Young graduate leaves University of Dundee as CEO of new business

Isaac Jarman, 23, graduated with a BAcc (Hons) in Accounting from the University’s School of Business yesterday, and hopes to secure a job in accounting or finance.

He was one of 137 undergraduate business students cross the stage at Caird Hall, Dundee, with ceremonies from the School of Business continuing today.

However Isaac is already in the groove of the working world as co-founder of a newly established business which could change the way we listen to music in pubs and clubs.

He co-founded JukeBox Live along with two friends who are current students at the University, Samuel Cole and Matthew Gibson-Smith, both who are studying Masters degrees in International Banking and Finance.

Together the friends developed an app which allows customers in pubs and clubs to request a song over their phone. The venue can then accept the song or refuse it.

The students received funding to develop the app by winning the Business Award category in the annual Venture Competition, run by the University's Centre for Entrepreneurship, in February. Then in April, the app was released to the public through mobile app stores.

Isaac said, “I believed in what we were doing right from the start but there were difficult days along the way when we thought this was never going to happen.

“We overcame various challenges and gradually it became more and more of a reality. It was a great feeling when we got it approved in the app store.”

The entrepreneurs were inspired to create their product following their experiences of running dance music events in Dundee.

Originally from Belfast, Isaac fell in love with the city of Dundee and the University when he visited an older friend who was studying medicine.

During his first year as a student he and some friends together set up the Dundee Electronic Music Society (DEMS).

Within months it became the University’s most popular student society running club nights and an annual charity fundraiser festival, DEMSFest.

Last year’s DEMSFest, held in DUSA, drew in crowds of 1,200 people and raised £10,000 for the Brain Tumour Society. This year’s festival was in Mains Castle and a fundraising total is still being finalised. 

Isaac said, “There weren’t any events or live music nights in Dundee that we liked and we thought, ‘why don’t we change that’.

“We started the society and took it upon ourselves to put on nights hoping that other people would like them too but knowing that if they didn’t, we would still have fun doing it.

“It grew big really quickly and we thought that rather than just doing nights we should do something to give back, so we organised DEMSFest to raise money for charity.”

Isaac and other committee members have spent the past year training up society members who will take over the running of DEMS following graduation.

He added, “It’s strange to be graduating and leaving Dundee now – it’s been a huge part of my life.

“I’m so happy for my time here, all the experiences I’ve had, the people I’ve met and the opportunities I’ve had.

“I liked the city when I came to visit but the main reason I came was for the School of Business and I’m so glad I did. The support has been brilliant.”