Archive | Inspirational Women

Sheryl Sandberg – COO: the first lady of Facebook takes the world stage

Filed under Inspirational Women by WATC Team on 24/01/2012 at 23:54 {2 comments}

Sheryl Sandberg was once in a meeting in New York, pitching a deal, when she needed a bathroom break. Embarrassed, the man to whom she was pitching had to admit he had no idea where the women’s bathroom was. Sandberg wondered whether they had just moved in to the office. No, came the reply, they had been there for a year. “Are you telling me that I am the only woman to have pitched a deal in this office for a year?” Sandberg later recalled. “And he looked at me and said, ‘Yeah, or maybe you’re the only one who had to go to the bathroom.’”

Facebook’s chief operating officer (COO) is used to being the only woman in the boardroom – but she doesn’t like it. On Wednesday she joins some of the world’s biggest movers and shakers at the World Economic Forum’s annual shindig in Davos, Switzerland, as one of the six co-chairs. The other five are, of course, men. There will be other powerful women in attendance: German chancellor Angela Merkel will deliver the opening address; Christine Lagarde, the International Monetary Fund’s managing director, is there too. But still the vast majority of those in attendance are men.

If Sandberg has anything to do with it, that is going to change. At last year’s Davos meeting, she held a breakfast to promote women’s causes, a subject she is expected to take up there again, in between adding more of the world’s most powerful people as friends of Facebook.

Sandberg told her bathroom story in a speech at TED, the tech world’s version of Davos. There too she was calling for more sex equality: “The numbers tell the story quite clearly,” she told the audience in Washington DC. “One hundred and ninety heads of state; nine are women. Of all the people in parliament in the world, 13% are women. In the corporate sector, women at the top, C-level jobs, board seats, tops out at 15-16%. The numbers have not moved since 2002, and are going in the wrong direction.”

The same could not be said of Sandberg. This year Facebook is expected to go public, in an initial public offering (IPO) share sale that could value it at $100bn (£64m) and hand its COO her second huge Silicon Valley payday. Her first came at Facebook’s arch-rival: she had joined Google when the search company was in its profitless infancy, and left after its IPO with a fortune in stock options. Google made Sandberg a multi-millionaire; Facebook could now make her a billionaire.

Mark Zuckerberg, Mr Social Network himself, poached Sandberg in 2008. When she joined Facebook, it had 70 million users worldwide and was losing money. Now it boasts 10 times as many users and makes money. Sam Hamadeh, chief executive of PrivCo, a private company analyst, reckons Sandberg holds about 3% or 4% of Facebook, almost guaranteeing she will become a billionaire when the company goes public. She’s pretty much in charge of everything at Facebook apart from the product itself, and has proved a smooth and perfect foil to the geeky, spiky Zuckerberg.

In public schools, for a girl to be smart was not good for your social life

“She’s the grownup in the room,” says Hamadeh. “Big brands are very risk-averse, especially when they are being asked to put their ads next to user-generated content. Facebook is not just some 27-year-old, it’s also this wonderfully polished woman with amazing credentials – that’s got to be very useful.”

Sandberg also appears to know how to toe the company line. She isn’t on the Facebook board – guess what: no women are – but, in public at least, seems unperturbed by this.

Sandberg seems to have been a grownup from a very early age. She was always at the top of her class, her mother Adele told the New Yorker last year. It had its consequences. “In public schools, for a girl to be smart was not good for your social life,” Adele said. Her mother could only recall one time when her daughter rebelled. “One day she came home from school and said, ‘Mom, we have a problem. You’re not ready to let me grow up.’

“I said, ‘You’re right.’ The minute she said it, I knew she was right.”

Sandberg studied economics at Harvard, where she caught the eye of Lawrence Summers, the former US treasury secretary who, in one of history’s neat coincidences, had been president of the college when Zuckerberg started Facebook. Summers volunteered to be her adviser in her senior year, when Sandberg decided to write her thesis on the role of economics in spousal abuse. He became her mentor and helped launched her stellar career.

In 1991, Summers became the chief economist at the World Bank, and recruited Sandberg as a research assistant. She then returned to Harvard, earning her MBA with the highest distinction, and joined management consultancy McKinsey Co before rejoiing Summers, serving as his chief of staff when he became treasury secretary under Bill Clinton.

“Sheryl always believed that if there were 30 things on her to-do list at the beginning of the day, there would be 30 check marks at the end of the day,” Summers recalled. “If I was making a mistake, she told me. She was totally loyal, but totally in my face.” She repaid that loyalty when Summers got into hot water for suggesting innate differences between men and women might be one reason that fewer women succeed in science- and maths-based careers. Sandberg wrote that Summers had been “a true advocate for women throughout his career”.

Until women are as ambitious as men, they’re not going to achieve as much as men

When the Democrats lost the 2000 presidential election, Sandberg joined Google. She helped broker the firm’s first big deal, providing search tools for then-dominant internet service provider AOL, and was on her way to becoming one of the most powerful women in business.

At home she has two children – a son born in 2005 and a daughter two years later – with husband David Goldberg, the chief executive of online data firm SurveyMonkey. They juggle their schedules so one of them is always home to feed the children. “The most important career choice you’ll make is who you marry,” she said in a speech last year.

It’s clear that Sandberg believes women, in part, have to take some of the blame for their under-representation at the top level. “Until women are as ambitious as men, they’re not going to achieve as much as men,” she told US talkshow host Charlie Rose last year.

But a career is easier to manage when you have the money to afford help. For most women it’s not quite so simple, says Sekai Farai, a cultural anthropologist at Colombia University who has been studying tech startups. “The tech community is progressive and it is a meritocracy,” she says.

“Everyone can come to the table, but it’s also all about who gets invited. Getting the right introductions, currying favour with people in power is all far more difficult for women. Sandberg had an incredibly powerful mentor; very few women are given that kind of opportunity.”

Men need to take their share of responsibility too, says Cindy Gallop, a fellow TED speaker, and founder of crowdsourcing site IfWeRanTheWorld. “I think Sheryl Sandberg is doing a great job of inspiring women to think differently about how they can progress in business. I’d just like to see Sheryl’s male peers doing the same thing, and a very wide range of them, so that we don’t just inspire women to want to be the next Sheryl Sandberg; we also inspire them to want to be the next Mark Zuckerberg, and the next Steve Jobs.”

For Sucharita Mulpuru, a tech analyst at Forrester Research, the problem goes back further than that. “Women don’t pursue maths and sciences. If you don’t have a technology background, you are not going to get a startup off the ground in Silicon Valley,” she says.

As Mulpuru points out, Sandberg isn’t the founder, she’s the manager. Like Meg Whitman, the former eBay boss to whom she is often compared, Sandberg is the adult supervisor brought in to manage the talented but temperamental boys.

Whitman turned eBay from a tech junk shop into a global phenomenon. Then she took her billions and started a second, less successful, career in politics. In 2010 Whitman spent $160m in an unsuccessful attempt to become governor of California, outspending the winner, Jerry Brown, six to one. And she is not the only tech leader to jump into politics – former Hewlett-Packard chief Carly Fiorina also made an unsuccessful bid for a California senate seat.

Perhaps one day Sandberg will prove more successful – though perhaps on a Democratic ticket. She has strong Washington connections and a more winning personality than Whitman or Fiorina. Amid criticism of Facebook’s practices she recently brokered a privacy agreement with the Federal Trade Commission that Hamadeh says was testimony to her political skills. “It should have been much worse for them,” he says.

Reciprocal altruism is her style. When the Sandbergs hosted Barack Obama for a Silicon Valley fundraiser last year, they brought in Lady Gaga too, whose sky-high heels and hair made the event a media sensation.

In interviews Sandberg, inevitably, says she is happy at Facebook, and not thinking about what she wants to do next. But whenever she makes up her mind, she will not be short of the power and influence – or money – to make her goal happen.

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Article source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2012/jan/24/sheryl-sandberg-facebook-davos

Nicky Moffat, the highest ranked woman in the British army

Filed under Inspirational Women by WATC Team on 11/01/2012 at 17:26 {no comments}

Nicky Moffat is the highest ranked woman in the British army. She has excelled in all kinds of things during a near 30-year career that might still take her to the very top of the military.

But giving interviews is not one of them. In fact, this is her first – and there are certain things she wants to make absolutely clear.

She is not a “whinger”, and she doesn’t much like people who are. She has not played the “gender card”. Now a brigadier, Moffat, 49, has obviously faced obstacles during her climb up the tree, but she refuses to call them obstacles.

In fact, she prefers not to talk about them at all. “Women do not need to be treated with kid gloves,” she says. “It is very easy for people to attribute a lack of success or failure, or an occurrence, to hang it on to something like gender or colour. I have never really liked that approach.”

But the military is struggling to encourage more women to join, and Moffat, it seems, has recognised that she can play an important role inspiring and mentoring junior female officers.

Moffat has, she says, been quietly fighting for equality in the ranks, though her methods may not have won her the immediate appreciation of her peers.

Take punishment. In the past, she felt that commanding officers were too kind to women who broke rules, or lost equipment.

“In situations where men and women were guilty of the same offence, some officers would award the woman a lighter punishment. Men would get hammered, and the women wouldn’t. It comprehensively undermined the credibility of women. Some might have played on it and been happy to have a lesser punishment, but it wasn’t good. I remember telling the officer this was not the best way of dealing with it. I don’t like distinctions based on gender.” The men, she says, were “being too soft”.

“They didn’t know how to manage a woman. A woman could potentially burst into tears and the man wouldn’t quite know how to deal with it. We have matured considerably since then, and we have much clearer rules over the equal application of discipline.”

That isn’t all that has changed. “Twenty-six years ago, women were trained separately, we weren’t integrated, we were treated differently, and we were paid less. My view now, in retrospect, is that this institutionally undermined the contribution women could make and the way in which they were viewed. All those institutional barriers have been removed … women are serving in positions of very considerable risk and they are fighting and they are dying and they are being wounded alongside men.”

