Okay I’m a bit late in writing this, maybe because I didn’t win and I know it sounds really cliche but it honestly was an honour to even be a finalist.
I was super lucky to be considered for the category of ‘Business Person of the Year’ in the Grantham Journal Business Awards (2022). It was a pretty daunting process to be honest with you, very unlike any awards I’ve been a part of before.
Of course I had to fill out information about my business, then I had a Zoom Interview with two Judges who I guess asked all of us finalists the same questions so that they could pick their winner.
I’ll be honest, I think I know where I fell down and after a few weeks mulling it over – I’m not sure that it was actually a mistake – just a difference in priorities.
The person who won probably encapsulates how you’d imagine a ‘Business Person’. Big investment, big business, high turnover, a number of employees… I actually played all of this down in my interview.
I kept saying things like ‘I’m just a Mum’, ‘I’ll grow the business when Sophie’s older’. You have to admit, I don’t sound super savvy do I? I do think I perhaps let myself down because I have invested a lot into my business, and I do have big growth plans. I just got a bit flustered in my interview and basically rabbited on about Sophie instead.
But the truth is, she is my everything and it clarified my thoughts that – whilst she’s young, my business will absolutely play second fiddle. It’s that I doubt my capability – if I wanted to then I could move mountains. But as I’m writing this, she’s off sick from school and my day has been less productive than planned. And I’m totally okay with that.
There will come a time, probably sooner than I’d like, where my home becomes a hotel and my car becomes a taxi. Her friends will become the most important thing in her life and we’ll be like ships in the night. Then my time will open up, and I can forge ahead with my business plans.
Until then, I will absolutely play it ‘small’ (I say small, hell I’m practically fully booked and we live a wonderful life) and be waiting in the wings for her every single day.
I think it’s 50/50, I wasn’t what they were looking for – and that’s totally cool. I’m secure enough in my success to not need the external validation (though yeah, of course it would have been bloody lovely!). But I also should have prepared more, put my business hat on a little firmer and not shied away from shouting about our financial success and plans.
You live and learn hey!