Our Year 12 students involved in the GDST LEAD programme participated in an online 'Speed Networking' event this week that matched them with female entrepreneurs.

Each of our two teams had 2 minutes to pitch their business idea, followed by 8 minutes of feedback from the entrepreneur mentor. This process was then repeated three times with different entrepreneurs.

The atmosphere was intense, but the girls sounded confident when pitching their ideas and answered tough questions. They also took the opportunity to quiz the entrepreneurs for advice.

They will use what they learned to help finalise their business plans in preparation for the Final Showcase at LSE in March.

The GDST LEAD (Leadership and Enterprise Advanced Diploma) Programme is delivered in partnership with LSE Generate, the enterprise arm of London School of Economics.

One of our students, Eloisa Lunn said: "It was great to get honest and thought provoking feedback that allows us to further develop our business models. It was especially nice to talk to Gracie Tyrell, an alumna of the school, as it was inspiring to talk to someone who had been in the same position as us."

Gracie Tyrell and her sister and fellow alumna, Sophie, make up the Squirrel Sisters, a nickname which has stuck with them since childhood (Squirrel rhymes with ‘Tyrrell’ plus they happen to love nuts!), and turned a passion into a snacking sensation from their family kitchen.

The sisters started making their products at home on a Nutribullet when Gracie used to make them for Sophie due to her gluten intolerance following a heart operation which meant she reacted badly to refined and sugar alternatives. Now with a string of awards to their name, Squirrel Sisters has gone from strength to strength since its launch in 2015, following the success of their health and wellness blog. Their 100% naturel healthy snacks are available across the nation from many retailers - Waitrose, Holland & Barrett, Ocado, Morrisons, Selfridges, Booths, Harvey Nichols, Whole Foods, Planet Organic, BP M&S forecourts and WHSmith to name just a few.