Moffat joined the army from the University of Liverpool where she “almost got booted out” for spending so much time at the Officer Training Corps. She joined the now defunct Women’s Royal Army Corps, and then a series of promotions led her to command at three levels. During that time she was deterred from doing some supposedly “men only” jobs, and was mocked behind her back by men who didn’t believe she could cut it as a tactics instructor.

She also had a spell as military private secretary to the then defence secretary, Geoff Hoon.

Moffat believes there is “no better time to join the army” if you are a woman, though the statistics suggest women still need a lot of convincing. Women account for only 10% of the armed forces, and 8% of the army, despite changes that have made it easier for women to take maternity leave and career breaks. Moffat says the “new employment model” the MoD is devising should make things better still, though she accepts that she is guilty of “horrible gender stereotyping” when she explains why the armed forces may always be dominated by men.

“Women in general don’t necessarily want to work in that particular area. What do we do? We do war fighting. This isn’t helped by the fact that society trots out pink Barbie dolls for women, and action men with rifles for men.” However, Moffat wants more women to join the military and doesn’t believe they should be deterred by its macho image.

Women, she believes, can do it all – just don’t join thinking the military owes you special favours.

“I don’t feel that gender has been an issue for me. I don’t care if you are male or female, or black or white, gay or straight, right side of the tracks or the wrong side. I care what you deliver. To be fair, some people have been discriminated against, but I have not felt this applied to me. You are only going to get on in life if you push the door a bit and work hard and you overcome challenges and barriers. I am not a whinger. You don’t get on in a team if you are a whinger. It is not just about being good enough, you have to be better than the competition.”

Moffat dismisses a question about whether a woman might, within her lifetime, become chief of the defence staff – the UK’s most senior military officer. She doesn’t like the question, nor does she want to say whether women should be allowed to serve in small, frontline combat units – the last major area in the army that is off-limits to women. With the former, a woman will get to the top if she has earned it, she says, and with the latter it’s a matter of effectiveness. But perhaps there is another reason why Moffat bridles at some issues – reflecting something important about the way women think they need to get on in the armed forces, or any big institution. They want to fit in, they don’t want to cause a stir, or complain about their lot.

Moffat pauses. “I think you are right. I only know what I know, which is 26 years in the army.”

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Article source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/jan/11/nicky-moffat-highest-ranking-woman-army

Inspirational Women Profile – Charmian Ingham – Speech & Voice

Filed under Inspirational Women by Leonnie Turner-Bruce on 02/09/2011 at 14:10 {no comments}

Inspirational Women Profile – Charmian Ingham – Speech & Voice Coach – Omega Age

Charmian Ingham is a Speech and Voice Consultant who helps individuals and teams attain vocal confidence and deliver effective communication. Having developed a creative and highly effective Programme with proven methods and techniques, Charmian delivers real results for those wishing to improve their presentation skills.

Charmian creates and regularly delivers interactive workshops and public speaking masterclasses into corporate teams. She understands how crucial it is for business executives to hone their presentation skills and to speak with confidence and authority in meetings and at public speaking events.

How did you become a voice coach ?

I graduated as an Associate of LAMDA (London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art) in 1981.

What were the key drivers for setting up your voice coaching business ?

I’d been longing to use these qualifications for over 20 years and, when I launched my business in June 2005 after being made redundant from a City law firm, I combined my LAMDA qualifications with my experience in Marketing & Business Development, public performance & theatre direction, and knowledge of the City.

What do you enjoy most about voice coaching ?

Every coaching Session is different because of the variety of my clients.

I love helping people find their voice and confidence and seeing them flourish.

Why is clarity of speech so important in the corporate world ?

Clarity of speech and clear communication are vital in the corporate world – clear diction conveys your message more effectively so there is less confusion, and therefore information is more easily absorbed.

Do you find that one particular gender chooses to hone this particular skill ?

The majority of my clients (70%) are female – MDs, CEOs, executives, bankers, solicitors, etc. Women are more open to personal development than most men and are willing to learn and improve.

You also run a City Speakers club, how does that work ?

I launched the City Speakers Lunches in January 2007 and host a lunch once a month. They offer a platform for my clients to practice their public speaking skills in front of an audience of friendly strangers.

If you could change one thing that would benefit women in their careers, what would it be ?

The thing I’d like to change to benefit women in their careers would be to stop them under-selling and under-valuing their worth, their personal qualities and their successes.

Just for fun, if you could chose an alternative career, what would it be ?

An alternative career would be as a stage Actress or Stand-up Comedian!!

Regards,

Charmian is available for Speech & Voice Coaching – Public Speaking Masterclasses – Voice Workshops Presentation Skills – Vocal Impact – Motivation

If you are interested in contacting Charmian, please email [email protected] or call: +44 (0) 7736 180 155

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Inspirational Women – Christine Lawrence (WIBF)

Filed under Inspirational Women by Leonnie Turner-Bruce on 31/08/2011 at 10:25 {no comments}

With over 20 years in the Financial Services Industry. Christine is currently the Chair of Women in Banking and Finance where she is responsible for building effective strategic relationships with corporate sponsors and principal partners, for budget and governance, and for ensuring the delivery of WIBF programmes to a high standard. Previously she was a Consultant with Logica and worked on major engagements with such clients as Legal General and Man Investments. A diversity specialist, Christine is experienced in leading a range of diversity and inclusion strategies and initiatives.

How did you become Chair of WIBF?

As a WIBF committee member my entrepreneurial spirit and passion for the group was encouraged by my predecessor, Pandora Omaset. Inspired by the group I enthusiastically got involved with different initiatives and programmes. I introduced a mentoring programme in 2002, launched the new framework for the Personal Development Programme in 2004 and then joined the editorial team. I am now the Editorial Director of WIBF Magazine. The in-depth knowledge I acquired about the group meant my
application for the chair position was unanimously supported by the management team.

What is the value of joining a network such as WIBF?

Networking is no longer a luxury but is essential to your career progression and opportunities. WIBF is a totally inclusive professional networking organisation. Our members include women in senior positions to those just starting out in their career. Members are from diverse backgrounds and organisations. This provides an invaluable environment to connect with people outside of your organisation, learn from each other the best solutions to your challenges and increase your confidence in a supportive atmosphere. WIBF is a very active organisation offering a choice of personal development workshops, the Women on Boards Forum, a golf day, Toastmasters Speakers Clubs and distinguished speakers events. Why not join us at one of our monthly drop in drinks held on the last Tuesday of every month at Prism, 147 Leadenhall Street, London EC3V 4QT?

You clearly have to influence a great deal of corporates in your role as Chair, what approach do you take?

There is the need to establish what is important to our sponsors. This is closely followed by developing a sustainable relationship that is based on trust and the ability to deliver what we say we are going to do. My preferred approach is to work collaboratively with organisations whilst encouraging an open dialogue. It is vital that our relationships with our corporate sponsors are reciprocal and beneficial for our sponsors, our members and the group.

What has been your greatest challenge chairing the WIBF network and how did you overcome it?

One of the greatest challenges occurred at the beginning of last year when it was formally announced by the government that we had entered into a recession. The impact on our members was quite traumatic. With the ensuing uncertainly facing our members in the industry, we investigated how we could provide effective support. We reviewed our relationships with recruitment agencies and coaching specialists in order to offer discounted services for our members.

In your opinion, have opportunities in the finance sector changed for women and if so how?

If we go back 30 years ago to the inception of WIBF then yes – opportunities for women in the finance sector have changed. We have seen an increased in the numbers of women Managing Directors, Chief Administrative Officers, Chief information Officers and CEOs, not to mention the phenomenal increase in women running their own businesses. At our Awards for Achievement Luncheon (2010) our keynote speaker, Bronwyn Curtis OBE, raised a salient point “Much of the progress for women in the past 35 years was made in the 1980s and it slowed almost to a standstill in the 1990s.” We certainly cannot afford to become complacent, especially when Cranfield’s Female FTSE Report 2009 states a less than impressive female presence on FTSE100 boards: only 5.2% of Executive Directors and 15.2% of Non Executive Directors.

What advice would you give to women who want to progress their careers in the City?

Have total belief and confidence in your abilities. Ensure key people within your organisation and the industry are kept informed about your achievements and successes, otherwise how will others know of your capabilities and potential. Maximise your profile through your network internally, externally and virtually. Join LinkedIn and ask for recommendations and endorsements (another great way to keep your contacts up to date with your progress). While it is important to focus on how you want to progress in your career always explore other opportunities that you may not have considered in the past – the potential for career progression may be far greater than you thought. In an environment that has prevalent masculine characteristics never take constructive feedback personally. Learn from any adversary situations and see them as an opportunity to improve your knowledge and skills. Always maintain your own network so that you are aware of developments in your line of business.

Just for fun, if you could choose an alternative career, what would it be?

An actor – how wonderful it would be to play different characters.

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Inspirational Woman – Farida Gibbs – CEO – Gibbs S3

Filed under Inspirational Women by WATC Content Team on 20/08/2011 at 22:56 {one comment}

Gibbs S3, also known as GS3, is a privately held, certified woman-owned business enterprise (WBE) founded in 2005 by CEO Farida Gibbs. Headquartered in Surrey, Gibbs S3 is an international provider of IT Staffing, IT Consulting and IT Resource Solutions in the UK, with operations in the US and Europe. Gibbs S3 is a tier 1 supplier to FTSE100 clients and according to Staffing Industry Analyst S3 is ranked 7th largest global diversity firm. A corporate member of MSDUK council (minority supplier development council UK) and finalists for the Fast Growth Business Awards 2011.

Farida began her career more than 15 years ago and has extensive experience in the Banking & Finance, Insurance/Reinsurance, Energy & Utilities and Retail Industries.

Farida’s passion is to deliver and exceed customer expectations. Her inspiring career and rise to the top has led her to direct the UK’s efforts and become one of the fastest growing IT staffing providers. Her partnership with S3, has seen the global business post $205 million in sales revenues for 2010, of which the UK arm saw an incredible 500% growth in 12 months.

Gibbs S3 has an international footprint serving the UK, Europe and US with branch locations in Surrey (HQ), London and Cheshire, which also services customers in Edinburgh, Scotland and Dublin, Ireland. We were fortunate enough to meet with Farida in her busy schedule, although she was more than happy to spare the time, to find out more about her.

