About King's College London
King's College London is one of the UK's most prestigious universities, known for academic excellence and a commitment to preparing students for meaningful, future-focused careers. With over 33,000 students from more than 190 countries, King's fosters global conversations and strong ties between education and enterprise.
The challenge
King's wanted to bridge the gap between academic learning and the lived experience of working in tech, product or startup leadership.
Traditional lectures covered application skills and industry overviews, but students craved real stories the kind that address imposter syndrome, explain how roles evolve and unpack what leadership actually looks like behind the scenes.
How Polly helped
Polly joined as a guest speaker and mentor, delivering a high-impact session tailored to students navigating early career uncertainty, ambition and change.
- Unfiltered storytelling about navigating leadership roles and startup growth
- Relatable insights into imposter syndrome, confidence-building and career pivots
- Breakdowns of product, tech and operations roles, making pathways clearer
- Open Q&A time, where no question was too small or too complex
“Polly made people feel heard and supported.”
The results
- High student turnout and engagement
- 1:1 follow-up requests from students seeking further mentorship
- Increased interest in tech, product and founder-led career paths
- Positive impact on student confidence and clarity
Polly continues to support academic institutions and youth-focused programmes, offering guest lectures, career sessions and workshop facilitation.
She is available for guest speaking engagements, workshop facilitation, mentorship and student Q&As, and product and career storytelling panels.