Category Archives: Business & Careers

Glass Ceiling “Is a Myth”, Age is the biggest hurdle

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The glass ceiling is dead as a concept for today’s modern career apparently. But women are still being held behind in the workplace. Here are the depressing facts why….

Ernst & Young poll of 1,000 UK working women says there are multiple barriers to career progression

The concept of a single glass ceiling is an outdated model and no longer reflects the realities of modern working life for women, according to the results of a poll released today by Ernst & Young.

The survey of 1,000 UK working women between the ages of 18 – 60, revealed that two thirds believe they faced multiple barriers throughout their careers, rather than just a single ceiling on entry to the boardroom.

Four key careers barriers throughout a woman’s career

Based on the results, Ernst & Young has identified four key barriers to career progression for today’s working women. These barriers are: age, lack of role models, motherhood, and qualifications and experience.

The professional services firm says that the barriers aren’t chronological and can be experienced at anytime; often several at once. And while they aren’t exclusive to women, it believes it is clear from the research that employers need to provide better support to help women overcome them.

British business losing best and brightest female talent

Liz Bingham, Ernst & Young’s managing partner for people, says, “The focus around gender diversity has increasingly been on representation in the boardroom and this is still very important – as members of the 30% Club we are committed to this.

“But the notion that there is a single glass-ceiling for women, as a working concept for today’s modern career, is dead. Professional working women have told us they face multiple barriers on their rise to the top. As a result, British business is losing its best and brightest female talent from the pipeline before they have even had a chance to smash the glass ceiling. We recognise that in our own business, and in others, and professional women clearly experience it – that’s what they have told us.”

Ernst & Young’s head of advisory, Harry Gaskell, agrees. He says that the barriers identified in the survey reinforce Ernst & Young’s belief that encouraging and supporting women into senior positions is a talent pipeline issue. As a result he believes that organisations need to ensure they are supporting women at every stage of their career lifecycle, not just as they are about to enter the boardroom.

Age is the biggest hurdle

Delving into the findings behind the barriers, the survey identified age – perceived as either too young or too old – as being the biggest obstacle that women face during their careers. 32% of women questioned said it had impacted on their career progression to date, with an additional 27% saying that they thought it would inhibit their progression in the future.

Most markedly it was women in the early stages of their career that seemed to be most acutely impacted – with half of all respondents between 18 and 23 saying age had been a barrier they’d already encountered in their career.

“Age is a very complex issue, especially when it’s linked to perception. It’s concerning to see that women seem to be most vulnerable during the formative stages of their careers, when they are working their way through the ranks,” says Liz.

She argues that businesses need to be aware of pervasive attitudes towards age as a barrier within organisational culture, and suggests that one way of managing this is to encourage diverse role models within an organisation, who can visibly demonstrate that age is not an inhibitor to opportunity and progression.

Exploring the experience and qualifications barrier

Barriers related to a lack of experience or qualifications also featured strongly in the survey. It was the second highest factor that had inhibited women’s careers to date (according to 22% of respondents), and the third highest factor cited as a future inhibitor (19%).

Reflecting on the results, Harry says, “Women, and men, often need to give themselves more credit for the experiences and expertise that they have, while businesses need to look past the piece of paper.

“There is acknowledgement that high academic performance is still part of selection criteria in some organisations, especially at graduate level – and there is a wider issue here about fostering social mobility. But much greater value is being placed today on non-academic achievement and on diversity of experience and perspectives.”

The impact the experience of motherhood can have…

The impact of becoming a mother on a career is well rehearsed and therefore it was unsurprising, if disappointing, that this was identified as a key barrier. Nearly one in five (19%) of those questioned said it had impacted on their career to date. While a further 25% said they thought it was the second biggest inhibitor to their future careers, after age.

Liz says, “I think the only way that organisations can really tackle this is through positive intervention. This includes the provision of supportive programmes that help women to transition back into work after maternity leave and empowers them to take control of their careers and make informed choices.”

Ernst & Young has trail blazed a number of initiatives for working mothers aimed at increasing retention levels and ensuring that women feel supported through-out their career life-cycles. This includes a maternity coaching scheme providing one-to-one counsel with a consultant before, during and after maternity leave.

“Coaching schemes are very valuable,” says Harry. “But I also think there’s an important part that can be played by women role modelling their success and demonstrating by example how they balance the demands of home and work life.”


The value of role models

Three out of four (75%) of those questioned said that they have few or no female role models within their organisations. With some respondents (8%) going as far to say that a lack of role models had had a detrimental impact on their career to date. And therefore role models were identified as one of the four barriers.

Liz says that a lack of role models was a consistent theme across all the age groups polled. “I was really surprised and concerned by these findings. From my own experience I have seen how good role models can have a transformational impact on an individual or team.

“I think one of the big problems is the misconception that you have to be perfect in order to be a role model. Whereas in reality we all have skills, attributes or experiences that would be valuable to share with others.”

