MY STORY

BACKGROUND

Growing up in a single parent family with my mum who was one of the UK’s only motor vehicle mechanics at the time, having to make ends meet was a normal way of life. Mum worked full time teaching in further education, but as sole provider to two children, her wages never quite reached the end of the month and so we had to think innovatively and make money in other ways…

There started my entrepreneurial journey in business…

From a young age I was destined to be a business owner- from making rose petal perfume to sell on my driveway as a child, to jewellery making, to selling anything and everything at car boot sales every Sunday. This is where I learnt my negotiation skills very early on. Bulk buying items to sell off individually at school for a marked up price - anything from sweets and chocolate to cigarette lighters (supply and demand!) From aged thirteen I worked for eight years in my families hairdressing salon- Peppers, this taught me not only valuable social skills, but also the value of money; sitting on a rickety old bus that smelt of fuel enough to make my eyes water on a two hour round trip to work each Saturday for ten pounds awarded to me in a little brown envelope at the end of the day…

It was hardly worth it - but it was mine- I earned it and that feeling has never left me.

As a teenager, mum and I bought and sold cars- I’d put up the money, she’d fix them up and we would split the profit - this later moved onto buying and selling houses and by the age of twenty one I had lived in eleven different properties and attended six different schools.

Without me realising, my business journey had begun …

CAREER JOURNEY

Being creative, my natural course of action following school was art college, which from there I went on to study Theatre Design with Nottingham Trent University, gaining a honorary Bachelors Degree, gaining experience with various theatres including the Royal Shakespeare Company and Carlton Television Studios.

Incidentally, I now work closely with the Nottingham Trent University guest lecturing and running workshops, as well as consulting with academics around the subject of business and all areas of networking. I am also a proud member of their Alumni Fellowship Scheme, where I’m able to give back to the students through sharing my expertise via mentorship programs.

Following a Summer job operating rides at The American Adventure Theme Park, where I gained valuable customer experience, I started my first full time ‘grown up’ with corporate firm Royal Bank of Scotland selling insurance within a contact centre environment and loved it, though insurance was not in my future…

but I could sell and soon became one of the top sellers in the company.

My passion for events began at RBS , where I worked with management to develop staff incentives, started a staff well-being group within the firm and organised events to boost moral, progressing to stand-in team leader positions when required.

The advertising industry was to be my next path-leaving the corporate world for an independent glossy lifestyle magazine, where I embarked on the wonderful, yet cut throat world of sales and advertising- managing client accounts, tele/field sales, attending celebrity events and networking, as well as regularly writing for the publication.

My writing journey had begun.

TAKING THE LEAP

Fast forward to 2008, itchy feet at the magazine and a desire to run things my way.

RSViP was a light bulb moment - born from the need to leave an eventual unhappy job- the concept took nine months to plan and launch, so I guess you could say it was my baby. Many said I was either brave or naïve to launch a new business in the heart of the recession - I asked myself the same question, but did it anyway and it paid off.

I began making profit in year three with my business network and events brand- RSViP, so it was a hard slog BUT I’ve never looked back.

Nottingham Rugby Club soon became a client and I went onto re-launch their corporate hospitality and look after their PR, tripling their attendance numbers, profits and visibility in one season.

Soon after I launched a second ‘non profit’ business network aimed at property professionals called WREN and have since combined with RSViP, hosted hundreds of successful events and facilitated hundreds of thousands of connections, resulting in hundreds of thousands of pounds of revenue being generated for businesses across the UK.

Utilising my experience in sales and advertising I went onto become co-owner and editor-in -chief of digital business magazine- Affari which ran alongside my existing business.

These days I spend my time sharing my knowledge and expertise through my skills training programs, hybrid coaching/consultancy sessions and workshops, guest lecturing at Universities, writing my business column and e-books and guest speaking at events/conferences…

Plus you may see me out and about at an event or two…