In 2009 Jack Sadler was frantically calling university Clearing hotlines from a building site in London – little did he know that his decision to join Coventry University would lead to a career as a software entrepreneur and also the love of his life.
Jack says that Clearing call was the “first hustle” of his career. At the other end of the line was Dr Houshang Mashhoudy, a lecturer who guided him through the process and towards graduating with a first-class degree in Mathematics.
Jack credits his time at Coventry for helping him develop the skills to run a business and discover where he belonged – with wife Jess Luczycki and their two children in Toronto, Canada.
He said: “I was labouring on a building site when I found myself in Clearing. I started calling universities and spoke to Houshang. I could tell he cared, and he gave me some honest advice.
“In my first year I met Jess, an exchange student from Ryerson University Toronto (now Toronto Metropolitan University), we happened to live together, and everything changed because of that.
“She motivated me to get my grades up and I was the only person on my course to get an industrial placement at Morgan Stanley in my second year.
“I loved the world of work and when I came back for my final year, I put my head down and graduated with a first.
“People thought we were crazy because Jess had graduated, was working in Toronto, and was in a long-distance relationship with a student from Coventry.
“But as soon as I graduated, I moved to Canada without hesitation. Fast forward 12 years, we are married with two kids, and we have just co-founded a business.
“I’m so thankful I made that call.”
Jack built a career in IT and software development and Jess in construction.
During the COVID-19 pandemic the two combined their skills with co-founder Corey Stanford, to establish Part3, a Toronto based technology company designed to help architects and engineers.
Jess said: “My time at Coventry University helped me learn to take risks and not be afraid of the unknown. This helped me a lot in my career and in building our business.
“My advice to anyone considering an international exchange is do it.
“If I did not go outside of my comfort zone and make that leap, I wouldn’t have met Jack and have the family I have now.”
And Jack shared his Clearing advice.
He said: “The skills I developed at Coventry University through modules like economics, accounting and finance are things that I use all the time running our business.
“In business you need to make decisions quickly and Clearing is no different. It is set up to be a helpful, friendly experience and you speak to real people, like Houshang, who want to help. You need to do some quick research, go with your gut, and make the best decision with the information available.
“In your life there are many times you have to hustle, and Clearing is just the first hustle.” Find out more about Clearing at Coventry University.