How did you end up in the world of IT Recruitment?

Like most people in IT recruitment, I “fell” into it! Except my motivations for staying in this forever changing industry was very different than others. I graduated from University in business management and wanted to pursue a career in H.R. Whilst studying full time and working a 50 hour week at one of the world’s largest teleservices/callcentre businesses I learnt so much about the staffing world – planning, customer services, scheduling, resource solutions etc. After graduation the company I worked for announced redundancies so I decided to accept a role with one of their competitors as an Operations HR Manager. 13 months into the role I realised I would never pay off my students debts! Not in my life time! My Sister, who worked for a global recruitment firm suggested I jump on the other side of the fence and take up a recruitment role, earn commission pay off my debts and go back into my planned HR career. A good idea but in order to do that I had to take a 50 % paycut! The commission plans were good and I had no doubt in my capabilities that I could become a top salesperson. Forward the clocks 10 years and I am very proud to be CEO for Gibbs S3, a global provider of IT Staffing, IT Consulting and reSourcing Solutions, a certified woman-owned business, 500% growth in 2010, offices in Surrey, London and Cheshire, and number 1 supplier to the 3^rd largest bank in the world.

The City never ‘sleeps’ and will always be open to those who are top players in their field.

What are your predictions for the job market in the City , will we see a shortage of roles ?

I’ve been doing this job for over 10 years, and the answer to that question is simple, it’s “cyclical”. The London financial markets will always be busy, but it will also go through some turbulent times depending on the stock markets and institutional decisions on taxes, rates and so on. The City never ‘sleeps’ and will always be open to those who are top players in their field. Sometimes roles will land in peoples laps, and sometime people may just have to look a little harder than usual. I don’t see a shortage of roles, just a shortage of good talent, and believe me, there is plenty of good talent out there, some people just don’t realise how good they really are. When the market moves it sure does move! I love it when I hear people are getting multiple offers on the table, and I don’t worry too much when there is a shortage of roles. It’s a temporary ‘pause’. Businesses need to breath, reassess, evaluate their operations, budget, and headcounts and when they are ready… the pause button comes off and it’s business as usual.

What challenges have you faced in your career and how did you overcome them?

Life is full of challenges, and I’ve come across many challenges in my career! I’ve overcome them by simply remaining positive, focussed, not allowing my emotions to interfere with my passions. I guess the challenges which are more apparent or stick out like a sore thumb was working in a very male dominated environment particularly in the areas of investment banking and most of all juggling motherhood whilst building a growing business with very little support around me. But I did it, and haven’t looked back since J

Being a good role model/mother is vital to me

What is the best and worst thing about being the boss of your own company?

Best thing about being boss of my own company is the flexibility I have so that I can spend quality time with my two daughters and my husband. Making sure I am there for them all the time. Being a good role model/mother is vital to me, especially when they need me during their influential years. The other best things are; being able to implement my ideas for the business, watch the visions I had for the business become reality, hire a team I believe in and more importantly have fun along the way.

Worst thing about being boss of my own company is pretty simple to answer, I never switch off!

If you could give advice to your younger self, what would it be?

I guess not mixing my emotions with my passion. For example, not getting emotional about matters out of my control but I’ve learnt the hard way and I now know how to handle situations I’m faced with if I run into challenges, difficult people etc. Stay true to yourself and follow your heart. If you honestly believe something is right, then it probably is.

We hear you are passionate about Corporate Responsibility, tell us a little more about how GibbsS3 is working with the community?

I am very passionate about social responsibility! I love helping others. If corporate responsibility can play a bigger part then great. I love helping young children who come from disadvantaged backgrounds. I guess when I look at my upbringing and didn’t have the latest pair of trainers or new gear that was in fashion but what I did have was respect for my family, for people around me and most of all for my mother and father. When I look at society today, I ask myself “what’s happened”. I truly believe that more work is needed with our next generation and the children at our primary schools because those are the ages we ‘can’ influence before it’s too late. I have just started working with a school in North London which I visited just before the summer holidays and was stunned at what I saw. I left upset and determined to make a difference. I am working with the school and together we have ideas to make the school a better environment for the young children, more equipment for playtime like footballs, goal posts, skipping ropes and hula hoops for girls. The thing I’m most excited about is a Programme to teach young kids about reward and recognition for good behaviour, respect, attitude, determination which can lead to success. Gibbs S3 will look to reward the children with the latest pair of trainers, bikes, games consoles, computer games etc. I just cannot wait to get stuck in!

What tips or advice can you offer with WeAreTheCity members?

Be true to yourself, follow your gut instinct, take a leap of faith, help others, keep your chin up and always keep smiling no matter what.

What do you put Gibbs S3’s success down to?

I cannot take all the credit for the company’s success, and must pay a huge tribute to my wonderful Sister who took a leap of faith from her very successful career to join me and take the company forward. She shared the same visions, philosophies and passions as I did. My brother too who left his role as a Technical Break Fix Engineer to start up a Desk finding the best IT talent for some key clients and also to my husband who started our Professional Services team and added a new dimension to the business that now offers our clients an alternative solution in Technology reSourcing.

I’d like to finish off by thanking my wonderful team at Gibbs S3 for making it the successful company it is today. Without them the company would not be where it is today. Thank you truly

UPDATE: 05/10/2011

Gibbs S3 picks up Family Business of the Year Award at Fast Growth Business Awards 2011

Gibbs S3, one of our recently Certified women owned businesses, and a UK based global IT Staffing, IT Consulting & Technology resourcing business, triumphed this week at the prestigious Fast Growth Business Awards 2011, walking away with the coveted Family Business of the Year Award title.

The gala awards ceremony, organised by GrowingBusiness.co.uk and sponsored by NatWest, took place on Tuesday 4 October, at the Marriott Hotel, Grosvenor Square, London. Committed to recognising pioneering businesses; those which demonstrate significant growth and entrepreneurial flair, the esteemed awards celebrated the UK’s most outstanding companies and the people running them.

“We’re absolutely thrilled to pick up the award at the Fast Growth Business Awards. It was a great night and the team and I were delighted when Gibbs S3 was announced as winners of the Family Business of the Year category,” said Farida Gibbs, CEO of Gibbs S3. “We’re really pleased that Gibbs S3 has been recognised for its family focused culture, putting ethical principles before profits and ensuring the customer always comes first, which are some of our key values. I sincerely believe due to this we have won great respect from our existing and prospective clients which steered our dramatic growth over the 12 months. It’s been a great year for us expanding the team and opening a second office in the North West. We have also just been awarded 2 significant new Contracts with major global FTSE100 clients across a number of new sectors which was one of our main objectives for 2011… and now we’re really looking forward to 2012!”

Gibbs S3 is Europe’s fastest growing IT Staffing, IT Consulting and Technology reSourcing business achieving 464% growth in 2010 by providing a reliable and innovative service to its clients that delivers what they need and saves them money. Gibbs S3 is a supplier to a number of FTSE 100 customers providing a full range of services, from IT professional contract and permanents staffing, to direct hire support, flexible resourcing and managed services.

For more details www.gibbs-s3.com

You can find out more about Gibbs S3 here

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Inspirational Woman – Birgit Neu – Chief Operating Officer – HSBC

Filed under Inspirational Women by WATC Team on 18/08/2011 at 07:28 {no comments}

Birgit Neu is Chief Operating Officer, Corporate Development, Global Banking and Markets at HSBC. Named Mentor of the Year at the 2009 Women of the Future awards, Birgit is heavily involved in gender balance initiatives at HSBC as co-chair of its ‘Balance’ employee network. She joined HSBC in 2007 and has also held other senior positions in the Corporate Communications and Marketing functions.

Her financial services experience includes communications roles with Atos Euronext Market Solutions in London and management office positions with Instinet in London and New York, as well as working on their International Equities desk in New York. Birgit is a founding member of Women on the Wharf, a network of corporate women’s networks which includes eleven top firms in London’s Canary Wharf. She has a BS in Marketing and International Business from New York University and participated in the Women’s Leadership Forum at Harvard University.

How did you end up in the world of Banking & Finance?

I fell into it about ten years ago – prior to that I’d had a number of dot-com roles which were very technology-oriented, and when I was looking to move into something else a headhunter suggested that it was worth looking at the financial sector as well as some of the more traditionally creative sectors based on the kind of experience I had. I am very grateful to that headhunter, as she really helped me to see what kinds of transferable skills I had and how I could sell them in.

Women on the Wharf is a network of corporate women’s networks founded by a group of individuals involved with the gender diversity initiatives of eleven major firms in the Wharf.

What is Women on the Wharf and why did you set it up?

Women on the Wharf is a network of corporate women’s networks founded by a group of individuals involved with the gender diversity initiatives of eleven major firms in the Wharf. We set it up as a way to connect our women to share experiences and ideas, enabling them to increase their impact in the work place. It’s also been a fantastic way for us to share best practice between the networks in the member companies so we can understand what’s working for our employees and what’s not.

Within HSBC I co-chair a network called Balance which has taken a slightly different approach than some of the other gender-focused networks. Balance is about improving gender balance at all levels of our business, and about a third of our membership is male. We are having a lot of discussions around how and where the common themes for most gender-focused networks, e.g. development, leadership, and networking, tend to work differently or similarly for men and women, and we think that raising awareness of what this looks like for both sides to both sides is key to unlocking some of the challenges we face in this area.

If you weren’t in Banking & Finance, what else would you be doing ?

I’ve decided this question assumes I’d won the lottery or it’s talking about retirement, because my ambitions are to stay in Banking & Finance for
the foreseeable future otherwise! When I was in high school in the US I attended the Pennsylvania Governor’s School for the Arts as a Creative
Writing major, I still have at least one novel in me which I need to get around to finishing one day. I also have dozens of places around the world
I’d love to have the time to visit with my son. During my travels I would feel a great sense of accomplishment if I could finally get my Competant
Crew certification so I can be a better sailor.

..the gender diversity agenda feels like it’s continuing to gain momentum. I am keen to keep the pressure on and be involved in supporting talented women and men globally as we all try to improve gender balance in our organisations.

What’s next for Birgit Neu ?

