Born in the US, educated in the UK, entrepreneur William Skillman is bringing safe bio-fuel to homes in South Africa
William Skillman, 38, who is currently doing an MBA at Warwick Business School and plans on setting up a business selling bio-fuel for cooking in South Africa, knew he wanted to be an entrepreneur since he was a kid in the States.
“My first entrepreneurial activity was selling sweets to my school mates”, he says, “I have since not had a proper job and have started and run multiple businesses in the construction and real estate industries.”
“Growing up in America I was always taught that I could have whatever I wanted. If I worked hard, I could make my own future”
He spent his vacations in places where he “could enjoy the outdoors but also give back by helping the less fortunate”. He led humanitarian trips to Latin America, working on water well projects and microfinance, and Southern Africa, providing medical care to the rural poor.
In the spring of 2009, William set up a non-profit NGO that provides holistic medical care to the underprivileged in Mamelodi, in South Africa. “I worked with a group of doctors to design and build a fully-equipped clinic”, he explains. “Our goal was to provide the poor of South Africa the same level of care that we receive in the developed world.”
The organisation has brought over 3000 volunteers, mostly medical professionals, to South Africa.
“One time, a 15 year-old boy was carried into the clinic because he had been burned in a paraffin fire. You can imagine how frustrated we were to learn that...he may never walk again”, he says.
And yet, in the problem of the unsafe storage of paraffin in shacks, William foresaw an opportunity. “I began to think about how we could prevent some of the injuries and illnesses from happening in the first place. I came to realise that a cleaner, healthier way to cook, and heat these shacks could make a huge social and environmental impact on the world. That is where the idea for a bio-cooking fuel was born”.
“The goal was to develop a fuel that burned cleaner and provided a healthier living environment; essentially, treating many of the common health ailments at the source”, he explains.
Realising the potential of the bio-cooking fuel, William worked with a PhD research chemist to develop the product formula, and decided to take a year to deepen his knowledge of business by doing an MBA at Warwick Business School.
He took various entrepreneurship electives, such as Entrepreneurial Finance, New Venture Creation, and Entrepreneurial Innovation, and thinks the degree will be extremely helpful in gaining perspective on his experience in South Africa, and in helping finding the best business model for his venture.
“Previously I had worked with several not-for-profits and the issue they had was the constant need to raise donations: I call this the 'fund raising treadmill'”, he explains,
“Since I don't consider myself a professional fundraiser I decided that anything that I did needed to be financially sustainable.
“So over the last nine months at WBS I have worked with several students and professors to develop the concept”. This way, he hopes to fund other social initiatives such as women's co-operatives and microfinance.
Despite the many challenges he will have to face in the next months – in particular developing distribution channels, the rate of market penetration, and the regulation policy towards bio-fuels in South Africa – William thinks this new business venture has good chances of being successful.
“I feel very strongly that my past experience, both in not-for-profit and for-profit, and the formal learning of the MBA will provide me with the ingredients for success”.
The MBA seems to integrate perfectly with his project: “the next step in the venture is to run a small scale pilot project”, to be used to raise start-up capital. And this will be the topic of his MBA dissertation.
“Currently, I am working with an outstanding professor, Nigel Sykes, who is also passionate about Social Entrepreneurship. We are working through the details and intend to start the project in mid- June”, he says.
Balancing a full-time MBA, a business projects, and a family can be difficult, he admits, “but we “deliberately set aside family time”. Growing up, “(I was told) I should also make time to ‘smell the roses’. So I enjoyed life”.
To people willing to work in southern Africa, he says: “it requires...perseverance and patience” but “the rewards are immense”.
“The single most important element of working in this space is to be in relationship with the people”, he points out, “This requires taking the time to just sit down over a cup of tea getting to know people and interacting in their lives, which is quite the opposite of most digital interactions in the developed world.”
“I look forward to returning to South Africa and working with the people to provide the social change necessary to help break the backbone of generational poverty”, he continues, “My overall ambition for life is to be a catalyst for social change on a global level.”
