APPRENTICE star and West Ham United vice-chair Karren Brady answers your careers questions and meets an inspirational CEO.
Here she gives a reader advice on how to overcome anxiety about talking to potential customers.
Q) Watching TV shows like The Apprentice and Dragons’ Den always gets me excited at the thought that maybe I can start to grow my little business selling craft materials, which I set up a couple of years ago and now run for a bit of extra cash while also looking after my children.
But the thing holding me back from going to trade fairs and trying to expand is that I get so nervous talking to people about what I do.
The pandemic meant I could do everything over email and through my Etsy shop, but now restrictions have eased, I know I should get out and meet people and it terrifies me, even if it’s on a one-to-one basis! Do you have any tips?
Janey, via email
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Congratulations on running a successful small business, and it’s a great idea to branch out to find new customers with a stall at a trade fair.
Try to rationalise your fears — what is it that makes you nervous? You know your products are good, so you should not be afraid of talking about them.
Speak about them proudly and your passion will come through.
Think of a few conversation starters: “Are you looking for anything in particular today?” or: “Have you seen these new ribbons?” etc.
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With practice, you will know whether a person wants to chat, or if they want to be left alone.
Wander around a few fairs and see what conversation starters stall owners use, and stop and chat to build your confidence.
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A day in the life of…
Lynda Harding, 57, is the CEO and founder of baby sleep aid company Sweet Dreamers. She is single and lives in Hampshire with three of her six children and dog Reggie.
I wake up at…
5.45am. Over cups of tea, I check emails, our international and Amazon sales and our position in the Top 100 baby products. We’re normally the bestseller in sleep soothers, but I’m always checking for new products. After walking Reggie, I get ready, have some cereal and then head to my office next door, which is above the nursery school I’ve owned since 1990.
A normal day involves…
After my team of five arrives by 9.30am, we’ll meet to discuss any outstanding issues, as well as product and business development. We develop our ideas in house and last month launched a partner for our Ewan The Sheep sleep aid, Misty The Smart Cloud, which monitors room temperature, is a sleep trainer and can be used with an app.
Three of my sons work for me. Bernie, 33, does graphics and runs the website, Harry, 30, heads up sales and marketing, while George, 29, manages logistics. Much of my day is spent recording parenting demos and advice segments about safe sleep for our TikTok, which took off in lockdown. I have an early years degree, so by day I’ll engage with parents, then sometimes in the evening I’ll do a TikTok live.
The best thing about my job is…
Working with my sons and knowing I’ve helped transform bedtimes for 1million families worldwide.
And the worst…
Brexit and the pandemic have led to huge increases in the cost of shipping. We just paid £13,600 to ship containers to the UK when it once cost us £2,500. It’s impacted our margins so much that we’re now focusing more on a direct-to-consumer model. When I developed Ewan I was in my late 40s and had no retail or product development experience, but I thought: “I can do this,” and have created a globally successful business.
I wind down by…
I finish by 5pm, rustle up some dinner, lock the nursery at 6pm — it’s now run by a manager — then walk Reggie. If one of my kids is around, we’ll watch a film and I love stargazing, it’s so relaxing, especially when there’s a meteor shower.
- Find out more at Sweetdreamers.co.uk.
- Got a careers question for Karren? Email [email protected].
Karren cannot answer emails personally. Content is intended as general guidance only and does not constitute legal advice.
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