I have aspirations to do something entrepreneurial at some point – I’ve got a few business ideas up my sleeve and lots of great successful entrepreneurs in the City to get advice from, and I think it would be exciting to have a business to point to which I could call my own! Even if it was something small I know it would be a brilliant experience to learn from, so I’m hoping I can make that happen sooner rather than later.

In the mean time the gender diversity agenda feels like it’s continuing to gain momentum. I am keen to keep the pressure on and be involved in supporting talented women and men globally as we all try to improve gender balance in our organisations.

What tips or advice can you share with WeAreTheCity members ?

It’s been said a million times before, but every day it is proven true for me again and again that getting things done is so much about who you know. Finding people who can help you explore your personal and career objectives and maintaining those networks should be tops on the list of priorities for anyone who doesn’t want to stand still

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Inspirational Woman – Julia Francis – Makeup Artist

Filed under Inspirational Women by WATC Team on 17/07/2011 at 14:56 {no comments}

A passionate, professional and artistically creative makeup artist, Julia has a long list of credentials that put her at the top spot of her profession.

Her attention to finite detail and ability to produce flawless complexions has resulted in her contribution to numerous worldwide beauty campaigns with global brands such as Olay, Dove and Head & Shoulders. Her work also regularly appears in magazines such as Tatler, Harpers Bazaar and Glamour.

Julias gifts are multi-faceted, and her renowned body-painting has appeared on TV commercials for brands such as Bacardi, and on award winning films such as Star Wars. One of her personal accolades is receiving a nod of satisfaction from the legendary George Lucas for her body painting alien. (We were just as impressed that she did the make up for Colin Firth!)

A budding business entrepreneur, Julia has a mentoring company, Good Foundations, to help the makeup artists of tomorrow get where they want to be.

What made you get into the make-up industry?

I have wanted to be a makeup artist since the early age of 12. I always loved messing about with peoples hair and makeup and going through their makeup bags! I just took it a bit more seriously than most 12 years olds who like makeup.

You’re an extremely successful make-up artist, what would you say has been the fundamental reason behind your success?

Thanks for the kind words! I have had determination and focus since a very young age and it has paid off. I have set my standards high and I have worked hard over the years saying yes to all opportunities that came my way.

As much as I love my career and have huge job satisfaction, my family comes first

We’ve heard that Star Wars director, George Lucas was impressed with your make-up alien creation – how did you feel with this appreciation?

It was a nerve-racking moment to present my body painted alien that had taken 6 hours to paint to George! I felt relieved and happy when he said it was great and I was on a high for quite a while. I’ve met some very famous faces over the years but George was something else!

Many of our readers are busy mums trying to juggle a career and motherhood – you’re a mother too, do you find this difficult and what tips would you give?

As much as I love my career and have huge job satisfaction, my family comes first. If I can’t find suitable childcare, then I won’t do the job. It’s very important to have a good support network around you who understand that jobs come at the last minute and often get cancelled at the last minute too. This has a knock on effect for all those involved in childcare arrangements but once your network is in place it is easier to juggle between the two.

It’s much easier to work in the advertising and editorial industry if you want to have both a family and career. Its not so easy if you work in film, Tv or theatre. My tip would be to give the film and TV industry a go before you start a family!

You’ve set up your other business, a consultation service to aspiring make-up artists called GOOD FOUNDATIONS so you’re what we’d call a ‘mumtrepenuer’ – Has it always been essential to you that you continue to develop within your career whilst also being a mum?

As I mentioned above, – if I can have both then great – if I can’t, then I choose being a mum as my priority. The good thing about Good Foundations is that I don’t need to go anywhere to offer advice so I am not spending time away from home to do the sessions.

What is there still to do for Julia Francis the make up artist?

Lots! There are quite a few famous faces I’d like to create looks for, there are brands I’d like to work for and there are many photographers and directors I want to work with too. All in good time…

www.juliafrancis.co.uk

www.good-foundations.org

twitter: @julia_francis

www.facebook.com/juliafrancismakeupartist

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Inspirational Woman – Louise Cox Chester – Owner of Witherdens Hall

Filed under Inspirational Women by Chantelle Akerman on 06/05/2011 at 14:32 {one comment}

Louise Cox Chester worked for many years at Director level as an investment analyst, global equity research and investment head for some of the world’s leading investment banks. However, her passion for wanting to help people to achieve their full potential – through both business and personal development – led her in 2004 to found Witherdens Hall. This boutique, organic Spa Retreat, set in stunning Kent countrysideis the perfect environment for clear headed thinking and planning – as well as for great opportunities for fresh air and rest.

You used to work in the City, what did you do and why did you leave ?

I was a Director of several City banks focussing on Telecoms Equity Research and Sales. Then I was persuaded by one of my favourite clients, Dresdner RCM, to move to be Head of Research for them. This morphed into being their first Global Head of Investment outside San Francisco. I ran some Tech, Telecoms and Media mutual funds, some funds for the Government of Singapore and headed up a global team advising on over £50bn of assets. It was wonderful to be able to act on the investment decisions that I used to only be able to give to others and my team was great. We were based all over the world but had a strong camaraderie and a great performance record. I left when Allianz took over Dresdner – my job went to Munich! And within a week my rock musician boyfriend found that our diaries coincided for long enough to ask me to marry him – so although the headhunters were pursuing me, I felt the time was ripe to move on, quit the 5am start and follow another (as yet unidentified) dream.

I felt I’d done everything in the City I’d set out to do. I’d been no 1.

Given your solid economic background and reputation you could have had your pick of City fund manager jobs, what made you want to be a business specialist and mentor?

I felt I’d done everything in the City I’d set out to do. I’d been no 1. Extel rated 3 years in a row, I’d worked for one of the best Fund Management houses, I’d been a director since my early thirties, I’d had the chance to hang out and exchange ideas with some of the best management teams in the Telecoms industry, but I didn’t see how the next years would be anything other than repeating what I’d already done. The most interesting bit of my job was the high-level strategic thinking (I used to often come out of meetings thinking ‘ I’ve just been paid to spend an hour with the CEO of Vodafone sharing ideas on strategy. Wow, I love my job!’).

I wasn’t aware thought that I didn’t have to work in the City to have those amazing business exchanges and I left the City without any clue what I was going to do next. To tell you the truth, I didn’t think I would be any good at anything else. For a while I just pottered around Witherdens Hall, creating a kitchen garden, making new friends and trying to enjoy a slower pace of life. I even got a job in our village florists because I wanted to learn more about flowers. They paid me £4.25 an hour and my husband thought I was joking when I told him! But my business brain started to want exercise and I ended up turning them into an online florist serving all of the UK. It was great fun but it also gave me the confidence to realise that my skills were more transferrable than I realised! And after that, just
through word of mouth, the requests for help from other business owners started to roll in – and they’ve never stopped. I am normally a ‘business buddy’ to about 4 businesses at a time, helping them move their business forward not just by talking with them about their strategy, but often by rolling up my sleeves and getting stuck in. And I also have businesses come to me because they are stuck that I can quickly signpost on to other associates of Vector Business Group with different skills, who will be perfectly equipped to help them.

85% of business strategies never get properly implemented – fact!

Why the name Vector Business Group?

85% of business strategies never get properly implemented – fact! I realised that if I was going to give a superlative service to my clients, I had to figure out why this was happening and make sure it never became fact for them. It came to me in a flash of insipiration when I was on a flight back from seeing a client in Dubai: a pilot defines a plane’s vector – the direction plus momentum it needs to get it to its destination. My clients need both Strategic Direction and Purpose to get them to their metaphorical destination. So, my job is to help them define both purpose and direction to get to their metaphorical destination. It’s evolved into a tried and tested system now and works incredibly effectively.

Was there always a grand plan to run a retreat or did it happen by accident?

When I was working in the City my hours were so long ( up at 5am, all meals at my desk or out with clients, home at 10pm earliest) and very stressful. I used to dream of a little haven where I could go to get some R&R, some space to think, to dream, to create. A place which would enable me to ‘reset’ myself and would inspire me to be the best person I could possibly be. And while I was at CSFB, I came across the perfect place – not to go to, but to buy. So a long-term aspiration of mine was to create this little Retreat for myself first and then for others.

You are a seasoned Buddist, how does this help you with the day to day tribulations in life?

I’ve been a practising Buddhist for nearly 15 years and I can honestly say that I would never have had the success I had in the City if I didn’t have my daily practice. By chanting in the morning, I re-calibrate myself to a positive resonance. This lasts longer some days than others, but overall it helps me never get too ‘out of whack’. It also helps remind me that all the courage, compassion and wisdom that I need to create value with my life, lies within me. It gives me the courage to work through stressful and unpleasant situations, looking at them as opportunities to learn and grow (and hopefully encourage and inspire others). And I get closer to understanding how connected we all are and how the law of cause and effect works. This allows me to be more compassionate, more accepting of situations and people and hopefully a nicer person to work with and have as a friend.

Many people visit Witherden to escape from Corporate life, what makes a stay at Witherden so special?

I don’t really know! If I had to guess, I’d say it’s partly because I’ve been there, done it and got the t-shirt, so hopefully I have created something that will be perfect for people with stressful corporate lives. And I have such a strong desire for people to have a really inspiring yet relaxing stay, one that doesn’t waste a single moment of their precious leisure time. So whether it’s the organic food, the Spa and it’s holistic therapies, the different programs you can do here from ‘Screw Work, Let’s Play’ to ‘What’s your Purpose?’, the courses & workshops you can attend, or just the peaceful natural surroundings, people pick and choose from a myriad of options what’s best for them at that moment in time. And, very quickly, being master of your own breakfast time morphs into realising that you are master of your own destiny, allowing clarity and confidence to develop and great possibilities to emerge from within.

What advice would you give to anyone thinking of giving up their jobs to pursue a dream ?

Joking apart – I would suggest they come and stay with us first! We can enable them to work on having a really clear understanding of their Purpose and we can work with them on the nitty gritty of how to turn their dream into a reality. I do it all the time with my clients either through my strategy business, Vector Business Group, or for people staying at the Retreat and there’s nothing that gives us greater satisfaction than enabling people follow their dream.