But it’s not just down to business…

Ernst & Young says that managing these four barriers is about personal responsibility, appropriate and targeted support from business and positive government intervention.

When respondents were asked to identify what three things their organisations could do to remove these barriers, or better support women’s career progression, the top answers were:

* More support after returning to work from having children (32%)
* More support at every stage of my career lifecycle (24%)
* More visible female role models (19%)

When asked the same question in relation to what government could do, they said:

* Enforcing companies to reveal the ‘pay gap’ between men and women (45%)
* Affordable child-care/ tax relief for childcare (43%)
* Policy guidance on flexible working for UK businesses (28%)

Harry concludes, “Gender diversity transcends the responsibility of government, business and individuals. There is no quick fix or magic bullet; it will take a combined effort, but the focus has to be on the talent pipeline rather than just on the boardroom.

“Positive interventions can work. But we think one of the most fundamental aspects of managing barriers is role models – for people to actively demonstrate that barriers can be over-come. If we can get this right, then perhaps the other barriers will become more manageable and less marked over time.”

How To Deal With The Boss From Hell

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It’s the nightmare scenario. You love the job, you love the company, you love the people, but you have the boss from the hell.

Someone who delights in making your life difficult, and who is unpredictable, moody and generally ranges being from a tyrant to a terrorist, depending on what day it is.

You don’t want to leave and the prospect of a transfer is as remote as this character becoming an angel overnight.

Well, don’t despair because there are things you can do to turn some of this to your advantage.  As long as you keep your cool and pick your approach carefully.

It’s Not a Boss, It’s a Baby

Seeing things in a new light is a good way to preserve your sanity and can often be quite funny if you can develop the right language in your head.

Revisualise your boss as a child with a rather large nappy and a toothache.  Because in reality, that’s what they may be.

Angry or aggressive people are mostly insecure because they are not doing something to their own satisfaction, like growing up.  So if you can see this person as a rather irritable toddler, the chances are you’ll start managing the irritation with soothing tolerance and compassion.

And the success with all howling children, distraction is often the key. This may perplex your boss when they realise their tantrums are effectively being turned against them, especially if you can pull it off with a sweet smile and a bar of chocolate or a new toy.

See It Coming

The calmest people know how to manage the angriest bear because they can see the signs a day before it happens.

Terrible bosses are usually quite predictable, in that they have their drama moments set out in their head, often without realising. These are usually excuses that they program themselves with, so get to know them. It may be that the start of the week sets your boss off, or having to present some numbers that turns them into a raving lunatic.

Throw Water On Them

Please note, I don’t mean literally.

Bad bosses often like to exercise control in front of an audience.

So it can often leave them speechless if you can calmly and unexpectedly walk away when they get the megaphone or sarcasm gun out.

Just walk away, closing the door behind you to let them stew.

Feed Their Anger

In other words, play the distraction game.  When you can feel the balloon about to burst, give the devil a cup of tea, or even better, a sandwich. It’s hard to be angry when you’re eating something nice.

Write The Wrongs

Make a list of the all the things your boss does that drives you bananas. Then schedule a meeting.

Be calm, but definitely be prepared for a meltdown. Show him how many of them were shouted, were sarcastic or just rude.  And then let them know that this note just may find its way unto hands of someone higher up the food chain if the hell continues.

Find An Escape Route

If all of the above fail, it may be time to consider that Plan B. After all, no one deserves to be in workplace where they feel like they’re treading on eggshells.

Ending the work torment can be a lot easier than you think, and you can find a workplace where you are appreciated – believe it or not, there are nicer bosses out there!

By searching by location on local job boards, for example, ‘jobs in Peterborough’, allows you to find a comprehensive list of the many different jobs available within your area, which can all be refined by keyword and position-type.

Who knows, you may find a better job, better pay AND  a better boss all in one go.
This article was written by Ella Mason, an experienced careers writer. Ella specialises in providing job and money advice for individuals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Promotional Gifts: Giving Your Business Great Rewards

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We’ve all received one at some point; that free branded pen, the pad of paper that you jot down all of you meeting notes onto and not to forget, that free mug you make your first coffee of the day in.

But have you ever stopped to think about the purpose behind that free promotional gift you’ve been given?

For businesses, promotional giveaways are an important part of the promotional mix, acting as extremely effective marketing tools.

Extremely versatile, they can be given to all types of customers, from clients and media contacts, to even a company’s own employees.

From items such as pens, calculators, calendars, mouse mats and pencils, these promotional mechanisms aim to create a lasting positive image of the brand or company for the recipient, in return, create lasting financial rewards for the business.

Still not entirely convinced? Well, here are 5 reasons why promotional gifts can help to boost your business.

1. Increase Brand Awareness

Promotional gifts can help to significantly increase brand awareness, if of course, you get them right.

For this reason, it’s vital that promotional items are of high quality, durable and useful, in order to keep the brand message at the forefront of your customers minds. After all, the more someone sees a brand message, the more it sticks in their mind, therefore the more likely they’ll continue to investing time (and money!) into it.

