FIRING UP BUSINE
CXO INSIGHT
As one of Europe ’ s most successful female entrepreneurs and investors , mum-of-four Sarah Willingham has appeared as a Dragon on the BBC ’ s Dragon ’ s Den and previously as a judge on Raymond Blanc ’ s The Restaurant .
Most recently , Willingham launched her new business Nightcap PLC , which has since acquired the nation ’ s beloved The Cocktail Club ( formerly London Cocktail Club ), as well as The Adventure Bar and most recently , Barrio .
Beyond our TV screens , Willingham has led an incredibly successful Here , Willingham lifts the lid on her career journey , tells us how career in the hospitality industry . In just her 20s , she led the she has balanced motherhood and business and why she ’ s international expansion of Pizza Express and turned Bombay Bicycle optimistic about the future of hospitality . Club into the UK ’ s largest chain of Indian restaurants .
‘ Lightbulb moment ’
Sarah Willingham , mother , businesswoman and ex-Dragon
Having worked at Planet Hollywood and Pizza Express in her 20s , Willingham travelled the world opening new restaurants . But , as she thought about her 30s and her desire to be a mother , she realised she could not continue down her current path , in which someone else was entirely in charge of her diary .
Armed with her experience of growing Pizza Express internationally , an inherent curiosity about business and an understanding of a business model that did not work – via Planet Hollywood – Willingham recognised how shareholder value could be created .
“ I understood the simple , replicable business model and where the magic was ,” she said .
“ I wondered what I could apply this to . There were no large chains of Indian food and I had this dream of having the largest chain of Indian restaurants in the UK – applying the business model I ’ d come to learn – and that ' s what I did with Bombay Bicycle Club .”
“ There was no lightbulb moment , per se . The decisions I ' ve made since I was 18 have all been driven by what I wanted out of my life at that time ,” Willingham added .
“ The decisions I ' ve made since I was 18 have all been driven by what I wanted out of my life at that time .”
Recognised as a leading female entrepreneur , Sarah Willingham , mother , businesswoman and ex-Dragon , spoke to us about her career so far , balancing parenthood and business , her time on Dragon ’ s Den and her plans for the future .
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