My view is that it’s our duty to harness all the attributes gifted to us and use them to our greatest ability and that we are much more powerful beings than we ever dream that we are. It’s actually a myth that Nelson Mandela quoted Marianne Willaimson’s ‘A Return to Love’ when he was freed from the long years of incarceration, but it’s put this wonderful writing on the map. I can’t express my views better than this, so I’m not going to try!

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.’ We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we’re liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” (A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of “A Course in Miracles”, Harper Collins, 1992. From Chapter 7, Section 3])

To take a view at Witherdens Hall, click here.

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Inspirational Woman – Britt Lintner

Filed under Inspirational Women by WATC Team on 26/02/2011 at 17:45 {no comments}

Britt Lintner, armed with a degree in Economics from the University of Wisconsin, has held executive roles in finance for the last 15 years, predominantly at Lehman Brothers in New York and London and currently as a Principal in the Asset Allocation Group at Man/GLG in London.

In 2005, Britt completed an MA in Fine and Decorative Arts at the Sotheby’s Institute of Art before studying fashion at the Istituto Marangoni, London. The following year she launched her own label, Britt Lintner Ltd, for professional, style-conscious women. In July 2006, ‘Management Today’ voted Britt Lintner one of ’35 Women Under 35 – Meet UK plc’s Female Leaders-in-Waiting’. In July 2007, she opened a showroom and atelier in Holland Park. 2009 commenced with Sarah Brown choosing to wear her designs to the White House and to the G20 in London to meet the Obamas; and in June, the Walpole Association, the trade body that represents the British luxury industry, elected Britt Lintner as one of their ‘Brands of Tomorrow’. Her alma mater honored Britt with the ‘Forward Under 40′ award in 2010 for graduates under age 40 who are making an impact on the world.

With two young sons in tow, Britt’s collections continue to draw on a range of influences inspired by the personal and professional roles she inhabits.

We managed to squeeze in some questions when we met Britt. Britt was not only candid in her responses she also made us laugh in her expressive answers;

What inspired you to design your break in to the world of fashion?

My first true love was fashion so I guess breaking into the industry was inevitable, I can’t remember a time not being completely absorbed by clothing & accessories. I practically have OCD when it comes to my closet & am always tempted to buy myself horse blinders when I walk around Mayfair between GLG meetings to keep from looking in the shop windows; not stepping into at least one for a few minutes to feel inspired is a great feat in my day.

It took working in finance to start the business (both for the idea & for the financing of it). I simply was tired of wearing masculine looking suits & felt women’s closets were polarized between their casual wear & their professional attire. There is a wide gap between the two so my mission since I began has been to create pieces that abide by the rules but that are still fashionable & respectably sexy. You can totally cover up & still look like a fox if you follow a few key dressing ingredients (tailoring, fabrics, colours, no cleavage/knee hem length).

Life it too tough, the last thing you need to be doing is beating yourself up!

Tell us what Britt is passionate about outside of Couture & Corporate Finance?

Hmmm, there are always the obvious answers like family/friend, food, philanthropy & nature/sports.

Specifically? Music. I’d absolutely love to do something in the music business. I haven’t quite figured out what yet but if I have enough years & money left in my life (doubtful!), that would definitely be my next chapter. I went to the Dallas Symphony with my parents over New Years & I thought how cool would it be to create an orchestra with hundreds of instruments & about 3 huge organs in the background?!? Powerful stuff…

In general, I find it’s very important to envision your ‘nirvana’ life. The exercise is like writing yourself a personal business plan, even if you don’t stick to it, at least you have something to defer to, plus, it’s so fun to dream (I’m a huge dreamer, must be the American optimist in me)…

Did you ever doubt your ability to be successful, and if so how did you overcome those doubts?

Not really. Of course I have days where I feel like the only thing I’m capable of is washing windows but that’s usually down to being tired. Like yesterday, I was in a god awful mood & literally just had a chat with myself & said ‘stop it, you are just tired’. Life it too tough, the last thing you need to be doing is beating yourself up! We get enough of it from parents, teachers, bosses, husbands, boyfriends/girlfriends & kids over the years…

I also try to change gears when I’m feeling insecure by doing & thinking about things that make me feel good to put me in a better mental space; just like changing the radio station when you don’t like the song (excuse the music metaphor).

…if you don’t like the position you are in, a ‘no’ is as good as a ‘yes’ so force a change

What advice would you give to those who intend to start a business alongside their day job?

1. Tell your boss/company immediately. People respect honesty.

2. Pre-filter your passions versus your business model. It needs to be viable.

3. Watch your cash flow (see point 2) on a weekly business, most start-ups ‘eat cash for breakfast’ as Johanna my Chairman always says.

4. If you can afford it, create an A-Team around you that you can trust (with special thanks to Johanna, Catharine, Suzanne, Cat & Monica).

In terms of your corporate career, what challenges have you faced as a Woman?

None! Am I being boring at this point? I’ve always felt that I have equality in the workplace as I’ve never worried or thought about it, I just get on with it. And if you don’t like the position you are in, a ‘no’ is as good as a ‘yes’ so force a change if you are not happy & stop talking about the glass ceiling!

I would say however that once children come, your time is no longer your own with all the added responsibilities of motherhood therefore take all the risks you can beforehand & if/when they arrive, embrace the challenge as that’s what we were born to do.

Please tell us what you consider to be your greatest achievement (either Corporate or creating Britt Lintner)?

I don’t feel I’ve hit a greatest professional achievement yet, stay tuned…

What golden piece of advice would you give to other women?

Rejoice in you & your femininity.

Take a look at Britt’s SS11 collection – Femme Fatale here

Britt Lintner, armed with a degree in Economics from the University of Wisconsin, has held executive roles in finance for the last 15 years, predominantly at Lehman Brothers in New York and London and currently as a Principal in the Asset Allocation Group at Man/GLG in London.

In 2005, Britt completed an MA in Fine and Decorative Arts at the Sotheby’s Institute of Art before studying fashion at the Istituto Marangoni, London. The following year she launched her own label, Britt Lintner Ltd, for professional, style-conscious women. In July 2006, ‘Management Today’ voted Britt Lintner one of ’35 Women Under 35 – Meet UK plc’s Female Leaders-in-Waiting’. In July 2007, she opened a showroom and atelier in Holland Park. 2009 commenced with Sarah Brown choosing to wear her designs to the White House and to the G20 in London to meet the Obamas; and in June, the Walpole Association, the trade body that represents the British luxury industry, elected Britt Lintner as one of their ‘Brands of Tomorrow’. Her alma mater honored Britt with the ‘Forward Under 40′ award in 2010 for graduates under age 40 who are making an impact on the world.

With two young sons in tow, Britt’s collections continue to draw on a range of influences inspired by the personal and professional roles she inhabits.

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Inspirational Woman – Elisavet Sotiriadou – Greek Cookery Chef

Filed under Inspirational Women by Chantelle Akerman on 05/01/2011 at 17:46 {one comment}

The Greek foody Elisavet Sotiriadou is selling out on her Greek Cookery Classes and Greekfoodlovers’ Supper Club. At the cookery class she’s teaching Londoners the wonders of Greek food and products and in a very hands-on style how to cook a delicious Greek meal and then eat it. And if you don’t like to cook then The Greekfoodlovers’ Supper Club is where she is doing all the cooking and treating her guests to some the best Greek home-cooked food you’ve ever had. She’s one of the sources in London to get a good and authentic Greek meal by the way. Cooking, eating and food has always been one of her passions and she started teaching Greek Cookery after a college asked her if she could teach their Greek course.

Elisavet has since started her own mobile “Greek Cookery School” with evening classes, been featured in Red Magazine (June 2010), Foodepedia and cooked live on ITV’s Britain’s Best Dish where Michelin starred chef John Burton Race said her Greek lagana bread was ”absolutely first class” and the Greek prawn dish saganaki she made was ”cooked to perfection!” She’s also been the first teacher to teach Greek cooking at Divertimenti.

What made you decide work to work in cookery and training?

Training and teaching is something I did as one of my first jobs and always had a passion for. Cookery was a means for me to eat well, something I missed when I moved to London. My mother would call me and asked if I missed her and in response I’d say mum I miss your food so badly, instead of saying I was missing her as well. So the only way for me to eat amazing food was to learn to make it all on my own. I never decided as such to work in cookery, it was a college in London, which contacted me and asked me to teach their Greek cookery course and I was so thrilled about it, it had never occurred to me I should do this or that I could do this and that’s how I started, by a call from out of the blue.

What have been your biggest challenges so far?

Cooking on ITV was a challenge, having to do what you do in front of judges and one of them being Michelin star chef John Burton Race was nerve-wracking but hearing him say my food was “cooked to perfection” and that my bread was “absolutely first class” was worth the hassle! Also hosting the Greekfoodlovers’ Supper Club where I cook for my guests is a big challenge. Several dishes that need to be perfect for the dinner I cook for all the guests.

Whatever you do, do it well and with the whole of your heart and soul!

You have a real passion for all things Greek, why?

Because I’m Greek!! Hahaha A Greek from Sweden but still the Greekness in me prevails. Greek culture is all about passion, we show our emotions and say what we think, can be quite dramatic sometimes, but very alive at the same time.

What is great about Greek food and music that all of us should know about?

Greek food is delicious, healthy and easy to make, it takes time but it’s simple. Did you know that in a recent research from Harvard University in the USA, Greek food topped as the healthiest cuisine in the world? I’m not talking about fatty kebabs here or tourist food, but traditionally Greek food consists of a lot of greens, vegetables and vegan dishes too.

Greek music is great to dance to and we have some composers whose music is still kept alive decades on from Hadjidakis, Theodorakis etc. There are new emerging artists as well and sometimes in my classes and supper clubs I play a mixture of old and new Greek music. It’s interesting to see that most people can listen and appreciate the rhythms and music despite the language being Greek. Of course for those who can understand the lyrics, they are witty, clever and poetic and no sad song can be sadder than a Greek song I think. And another favourite style of music is the Rembetika, something of a Greek blues, songs that you could end up in jail for if you sang in the past because of their lyrics.