“I am very passionate about what I do. I live by one motto: I want to enjoy Monday mornings as much as Friday afternoons. If not I am doing the wrong things in my life”.
Student Reviews
BSc Management with Marketing
I loved Warwick business school.
The staff is supportive, my academic tutor was key in my development throughout the 3 years and you have to meet with her/him every term. Most professors are helpful and would happily offer support if needed. You also have office hours and can contact professors by email and through the forum.
In general, WBS instills in you the willingness to learn and the resilience needed for you for whatever career you choose.
Very international community which broadens your horizon and makes you more open minded and self aware. You will most certainly make friends and memories for life. I recommend that you get outside of your comfort zone and try new activities with your friends!
WBS also has a great reputation and offers careers opportunities, and careers support throughout the degree.
There is the opportunity to do a year abroad to further develop on a personal level. I wasn’t able to do this due to Covid but I would have loved to do it during normal circumstances! Would definitely recommend this.
Although Warwick is not a city university, the campus vibe has a lot of advantages, especially at an undergraduate level. You are always around familiar faces, and in a student environment. Moreover, Birmingham is only 20 mins away from Leamington spa and London is only one hour away! Perfect for a day trip or a weekend getaway!
Life at Warwick Business School
Pursuing my master's degree at WBS has been a game-changer in my life. With high-quality education, interaction with students from across the world, amazing campus life and much more. I was able to learn about business, finance, project management and strategy all in one course: MSc in Management at WBS. Besides the top-notch education from the best professors, I also enjoyed being a part of fun societies and participating in fun activities such as scavenger hunts and so much more.
The school also organises many company visits and interactions which help students get a head start at finding a job. As my course came to an end, I also have a good full-time job placement in my hands.
Overall, my experience at WBS was a great one.
Outstanding
The Warwick Business School was like a dream come to life for me. The University ranking speaks for itself, from top-tier facilities to some of the best professors I had to honour to study with I fell in love with my course. Interactions with people from all over the world gave me a newfound confidence in myself.
Career prospects after graduating are endless due to the contacts of the universities and the success rate for previous students, it does open a lot of doors for students in various career fields. The campus life is quite good as well with a lot of student groups and clubs, and extra circular activities to engage students at all times. Loved my experience.
A good business school
It is a very cutting-edge, career-oriented business school, all courses are very practical, and the college does a very good job of career service. From the hardware and facilities to the staff, the student experience is at the core of the school and student satisfaction is taken very seriously. I understand that many universities in the UK are relatively traditional and can occasionally be rigid in terms of rules and regulations, and although WBS has a relatively short history, this makes it more innovative and dynamic, which is essential for a business school. The downside is that because it is on the outskirts of Coventry, it is a long bus ride to the city centre, not to mention the difference in experience from a big city like London.
Campus
The people, campus, staff. It’s a very enjoyable environment and it’s particularly good for learning and playing sports. The people there are extremely friendly and welcoming and it’s very easy to make friends
What I Like About Warwick
I’ve personally liked my experience at Warwick so far because of the amazing people I’ve gotten to meet and how many opportunities we students are provided with to learn and grow.
Within Warwick, I’m part of the Business School, a learning haven comprised of well-structured modules and extremely helpful people
All in all, a great place to be :)
Campus Life
One thing that stood out for me was the campus life, you felt like part of a community. The social aspects of the student union and on-campus accommodation meant you can easily get together and enjoy with friends. Additionally, I felt the course provided a variety of subjects allowing me to enhance my knowledge, from Marketing to Law and Finance. Overall I would most definitely recommend this university to friends and family.
Excellence self catered
The campus is very welcoming and Modern. There are many opportunities at Warwick but it is up to the student how do they want to make the most out of it and the staff at the school will definitely helo as much as possible. The location and the ranking have been amazing.
Warwick business school
Warwick business school is one of the best universities around the globe with a solid base of economic and business studies. Moreover, students get a chance to study in a diverse and warm environment with professional stuff which tries to provide the best opportunities for career development. One of the memorable features of the university are great events which sometimes take a place in one of the landmarks of the London city, the Shard building.
