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Buse Yıldırım has been recognised as one of the UK’s 100 most inspiring female entrepreneurs as part of the f:Entrepreneur #IAlso100 campaign.
The #IAlso100 celebrates 100 exceptional women across the UK who are driving innovation, growth and positive impact in their communities while running successful businesses. Launched in 2017 by Small Business Britain, the f:Entrepreneur campaign raises awareness of the impact of female business owners and helps provide inspiration and role models to the wider small business community.
“It is brilliant to feature Buse Yıldırım in this year’s #IAlso100 campaign. All of the female entrepreneurs in this year’s line-up are inspirational and remarkable role models,” said Michelle Ovens CBE, CEO and Founder of Small Business Britain.
For ELATT, this recognition is also a student journey story, a reminder that with the right support, people can rebuild confidence, find direction, and create opportunities they didn’t think were possible.
Female entrepreneurship continues to make a powerful economic impact, with estimates suggesting up to £250 billion could be added to the UK economy if women started and scaled new businesses at the same rate as men.
At ELATT, we support women, and people of all backgrounds, as part of our commitment to opening pathways to further education and work opportunities for those who experience barriers in moving forward in their lives. We provide skills training, personalised support, and opportunities, as a learning community that helps people move forward.
To view the full list of the 100 female business owners featured in this year’s f:Entrepreneur #IAlso100 campaign, visit:
Buse moved to the UK from Turkey at the end of 2019 and began building a new life from scratch, navigating a new system, a new language, and the uncertainty that many people experience when they relocate.
Like many learners, she didn’t arrive with a straight line ahead of her. She was building stability while also thinking about her future, how to develop her English, how to grow her confidence, and how to create a sustainable career in a new country.
Soon after arriving, she also launched her first business in the UK, Ida Media, a digital marketing agency shaped by creative storytelling and data-informed strategy.
Now, Buse is also the co-founder of Artinfusion, a London-based creative health social enterprise supporting teams and community groups to sustain mental health and reduce burnout through mindful looking at art, mindfulness and art-therapy-informed practice.
But building a business doesn’t happen in isolation. It happens when you have the skills, the confidence to take action, and a community around you that helps you keep going, especially when life feels uncertain.
Buse first joined ELATT as an ESOL learner. From there, she began volunteering with the Wellbeing Service, building confidence and experience through contribution. Over time, her relationship with ELATT grew into wider responsibilities across wellbeing, communications and marketing, supporting learners while also helping ELATT’s story reach more people.
This is what progression can look like in real life:
Not just learning new skills, but finding a place where you feel encouraged, seen, and supported to try, then discovering you’re capable of more than you thought.
ELATT’s purpose is to help people move forward in their lives, through skills, support, and community. Buse’s journey reflects that mission in a very direct way; showing how learning, support, and opportunity can build a pathway from uncertainty to confidence and leadership.
A big part of my work sits within ELATT’s communications and marketing, covering content, digital advertising and wider strategy, so the right people can find ELATT, understand what we offer, and feel confident taking the next step. I also lead ELATT’s Wellbeing Service, shaping and communicating wellbeing activities that meet learners where they are.
Through group workshops, learners can access practical tools to manage stress, support mental and physical health, and strengthen overall wellbeing. Just as importantly, the service creates space for learners to participate, not only as attendees, but as leaders when they’re ready. Some students go on to become workshop leaders themselves, sharing professional skills while developing confidence, communication and English through real practice, with mentoring and supervision behind the scenes.
I keep learner journeys at the centre, because stories are often the bridge between “I’m not sure I can” and “maybe I can.” The aim is to make ELATT easier to find, easier to understand, and more human, so prospective learners recognise themselves in what they see and feel confident taking the next step. As a result, ELATT’s audience grew strongly across key platforms in 2024 (including +49.76% on Instagram and +32.75% on LinkedIn), and our video storytelling reached significantly more people in 2025, with YouTube views increasing by 425%.
That support exists, and that it’s okay (and smart) to reach for it. When I first arrived, I had limited resources and didn’t realise there were communities and services I could access. Finding ELATT was a turning point, and once I took that first step, other support followed.
Start with a simple reflection practice: get clear on what you want, what’s holding you back (fear, doubt, old stories), then break your goal into small, realistic actions, and start with the smallest step.
That you need full confidence at the start. You don’t. Confidence is built through doing; trial, error, learning, and repetition. Take the first step and the rest grows from there.
Start before you feel ready. Experiment. Try. Nobody is perfect, and everyone has strengths. Find yours, then take one small step today.
Buse’s recognition is a proud moment, but the bigger message is what it represents: progress is possible when learning is paired with support, and when community makes space for people to grow. That’s what ELATT is here to do, help people move forward in their lives.
Thinking about your next step? Explore our courses and support services.
