PATHWAYS
PROGRAMME
Have an idea. Build the mindset to make it real.
2
phases of support
Free
fully funded
1:1
dedicated coaching
£18k
worth of enterprise support
What Makes Us Different
Everything starts with a business mindset.
Most people think entrepreneurship is about having a great idea. It isn't. It's about how you think. A business mindset is the difference between someone who sees a problem and someone who builds a solution, between someone who waits for the right moment and someone who creates it. It's what separates a dream from a direction.
It's also what every BLP programme is built on. And it's something you carry with you for life, whatever direction Pathways takes you.
A Business Mindset Means
Seeing the world as something you can shape, not just respond to.
Opportunity over obstacle
You spot what's possible where others see problems. Every challenge becomes a question worth answering.
Self-Awareness
You take responsibility for your outcomes, with support behind you and the understanding that your future is yours to build.
Action over paralysis
You stop waiting for perfect. You test, learn, adjust, and keep moving with what you know right now.
Resilience over retreat
You handle setbacks without being defined by
them. In business and in life, this changes
everything.
Your commitment
Pathways is designed to stretch you - especially in Phase 1. The learning builds week by week, and the relationships you form with your cohort make it meaningful. We ask you to show up fully, and we’ll be right there with you.
This programme asks a lot. That's why it works.
What Phase 1 looks like week to week
2x
Group sessions per week (6-8pm)
1:1
Coaching every two weeks
4-5 hrs
Total weekly commitment
Phase 2 is designed to give you space - five sessions spread across three months, with monthly 1:1 coaching. By Phase 2 you've laid the groundwork and decided which track you are on. The focus turns to putting things into practice, sharing your work, and thinking about what’s next.
How it works
Two phases. One clear direction.
01
Phase one - 12 weeks intensive
Two group sessions per week + fortnightly 1:1 coaching
This is where the real work happens. You’ll break down the problem - who your customer is, what they need, and whether your idea works in the real world. Two expert-led sessions a week keep things moving. Fortnightly coaching helps you tackle your specific challenges with someone who gets your idea and your goals.
Topics covered: Business mindset, Problem definition, Customer discovery, Market research, Assumption testing, Marketing fundamentals, Finance basics, Sales and pitching, Resilience and discipline, Building your digital presence
02
Phase two - lighter touch
5 sessions + 3 months monthly coaching sessions
Group sessions step back, and the focus shifts to gaining experience, showcasing your work, and making the most important decision of the programme: what direction you take next.
Step 2
Present your business or journey on the programme to a live audience and compete for a donation prize. Your first real public test - and proof you've built something worth talking about.
Pathways Showcase - donation prize
Step 1
Insight days
Step inside real businesses. No panels, no theory - just direct access to founders in the middle of building, and first hand experience of what running a company really involves.
Step 3
The top 5 businesses selected from video pitch submissions pitch to a panel of 3 judges and an audience of the BLP community. If you make the shortlist, you'll pitch for £5,000 in seed funding in front of an audience that's genuinely rooting for you.
Demo Day - top 5 pitch for £5,000
Step 4
With your coach, you'll make an honest call about what comes next and leave with a tailored plan built around where you actually are.
Choose your track and build your 12-month plan
03
Alumni - a community that stays with you
Tooting Works co-working + events + ongoing network
Completing Pathways means joining a growing community of people who've been exactly where you are and kept building. Access co-working space at Tooting Works, attend alumni events and socials, connect with previous cohorts, and tap into a network that wants to see you win. The programme ends. The community doesn't.
Where it leads
There’s no single destination at the end of Pathways. The programme is designed to help you find the answer that’s true for you - not the one that sounds the most impressive. You and your coach navigate it together.
Two tracks. All valid. One right for you right now.
Whichever track you choose, the mindset stays. That's the point. You'll leave Pathways thinking differently about work, opportunity, and what you're capable of, for good.
Hustler track
A job is your first investor.
Your idea needs more time, and a stable income is the smartest way to give it that. Use employment as your first business decision: build your income, develop your skills, and grow your venture on your own terms.
Pivot track
Clarity is an achievement too.
Sometimes you need to take a step back. That could mean reshaping your idea - or realising your strengths are better applied within an existing organisation. Wherever you land, we’ll support you with the right connections and guidance to move forward.
What you get
Real support. Not a lecture series.
18k worth of enterprise support
A dedicated 1:1 coach for the full programme — Fortnightly in Phase 1, 3 sessions in Phase 2
Expert-led workshops in Tooting covering marketing, finance, sales, pitching and more
Insight Days - behind-the-scenes access to real founders and businesses
Support building your pitch deck, website and presenting your idea with confidence
Showcase - present your business or idea to a live audience and compete for a donation prize
Demo Day - if you make the top 5, pitch for £5,000 in seed funding
A cohort of young people building something alongside you
Alumni community, events and co-working space at Tooting Works
Who it's for
Made for young people ready to back themselves.
Pathways is for you if
You don't need experience, a business plan, or to have it figured out. You need an early idea and the drive to find out what it's worth.
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You haven’t previously secured funding for your business idea
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You're aged 18 to 30
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You can commit to the programme fully
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You have an early-stage business idea earning less than £1,000 a month from your business
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You're based in London
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You’re interested in personal development and building a business mindset
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You haven’t yet fully validated your business idea or achieved consistent traction
NOT IN EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT OR TRAINING?
Pathways was built with you in mind.
Most of the young people on this programme are in exactly that position and it's often where the most powerful ideas start. We actively encourage you to apply.
Are you a professional working with young people? Find out how to refer someone to Pathways →
ALUMNI QUOTE