The most successful promotional gifts support your company where other mediums can’t reach, such as the office. Think stationary, or choose items available from Ideas By Net that are commonly seen throughout the workplace, such as mugs, coasters and USB flash-drives. This will ensure your message remains a prominent feature of your customer’s desk for months, if not years.

However, get it wrong and your gift could backfire, leaving a lasting image for all the wrong reasons. Think carefully about how your chosen item portrays your business. Stay away from the more ‘tacky’ items when wanting to impress an important client.

2. Increase Sales and Influence Purchases

Add increased brand awareness together with a bit of gifted goodwill and naturally, you’re bound to start seeing an overall increase in your sales and profits.

Promotional giveaways are a powerful form of ‘added value’. Generally, customers who feel that a company is giving more value for money are more likely to spend more.

They also hold the ability to generate future leads and curiosity. For new customers, promotional gifts act as incentives in wanting to find out more about a company they’ve seen a lot of, and help to direct people to a website who are keen to discover what available products a company has to offer.

For existing customers, it is common for people to become more receptive to a company that offers a gift as a small ‘thank you’ for their custom. Tactics such as these help to encourage repeat business and help to see an overall improvement in long-term sales.

3. Save Money

Believe it or not, investing a little time and money into promotional gifting can in fact help your business to save money. Why? Because they help to promote your company at a much lower cost than traditional advertising techniques.

As the British Promotional Merchandise Association has found, ‘promotional merchandise can deliver a higher return on investment. The cost per impression for a mug is £0.001, a mid-range pen £0.001, a calendar £0.004, a USB stick £0.005 and an umbrella £0.003. With an average cost per impression of £0.003, these figures compare extremely favourably with the cost per impression of other media.’

4. Improve Image and Perception

Promotional gifts also act as a powerful driving force in influencing perceptions. In every day-to-day life, all over the world, presenting someone with a gift or present is seen as an act of goodwill, kindness and generosity. By also adopting this into your business strategy, you too can make your customers feel valued, creating positive perceptions of your company.

5. Improve Company Morale

Promotional gifts have also been proven to enhance the morale of a company’s employees, thus helping to increase employee productivity.

By providing gifts on events such a company’s anniversary or by giving them as symbols of appreciation, employees will instantly feel like they are a key part of the organisation.

When a company strives to take that extra step to include employees in the marketing plan, it benefits the company in the long term by ensuring positive perceptions of the company start from within.

This article was written by Ella Mason, an experienced freelance writer. Ella specialises in writing about money-making schemes, for both businesses and individuals. 

 

 

You Are Awesome | Book Review

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Craft has had a huge resurgence in recent years. The craft industry is big business. In fact the U.S. craft and hobby industry was worth $29 billion in 2011. But to talk about money takes away the beauty of it. As pay packets dwindle and the cost of living keeps spiraling, people are finding out how joyful it is to make your own things. Whether that be jewellery, clothes or furniture. Which brings me to the book in question: You Are Awesome.

I love everything about the book. From the design, the craft projects, the weight, the author, the concept.

You Are Awesome is a collection of 21 simple craft projects for adults and children with a fresh, contemporary edge. It was written by Abbey Hendrickson who writes the excellent blog, Aesthetic Outburst. This book is hours of entertainment. The concept is that you are awesome (yes, you are) and that you should make the things in the book and give them to someone else who is just as awesome. The step-by-step craft projects are easy and range from a cross-stitched screendoor to a laptop toy made from a cardboard box.

This beautiful book makes a great present, for yourself or anyone else.

Following on from the well received State of Craft, published by Cicada in 2011, You Are Awesome is a beautifully packaged little book that will appeal to advanced hobbyists and curious craftnovices alike.

Buy You Are Awesome: 21 Crafts to Make You Happy

Abbey Hendrickson writes a blog called Aesthetic Outburst documenting her life in an old farmhouse in rural New York. In between DIY disasters, childcare catastrophes and cultural consumption, Abbey makes some fantastic and funky craft projects, which she sells through her Etsy shop. You Are Awesome is a collection of 21 clearly explained step-by-step craft ideas by Abbey Hendrickson. The projects are deceptively simple to make, but have a contemporary freshness that will appeal to seasoned crafters and novices alike. Each one captures the warmth and humour that Abbey herself radiates and which makes her blog so popular. There is nothing more rewarding than making things yourself. Things to live with and things to give to people you love. Let’s revel in the joy of handmade. Crafting is awesome!

How to Start Your Writing Career At University

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Sometimes it pays to get a head start in life. The years of university can go pass in a blur and while you are getting a degree, other people are getting ahead in their careers. University is stressful and piling on any more work can cause burn out, so here is a few ways to get your foot in the door of a writing career. So when you leave university, you have that all important head start.


Write for the student paper, if there isn’t a student paper, make one. Lots of people, including Richard Branson, got their start from doing a student paper. You will learn all the basics of journalism and will make invaluable contacts. You will also have a market for your publication: you’re fellow student.