If there was one thing that you could say was a great success, what would it be?

Still going on with the Greek Cookery Class after 1,5 years and also having started another food adventure… the Greekfoodlovers’ Supper Club where I cook a seven-course dinner and people come in and eat.

If you could rewind your career back would there be anything you would like to change?

I don’t think so, not saying I’ve had the most perfect career ever, but everything I’ve done has been helpful in some way or another and each and every job has given me invaluable experience. I was teaching in high school back in Sweden for years and that improved my teaching skills, and I still work as a journalist where I write about music and make radio programs about music which I still love doing along with teaching the Greek Cookery Classes and hosting and cooking for the Greek Supper Club.

It was sold out weeks before the class started and half of the attendees were there because they heard it via Facebook!

What is your view on Social Media Networking? How does it help you?

It’s easy to get addictive and forget about real life and real people, this is the downside, especially with twitter where you can get drawn into conversations that never end, but twitter and facebook give you the chance to reach out to people who are complete strangers which sometimes is a good way to promote a service you’re providing or your business. Also it has the capacity to make you keep in touch with acquaintances and friends that you otherwise would lose track with. In my case, my first Greek Cookery Class started with a Facebook update of me saying that once I’ll get my kitchen sorted I’ll have a trial for a Greek Cookery Class and so many friends were saying let us know when you’re done and we’ll take part in the class! It was sold out weeks before the class started and half of the attendees were there because they heard it via Facebook! Social Media Networking is important, but it’s equally important to know which channel works for you and how to use it efficiently.

What do you see in the next 12-18 months for you?

Dreams and ideas are always there and one of these is to write a book and run the classes more frequently.

When and if you get the time, what do you like to do in obtain a life balance?

I like walking, and spending time with loved ones and just going dancing, or cooking and eating of course. And I like walking in the City a lot, when no one else is around, feels like you’re discovering new hidden spots of London.

Can you share any tips for any members wishing to progress further into their career?

Whatever you do, do it well and with the whole of your heart and soul!

For details on the Greek Cookery Classes and the Greek Foodlovers’ Supperclub and future dates add yourself to Elisavet’s mailing list (see below). For pictures from previous classes and supperclub check www.facebook.com/GreekCookery

Twitter: @Greekfoodlover

Details and info on: [email protected]

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Inspirational Woman – Prue Leith – TV Cook & Judge

Filed under Inspirational Women by WATC Team on 05/01/2011 at 17:35 {no comments}

Prue Leith started her catering company Leith’s Good Food and opened the Michelin starred restaurant Leith’s in the sixties. In the seventies she added Leith’s School of Food and Wine, and by the time she sold the three businesses in the nineties she employed 500 people and turned over £15million. Since then she has opened a training restaurant and catering college in South Africa, and initiated a charitable training restaurant, the Hoxton Apprentice, in Hackney.

Her involvement with food, catering and education has been deep. She chaired 3E’s, a not-for-profit company turning round failing state schools; she was on the quango that developed the National Vocational Qualifications; she chaired the British Food Trust which developed the Applied Ability Awards for chefs; and she chaired the RSA which set up Focus on Food, the charity which sends “cooking buses” (mobile teaching kitchens) into schools to teach cooking in the curriculum..

Previously a cookery columnist for the Daily Mail, Sunday Express, Guardian and Mirror, she has written 12 cookbooks, including, with Caroline Waldegrave, the best selling Leith’s Cookery Bible. She has presented an afternoon 26 part series for TV and been the subject of two documentaries, “Take Six Cooks” and “The Best of British”. Her most recent appearance has been as a judge on the Great British Menu series on BBC2.

Prue was chairman of the Schools Food Trust, which is charged with overseeing the implementation of the legislation on improving school food that followed the Jamie Oliver TV campaign.

Prue has also had a parallel career in business, sitting on the boards of British Rail, Safeway, Halifax, Whitbread, Woolworths and Omega. She is on the board of Orient-Express Hotels. She has published 3 novels by Penguin and 2 by Quercus. Her latest novel, A Serving of Scandal was published earlier this year.

Our interview is coming shortly….

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Inspirational Woman – Louisa Barnett – MD & founder of Butterfly

Filed under Inspirational Women by WATC Content Team on 26/11/2010 at 12:42 {no comments}

Louisa Barnett is the MD & founder of Butterfly, the exquisite hair and make-up boutique in the City of London. In 2008, after more than a decade of working in the corporate world, Louisa realised there was an opportunity for something she had sought for years: a place to go to be revived and transformed from everyday ordinariness to chic elegance. She knew it was something other working women were seeking too. Her research showed the idea had enormous potential and a market.

Butterfly opened towards the end of 2009 and has been a hit from the start.
Louisa owns and manages the company with responsibility for property, finance, HR & recruitment, marketing and sourcing. She has successfully developed this new business from concept stage, build and finance through to implementation and running. In just a year Butterfly enjoys and strong brand presence, innovative customer relationship management approaches which have resulted in great customer loyalty, over 2000 consumer visits through the year and more than 50% repeat business. Butterfly aims to spread its wings to new branches in the London and across the UK over the next couple of years.

Tell us a little about Butterfly?

Butterfly is a hair & make up boutique in the heart of the City. Our philosophy is simple; beauty treatments created with the working woman in mind: fast, efficient and affordable with most treatments in under 30 minutes. As well as make-up and hair-styling, Butterfly specialises in any occasion make-up and blow-dry hair refreshes, mini-manicures, quick-fix facials and shoulder massages. Our clients tell us that we’re an oasis of calm in the City and our expert hair & make-up artists make sure our clients leave us looking and feeling fantastic.

What made you leave the corporate world to set it up?

After more than a decade in the corporate world working for big blue-chip companies it felt like time for a change. I love starting things from scratch and seeing them through to fruition. My corporate life meant a lot of time running around whether it was gym to office, big meetings or attending evening events with clients. I would have loved someone to give me a quick transformation from everyday to chic elegance and take the stress and pressure out of needing to look perfect. I also wondered how it was possible to leave the house thinking I looked fairly coiffured but a tube journey later arriving in the office looking rather less well put together! So the idea was there, it was a case of seeing if people felt the same way. I ran a few focus groups and found out I wasn’t alone. Lots of us want to look perfectly styled but it takes too long and we don’t have the time. So, consulting took a back seat as I put a business plan together, raised some funds and made it happen.

Don’t listen to the doom-mongers. When I started this, lots of people were suddenly experts in either what I was doing wrong or why it wouldn’t work.

What advice would you give to others who are thinking about setting up on their own?

If you are setting up a new venture you need emotional support, confidence, passion, flexibility and boundless energy.

· Having a supportive husband has been invaluable and my family has been really hands on in helping out. Even my 11 year old nephew was being a waiter at our charity fashion show last month. They are amazing.

· Don’t listen to the doom-mongers. When I started this, lots of people were suddenly experts in either what I was doing wrong or why it wouldn’t work. So go with your gut instincts and surround yourself with positive, encouraging people.

· Believe wholeheartedly in what you’re doing. If you’re doing it for the money that’s not the right motivator. I believe that what is making Butterfly successful is our complete passion for what we offer, how we make our clients feel and for creating an environment and experience people really enjoy. I’m also passionate about my superb team and rewarding and motivating them is hugely important to the success of any business.

· Be flexible. If it doesn’t seem to be working, figure out why and change something. Remember that you have the ability to always say ‘why not’ to a new idea. Being nimble and responsive is the beauty of being a small company.

· When you start up be prepared to do everything. You should be making literally hundreds of decisions about everything from decor to staffing to software and more, because it’s about your vision becoming a reality. Of course it requires boundless energy and you feel fantastic when you see the results.

It’s important to have faith that it’s been set it up really well, so I can step back and look to the future.

What has been your biggest challenge to date?

Running a business in itself is a huge challenge and getting to the first year has been a major milestone. It’s been very full on to be the marketing, HR, finance, logistics and supply-chain directors, all rolled into one. However, one year on I think the biggest challenge is around stepping back to take the broader more strategic view in order to grow the business. It’s important to have faith that it’s been set it up really well, so I can step back and look to the future.

Is there anything you’d change about the last year?

I wouldn’t change any of my experience in the last year. Of course there are bits and pieces I’d tweak if I were doing it all again, but that’s the beauty of hindsight. It’s been an amazing journey and I’m so excited about the future.

What are your dreams for Butterfly and how will you go about achieving them?

I want to build a brand and business. I want to establish Butterfly as the first thought for all women who have little time but the need and desire to look fantastic ahead of an event, meeting or occasion. I’m in the process of raising funds to open in a further two to three locations in the City over the next 18 months. I hope that once we’ve been going for 3 years and are an established brand, we will be able to expand across London, other city centres in the UK and eventually globally.

BUTTERFLY

42 Cornhill

London EC3V 3ND

020 7283 5000

www.butterfly-london.com

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Inspirational Woman – Lady Val Corbett – Director of Hoxton Apprentice

Filed under Inspirational Women by Chantelle Akerman on 22/10/2010 at 13:41 {no comments}

Val Corbett, Director, Hoxton Apprentice; Associate Director, Training for Life. Director Hoxton Apprentice

Born in Cape Town, Val Corbett has had a career in the media spanning national newspapers, magazines and BBC television. She was founder director of an independent TV production company producing several programmes for BBC TV and Channel 4. After that she co-wrote six novels but now gains far more satisfaction from her work with Training For Life. She has the specific brief of marketing and promoting their Harden and Michelin-recommended training restaurant, the Hoxton Apprentice in Hoxton Square, London. She is co-founder of the Spouse in the House Club for partners of Labour MPs and Peers and is Chair of Women’s Aid in West Hertfordshire. Her husband is Lord Corbett of Castle Vale (a patron of Training For Life) and they have one daughter, Polly Hudson, a columnist on the Daily Mirror.

We tracked Val down to answer some questions on her inspiration and passion

What inspired you to get involved with the Hoxton Apprentice?

