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"The ladder above you can look incredibly tall, but take each step one by one and look at the opportunities in front of you."

On Monday 27 March, Westminster City School welcomed Tom Toumazis MBE, a portfolio director, investor and adviser, focused on technology, media and the arts who delivered a captivating talk to students. These students were left feeling inspired and motivated to work hard to be the best that they can be.

Tom’s talk, ‘wot they don’t teach you at school’ focused on the power of thank you, the danger of the word maybe (what he considers to be the most toxic word in the English language) and the importance of saying yes to as many things as possible. Lastly, he reminded students about their network and how to nurture it and everyone was left with a small but powerful gift. 

Cyril, who is Head Boy at Westminster City School said: 

"Speaking with Tom perked my understanding of how I will view and react to opportunities. His advice succoured me to be more attentive my abilities and the importance of being unique. My desire for variety was something he saw as a positive trait which has inspired me pursue all opportunities that cross my path. I'm incredibly grateful to have met him."

Deputy Head Boy, Deven, had the opportunity to ask specific questions to Tom about preparing for the workplace environment. Deven shared his experience saying:

“I found Tom’s talk to be very inspiring because it challenged us to take a different approach to our day-to-day life regarding how to answer questions and how to establish connections. He also highlighted that thanking people is key, which I think is an important sentence that we should all use in life.

“In terms of what stood out to me the most, it was his wisdom because I was able receive knowledgeable information about how to structure an elevator pitch and how to answer key interview questions. This has thus helped in preparing me for the real world.”

Aarya, who is also in Year 12 commented saying:

“It was a delight to interact with Mr Toumazis. His real life experiences and openness helped me to connect with him instantly and I felt that we both had a lot in common. It was fascinating to delve into the mind of a multi-million-dollar investor and find out the skills required to manage investments.

"He also shared his insights on the importance of knowledge, networking and positivity which were invaluable to students like me. He also shared how he faced the same challenges that I did when I moved to the UK, and he gave me good advice on how to overcome them, just as he was able to.

“It was just an absolute pleasure to meet him.”