Start a Blog: Starting a blog had made many people rich and famous. Think Belle Du Jour. You will also get into the habit of writing regularly, learn what people are reading most and gain invaluable skills.

Write as much as possible: You probably won’t get paid at first but you will find your voice as a writer and also learn the discipline of writing. Many people give up because of the sight of a blank screen.

Ask for feedback: Ask your most trusted friends and family for feedback on your writing. It’s the only way you will get better. You will probably have some bad writing habits or overuse certain words. Only ask people whose opinion you trust. Don’t take the feedback negatively, but as an opportunity to learn.

Write an e-book: There a number of e-readers out there. Amazon’s Kindle has made it very easy for anyone to write a book and sell it on Amazon. Write fiction or take something you know and sell your wisdom to someone else. If you write 500 words a day, it will take you 160 days to get to 80,000 words. It is completely manageable to do that in a year.

Late For Work? No Worries

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Wave goodbye to the nine-to-five worker

Being late is fine with the boss, thanks to smart technology

 

The majority of global bosses are happy for staff to turn up late for work, according to new research by the world’s most trusted online back-up service, Mozy®.  Mobile technology, including smartphone apps and cloud services, now means that bosses are surprisingly supportive of a flexible workforce – more than most employees realise.

 

The findings, which can be read in full at www.mozy.co.uk/9-5, emerged in a study of 1,000 British, German, French, US and Irish employees and employers, which found 73 per cent of bosses have a relaxed attitude to time keeping, as they trust their staff are working long before they actually get to the office.

 

Yet this will come as a shock to most workers as half of employees are under the impression that their bosses definitely will mind if they are late.

 

“This is brilliant news for workers everywhere,” comments Claire Galbois-Alcaix of online back-up specialist www.mozy.co.uk , which conducted the study. “Hard work isn’t going unnoticed and mobile working and technology is having more of an impact on employer attitudes than people think.”

 

Time-keeping

The average global boss would be willing to turn a blind eye to employees being up to 32 minutes late and let staff spend a quarter of the week working from home. However, British bosses are the strictest, wanting late-running workers at their desks no later than 24 minutes into the working day, whilst US employers take the most relaxed view, tolerating their staff turning up to 37 minutes late in the day.

 

Mobile tools

The death knell of the nine-to-five worker has been rung by mobile technology, with three quarters of employers giving employees tools to get their jobs done wherever they are.  However, just 11 per cent of British employers tool their workers up to be able to access everything on the move – which would allow people even more freedom.

 

Email in bed

The study confirms the long-held suspicion that the urge to check emails first thing in the morning is overwhelming for some: a third of all British employees has logged in by 6.30am, compared with just 13 per cent of French employees. On average, by 7.00am one in five employees worldwide has already checked their email.

 

Give and take

Whilst the majority of employers globally are happy for staff to start their days later, in return they’re looking for flexibility from their employees and when they wind down for the night.  The fluid approach to working hours means that many employers are now comfortable with calling after hours, with 80 per cent saying they think it’s acceptable to call staff in the evening.  The research shows that French bosses are the most considerate and stop calling the earliest; 43 per cent draw the line at calling after 7.00pm. 16 per cent of UK employers, on the other hand, think it is acceptable to call workers between 10.00pm and midnight!

 

The real nine-to-five

Global employers demonstrate further evidence that behaviours have changed beyond recognition by underestimating the amount of work that employers are doing away from their desks.  As a whole, they believe their employees spend an average of 55 minutes a day working away from the office, when in fact, the average global employee has already clocked up 46 minutes before they even arrive at the office.

 

What does the new nine-to-five look like? The global results show that the average person starts checking their work email at 7.42am, gets into the office at 8.18am, leaves the office at 5.48pm and stops working fully at 7.19pm, meaning employees are “in work mode” for nearly 12 hours a day.

 

“We can see from the research findings that we’ve come a long way towards work being ‘a thing that you do’, rather than ‘a place that you go’ but, with just 11 per cent of British employers saying their employees can access all of their work tools remotely, there’s still a long way to go”, continues  Claire Galbois-Alcaix from Mozy.  “Using internet-based solutions that allow workers to access their data as if they were in the office, wherever they are and whenever they want, will help everyone to continue seeing benefits.”

 

Taking a relaxed attitude

Bosses are taking a laid-back approach to more than just punctuality, as personal tasks creep into the office day. Across the surveyed nations, 37 per cent of global bosses are happy for employees to take longer lunches. Meanwhile, more than a third of British employers are OK with staff downing tools to enjoy office banter and regular tea breaks.

 

One in eight of global employers polled even claim they are fine with employees carrying out personal tasks like online banking, food shopping and paying bills while at their desks – with the American bosses being most relaxed (22 per cent) and the British being the most stringent.

 

Over half of British employees think nothing of leaving work early for a doctor’s appointment, with one in five leaving early to watch a child’s school performance, and around one in ten using Facebook or Twitter whilst at work.

