Undergraduate and Postgraduate Tutor with 3 Years’ Experience in Business, Economics, Finance and Accounting

Learn more about Curtis

• 1) When did you develop an interest in your chosen field and in private tutoring?

  My interest in business and finance developed during my time at school, although it was not a completely straightforward journey. During Year 12, I was initially achieving Ds and Es in Business and Economics. However, once I understood how to structure answers properly, apply case-study evidence and develop balanced arguments, my grades improved significantly and I began achieving As. That experience showed me that academic performance is not solely determined by natural ability. Often, students simply need someone to explain the subject and assessment requirements in a way that makes sense to them.
  
  My interest continued throughout my Business degree at Nottingham Trent University and my MSc in Business Management at Cardiff University. During both degrees, I particularly enjoyed finance, strategy, investment, business analysis and academic research.
  
  I became interested in private tutoring because I wanted to use my own experience to help other students avoid the frustration I felt earlier in my education. I understand how discouraging it can be to possess good knowledge but still lose marks because of structure, application or exam technique. Tutoring allows me to provide the personalised guidance that is not always possible in a busy classroom.

• 2) Tell us more about the subject you teach and the topics you like to discuss with students.

  I teach Business, Finance, Economics and related academic skills. This can include supporting A-level students with subject knowledge and exam technique, as well as helping university students with essays, reports, presentations, dissertations and financial analysis.
  
  Some of my favourite topics include investment, financial markets, corporate strategy, business growth, marketing, leadership and disruptive technologies. I particularly enjoy discussing how academic theories apply to real organisations. For example, instead of simply memorising a strategic model, I encourage students to consider what it actually reveals about a company and where its limitations might be.
  
  I also enjoy teaching academic writing because relatively small improvements can make an enormous difference to a student’s grade. This includes developing arguments, critically evaluating evidence, integrating academic sources and writing strong conclusions.
  
  The areas I enjoy slightly less are those that rely heavily on memorising definitions without applying them. However, even then, I try to make the material more engaging by connecting it to real businesses, current events and the student’s own interests.

• 3) Did you have any role models or a teacher who inspired you?

  I would not say there was one individual teacher who shaped everything for me. Instead, I was influenced by several teachers and university lecturers who made difficult concepts feel understandable and encouraged independent thinking.
  
  The teachers who inspired me most were not necessarily those who gave students the answers. They were the ones who asked the right questions and helped students reach their own conclusions. They also understood that a disappointing grade did not define somebody’s potential.
  
  Throughout university, I was particularly influenced by lecturers who connected academic theories to real organisations and financial markets. They showed me that business education should involve analysis, judgement and curiosity rather than simply memorising textbooks.
  
  I try to bring those qualities into my own tutoring. I want students to feel comfortable asking questions, making mistakes and challenging ideas. My role is not to speak at students for an hour; it is to help them become more confident and independent.

• 4) What qualities are required to be a good tutor?

  I believe a good tutor needs patience, adaptability, strong communication skills and genuine enthusiasm for helping people improve. Every student learns differently, so a tutor must be able to explain the same concept in several ways rather than assuming that one approach will work for everyone.
  
  A good tutor should also listen carefully. Before offering advice, I try to understand what the student finds difficult, what their goals are and how they prefer to learn. Sometimes the apparent problem is a lack of knowledge, but in other cases it might be confidence, exam technique, time management or uncertainty about what the question is asking.
  
  Honesty is also essential. Students benefit from constructive feedback, so I will identify weaknesses clearly while showing them exactly how to improve. Feedback should be encouraging, but it must also be specific and realistic.
  
  Finally, a good tutor should aim to make themselves less necessary over time. My goal is to give students frameworks, skills and confidence that they can eventually apply independently.

• 5) Provide a valuable anecdote related to your subject or your days at school.

  The most valuable example from my own education is my experience studying Business and Economics during Year 12. At the time, I was regularly receiving Ds and Es despite feeling that I understood much of the subject content. It would have been easy to conclude that I simply was not good at those subjects.
  
  Eventually, I realised that knowing the content was only one part of succeeding. I needed to understand how marks were awarded. Once I learned to structure answers around knowledge, application, analysis and evaluation, my performance changed dramatically and I began achieving As.
  
  That experience continues to shape how I tutor. When a student receives a disappointing result, I do not automatically assume that they lack ability or have not worked hard enough. I examine where the marks are actually being lost. A student may have excellent knowledge but fail to apply it to the case study, explain the consequences or reach a supported judgement.
  
  Once the precise issue is identified, improvement often becomes much more manageable.

• 6) What difficulties or challenges have you faced, or still face, in your subject?

  One of my biggest early challenges was learning how to transform knowledge into a strong academic answer. I could often understand a business concept and discuss it verbally, but written assessments required structure, evidence, application and critical analysis.
  
  At university, another challenge was moving from descriptive writing to critical academic writing. It is not enough to explain what a theory says. Higher-level work requires students to compare perspectives, assess the quality of evidence, acknowledge limitations and reach their own supported conclusions.
  
  Managing large assignments was also initially demanding. A dissertation or major report can feel overwhelming when viewed as one enormous task. Over time, I learned to divide projects into manageable stages, including planning, research, drafting, referencing and editing.
  
  I still believe that learning is an ongoing process, particularly in finance and business, where markets, technologies and regulations constantly change. That is something I enjoy because it encourages me to remain curious and continue developing my own knowledge.

• 7) Do you have a particular passion?

  One of my main passions is finance and investment. I enjoy understanding how businesses create value, how financial markets operate and how economic events influence companies and investors. I am particularly interested in wealth management and investment banking, and I continue to develop my knowledge in these areas outside formal education.
  
  I am also passionate about personal development. I enjoy strength training, setting goals and tracking progress over time. Although the gym may seem unrelated to tutoring, the same principles often apply: consistency matters, progress is rarely perfectly linear and weaknesses improve through focused practice.
  
  Within teaching, I particularly enjoy the moment when a student understands something that previously felt confusing. Seeing a student become more confident, improve their work or recognise their own ability is extremely rewarding.
  
  For me, tutoring is not simply about helping someone complete one assignment or pass one examination. It is about helping them develop skills and confidence that they can continue using afterwards.

• 8) What makes you a Superprof?

  What makes me a Superprof is that I combine academic knowledge with personal experience of having to improve. I know what it feels like to receive disappointing grades and wonder why your effort is not producing the right results. I also know how much can change once somebody identifies the real problem and gives you practical guidance.
  
  My lessons are personalised around the student rather than delivered from a fixed script. I take time to understand their goals, current level and preferred way of learning. We can then focus on the areas that will make the greatest difference, whether that is subject knowledge, exam technique, academic writing, critical analysis or confidence.
  
  I provide detailed but understandable feedback and explain not only what should be improved, but how to improve it. I aim to create a supportive environment where students can ask questions openly while still receiving honest and academically rigorous advice.
  
  Ultimately, I care about my students’ progress. I want each student to leave a lesson feeling clearer, more capable and better prepared than when they arrived.