Teresa Song, Founder of Nova Scholars

Teresa Song

Founder of Nova Scholars. Multi-industry strategist. Former investment banker. Real generalist who has navigated competitive systems across finance, start-ups, education and blockchain.

"For years, I suppressed what I actually cared about to stay in 'serious' environments. Nova is me finally doing what I was meant to do: helping people unlock what's possible."

Why I built this

I started Nova Scholars because I was tired of watching brilliant students make avoidable mistakes. Mistakes driven by incomplete information, misaligned incentives and a fundamental lack of understanding about what was actually possible for them.

I've operated in some of the most competitive environments: LSE, where I completed a BSc in Economics and an MSc in Political Economy while working full time and winning a prize for my dissertation. Morgan Stanley, where I was fast-tracked through recruitment and learned how elite institutions actually select talent. Finance, start-ups, education, blockchain—industries that demand strategic thinking and resilience under pressure.

What I've learned: what separates those who succeed from those who excel is rarely intelligence or effort alone. It's how they think about decisions. How they position themselves over years. How they build identity that holds under competitive pressure.

Most students never learn this because it's not taught. They're brilliant, hardworking, ambitious, but they're making decade-shaping decisions with no frameworks, no positioning logic and no understanding of how competitive systems actually work. They're choosing A-levels, universities and career paths based on instinct, comparison or vague advice. This is what Nova addresses.

But this is also deeply personal. My passion has always been people—enabling them, seeing them grow, watching them reach goals they didn't think were possible. For years, I tried to suppress that. I thought I needed to stay "rational," to remain in competitive environments that weren't aligned with who I actually was. Nova Scholars is me finally doing what I was meant to do: combining everything I've learned across industries with what's always driven me.

A few things you should know

I've been both top of the class and bottom of the class. Both taught me more than staying safely in the middle ever would.

I didn't love my time at LSE the first time round. To celebrate 10 years of graduation, I went back and did it properly.

My award-winning MSc dissertation is being turned into a fiction novel. Years of research deserves better than gathering dust.

Public speaking still makes me nervous. I'm certain it always will. I do it anyway.

I surround myself with people who inspire me. I have numerous mentors from all walks of life.

I oscillate between being extroverted and introverted. Mercurial by nature, strategic by design.

Work with me

If you're ready to develop strategic thinking capability, whether as a student, parent or institution, the first step is a consultation to assess fit and discuss how we can work together.

Book a Consultation