Tariq's
Story®
From Football to Finance: How Tariq discovered ambition and started planning his future at age 14.
The Longest-Standing
Member
Tariq has been coming to BYO since he was ten years old. Now fourteen, he's the longest-standing regular participant—four years of Sunday football, four years of watching BYO grow, four years of listening to Hassan's stories about Cambridge, HSBC, and the professional world.
Ask Tariq what he wants to do when he grows up and he'll tell you without hesitation: banking. Not "maybe finance" or "I'm thinking about it"—banking. Specifically, he wants to work in investment banking or corporate finance at a major institution. And he's already planning his GCSEs around that goal.
Image generated by AI for safeguarding purposes. The real Tariq's identity is protected, but his story is genuine.
More Than Just
Football
Tariq loves football. Always has. But BYO gave him something beyond sports—it gave him exposure to a world he didn't know existed. Hassan talks openly about his own journey: growing up in Birmingham, getting into Cambridge, working at HSBC, navigating the professional world. These aren't lectures. They're just… conversations.
For Tariq, hearing Hassan's stories made a career in finance feel real. Not some distant fantasy reserved for people from certain backgrounds—but an actual, achievable path. If Hassan could do it, why not him?
He started watching YouTube videos about finance. Graham Stephan. Andrei Jikh. The Plain Bagel. He followed finance TikToks. He started asking Hassan questions about what investment bankers actually do, how mergers and acquisitions work, what you study at university.
“I used to think people who work in banks just… I don’t know, count money or something. I didn’t know it was this whole world of deals and companies and strategy. Hassan made it sound exciting.”— Tariq, age 14
Tariq never misses Sunday football—but now he's thinking about his future beyond the pitch.
The Guest Speaker Talk
That Changed Everything
Then Pablo Ruiz Arango came to speak. A professional from HSBC with experience at Bocconi and Nova Talent Italy, Pablo talked about international trade, global economics, and how businesses operate across borders. Most of the kids listened, asked a few polite questions, and went back to football.
Tariq was transfixed. He stayed after the session, peppering Pablo with questions. How do you get into that kind of work? What do you study? What's it like working with companies in different countries?
Pablo answered every question, gave Tariq his email, and told him to reach out if he ever wanted to know more. That conversation solidified everything. Tariq knew what he wanted to do.
The world of finance and international business opened up through guest speaker talks and mentoring.
Planning GCSEs
Like A Strategy
Most fourteen-year-olds pick their GCSEs based on what their friends are doing or what sounds easy. Tariq approached it differently. He sat down with Hassan and mapped out his options strategically.
Maths
Non-negotiable. You need strong quantitative skills for finance.
Economics
His school offers it as a GCSE. He signed up immediately.
Business Studies
Understanding how companies work is foundational.
English
Communication matters—especially in client-facing roles.
Hassan also talked to him about A-levels and university courses. Economics, Maths, and either Business or Politics at A-level. Then a degree in Economics, Finance, or Business at a good university. Warwick and Birmingham both have strong programmes. That's the plan.
“BYO made me realise I’m not just doing school for school. I’m doing it for my future. Everything I pick now matters. Hassan taught me to think like that.”— Tariq, age 14
Tariq is already researching universities—with Warwick and Birmingham at the top of his list for Economics or Finance degrees.
Beyond The Plan
Here's the thing: Tariq might change his mind. He's fourteen. Maybe he'll discover a passion for law, or engineering, or something entirely different. And that would be fine. The point isn't that Tariq has to become an investment banker.
The point is that he now believes he could. That ambition is accessible to him. That university isn't some abstract place for other people—it's somewhere he's actively preparing to go. That career paths exist beyond what he sees in his immediate surroundings.
That shift in mindset—from "I'll figure it out later" to "I'm planning this now"—is everything. It's the difference between drifting through school and building toward something. And it came from four years of showing up to BYO, hearing Hassan's stories, meeting guest speakers, and realizing that people like him can achieve ambitious things.
The Power of
Role Models
Tariq's story demonstrates why representation and role models matter. Hassan didn't just talk about finance as an abstract concept—he shared his own journey from Birmingham to Cambridge to HSBC. Pablo didn't lecture about international trade—he answered questions and gave Tariq his email.
Consistent presence
Not one-off interventions but ongoing relationships
Authentic stories
From people with similar backgrounds who've walked the path
Practical guidance
On pathways, qualifications, and concrete next steps
Encouragement without pressure
Supporting ambition, not imposing it
Access to professionals
Who are willing to answer questions and stay connected
Still Showing Up
Tariq still comes to BYO every Sunday. Still plays football. Still hangs out with friends. But now when Hassan talks about work, or university, or professional life, Tariq's listening with purpose. He's asking follow-up questions. He's taking mental notes.
At school, his teachers have noticed the change. He's more engaged in Maths and Economics lessons. He's asking about university visits. He's thinking long-term.
This is what youth provision does when it's done right. It doesn't force young people into predetermined paths—it opens doors, provides guidance, and helps them discover their own ambitions. Then it supports them in pursuing those ambitions with intention and strategy.
Guest speakers and mentoring at BYO help young people discover career paths and plan strategically for their futures.
What You Can Do
Tariq's story shows the power of exposure, mentoring, and consistent support. Young people need to see what's possible—and they need practical guidance on how to get there.