This time last year I left my safe job in hospitality and travel to go out on my own! Scary, yes. Sad, yes. Exciting, hell yes. I’d worked my way towards this so it wasn’t a complete blind jump of faith but still risky. If you’d have asked me 5 years ago if I’d be self employed I would have just laughed. But...
It’s been the most amazing year ever, I’ve learnt so much, met some fabulous people and rode an emotional rollercoaster, and that’s before Corona hit!
I’m really proud of who I’ve become and feel really free to express myself and try new things. I’m no longer an employee searching for recognition from a big corporation and leaving the success of my career in their hands. I can’t explain what it feels like to wake up and know that the brand I represent is my own and that I can tell my own story.
There have been, and still are, 3 big influences on my journey:
Network
Mentor
Community
Support Network
Southwood Social Hub (SSH) is a network of incredible women led by the lovely Hayley Southwood. I joined SSH last January to get some inspiration from female entrepreneurs, to help me make the move to self employment. And wow, I’ve been inspired, humbled, educated, and listened to by some amazing women. It’s an incredible network and something I could not give up, especially now I’m running my own business. It’s like having the most talented and caring colleagues who are there not only to learn from but to have a laugh with too. SSH really came into its own during lockdown with lunchtime zooms where we talked about anything except business or COVID. What was said on the zoom stays on the zoom ;) I feel like a stronger and more free version of myself.
Mentor
I’ve had a few mentors in my career but this one is different. Barney Worfolk Smith is a friend from my days at IHG. I hired a social agency, That Lot, and worked closely with Barney week in week out. We had a good laugh and created some fabulous social media campaigns. Since we left those roles we stayed in touch, we discussed social media news as well as sharing travel tips and family stories - we both seem to enjoy the same camping / campervan / off the main route holidays. I really respect Barneys work ethic and knowledge and think he probably knows most people worth knowing. We’ve continued to meet up over the past year and even though it wasn’t a formal thing I’ve definitely looked to him as a mentor even though he might not know he was fulfilling that role!
Community
Every now and then you find a community which strikes a chord. They share the same ethics, interests and creative ways of thinking. For me this was the DO Lectures. I’ve always admired them and when lockdown kicked in I decided to join the Keyboard CEO course. I thought it would help me to write and be more creative in my business comms BUT it was so much more. I learnt about how to get scrappy and build a business without budgets. I also found an online community of like minded people who are all doing business in beautifully creative and ethical ways. I’m excited to see where these new relationships go.
I’m no expert at business but I’m doing pretty f***ing well for 12 months in and couldn’t have done it without these people (AND my fabulous friends and supportive husband). Here’s to the next year and meeting more new people and more exciting clients!