend my free time. 

Over the course of the next year I was able to complete my first project for a charity based in Sri Lanka. I then took on further leadership roles, acquiring new clients and establishing connections with professional consulting firms. And it’s the latter that really kick-started my journey to Elixirr. 

Knocking on Elixirr’s door

As students looking to provide real value on the projects we took on, we relied on professional firms to offer support teaching core consulting skills and mentorship to help steer the projects. I started off seeking out companies that would be willing to offer up their time, and soon found myself knocking on the door of Elixirr. Up to this point, it had been a long-winded and painful process of emails and calls being lost in the ether, but with Elixirr it was different. After an introductory email and a short pitch to the team, I was quickly introduced to The Elixirr Foundation. The Elixirr Foundation is the firm’s charity arm – through it, we help address global issues, starting by supporting the local communities we work within. This is done not just through donating money, but our time and skills, so we can be sure we’re creating a real, sustainable impact.

Within just a small series of meetings, it was obvious that the Foundation had a genuine interest in partnering with us somehow. More than interest – there was a clear motivation to offer something that could drive a meaningful impact for us as students and the projects we had in the pipeline. In just a matter of weeks, Elixirr were hosting a collaborative session on how to tackle problems that we, as students, were facing in our projects. It was extremely refreshing to be given such attention and honest consideration for the issues we faced as teams, rather than a ‘ready-made’ solution handed out to all student partnerships. 

The consulting bug

One thing that will always stick with me from my initial meeting with Elixirr was the phrase we ‘make shit happen’. I’ll admit, at first, I simply thought it was a nice slogan, but over time I realised that more so than a good catchphrase, these are words that mould the culture here at Elixirr. In a way, they’re our call to action. Fast forward, after working with the Elixirr team I was certain that not only would this be the start of an amazing partnership, but it was also clear to me that I wanted to be part of a team that delivered impactful results for clients. But this time, I wanted to join them on a permanent basis.

Fast forward a few months…

Now as a new analyst in the London office, I’ve had the privilege of seeing how the firm operate from both perspectives. In true Elixirr style, just a handful of days in I was already on my first project, interacting with clients and even leading workshops by the end of it all. I have also been conscious to stay close to the student consultancy that helped bring me to Elixirr in the first place, now acting as a mentor to current students who are in the same situation I was in not long ago. 

Although at times the thought of jumping straight into the deep end can be a daunting one, here you’ll always be part of a wider ecosystem – one that continues to grow through constant collaboration, meaningful communication and a truly shared openness to learning. Whether it is the buzz of being surrounded by entrepreneurs and go-getters, or it’s the steep daily intake of coffee that is thanks to the new joiner coffee initiative, I have absolutely loved the start of my journey here at Elixirr.  

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