Born in the North East of England, I studied International Business with French in Liverpool and I spent the 3rd year of my degree on France's Cote D'Azur at IPAG a private business school in Nice. Since graduating have worked in New Media, Information Technology, Professional Services, Tourism and Manufacturing Organisations operating internationally.
Now based in the Durham Dales, I work for The Enterprise Agency, a not for profit organisation set up 18 years ago to provide business support services, skills development and specialist consultancy to commercial businesses and social enterprises, to help local people start their own companies and to improve existing company performance.
Before joining the Agency I spent 5 years as Production Director at web design agency www.amaze.com a leading European provider of integrated e-business and e-learning solutions, strategic solutions, web technology and design implementation. As Production Director I was responsible for operational management, quality development and delivery of all projects. Turnover reached £10 million and staff rose from 7 to 120.
At The Enterprise Agency I have worked as Marketing Adviser and UK Online e-team consultant. I am involved with a wide range of communications based projects including two with the North East Regional Portal Company www.n-e-life.com for One North East, the Regional Development Agency, we manage www.teesdale.co.uk and www.durhamdales.co.uk and have set up www.theenterpriseforum.co.uk a communications tool for our local rurally based, small, family run companies to openly network and support one another. Particularly used by home based workers.
I am a founder director of Radio Teesdale, www.radioteesdale.co.uk we were amongst the first Community stations in the UK to secure one of the newly available permanent broadcast licences and to start full time broadcast. Recently awarded the best not for profit website award www.northeastdigitalawards.co.uk
Most recently I have been appointed Digital Fellowship Mentor at the Institute of Digital Innovation, Teeside University www.idi-uk.org
The combination of life and work has led me to realise that there is a chasm in the online world. Invariably when we shop online and buy a specific item, it is either found very quickly through a trusted site or hours can become days in an extended search.
Search engines work when you know what you are looking for. What about alternatives, discovery, pleasure. How about finding the things you didn't know existed. Wild hibiscus flowers for champagne, thoroughly wearable art, Celtic rings hand-made on the Shetland Isles.
Life is about experiences, recounting tales and trading tips. People remain the most important factor, despite technology.
Million Dollar Women is an ongoing personal research project that uncovers and promotes the best of British independent businesses run by and for women, who have successfully taken their business online.