Leo Lightfoot
By Leo Lightfoot, history and American studies graduate and founder of LIGHTFOOT
This insight is part of a career and sports series involving Nottingham graduates.
During my time at the University of Nottingham, I wasn’t a traditional sports club athlete competing weekly in fixtures. Instead, I was involved in sport through a media and leadership capacity.
I sat on the Snowsports Committee and the IMS Student Committee, and alongside that, I founded a videography business at the end of my fresher’s year.
Sport became a proving ground for this business. I filmed BUCS fixtures, Varsity events, BUCS Nationals and BUCS Big Wednesday, intra-mural sport, and content for a wide range of clubs, including hockey, basketball, American football, triathlon, rugby and many more.
What started as filming matches quickly evolved into building relationships with committees, understanding brand identity, and delivering content under pressure. That experience directly shaped the career I now have as Founder of LIGHTFOOT, a creative production agency working with global brands.
My experience involved in sport at Nottingham developed my skill-set, gave me confidence and enhanced my career prospects.
1. Problem-solving
Filming live sport teaches you fast problem-solving in a way very few environments can; there are no second takes, the weather changes, timings shift, and the match result doesn’t always go the way you’d hope.
I quickly learnt that you realistically only have one opportunity to capture the moment. As a student, I regularly had to adapt on the spot; repositioning to capture decisive moments, adjusting camera settings to hit the right frame, or rethinking storytelling when the game narrative changed.
That ability to think clearly under pressure is something I’d like to think is now a daily process when leading higher budget productions, with tight schedules and multiple stakeholders.
Sport forced me to make decisions confidently and quickly, which is a skill that has become invaluable in business.
2. Time management
Balancing filming, committee responsibilities, academic work and building a business required discipline. Shooting days weren’t just a two-hour commitment; they involved preparation, filming, editing and delivery - often around lectures and coursework deadlines.
Learning to manage competing priorities at university laid the foundation for how I now run my company. Today, I oversee multiple projects simultaneously, manage teams across locations, and deliver to strict client deadlines.
The time management habits I built around university sport were the first version of the operational systems I now use professionally.
3. Confidence
Being around a sports environment builds resilience. You are constantly interacting with captains, committees, athletes and staff. You have to communicate clearly and assertively, especially when you’re responsible for capturing key moments or directing people on camera.
Running a business while still a student accelerated that confidence. Approaching clubs, pitching ideas, and charging for my services forced me out of my comfort zone.
4. Standing out and career impact
By the time I graduated, I had built a fully-fledged business with a network of regular clients and incredible connections.
I had something tangible, with experience in high-pressure environments, and developed leadership and communication skills through real responsibility.
Many of the networks I built through sport at Nottingham later opened doors, provided introductions, and reinforced the importance of relationships - something that remains central to my career today.
Advice to students
Get involved - even if it’s not in the way you may expect. You don’t have to be a first-team athlete to benefit from sport.
Whether through media, committee roles, event management or participation, sport exposes you to teamwork, pressure, accountability and leadership. University is a rare environment where you can take risks with relatively low downside. Use sport as a platform to test yourself.
Explore how you can get involved in sport at the university. If you're already involved and want to talk about career options or how to articulate the skills gained from your experience, book an appointment with one of our team.
Posted on Tuesday 17th March 2026