10 Years On....

Well it’s the morning after my afternoon tea party to celebrate my 10th business birthday and it was also the final of the Bake Off 2019 so I thought it was a perfect time to reflect on the last 10 years and figure out how ….

1. I’ve not only survived but thrived

2. How little old me runs my own business

3. Look at some highlights from the last 10 years

Well let’s start with a.

Belief.

Luck.

Hard Work.

Great Support.

Contacts.

Experience.

With a lot of winging it… J

I think most us soloprenuers feel we are winging it despite knowing we have years of experience, are very capable, have a great networks and support and that we know whole heartedly we really know our stuff. I think it’s completely ok to feel like this, but it’s took me years (and some therapy) to know that its ok to have wobble and fundamentally it’s ok to not be ok from time to time. The difference now is I’ll talk about it and more importantly celebrate my successes no matter how small. We all need to give ourselves a break and appreciate just how bloody fab we are!

I think Love Marketing has thrived because of the time, effort and experience I have…yes I am (at last) my own brilliant cheerleader and that’s a big change for me, I am now happy and confident enough in my skills to say I am great at what I do, after all – if you don’t believe in you, who will? I also have an amazing ‘tribe’ who have my back – always. You know who you are – thank you, each and every one of you x

b) I have absolutely no idea! Seriously from dresses tucked in my knickers (at a networking event!), toilet roll on heels, forgetting people’s names, falling over and grazing my knees in front of a lot of people (another networking event) – stop giggling it was not funny. Two different earrings (quite regular), 2 different shoes (both black looked similar I’m not that nutty). Getting cramp in my thigh whilst delivering my 60 seconds and trying to carry on as normal, nearly peeing when laughing in public (and trying to stand normal whilst the need passes!!, noisy trumps in posh toilets……. The list goes on and on but I think most of us have days like these just sometimes you don’t admit it

Well you get the message, I have no real answer to this but I seem to be doing ok!

1. Well - what to pick from the last 10 years, in no particular order.

Bobby Charlton

Meeting Sir Bobby Charlton and him making me a cuppa and knowing my name (and me pretending to take it in my stride… my head was like OMG OMG he knows my name, he said my name, OMG Bobby Charlton is making me a cuppa (it wasn’t milky enough for me but like I was going to complain!!).

I met Sir Bobby whilst working on a flyer for his charity – Find Another Way. Very fortunate, very lovely man and a brilliant experience. Especially when I spent 3 hours holding shirts for Sir Bobby whilst he signed them at a fundraiser!

World Cup Song

I got to organise a recording at Abbey Road Studios (yep those ones!!), It was called ‘We’re England Underneath’ and I had to arrange for a mascot from every football league club (was 92 then!), along with a fan from each club to come to London and record a song in the famous studios then take them all on an open bus tour of London for the video.

We're England Underneath' was a charity World Cup song in aid of Kick4Life recorded at Abbey Road Studios by Thomas Spencer-Wortley, England Legend Peter Shilton and a fan representing every English team from the Premiership, Championship, League 1 and League 2 along with a host of club mascots.

The link to the video/song is here….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9T6Aeq_6Gw

Shaun Barker’s Testimonial

I met former Derby County Captain Shaun when I was Marketing Manager at the Football Club and was asked to help out for his testimonial. It was an unforgettable experience to be involved in, a lot of hard work but what a night it was. For those who you non footballers On 13 March 2011, in a game against Nottingham Forest he was involved in a collision and after a 6-minute break in the game was substituted and rushed off to hospital with a suspected broken leg. It turned out everything in his knee was shattered and it was only his skin keeping his top and bottom legs together. It should have ended his career but it didn’t and his physical (and mental) comeback was amazing…. An awesome video charting his career and testimonial is available and definately worth a watch.

www.shaunbarkeronemoretime.com

The Love Ball 2010

This was a ‘test’ event for Stancliffe Hall and my first business birthday party – what an amazing night we had. Fireworks, amazing food, stunning venue, the best family and friends, dancing till dawn (and with DawnJ) magicians, photobooth…. Just the best night ever!

As well as lots of events for clients from balls to birthday parties, graduations to galleries – thank you to each of my clients for trusting me to deliver some awesome events over the last 10 years.

Last but not least

Well what a journey and experience this has been, the idea was to hold an event so I can get to know more of my fellow Marketing Derby Bondholders and to promote LM. Well it certainly achieved that but so so much more.

I have had the most brilliant fun, lots of soggy bottoms, inedible cakes (only a few), amazing bakes, brilliant bakers and have met and got to know the judges including Aunty Bev and Ewen from the University of Derby who have been simply awesome and sometimes quite naughty, Angie from Sticky Beak blog who knows her stuff and made tasting cake so much fun! along with Lindsey from Marketing Derby who has been a star throughout, offering advice when I was panicking about filling heats (which was every time), always making me giggle and our head judge the brilliant Simon from Coghlans Cookery School who knows his bread and his bakes like no other – you have all made the bake off A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!

Same time next year????

dx