 

Top personal tasks creeping onto the office to-do list

1.       Leaving work early for the doctor or dentist

2.       Personal phone calls

3.       Regular tea and coffee breaks

4.       Chatting to colleagues

5.       Sending personal emails

6.       Taking a long lunch to get a few things done

7.       Online banking

8.       Leaving work early for a child’s performance at school

9.       Paying a few bills

10.   Having breakfast at work

11.   Reading newspapers and magazines

12.   Using Facebook and Twitter

13.   Calling customer complaints

14.   Researching things to buy online

15.   Brushing teeth

16.   Researching holidays

17.   Online shopping

18.   Showering after cycling / running /gym

19.   Looking up recipes for dinner

20.   Playing the lottery

21.   Online food shop

22.   Reading gossip online

 

Vanessa Vallely Interview Part Two: We Are The City Founder Tells All.

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Part 2

Tell us about your day job. You are head of business management at Aviva

“Basically, it is a business management role. It’s just insuring that the business operates and that the department runs effectively. So there is a risk audit, finance, a bit of HR. I provide support to the COO and the leadership team. So I make things happen and I get things done. I very much enjoy it, it’s a supportive role. I am mentoring other people in Aviva as well and growing a talent pool. I have some good relationships here and let it be said that Aviva have been massively supportive to the website. They know I run the website, they know that I go off and do charity things and they are one of the most supportive employers I have ever worked for. It’s a fantastic place to work.”

If you could have had any other career what would it have been?

“When I left school, I thought I wanted to be a policewoman, and then I thought I wanted to be a lawyer, then a judge, then I wanted to go into the army. So when I look back, they are all quite authoritarian, so I definitely wanted to rule the world in some kind of guise. If I could have had another career I think I would have been a midwife, because it was something that always interested me. I don’t know if I would have had the guts to do it, but I liked the thought of bringing children into the world.

“The funny thing was is that I was not naturally maternal before I had kids, if I heard a child crying in the supermarket I would be like, ‘Shut that child up’. When I had my own baby, it kicked in. I always found it hard to play with children because I was an only child and I played on my own. When I play with my own children, I tend to go off on my own and I have to bring myself back again. I was just used to playing that way. I would still like to be a midwife actually. It is still something that interests me to this day.”

You have won a lot of awards, which ones are you particularly proud of?

“The women in banking and finance award I was very proud of. My mum and dad were there and my dad hadn’t been very well. They divorced 38 years ago but they get along really well. To have them both there was special to me because they have seen me get to where I have gotten to. It was great to be recognised by such a wonderful body. That means so much to me. For the second one, I went to Washington to pick it up. That was a global award and the same one as the three women I have nominated have won. So I have said to my girls, “No more awards please’. I have won quite a lot. My job now is to judge awards and put other women forward, raise their profile and help them along in their career. I have had five award winners in the past year.”

That’s a good rate!

“That is a good rate. But all of them have achieved amazing things, setting up networks, giving effort and giving back to the next generation of women. So if I am in a position to help them, then of course I am going to.”

Your parents must be very proud of you.

“Yeah. My mum is my biggest fan. I mean, she helps me a lot. There is a lot of support behind me. There is my childminder, I don’t think I could do anything without her. There is an ironing man who comes and collects my ironing. It’s the best £30 a week I have ever spent. He would be the last to go. My husband is a huge support. There are a lot of people who enable me to do what I do. I help them all back in different ways. It’s a two-way street. My mum still works, she’s only young, she’s not even 60 yet. So obviously she helps me as much as she can. She is also my best friend. That helps. I confide in her a lot. When I am getting too tired she is the one that says to me, ‘Enough’.”

Mums know

“Exactly, mums know. I am like a train, I just keep going.”

How important is the support of Wearethecity for women?

“There has been a shortage of women in financial services, engineering and IT. The gender issue it not as prevalent as it once was, but at a high level, there is a lack of women in senior roles. And then there is a shortage of women making it onto boards. The City gets a lot of bad press, but we do contribute to the world economy, the UK’s economy. It’s not all million pound bonuses. You are talking about a very small percentage of people. It’s not all financial workers either, there are a lot of people who work in the periphery, you have the bars and the restaurants, and the shops and the retail outfits. It is not just financial services.

“I would encourage women to come up here and try to work. Try and see if they can have a career in the City. It is an exciting time and we are waiting here to support them.”

What do you think of the current government? Do you think they are doing a good job?

“I try to stay clear of politics. One of the things I don’t get involved in is politics. I don’t stay on top of the policies or anything like that. I have no particular alliance to any party. What I would comment on is when they do things that affect young families, because it is a struggle having kids and bringing them up. Childcare is a major thing for young couples, and women returning to work and stuff like that. I have no particular pick of the politicians, I don’t think any of them can be trusted. That would be the only thing I would say.”

Do you think you have a good work/life balance?

