My greatest success in business:
“There have been quite a few successes over the years, but the one that means most to me is having been able to grow my first venture a few years ago- a language training business whose success exceeded all my expectations! It still gives me a huge sense of achievement since at one point I was also a carer, and had three children to look after. Supported by a brilliant mentor I learnt how much strength I have and that I can achieve anything I want, by believing in myself and taking one small step at a time. I now enjoy supporting other women in business and helping them to exceed their expectations. I run Success Network, which has evolved from an independent network into a business support organisation for women who want to develop their business.
My greatest challenge in business:
These days I enjoy everything I do- work and life to me are integrated rather than separate areas. However I am like many other women who have to juggle different commitments and find it hard to make time for themselves to recharge their batteries. Whenever I feel pressure building up, the first thing I usually do is check whether I need to change the way I manage my time or whether it’s time to say NO to any projects! This helps me maintain clarity and enables me to focus and prioritise what’s important.
What I do outside work:
I enjoy reading, travelling, camping, being by the sea, watching old b&w movies, going to music festivals and art exhibitions. I also like meeting new people and having good conversations.
How I achieve Work-Life Balance:
What works best for me is to ‘escape’ and have real ‘time out’ by taking frequent short holidays. I often take off my watch on a day off- I then do whatever I want to do, but without any kind of plan. That’s ‘down time’ and total freedom in my world and gives me the balance I need. My husband was quite ill a few years ago and so these days I try to adjust my workload depending on what’s happening in my life.
Words of Advice for women in business:
My favourite quote is ‘It’s not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves!’ by mountaineer Sir Edmund Hilary. At times, achieving success in business can seem like a mountain to conquer, especially in the early days, or when you are experiencing a setback.
My top tips for women in business are:
1 – follow your vision
2 – cultivate a positive frame of mind
3 – be flexible and open to new opportunities
4 – take one step at a time, and
5- always be true to yourself!
success recipes for solopreneurs 