In the Board Room with Lord Sugar; would you be fired or hired?
Fired! I think our personalities would clash.

What or who inspired you to work in your profession?
I arrived at this profession purely by accident. My passion to succeed and the buzz I get from hard work drives me on. My gran would have been proud of me. The thought that she is behind me 100% continues to push me forward.

What do you consider to be your greatest accomplishment?
So many accomplishments along the way !!. Having the natural ability to teach is one. I guess of late and I suppose the biggest that I am proud of is that of inventing SwimFin and making a successful business from it.
Out of all the worlds inventions, those that are registered at the patent offices world wide, less than 3% of those ideas ever to make it to market. Of that less than 3% only 25% survive in business for the first 12 month. I’m proud to say I’m in a an elite club as were in our 4th year.

Some advice for people wanting to follow your path; what are three things you should never do in business?
NEVER
give up ( a quitter never wins and a winner never quits)
take no for an answer (where there a will theres a way)
be negative ( you’ll achieve nothing hiding under a stone)

Do tough times bring danger or the biggest opportunities for driven businesses?
Tough times! If your in business it’s always tough times, otherwise everyone would be at it. Whatever the business large or small, theres always obstacles to over come.

Sometimes we are successful because we are fortunate, but is fortune about being in the right place at the right time?
If your fortunate to be in the right place at the right time does that make you successful?. Having inherited a business doesn’t mean your successful. Building a business from scratch to pass on makes you successful.

When you’re struck with a great idea, do you act on it immediately?
Generally speaking, yes. I live by my gut feelings and I somehow know what seems right or wrong. Others may argue but its worked for me.

If you could trade places for someone for a week, who would it be?
I think it would be my kids. I want then to see that you get nothing in life unless you work for it. I also want them to experience the satisfaction of achieving something for themselves. Plus I would like a week off to hang out with my mates .

If someone wrote your auto-biography, what would the title be?

“The harder I worked, it seemed the luckier I got.”

Favourite quotation from a business leader / recognised figure?
Isaac Newton once said, “ for every action there is an opposite and equal reaction”
That is so true in life as well as science

Fired… but I won’t elaborate.

What or who inspired you to work in your profession?

My husband, he’s very passionate and knowledgeable about the industry.

What do you consider to be your greatest accomplishment? 

My two children (now grown up) and setting up in business.

Some advice for people wanting to follow your path; what are three things you should never do in business?   

Never promise what you can’t deliver.

Try not to make enemies, you never know when you might need them.

Never put work before family.

Do tough times bring danger or the biggest opportunities for driven businesses?

Yes

Sometimes we are successful because we are fortunate, but is fortune about being in the right place at the right time?  

It does help but you have to create your own successes. You only get out what you put in.

When you’re struck with a great idea, do you act on it immediately?  

No, I like to think things through and not make any rash decisions.

If you could trade places for someone for a week, who would it be?  

Michael Palin..but a week wouldn’t be long enough, I’d need at least 80 days.

If someone wrote your auto-biography, what would the title be?  

Not just a dizzy blonde !

Favourite quotation from a business leader / recognised figure?

You only get one chance to make a good first impression.

This time we’ve added a few extra questions relating to the local issues affecting Lancashire.  IN particular we’re very keen to get your thoughts on the priorities that need to be addressed by the Lancashire Economic Partnership.  The LEP is a key driver in driving Lancashire forward and we have a great opportunity to influence the direction that it needs to take.

Fieldwork for the survey is now open.  Completing the survey will only take around five minutes of your time but your response will be invaluable in terms of the data that we will be able to collect.  The deadline for responding is 15^th March 2012.  Your response is used for statistical purposes only.

These figures are stronger than expected and support our belief that the UK economy will avoid recession.

Every effort must now be made to build on the December improvement and strengthen business confidence.  The Bank of England has announced a further increase in quantitative easing (see below for further details) but this must be supplemented by policies to support growth. This means the implementation of effective credit-easing measures or an SME bank to improve the flow of credit to businesses.

We will be urging the Chancellor to announce meaningful steps in his March Budget that will empower businesses to create jobs and deliver growth.

The figures for December show a large narrowing in the trade deficit to its smallest level since April 2003. While we should not give too much weight to one month’s figures, this is still a welcome development and supports our view that a recession is unlikely. Although the re-balancing of the economy towards exports is moving slowly, it is reassuring that we are heading in the right direction.

Given the the problems facing the world economy and the ongoing debt crisis in the eurozone, it’s clear that exports will be one of the main engines of our recovery.  However we do need to see a powerful national export drive with more support for businesses in areas such as trade finance, insurance and promotion.

While low interest rates and a competitive pound will help, more must be done to ensure that British firms can compete on equitable terms. On their part, British exporters must reinforce their efforts to break into faster growing economies such as India, China and Brazil.

With the economic outlook remaining bleak for 2012 – many workers are facing pay freezes or cuts while others are working under the threat of redundancy – stress levels are likely to continue to rise.