I am passionate about helping people who want to help themselves. A hand up not a hand out. I have seen many young people coming to us without skills, education, and with a background of such poverty – not so much in money, though that also, but in terms of no parental back-up and awful housing – that it is a wonder they can function. In the 6 months they are working in the restaurant, you can literally see the change in confidence and self-worth. And as we have around 70-75% success rate (based on them still in work six months after they leave us), with an NVQ2 certificate in food prep and hygiene etc plus on-the-job training, they stand more chance of turning their lives round.

I have worked with, and for, women my entire career. We are simply terrific

Tell us about your networking lunch at the Hoxton Apprentice?

In such difficult business times, I felt it was important for women to network with other top-calibre executives to make contacts which would be useful. Thus emerged the Hoxton Apprentice Professional Women’s Network. It brings together like-minded women executives, women who know-how and know-who.

We meet every 2 months for a three-course lunch and a speaker – unlike other lunches she begins talking before the first course and continues throughout the lunch. Contacts made via the Network tend to bring either more business or more friends and frequently both. The £45 cost (though £50 for the champagne lunch to celebrate our 5th birthday on November 4) is split between £25 for the lunch and £20 funding for long-term unemployed who are being given skills to get and keep a permanent job. This is a guilt-free occasion as 100% of the profits are ploughed straight back into the charity, Training For Life. Lunches are from noon to 2:15. Do come and join us.

There’s a special place in hell for any woman who doesn’t help another woman.

How do you feel Women’s networks benefit their members?

I have worked with, and for, women my entire career. We are simply terrific (though NOT those who appear on The Apprentice!) But we have faults which preclude us smashing through the glass ceiling – and it is ourselves. We lack the total confidence and conviction which men seem to have (and if they don’t, they act like they have it.) This self-denigration holds us back. Women’s networks help this because they have a dual function. Yes they connect us to other, similar women who know the lives we lead. But they also are able to galvanise us, to make us aware that we CAN get there (that’s if we want to, of course and that’s another story!) The Networks I belong to make me aspire to be like the women I meet – and apart from that, actually it is great fun as well.

Tell us what you are passionate about outside of fund raising for Hoxton Apprentice?

I have worked for many years for Women’s Aid. It’s a long-felt desire of mind to eradicate domestic violence (and after that I will deal with the Middle East!). Actually I hate that domestic violence label. It’s bloody violence pure and simple. I help run a refuge in West Hertfordshire (always full) and am on call every Monday evening and every 6^th weekend. We have instigated 10 week courses to change mindsets; have a children’s therapist and counsellor – all to make a woman realise she doesn’t have to put up with violence. We’ve helped hundreds of women and thousands of kids, many of them damaged, I fear, irretrievably. But if women and their children have just an insight into a different kind of life while living in our house – Sanctuary House it’s called – then I am happy. Well, fairly happy – I know it is sticking plaster on cancer so I do push hard for courses to change perpetrators and to make them aware of the harm they do to families and society.

What piece of advice would you like to give to our female members?

Share. If we women don’t help each other, who will?

Do you have a mantra that you would like to share with our members?

Yes, it is the motto of the Hoxton Apprentice Professional Women’s Network: “There’s a special place in hell for any woman who doesn’t help another woman.” Madeleine Albright, former Secretary of State in Bill Clinton’s government said it first but we have taken it to our hearts. And minds … and lungs… kidneys …

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Inspirational Woman – Nisa Chitakasem – Co Founder of Position Ignition

Filed under Inspirational Women by Chantelle Akerman on 20/09/2010 at 07:24 {no comments}

Nisa Chitakasem has been involved in numerous new company ventures including an IPTV business, executive coaching business and mydeco, created by the team that started lastminute.com. Nisa helps people get the support they need to achieve what they want and deserve. She believes that too many people are left with inadequate support and, therefore, get stuck with what they do not enjoy. Nisa is also passionate about entrepreneurship, learning and music. We managed to grab some of Nisa’s time to ask her a few questions below;

What made you decide to setup Position Ignition?

As I was growing up and I left the school and University structured systems – I came out lost, confused and without a real clue as to what I wanted to do. I was determined to do something that felt right for me but still earned me some decent money. There wasn’t any good support around to help me figure this all out and I’ve also come to realise that this is a pretty common feeling at various stages in people’s careers – whether you’re starting out or have been working for years.

Your career is so important and it’s also very personal to you. Most of the time you are on your own when it comes to figuring out what to do, where to go, and how to get it. I set up Position Ignition with Simon North, as we both had a strong belief that real quality career support is just missing in the market. It’s rare to find decent career support, but to get it from people who’ve been there, done that and can guide you all the way from where you are now to where you want to be – didn’t exist.

For me it was also important to be involved in something that I believe in and that I think brings real value to people. So, we set up Position Ignition. In my eyes – we provide the careers support that everyone should have always had available to them.

What have been your biggest challenges so far in the company?

When we talk to people about what we do, it’s amazing how many people say ‘where have you been?’ or ‘I could do with that!’. The challenges though are in getting the word out to people who are serious about their careers and also to those who are ready and willing to invest in it. In the UK especially, we’re used to having our education, our training, our learning – all paid for by others – whether it’s the school, the government or our companies. It’s as though it isn’t our responsibility. When it comes to our careers – it’s personal to us and it’s about getting it right for ourselves. We aren’t used to paying for that as a society. We also aren’t used to investing in ourselves i.e. something that will benefit us only.

We do obviously come across people who have reached a stage in their life where it is really important for them to get it right now and to dedicate some time, energy and effort to making it happen. They’ve tried everything else they could think of but nothing has worked so then when they work with us and see the results there is no doubt in their mind that the time and investment in this was well worth it.

Getting everyone to this stage and in this frame of mind however, is the challenge!

To start up your own business is an amazing thing. It’s tough, it requires hard work and determination but it can also be fun, exciting and energising.

Career Guidance, how does it work for someone who is looking to enhance their career?

This is an interesting question and really depends on where that person is and what they’re looking for. The bulk of people coming to us find themselves feeling de-motivated by the work or situation they are currently in. They feel ‘stuck in a rut’, frustrated, unchallenged, in need of a change but nearly always – with no idea as to where to start or what they could do.

Most people working with us will work through a programme. Each one is uniquely tailored to each person we work with but the Guiding process is similar. We spend quality time with the individual helping them to really get to know themselves better. This is where we look at their strengths, skills, experience to date, their value system and pull it all together. We build up that picture of what this person is about, what they can do and what really makes them tick. Then we look at their options. What the possibilities and opportunities are for this person with all of this stuff on board. Evaluating your options with yourself, a friend or colleagues is never the same as with a Career Guide – so many people find this an eye opening experience. After everything is scoped out we help the individual narrow down their options to identify the right one for them and we help them move to action and get it. It’s a pretty comprehensive process.

That’s a brief overview of what one can expect if they’re being guided through to achieving their goal. In some cases people are looking to develop their skills and rise up in their careers. Confidence is a big issue and can really hold us back so we often end up working on building confidence level through our career guiding work.

Another thing that might be interesting to note with us is that when we Guide someone – it’s all about ‘you’ and what’s right for you the client. It’s also about giving you exactly what you need in order to move you forwards and get results. It’s the getting results and actually getting what you want that I’m really passionate about. It’s not like having a chat with someone who might give you a bit of advice and then leave you. This is about helping people figure out how to do it, the steps they need to take in order to get there and seeing it through.

If someone was starting up their business, what advice would you give them?

To start up your own business is an amazing thing. It’s tough, it requires hard work and determination but it can also be fun, exciting and energising. I think it’s important to keep the faith in what you’re creating. You also need to keep at it even if others around you don’t always support you. If you really think that this is going to work and you believe in it whole-heartedly then keep going. Use that passion and energy to move you forwards. Also – don’t do it all alone. For me it’s really important to have Simon there – as we’re in it together and we can bounce ideas off each other and just keep the momentum going. That doesn’t mean to say that you have to have a business partner. I think it’s just important to be able to have a support network around you and people who you can talk to about your ideas, where you’re going, your strategy and also to vent frustrations at when things aren’t always going amazingly well!

It’s a new business and a start up – so you have to expect a certain number of things to go wrong as well. That’s completely natural and actually healthy. You just need to remember to take as many learnings as you can from things that didn’t quite go as planned, to pick yourself up and to continue now with greater knowledge of what the best next steps will be!

One other thing when starting up a business – don’t forget to have fun! If you’re not enjoying it or getting something out of it – why do it?

If there was one thing that you could say was a great success, what would it be?

Generally, with me or with the business?

In the business for me, what is really successful is all the people that I’ve met and come into contact with through Position Ignition. Working with Simon is really great – the respect, the communication between us and also the way we see things so differently yet can harness that difference – is great. The partners we work with, our Guides, all of our interns and also our clients. I have learnt and continue to learn a lot by working with everyone involved in our business and it’s a lovely experience. The people I’ve met are also amazing people – with their own unique experiences, stories to tell and talents. It has always been important to me to work with people who I respect and like. This is definitely true and so has definitely been a success.

Being able to work with people who see our value as well and understand what we’re trying to do also provides an immense sense of satisfaction and helps us continue moving forwards to build the business.

If you could rewind your career back would there be anything you would like to change?

That’s a difficult question really. When I look back in my career there are definitely moments where I made silly decisions or was maybe in a situation that wasn’t quite right for me – but at the same time without having gone through all of those experiences I wouldn’t be where I am now. I’m not really the type of person who has regrets or sits around thinking about ‘what if’s’. I try to learn from everything I do, build from it and move forwards. If I went back in time I may try out slightly different things but I’d like to believe that each time I did that – I’d always be happy with where I ended up and hence the choices (some good and bad!) that led me there.

What is your view on Social Media Networking? How does it help you?

Social media networking – the concept is great. I use a lot of the social media tools but at the same time I do have days when I feel like switching off my computer completely and ignoring that any of that exists! It’s getting the right balance that’s important I think.

For the business we do try to reach out to people who might be in need or interested in what we do via social media networking and we find that it works well. We’ve put a lot of effort into our blog (www.positionignition.com/blog) and in providing helpful articles on careers related topics. We’re finding that as the months go on, we’re building up a following and people are taking an interest in what we have to say which is a good sign.

What to you is the value of Networking with like minded individuals?