“Sometimes not. It was an unique week last week. I dropped my phone down the toilet, I lost my cash card, and I had tonsillitis, one of the kids caught nits, it was just a calamity of errors. I got lost on the same stretch of motorway that I have driven on a hundred times for an hour and a half, going backwards and forwards. I think I was just having one of those weeks. On Sunday night I didn’t get to bed until 11. I didn’t get to wash my hair so it’s dry shampoo on the Monday as I’m going out the door.

“There are weeks when I get it and I learn to appreciate when I’ve got that balance. When it’s Sunday night and the kids are clean, my personal emails are clear and I am on top of work – everything is in it’s box and I have learned to appreciate those moments for what they are because they don’t come around that often. Sometimes, 80% is good enough. If 80% of my washing is done, if there is a little bit in the basket, then I don’t need to tick the box. Sometimes you have to accept that some things are out of your control. You just have to do what you can. Don’t beat yourself up about it.

I work for a good employer, so I only work four days a week. My one day a week off I spend on wearethecity, on my charities, on the awards, I pick my kids up and I drop them off. I have been offered lots of different jobs, even when I have been working here and I haven’t taken them because the employers were not open to me working flexibly. That doesn’t work for me as I have lots of commitments. I am a non exec to charities, I’m a school governor, I’ve got two kids and I can’t do it all without a certain level of flexibility from the people that I work for.”

How do you relax? Do you relax?

“Lots of people would say no, but I know when I need a break. In a couple of weeks, I am going off to Spain on my own for two days and I have booked my bed by the pool. I will just lay there. I relax by thinking, believe it or not. I am not like any girl. I don’t like shopping, believe it or not. I can’t think of anything worse than trying on clothes. I also have a big beef with high street sizes. You can go in one shop and feel great because you’re a size 12 and you go in another shop and you are in a 16. The labelling is all wrong. It can ruin your shopping experience.

“Because I am an only child I am quite comfortable in my own company. Much as I always say I need my sisters – I think the network that I hang out with are my family –  I still like taking time out to be on my own. I try and not do anything.

“I am never without my phone. I’ve got two and I can text on both of them at the same time. I will give any child a text competition run for their money. I get up at half five to get my own personal email down and get my own stuff done, so when the kids get up it’s their time. My life is like a military operation. So when I do get some down time, I do take it.”

Anything else?

“Wearethecity are opening a job board in September. Women can have a portfolio career. I want to teach women that they can come and work here. I would like to think in my lifetime that I make a difference. I would love for a woman to achieve something and we don’t all celebrate because it is not a rare thing. I hope that happens in my tenure, the next 40 years or however long I live. That would put a smile on my face.”

Part one is here.

Vanessa Vallely Interview: Founder of We Are the City – Part One

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I met Vanessa in the City. She is fashionable, warm, friendly and passionate. I came to interview her about her amazing site for women in the City: wearethecity.com. A place where women can find help and advice with their work, life and careers.

Vanessa Vallely: “There are three core values that I had in mind when I set it up that hold true. One, that we provide a platform for female entrepreneurs to get their products to market on the basis that it fits into our members’ demographic. We do that by taking away hefty advertising fees for them and to give female entrepreneurs a bit of a leg up. We are also a conduit to charities to get to high net worth women. We will actively promote any network or any organisation that is free that will develop skills for women. So probably 40% of what we do on the website falls into that value set, that is really important to me.”

Frost: First of all, what are you wearing? You look great.

VV: “I am wearing a Britt Lintner dress with my normal Gucci shoes and scarf. She is a fantastic designer. She set herself up a couple of years ago doing dresses and managed to get her collection into Harrods, although she’s  taking some time out because she’s raising some small children.”

When did you know you wanted to go into business?

“I left school at 16 with just a couple of GSCEs and headed out into the city with 15 pence and a bag of ambition because I wanted to change my lifestyle and my mum’s as well. We come from a very socially and economically-challenged background, so I knew that I wanted to be successful, I knew that the financial district was two miles away from where I lived and that was where I was going to start.

“I actually realised I wanted to develop the website three years ago due to my frustration with not having a site that covered everything in my life. There needs to be a bit of lifestyle in there because let’s not hide it, I am a woman. I need to eat, I need to have my hair done, I need to find a dentist. But I also wanted to upskill myself outside of my corporate environment, so how was I going to that?

“Women’s networks, courses I could go on –  for me it’s frustrating. If I Googled that information, I would spend hours on the internet. I wanted to find it all on one site so my husband said, ‘Why don’t you create a website for women?’ and we built it together.

“So that’s when I knew that I wanted to work for myself. I love my corporate job and run the website outside of work.

“My aspirations in 10 years time are to be the CEO of a charity, because I do a lot for charity still.”

Tell me about being a Pearly Queen?

“It has been in my family for 100 years. The Pearly Kings and Queens were started by an Orphan called Henry Croft and he used to sew buttons on his suit, he was a rat-catcher in the markets.

“If you think about London 100-odd years ago it was still markets, no superstores or anything. So he used to hang around the markets with the costermongers who were the apple sellers. They used to sew buttons on their suits and were called flash boys.