BSc Management with Marketing
I loved Warwick business school.
The staff is supportive, my academic tutor was key in my development throughout the 3 years and you have to meet with her/him every term. Most professors are helpful and would happily offer support if needed. You also have office hours and can contact professors by email and through the forum.
In general, WBS instills in you the willingness to learn and the resilience needed for you for whatever career you choose.
Very international community which broadens your horizon and makes you more open minded and self aware. You will most certainly make friends and memories for life. I recommend that you get outside of your comfort zone and try new activities with your friends!
WBS also has a great reputation and offers careers opportunities, and careers support throughout the degree.
There is the opportunity to do a year abroad to further develop on a personal level. I wasn’t able to do this due to Covid but I would have loved to do it during normal circumstances! Would definitely recommend this.
Although Warwick is not a city university, the campus vibe has a lot of advantages, especially at an undergraduate level. You are always around familiar faces, and in a student environment. Moreover, Birmingham is only 20 mins away from Leamington spa and London is only one hour away! Perfect for a day trip or a weekend getaway!
Life at Warwick Business School
Pursuing my master's degree at WBS has been a game-changer in my life. With high-quality education, interaction with students from across the world, amazing campus life and much more. I was able to learn about business, finance, project management and strategy all in one course: MSc in Management at WBS. Besides the top-notch education from the best professors, I also enjoyed being a part of fun societies and participating in fun activities such as scavenger hunts and so much more.
The school also organises many company visits and interactions which help students get a head start at finding a job. As my course came to an end, I also have a good full-time job placement in my hands.
Overall, my experience at WBS was a great one.
Outstanding
The Warwick Business School was like a dream come to life for me. The University ranking speaks for itself, from top-tier facilities to some of the best professors I had to honour to study with I fell in love with my course. Interactions with people from all over the world gave me a newfound confidence in myself.
Career prospects after graduating are endless due to the contacts of the universities and the success rate for previous students, it does open a lot of doors for students in various career fields. The campus life is quite good as well with a lot of student groups and clubs, and extra circular activities to engage students at all times. Loved my experience.
A good business school
It is a very cutting-edge, career-oriented business school, all courses are very practical, and the college does a very good job of career service. From the hardware and facilities to the staff, the student experience is at the core of the school and student satisfaction is taken very seriously. I understand that many universities in the UK are relatively traditional and can occasionally be rigid in terms of rules and regulations, and although WBS has a relatively short history, this makes it more innovative and dynamic, which is essential for a business school. The downside is that because it is on the outskirts of Coventry, it is a long bus ride to the city centre, not to mention the difference in experience from a big city like London.
Campus
The people, campus, staff. It’s a very enjoyable environment and it’s particularly good for learning and playing sports. The people there are extremely friendly and welcoming and it’s very easy to make friends
What I Like About Warwick
I’ve personally liked my experience at Warwick so far because of the amazing people I’ve gotten to meet and how many opportunities we students are provided with to learn and grow.
Within Warwick, I’m part of the Business School, a learning haven comprised of well-structured modules and extremely helpful people
All in all, a great place to be :)
Campus Life
One thing that stood out for me was the campus life, you felt like part of a community. The social aspects of the student union and on-campus accommodation meant you can easily get together and enjoy with friends. Additionally, I felt the course provided a variety of subjects allowing me to enhance my knowledge, from Marketing to Law and Finance. Overall I would most definitely recommend this university to friends and family.
Excellence self catered
The campus is very welcoming and Modern. There are many opportunities at Warwick but it is up to the student how do they want to make the most out of it and the staff at the school will definitely helo as much as possible. The location and the ranking have been amazing.
Warwick business school
Warwick business school is one of the best universities around the globe with a solid base of economic and business studies. Moreover, students get a chance to study in a diverse and warm environment with professional stuff which tries to provide the best opportunities for career development. One of the memorable features of the university are great events which sometimes take a place in one of the landmarks of the London city, the Shard building.
