Women Unlimited Inspiration, lnnovation, Collaboration

Since all entrepreneurs by nature strive to be completely independent, getting a secure job just is not an option. Entrepreneurs have a desire to live life on their terms, and not have their time dictated by anyone or anything outside themselves. Along with this choice comes several fears that must be overcome to achieve the lifestyle that an entrepreneur seeks. I’ve listed 5 deadly fears that all entrepreneurs face. After overcoming these fears, success just becomes a matter of consistently taking action towards building the life of your dreams. 1. ... Read More »

Success is a big word. It’s a word we all know and use frequently yet it has as many different meanings and measures as there are people that use the word. It’s a concept that we use to define ourselves and if we are honest, others. Even with its frequency of use, it’s a concept we rarely update when we consider how successful we are as our roles change and evolve over the years. In the last decade I have worked with many women who have left their jobs in ... Read More »

Having time off over the Christmas period gave me chance to catch up on TV watching different programs I wouldn’t normal tune into. BBC News 24 at some crazy time early in the morning showed an interview with Richard Reed one of the founders of Innocent Drinks. Richard Reed founded Innocent in 1998 with two friends from Cambridge University, Adam Balon and Jon Wright. I found it highly refreshing to watch and listen to Richard who appeared very down to earth, honestly speaking about their extreme difficulties early on in ... Read More »

My library of entrepreneur books is growing at an alarming rate, however I was still excited to be able to review this first book from Emma Wimhurst, the founder of Diva Cosmetics.  Disclosure first… Emma is a regular speaker for Women Unlimited, and she ran a very inspiring session on creating vision for your business for us earlier in the year in June, so she is someone who I respect and enjoy listening to …  This book is like having Emma on hand to give you advice at every stage ... Read More »

Toptable.com is the brain child of Karen Hanton, a truly daring entrepreneur with a passion for British cuisine.  Toptable is an online restaurant booking site which she created in 2000, and it is now the UK’s leading restaurant booking website, which allows diners to choose from around 5000 restaurants in 12 countries.  Karen, like many online entrepreneurs, started her business during the dotcom heyday, but unlike many other enterprises, not only is her business still around it is still flourishing. Read More »

This November, the achievements of women of colour are being celebrated by a newly launched awards ceremony. The Precious Awards were set up in 2008 by Foluke Akinlose to celebrate the work of inspirational and entrepreneurial women of colour who are running their own businesses in the UK.  The awards acknowledge their successes and encourage other women to take hold of their financial futures by launching their own businesses also. Before setting up the Precious organisation in 1999, Foluke worked as a journalist and editor across print and new media ... Read More »

“My friends think I’m lazy, but I just work efficiently!” laughs Karen Darby, the gregarious, fun-loving founder of SimplySwitch.  Karen is one of those inspirational entrepreneurs who accidentally stumbled across her chosen career and has been making everything she touches a success ever since. Like a lot of entrepreneurs, Karen’s entrepreneurial spirit was evident early on.  She left school with one O-level and landed a job in telesales for a local newspaper, making 50p on every £5 advertisement she sold, or as she explains it “enough for a packet of ... Read More »

When award winning shoe designer Linda Bennett, launched her first LK Bennett store in ultra cool Wimbledon Village in 1990, she had one mission in mind – to make women realise we didn’t need to choose between style and comfort; we could have both! After finishing a footwear design course at Cordwainers, the renowned shoe design college in Hackney, she learned her trade from the floor up, working at Robert Clergerie’s studios in Paris followed by stints on the shop floors of Whistles and Josephs.  Read More »

For thousands of people, the recession has been the perfect opportunity to release their inner entrepreneur and set themselves up in business.   These enterprises come in all shapes and sizes from a small business that will benefit a local community to a social enterprise that will benefit communities at home and abroad. Then there are thousands of others saying “I would love to start up my own business…..if only I knew what to do!”  While motivational seminars are wonderful, sometimes you need practical help to set you on your way, especially if ... Read More »

Sahar Hashemi, co founder of Coffee Republic, will be the keynote speaker at Business Link’s networking event for London’s female entrepreneurs in October.  A highly successful entrepreneur, Sahar will be sharing how she and her business partner set about creating a brand that would be a major player in the coffee industry…despite having absolutely no knowledge about either coffee or retail!  Read More »