“If the costermongers were down on their luck, their entire family was affected if someone was ill. There was no social security then, so he used to raise money in the markets for his fellow orphans. Eventually he was so much in demand, he couldn’t be at all the markets, so he made head Pearly Kings and Queens of each of the 20 boroughs of the London of the time and they’d raise money for individuals in that borough. My granddad was pearly King of East London and he passed that title to my father and my father passed it to me.

“I have been a Pearly Queen since I was three years old. I was Pearly Queen of Hoxton until this year when I gave that title to my 11-year-old daughter and I have taken the City of London from my dad. So we still go out and put our buttons on for various charities. I don’t quite sing and dance the way I used to, but it is a lovely part of London heritage and we are as famous as the Chelsea Pensioners, so why not do it? The fact that I have a profile in the City helps because it could die out with people getting old.”

I read that you could see the city from….

“I could, from my tower block window. I lived on the 18th floor and could see NatWest tower. I used to say to my mum, ‘I am going to work there one day and I am going to change how we live’. My first job was in that building.

I drive past there now and I look up at that tower block and I think, That’s where it all began’. We were broke half the time. There were lots of people with challenges and me and my mum were one of them, but bit-by-bit we made it out through sheer hard work. Most of my childhood was spent going to school and then cleaning betting shops until 11 pm. I don’t know if my mum still has it, but I think there’s a picture where I am holding a mop that is bigger than I am. I still love to clean – mopping and stuff like that.”

Was it hard getting to where you are now? Any reinforced ceilings?

“Yes, in the City I was different in a time when diversity wasn’t really appreciated. I didn’t speak the right way, I didn’t look right, and had a bit of an attitude. I was quite precocious and quite a forceful individual because I wanted to get ahead. I never had a college network to back me up, I never knew anyone, so I had to fight my corner a little bit harder.

“There were individuals who I worked for along the way who told me I can’t do what I have done. They said I’ll never succeed or I’ll never cut it or I’ll never get that job. I love people like that because they fuel my fire and I love to say to them, ‘Well, actually, you were wrong’.”

It’s all connections isn’t it?

“Absolutely. And I spent the past six years building those connections, not just for me, but for other people. I find people jobs, I mentor, I connect businesses, source providers. I spend probably 30% of my week connecting people to others. That’s why my strapline is ‘Make The Magic Happen’. They can go off and do stuff together. They call me a ‘contentpreneur’. I enjoy doing that and enjoy hearing about what other people have done as a result, because I feel like I was part of it.”

I heard that you were the most connected women in London….

“I do know a lot of people. I do agree that there are only three degrees of separation. I can get to most people if I need to. But I don’t call on favours often. I only call on them when I need them. I am more likely to be found giving favours or doing stuff for other people. That’s my model and I enjoy doing it.”

What do you think made you successful?

“Passion and drive. But also I open most conversations with, ‘what can I do for that person?’ and I think what you end up with is thanks. You are good to other people and they want to help you back. Also volunteering for things other people didn’t want to do. People would say, ‘oh, I don’t want to do that’ if there was a project that was really messy. I was the first one with my hands up, because I think you learn so much as a consequence of being in a mess, fixing it, and getting yourself out of that mess.

“I have always volunteered for projects that other people don’t want and for things I don’t necessarily have the expertise for. There are things I have worked on when I’d have to come home and study. I would read books and call on my network, saying, ‘Can you help me understand this stuff?’. I am not a hugely academic person, but I get things done and I have people skills. I get along so well with people. I think if you approach it a certain way, then people will help you.”

What do you think about the global economy?

“I think we’re in a tight space. I think we have been in a tight space since 2008. You look at what happened with the banks out there, Northern Rock and stuff, it has had a knock-on effect. It’s wider now, it’s countrywide, Portugal, Greece, Ireland.

“I think it’s a tough place to be. I think it’s a tough time for businesses, but I also think tough times are the best place to grow sometimes. You are starting from a very low point. I think there are people who will thrive as a consequence, but we have to watch what we are doing. It’s difficult. It’s difficult for public services, schools, I mean I do a lot of work within charities who have had their funding cut. I think the whole world is feeling the pinch. It’s a scary place to be.”

What was the original idea behind Wearethecity.com?

“It was my frustration that there wasn’t really a website for women. There wasn’t something that showed me a one-stop shop where I could make a change. There are now 20-30 charities that we promote and we have over 200 writers.

“These are girls that have never written for publications before and are amazingly talented. Some of them want to share their experiences and they are writing about a myriad of things, those problems that women face in their careers, life, childcare, elderly care, career aspirations, setting up a business. We are giving them the opportunity.

Wearethecity has grown from being a website that was built on an £8 a month web builder tool that anyone can get off the internet to a website that gets a million and a half hits every single month.

