My back story (literally!)

How did I come to be a business mentor? First, I was a business owner and then applied what I had learned on the rollercoaster that is business and life. Allow me this indulgence to tell you a little more...

There is an old saying, "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger," and this is especially true when it comes to making a comeback from physical injury.

I experienced first-hand this truth when I had to make a major career and lifestyle shift at the age of 34.

For 17 years, I enjoyed a successful career as a retail manager and dedicated most of my time to helping my team succeed, implementing my tried and tested methods in other stores and training new managers in my store.

However, my life changed drastically when I experienced debilitating pain in my back, rendering me physically incapable of continuing to perform my job or even doing simple day-to-day things for myself. Putting me into unfamiliar territory and becoming and feeling incredibly vulnerable and losing my independence.

The idea of not being able to do my job, and having to rely on others for even the most basic of tasks was scary and a bitter pill to swallow, but I’m lucky to have supportive family and friends who encouraged me to stay strong and were there to help me through these painful, challenging times.

I always remained positive and could see the light at the end of the tunnel, even when it was just a flicker, it was there, and I knew I would once again be able to be in control of my own life. Sounds dramatic I know, but when you are fiercely independent, not being able to do anything for yourself and having to rely on others was unchartered territory for me.

I decided to become an online entrepreneur, leveraging my experience in retail to make sales and grow an online business and team. This got me through the darker times, and I will always be grateful that it allowed me to be ME again, even if it was from my sofa in pjs.

Then came our first business in 2018, making and selling bespoke furniture, which I loved doing alongside my husband. I was in my element back on the sales floor so to speak and helping our customers purchase key pieces for their homes.

Alongside building this business up, Chris and I decided to take the plunge and go full time into self-employment. We needed to have a regular wage coming in, so along came our second business in 2019 a leaflet distribution company.

Things were going great; we had built up a lovely client base for the leaflet business.  And a steady stream of orders coming in for the bespoke furniture business.

We were ready to take the plunge into retail premises for the furniture business. Exciting times ahead…. this was March 2020. We all know what happened then…yes that is right the world came to a standstill with the pandemic.

We all started hearing these two words more than we ever had “unprecedented times”.  

We like many others had to temporarily close both businesses and were worried when we would be able to open them again, if at all.

During the 3 months we remained closed was a stressful time for many.

I found my phone kept ringing from fellow business owners, looking for support and advice on how to move forward. I spent many days on various zooms brainstorming ideas and just generally helping to keep morale up. Remember I said earlier, "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger," and that was certainly valid here.

This is where I decided to start offering my mentoring services and where I have ended up, an owner of 3 businesses, which I run side by side.