In this episode, we hear from Mert, Research and Engagement Lead at Urban Symbiotics. Mert’s story is one of resilience, perseverance, and finding purpose through community.

Growing up in a council estate in Walthamstow to immigrant parents, Mert faced challenges from an early age, from overcrowded housing to being homeless at 16 after coming out as gay. Despite these struggles, he juggled multiple jobs, leaned on the support of friends, and secured a bursary that opened the doors to higher education.

His passion for giving back and improving communities eventually led him to Urban Symbiotics, where his final year project caught the company’s attention and landed him his role. Now, he works to bridge the gap between local communities and urban planning, bringing a fresh perspective rooted in lived experience.

Mert reflects on:

- Navigating working-class identity and social mobility

- Overcoming family struggles and homelessness

- How education and opportunity shaped his path

- The pros and cons of living in London

- Why he defines working class as perseverance and community

Mert’s journey shows how determination and community can open doors, even in the face of systemic barriers.

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👍 Like if you enjoyed Mert's journey!

🗣️ Comment below with your thoughts and questions for Mert!

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- Apple podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/initial-step/id1758128198

- Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5ZizcM5a2HEQKcaAPToysk?si=79fb1e8a830a4ec9

- Linktree - https://linktr.ee/initialstep

Follow Mert:

- LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/mert-yildiz-5578b91a8

- Urban Symbiotics - https://urbansymbiotics.com/

- Urban Symbiotics LinkedIn - https://uk.linkedin.com/company/urban-symbiotics

Thanks for Listening!

#initialstep #workingclass #lowsocioeconomicbackground #creativeindustry #TVandFilm #Advertising #PRandMarketing #CreativeJourney #CareerInspiration #anyonecanachievesuccess #homelessness #urbanplanning #researchandengagement

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In this powerful episode, we hear from Toni, a keynote speaker and social mobility advocate who grew up on a council estate in Basingstoke. Her early life was shaped by grief, limited opportunity, and the pressure to contribute financially instead of pursuing her creative dreams.

Starting in a fruit and veg shop, Toni thought that was as far as she could go, until a job at Reed Recruitment transformed her path. That role taught her life skills, built her confidence, and ultimately set her on a journey that led to working at Microsoft, all without a degree.

Toni now speaks at corporate events, bringing raw honesty and lived experience to the topic of social mobility. She’s one of the few working-class women on the keynote circuit and uses her platform to challenge assumptions around class, access, and merit.

In this episode we cover:

- Breaking into corporate without a degree

- Class, creativity & the limits placed on working-class talent

- What’s really happening with DEI (Diversity, Equity & Inclusion) in the workplace

- The power of networks, both good and bad

- Why location still locks people out of opportunity

- How Toni built The Common Good Network to support upward mobility

Toni reminds us that moving on doesn’t mean forgetting your roots and that tenacity, curiosity, and directness can get you through doors that seem shut.

🔔 Subscribe for more inspirational stories and insights into those from working class and low socio-economic backgrounds!

👍 Like this if you enjoyed Toni's journey!

🗣️ Comment below with your thoughts and questions for Toni!

Follow Us:

- Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/initialstep.co.uk/

- Twitter - https://x.com/step_initial

- Apple podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/initial-step/id1758128198

- Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5ZizcM5a2HEQKcaAPToysk?si=79fb1e8a830a4ec9

- Linktree - https://linktr.ee/initialstep

Follow Toni Kent

- LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonijkent/

- Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/_tonikent_/

- Website - https://thecommongood.network/

Thanks for listening!

#initialstep #workingclass #lowsocioeconomicbackground #creativeindustry #TVandFilm #Advertising #PRandMarketing #CreativeJourney #CareerInspiration #anyonecanachievesuccess #SocialMobility #WorkingClassVoices #Microsoft #DEI #KeynoteSpeaker #ClassInTheWorkplace #CommonGoodNetwork #UpwardMobility #NoDegreeNoProblem #WomenInLeadership #CouncilEstateToCorporate #keynotespeaker

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Growing up on a council estate in Chelmsley Wood, Birmingham, Matt left school with no GCSEs, apart from an A* in PE. Never seen as a high achiever, just one of the kids that got lost in the middle, his journey took a dramatic turn after witnessing the loss of his father. That moment became the catalyst for change. From night school to earning a PhD, while cleaning to fund his studies, Matt carved a path into academia, becoming a research scientist focused on aging. Rooted in working-class values, he’s now helping the next generation of students see what’s possible when you back yourself.

In this conversation, we cover:

- Growing up working-class in Chelmsley Wood and being “lost in the middle” at school

- How grief and personal experience shaped his research interests

- Going from no GCSEs to earning a PhD through night school and self-belief

- Navigating academia as a working-class individual

- The challenges of class bias and microaggressions in professional spaces

- Why resilience, community, and risk-taking were key to his journey

- How he now mentors students from similar backgrounds

- His thoughts on systemic change in education and the role of universities in DEI

- Staying grounded and instilling working-class values in his own children

🔔 Subscribe for more inspirational stories and insights into those from working class and low socioeconomic backgrounds!

👍 Like this video if you enjoyed Matts journey!

🗣️ Comment below with your thoughts and questions for Matt!

Follow Us:

- Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/initialstep.co.uk/

- Twitter - https://x.com/step_initial

- Apple podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/initial-step/id1758128198

- Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5ZizcM5a2HEQKcaAPToysk?si=79fb1e8a830a4ec9

- Linktree - https://linktr.ee/initialstep

Follow Matt

- LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mathew-hill-3870701a1/

Thanks for listening!

#initialstep #workingclass #lowsocioeconomicbackground #creativeindustry #TVandFilm #Advertising #PRandMarketing #CreativeJourney #CareerInspiration #anyonecanachievesuccess #workingclassculture

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.