This is Jenny, a brilliant female entrepreneur and the last mentee in our Prince’s Trust interview series who we’re going to be working with. Find out about her journey with the Prince’s Trust and what she’s hoping to get out of the mentorship scheme with notonthehighstreet…
In March we announced a three year partnership with leading youth charity, The Prince’s Trust. Championing their ‘Women Supporting Women’ initiative, empowering young creative women with an entrepreneurial flair to unlock their full potential. Each week we are going to be showcasing each mentee and finding out about their story and what they are hoping to get out of the notonthehighstreet mentor scheme…
Why did you decide to reach out to The Prince’s Trust for support / funding? How did you hear about The Trust?
I was talking to a friend, who is also a maker, about the difficulties of starting a business on a non-existent budget, he told me that The Prince’s Trust could be a great opportunity to secure funding. Luckily there was an Enterprise Program course starting shortly after I got in touch that kickstarted my business.
What were you doing before you came to The Prince’s Trust? And what did a typical day look like for you?
I was working on developing my business from home, while doings lots of freelance design work and temping at offices.
How has The Prince’s Trust helped you to date?
When I first joined, my main priority was to apply for a start-up loan to start production and promote my designs. During the Enterprise Programme 4 day course, I realised there was so much more I needed to learn.
As a creative, my forte is not the organisational and financial side of things so it was great to have guidance from the mentors and workshops organised by The Prince’s Trust.
Do you think it’s difficult for women to succeed in business? Do you feel you have faced barriers in starting up your business?
In some ways, many of us grow up being inadvertently taught to be pleasant to everyone, to proceed with caution, to second-guess ourselves, or even to just humour other people who are seemingly more experienced (or more male!). For the most part I haven’t faced barriers that seriously hindered my business, but I have experienced plenty of the usual annoyances that come with being a woman in charge.
What advice would you give to other young women trying to succeed in business?
Do not let anyone make you feel like you are clueless. You know your business better than anyone, no one is more passionate about it. Listen to advice, but get used to making the final call with confidence.
Tell us a bit about what you’re hoping to get out of the notonthehighstreet mentor programme.
Over the last few years, I have gained an incredible amount of knowledge of my craft, material and manufacturing. I finally feel I can design and produce product lines that are really exciting, with the help of the factories I have developed partnerships with.
For its beauty and environmental credentials, cork is such a wonderful material to work with. I hope that with the help of NOTHS I can get my designs out there to a larger audience, increase orders and turnover, but more importantly have the support to help me create consistent and commercially viable lines.
What are your dreams for the future / business goals?
Living in one of the most expensive cities in the world, I haven’t been able to support myself solely from my business income. I (day)dream of not having to work full time in front of a computer and then working every evening and weekend on my business. I would love to create a better work/life balance and grow my business so that it provides employment opportunities for other women.
