I started my journey working as a management consultant for a large American IT company, gathering experience delivering large scale programmes across new technology and user adoption.
In 2016, I founded Appetite for Business. Not afraid to ‘niche’ I found our value as an organisation is helping people, both individually and in organisations, using Office 365 and SharePoint technology. Slowly building the brand resulted in steady growth, tripling the team and expanded our client portfolio from local to global footprint. It’s about being responsive and invested in your customer’s success. In 2018 I was named Female IT leader of the Year. Nominated by a peer this meant a great deal.
I have a strong character, determined to succeed, extremely hard working. Developing others has always been important to me; enjoying people advance regardless of age, gender or background.
As a female business owner, I want to encourage and support more women to start a business. It’s not necessarily the ladies with large teams that are the most successful; however I want others to have the ambition to scale up their enterprise. There is still a lack of female role models who others can aspire to, who are beyond the one-person business. I recognise how lonely and isolating working as an entrepreneur can be. So, I’ve formed or taken part in multiple initiatives to promote opportunities in STEM-related subjects and a former VP of ASB and current President of Women Connect. I have also been invited by Cancer Research’s Women of Influence to mentor one of its top scientists, and I’m currently mentoring another two women from technology backgrounds.
There’s a lot to be said for watching and learning from people, so that female entrepreneurs can benefit from the wisdom of other women in business.
Building the business from nothing, I understand it is difficult, and how rewarding it is. My greatest challenge is my health, so for those who say, ‘I can’t’, I assure you, ‘You Can’.