Networking is great if it’s done properly. I really enjoy getting to know people and being able to share ideas and experiences with like-minded individuals is really valuable. I’m not really one for simply counting up the number of ‘contacts’ in my little address book or Linkedin connections list! I’m interested in holding onto good contacts. People I really know, people I like, people who know me and who I can just have a chat with whether we might be able to help each other or not. Often when you go in without any agenda of ‘wanting to get something out of this person’ – you’ll find many areas of overlap and ways you can naturally help each other.

I also really value diversity in my network. Older people, younger people, individuals from a variety of backgrounds and cultures and people working across a whole host of industries – I think this is great and also important to help you learn, understand, grow as an individual and in business.

The key is in knowing yourself and hence what you really want. It’s also in being focused about what you go after.

How do you see the market performing in the next 12-18 months?

I see things improving and moving forwards. The recession has been tough for most of us but if we can survive this then I believe that for business and people personally – things will get better.

When and if you get the time, what do you like to do to obtain a life balance?

For me it’s music. It’s also seeing my friends – socialising and also meeting new people.

I teach the piano each week, which is a great ‘time-out’ for me. I enjoy it and it’s calming. I also play the piano and violin and write songs / music when I have the time. That’s something I want to be able to make more time for later on but I feel like I’m heading in the right direction.

I also like to travel and see new places. Old cities, gothic architecture – love it! The theatre, plays, musicals – I also enjoy and think that it’s one of the greatest things about living in London.

Can you share any tips for any members wishing to progress further into their career?

Take the time to really think about what you want and what’s right for you. It’s easy for us to go with the flow and to fall into various roles and jobs. However, if you take a bit of time to figure out what is really going to make you happy, feel fulfilled and satisfied in what you are doing – you may find that all you need is a few simple changes to get you there and everything will slot much better into it’s place.

Also – don’t follow the crowd. Make your own path and progression. You’ll feel a whole lot more satisfied

The key is in knowing yourself and hence what you really want. It’s also in being focused about what you go after.

Focus on your strengths and what you’re good at. Don’t dwell on what your supposed ‘weaknesses’ are. We would all do much better if we harnessed our strengths and played to them more – so try and identify what they are and work with them through your career.

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Inspirational Women – Ronke Lawal – CEO of Islington Chamber of Commerce

Filed under Inspirational Women by WATC Content Team on 25/08/2010 at 09:48 {5 comments}

The Islington Chamber of Commerce appointed New Chief Executive – Ronke Lawal.
Ronke joined the Chamber in early January after spending 5 years running her own business as an advisor to small businesses, mainly on business development, marketing, events and PR.
With a good knowledge of the Borough, having studied for her A levels at City and Islington College she will be instigating a number of exciting new changes which will strengthen its place as an esteemed Business Membership organisation. With her passion for business, Ronke has a vision for growth and revitalisation for the Chamber that will see it reach new heights in 2010.

We managed to find time with Ronke to ask her a few questions…

What made you decide work for the Chamber of Commerce?

I’ve been working in my own business since I was 23 so I understand the necessity of business support, business incubation and business encouragement. An organisation like the ICoC encapsulated all these things which excited me. It looked like a challenge; an organisation that I could really exercise my skills in leadership, management, marketing and business development whilst utilising my genuine passion for enterprise. There is probably no better place to do business or to establish useful business referrals than a membership organisation like a chamber of commerce. I had always said that I would never return to an organisation to “work” i.e. become employed again, unless it would challenge and motivate me. Being the CEO of the chamber certainly achieves that and more.

I make sure that every penny goes to something which will be for the greater good of the chamber and its members

What have been your biggest challenges so far in the company?
The Islington Chamber of Commerce has been running since 1929. Its survived though the 2^nd World War, international disasters, different monarchs and yet in the dawn of 2010 it looked like it wouldn’t survive the economic crisis and the pressures of financial squeeze. I have had to change the perception of the chamber from being, for some, an old boys network to a vibrant and relevant business membership organisation. This meant re-branding the chamber with a new logo which transmitted a message of classic modernity. We had to improve all of its core communication channels and update its online media streams. I had to also encourage more activity within the chamber; highlighting the need for business to business trade, interaction and relationship building and so developed a more rigorous events calendar. I have also had to continually review our budget and overall financial strategy in order to plan for the growth of the chamber, this has been difficult in the current economic climate but I’m quite protective of the chamber’s pot. I make sure that every penny goes to something which will be for the greater good of the chamber and its members; if it can’t be justified in that manner then I won’t approve it.

If there was one thing that you could say was a great success, what would it be?

I would say that seeing the changes in the chamber in just under 9 months has been exhilarating. So many people who have known the chamber or worked with the chamber have commented on the new level of vibrancy that we’re developing. Every time a new member signs up based on the belief they have in the chamber; the confidence they have that the chamber is worth something makes everything up to this point worth it. So a little like having a baby (though I’ve not had that milestone yet) I’ve gone through all the stages and feel excited that within the 9 months I’ve been at the chamber (since Jan 2010) a real change has been made, something is amazing has been born…so to speak!

If you could rewind your career back would there be anything you would like to change?

I took a big risk becoming self employed so early though I don’t regret it, I would definitely have taken even BIGGER risks. Looking back now through all that I have managed to survive in my business career; I wonder why I didn’t seek more investment, why I didn’t join a business organisation like a local chamber, why I didn’t take on a business mentor or coach sooner… There are a lot of things that I would have changed but I think that, without sounding too clichéd, these things happen for a reason and they have made my role as the CE of the chamber a lot richer. I can understand our members journeys more and relate as well as network with the larger organisations with confidence.

Networking is working and it works!

What is your view on Social Media Networking? How does it help you?

Social Media is an invaluable part of the marketing mix. It goes beyond a leisure pursuit that many people may categorise the sites which use it as, it’s a beneficial marketing resource. Its also an affordable and effective way to network and get your business message out to the masses if used correctly. Its important that it is used correctly and like many things in like it takes time but its worth it. It helps the chamber to market its events, news and information to a wide scope of people; giving them the opportunity to interact with our business community without having to attend each and every event. So we’re on almost all the main social media sites – Linked In, Facebook, Twitter and soon You Tube; the chamber even has a blog. All these media platforms are essential and they work.

What to you is the value of Networking with like minded individuals?

Networking is working and it works! I remember many years ago attending my very first networking event armed with my cards; a bit of confidence (not much) and a smile. I was ready to listen and engage with people and I was hooked. No one trained me at university though I really think this should be an essential part of university level training, an extracurricular course “post-degree etiquette in professional and business scenarios” (I would be more than happy to teach that at a local university). I have met a whole host of characters over the years and I would say that the real value comes not necessarily from the event itself but from the relationships built after the event. I’m not in the business of collecting business cards so unless individuals, business owner and representatives are willing to engage in long term communication or at least respond to the odd email now and then I do a business card spring clean. I love referring business particularly within the chamber; seeing networking actual serve its purpose is a crucial part of the work that we do.

How do you see the market performing in the next 12-18 months?

Things are picking up. I think that its important to maintain a sense of optimism in the current economic climate. Its still difficult I know but its not impossible to achieve growth in the right markets and with the right attitude. I think there will be more lending as pressure on banks and the government increases. There will be more investment in long term growth and the entrepreneurs who tap into niche markets will win big. But I must stress the importance of taking calculated risks; I’ve seen a huge influx in “get rich quick schemes” (one sector which never seems to bare the brunt of a recession) and I’d say steer clear of anything that sounds just a little too good to be true. The real “getting rich” over the next 12-18 months will be for those who have worked hard and been adaptable in their business plan.

When and if you get the time, what do you like to do in obtain a life balance?

I love to eat! Working in Islington and living in Hackney does not help my insatiable appetite. Thankfully I can cook so I can happily spend time in the kitchen cooking myself and storm. But I adore eating out; one day I’m going to go into food, be it through investing in a food business or becoming some kind of food critic. I also love to travel and explore new places. I’m quite snap-happy so the invention of the digital camera really helps (considering I only stopped using my film camera 2 years ago), I’m never going to be the next David Bailey but perhaps one day take a professional photography course just for fun. Friends help maintain that work life balance; I’ve maintained friends from nursery school and made plenty of new ones in business and in the chamber. I think maintaining friendship and having a healthy social life is crucial in a good work life balance – work is great but without fun its meaningless, a little like trying to eat soup with a fork…make no sense!

Can you share any tips for any members wishing to progress further into their career?

I’d say follow your passion and stay focused. Make sure you actively network in your business and professional life and engage with the right people. If you can get a mentor or at least surround yourself with a positive and powerful circle of people who will champion you in your career journey. Seek continual business development through training and seminars; education is important but only if used actively. So any education gain use it wisely as part of your long term professional strategy. Most important be courageous; a member of the chamber’s tagline is “I go where there is courage” – I think this should be everyone’s tagline. Be brave in your career and don’t ponder on mistakes for too long, learn from them and move on. You can reach anywhere in your career if you so wish – don’t let anyone hold you back.

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Sheryl Sandberg – COO: the first lady of Facebook takes the world stage

Nicky Moffat, the highest ranked woman in the British army

Inspirational Women Profile – Charmian Ingham – Speech & Voice

Inspirational Women – Christine Lawrence (WIBF)

Inspirational Woman – Farida Gibbs – CEO – Gibbs S3

UPDATE: 05/10/2011

Gibbs S3 picks up Family Business of the Year Award at Fast Growth Business Awards 2011

Inspirational Woman – Birgit Neu – Chief Operating Officer – HSBC

Inspirational Woman – Julia Francis – Makeup Artist

Inspirational Woman – Louise Cox Chester – Owner of Witherdens Hall

Inspirational Woman – Britt Lintner

Inspirational Woman – Elisavet Sotiriadou – Greek Cookery Chef

Inspirational Woman – Prue Leith – TV Cook & Judge

Inspirational Woman – Louisa Barnett – MD & founder of Butterfly

Inspirational Woman – Lady Val Corbett – Director of Hoxton Apprentice

Inspirational Woman – Nisa Chitakasem – Co Founder of Position Ignition

Inspirational Women – Ronke Lawal – CEO of Islington Chamber of Commerce

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