“Let it be noted that I have not done it on my own. There wouldn’t be a me without my husband. He built the website, he is the technical person, he has a full-time job, he believes in the power of women, he believes in me and it is a very supportive partnership. That enables me to do what I do. It is shared responsibility. Yes, when the kids are away we have an argument about whose week was more important, but he is a massive support, I couldn’t do it without him.”

How do you juggle kids with a career?

“Again, it’s a tough one. The kids come first. They have to come first. You have to spend quality time with them and it is quality time. I get up at 5:30 in the morning, generally I am pulling letters out of school bags, I write a few cheques, and I get prepared. I have a childminder that comes at 6:30, I literally hand over as I am walking out of the door. I get into work at 8:45 and I do my full day job. I see people, I do work on wearethecity on lunch breaks or after work, so I don’t mix the two.

When I am here in work, I am here in work. I do my emails on the train. I get home at 7. I see the children, the childminder goes. We tend to do a lot of quality stuff. We go to the theatre and we travel a lot because we live in quite a middle class white area and I grew up in the culturally mixing pot that is Hackney. I don’t want my kids growing up thinking the world is flat or white. I want them to have an appreciation of different religions and cultures. We cook a meal from the culture that we are visiting and then we travel there.

“My kids have a huge world map, probably three feet by two feet, that I bought them a few years ago. Every year, we choose two countries and then we go through a process. They do a little project, we talk about it, we cook a meal and we go. My kids can navigate Heathrow airport, Gatwick, Stansted like you would not believe. It has helped them to grow up. I want them to be the kind of individual who would see a person properly, for what they are, not what they look like or what their beliefs are. That is very important to me.”

Do you think the City is a good environment for women?

If you think of where we came from in the last 40 years, from being able to vote and stuff like that, I still think it is sad that we have to celebrate en masse when a women gets a board position. I would rather that was the norm.

“I also think women in my position should be role models and mentor these women because we need to build the next generation – that next pool of talent – or we’ll never get women who are ambitious enough to get onto boards.

It’s a good spot for women. The young girls that I talk to are coming out with different dreams and aspirations, with a ‘why can’t I?’ attitude, which I like because I think women should continue to push boundaries and I fully support that.”

What advice would you give to other women in business?

“Don’t take no for an answer. Try to remove the emotion. With some things that happen, it’s very easy to get a bit deflated. They just have to dust themselves off, get up and keep trying.

“Networking is one of the most important tools. Meet people, even if you can’t see an immediate need for your business. You never know when that person’s name is going to come up, so spend a lot of time networking with the right peer group. Keep those relationships warm, don’t be transactional, keep in touch even if it’s not a close contact. If it’s a peripheral contact, keep in touch every six months. Drop them an email saying. ‘I thought of you’, that sort of thing. That is massively important.

“Don’t give up. If you have a dream in your head, think about, ‘How do I get there?’. You may be back at the start and your dream is two miles ahead, so how do we get to mile one? Who do we need to help us to get there? What do I need to learn?

“Visualise that short-term goal, but keep the long-term one in mind as well. You just have to keep pushing on. It’s not always easy. I’m not perfect. I had times when I put my head in my hands and thought, ‘Why am I doing this?’  Or when I want to give up, that network around me are the ones that give me the push. You need to push on. That is what I give to my network now.”

I know what you mean, I have times when I think, ‘I can’t do this’.

“But then one of your friends will be strong and they will say, ‘Yes you can’. Then they might have a moment. I think it’s a fantastic time for women, and again, if you hang out with the right set of women who support women, it’s a fantastic place to be.”

It was Madeleine Albright who said there is a special place in hell for women who don’t help other women [Vanessa finishes the quote with me]

Absolutely. And she’s spot on. She said a lot of profound things. She is one of my women that I aspire to. She’s amazing.”

It is an annoying myth that women don’t help other women.

“I can honestly say 99% of women I associate with are absolutely supportive. If we don’t make a difference, if we don’t support other women, if we don’t tell young girls that they can do it, and influence and navigate….

“I don’t think a woman should ever change her make up. I look back at the pictures of me early in my career and I look like a guy, I have a pinstripe suit on. The only thing that says I am feminine is my hair and a bit of make up, because that’s how I thought I needed to be. In order to succeed, I needed to be one of them. I needed to be a ball breaker, I needed to be, ‘I don’t care. I’ll sack that one and I don’t care’.

But you know what? I am absolutely proud to be a woman. Unfortunately, women get labelled very easily, so if you are outspoken about something, you are having an emotional breakdown. If you react to something in a certain way: you’re sensitive, so it is very easy to slap a label on women, and I am like, ‘Why can’t my outburst be described the same as yours? I have a label and you are just being seen as being passionate. There is no difference.”

It’s like that quote: a women who has an opinion is a bitch, but a man with an opinion is strong.

“Exactly. A man and women can say the same statement and people will go ‘Ooh!!’ to the woman and with a man they just say, ‘Alright’. They see things how they are and won’t bat an eyelid. It is easy for women to be labeled and it’s a shame, it shouldn’t be that way.”

Part two is here.