But it’s not just the work environment that can take its toll on staff wellbeing. A survey published in January found that personal and family problems are a major reason for employee absence**.

Twelve per cent said they had taken time off to deal with extra responsibilities such as looking after family members, while emotional problems such as relationship break-ups were behind 10 per cent of employee absence cases.

And with 23 per cent of respondents admitting they would consider not going into work because of a relationship issue, it is clear that employers need to support their employees in both their work and personal lives.

Proactive employers who provide their staff with access to counselling and advice services could find their workforce more productive.

Westfield Health’s Chamber Primary Health Plan, which is available to all members of the Chamber of Commerce, offers employees a full confidential counselling service, which includes a 24 hour counselling and advice line as well as up to six face to face counselling sessions or cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) sessions.

The Government’s ‘No Health Without Mental Health’ strategy emphasises the importance of talking therapies such as counselling and CBT in helping treat stress, anxiety and depression.

If you are a small business in the North West with fewer than 10 employees, the new ecoSMARTER environmental programme can help you save cash on your energy bills.

Participation is free and includes: installation of a free energy monitor and online tracker; a bespoke environmental policy, training and action plan for you and your staff and, Carbon Smart Blue certification to support your green credentials.

If you are interested in real cash savings on your energy bills this year, the ecoSMARTER team want to hear from you.

Please call or e-mail on 0161 237 4630 or ecosmarter@carbonsmart.co.uk

In the Board Room with Lord Sugar; would you be fired or hired?

Whilst we both share the same first name and we are both entrapeneurs with balding heads and facial hair.Thats probably where the similarities end.. Its not just about making the next million pounds to me, Its about making a difference to peoples lives and their environment. So I would probably be “fired” for giving thought to my fellow men and woman.

I Would not be in the board room with Alan Sugar admiring him and his chutzpah, what a commendable talent after all who else gets paid for all the free publicity and in depth screening of candidates.  Enjoy the programme however many elements of it make me cringe including his bullish put downs.  Any entrepreneur worth their salt, works on their own and in fact by the very nature are unemployable, I therefore find it’s no coincidence that most of the apprentices are no longer in his organisation.  People need to be nurtured and mentored to reach their full potential, this is a two way street and I will give 100% commitment if I get it back in return .

What or who inspired you to work in your profession?

Life is an interesting journey and it takes you down several paths before one is able to find a niche for themselves.  It’s all about the ideas, the inspiration and that takes many forms.  Communication is the key and keen observation.  Mistakes are life’s best teacher as long as you do not keep repeating them.  Find the people who are worthy of your trust.

What do you consider to be your greatest accomplishment?

To have been recognised by my peers and it gave me enormous pride to be awarded the BIBA (be inspired business awards) in 2010 especially as Pendlewood grew in that tough economic year.  It gave the company a huge confidence boost .

Some advice for people wanting to follow your path; what are three things you should never do in business?

Never stop dreaming.  Never give in.  Never doubt your gut feeling and if something doesn’t feel good, don’t do it.  Never forget who helped you on the way up because you may need them on the way down.  Business is like a game of snakes and ladders sometimes, a few paces back to reflect gives a new perspective to move forward with larger strides.  Never be complacent  and always have humility and integrity .

Do tough times bring danger of the biggest opportunities for driven businesses

My company and team continue to grow and thrive in the best and the worst of times.  What does not kill us makes us stronger.  ”Separate the wheat from the chaff” separate things of value from things of no value.  One must have directed focus and courage during these times to pick up greater market share.

Sometimes we are successful because we are fortunate, but is fortune about being in the right place at the right time?

One needs to sacrifice a lot to be successful as anything worth having is not easy.  Quitters never win and winners never quit.  Do not settle for second best and value yourself.

When you’re struck with a great idea, do you act on it immediately?.

I weigh up the consequences and consider the options to ensure it’s the correct decision and does not put any ongoing projects at risk.  It is not size that counts in business.  Some companies with £500,000 capital, net more profits than other companies with £5,000,000.  Size is a handicap unless efficiency goes with it – Look before you leap springs to mind.

If you could trade places for someone for a week, who would it be?

The wisest living person the  dalai lama.  It is very important to generate a good attitude, a good heart, as much as possible. From this, happiness in both the short term and the long term for both yourself and others will come.

If someone wrote your auto-biography, what would the title be?

Love what you do and do what you love -“should have stopped to smell the roses whist spreading the manure”

Favourite quotation from a business leader / recognised figure?

“Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain – and most fools do. But it takes character and self control to be understanding and forgiving.”

Dale Carnegie

“To prosper soundly in business, you must satisfy not only your customers, but you must lay yourself out to satisfy also the men who make your product and the men who sell it.”

Harry Basset

“Business is always a struggle.  There are always obstacles and competitors.  There is never an open road, except the wide road that leads to failure. Every great success has always been achieved by fight.  Every winner has scars….  The men who succeed are the efficient few.  They are the few who have the ambition and will-power to develop themselves.”

Herbert N Casson