Franco Pardini

Born in Leeds in 1989, grew up in the family business (an Italian restaurant) and started working at age 3 chopping mushrooms in the kitchen with my dad. After attending Leeds Grammar School (before it became the Grammar School at Leeds) I studied Politics at Leeds University. I originally started the economics course but disliked the permanent reliance on textbooks - so changed to Politics in second year.

In between school and university (and every weekend from the age of 15 onwards) I worked for the family business as a waiter,full-time, learning the trade as my father wished. Although I liked it and could have happily carried on there and then, I decided that getting an education was important too. Upon completing my degree and thoroughly enjoying it (once I had found the right subject for me) I honestly didn't know what to do. I went back to my dad and said that I’d give this restaurant business a try. I worked there for another year, this time managing the restaurant - working unsociable hours, under the pressure of the family, the staff and (given my father and I have the same name), having my name quite literally in lights above the door.

Although I liked managing the restaurant was still looking for an opportunity to try something else for a few years. At various points I ended up talking to clients, and several worked in PR and marketing. Through them I ended up managing to get coverage for the restaurant in various magazines and on several websites; one of the clients commented that with me promoting the restaurant all the time I was like an in-house PR man.

This got me thinking. I sweet-talked a few people and managed to arrange various work placements in local PR companies. I seemed to have some basic talent in it and quickly learnt the basics of writing press releases and various other aspects of PR.

After much deliberation, I decided to go back to university. I hadn't enjoyed it the first time but given that a little more education couldn't possibly hurt I began at Leeds Beckett in September 2014 to study for an MA in PR & Strategic communication.