Wirral Life September 2017 | Page 22

was “if your doing today, what you were doing yesterday, you will not be in business tomorrow”. I didn’t fully understand that saying until the last few years and realise how right he was. What has been the greatest challenge you have faced? The greatest challenge I have faced has been managing the rapid growth of the Chamber. Sustained high growth is demanding personally and on staff, it involves change, developing new management structures and delegating responsibilities. It also needs a keen eye on the financials. It involves long hours and constant vigilance. We have managed this process and continue to do so, but I can understand why so few businesses achieve sustained high business growth. It’s vital to have the right people around you to do this. I am very lucky to have a strong and committed Senior Management Team especially Sharon Stanton, Patsy Crocker, Kate Eugeni, Carl Gurnell and Gemma Stewart who have all supported me over the past four years to make the Chamber what it is today. What are the challenges to female leadership? I may not be very politically correct on this, but in my role I don’t see any particular challenges to female leadership – and interestingly most of the Chamber Chief Executives in our region are women. Sure there are some people who make assumptions about you as a woman in a leadership role, but I find that they are soon disabused of those views when they meet me. More generally, I’d love to see more women in business leadership roles as many of the ones I meet are exceptional. For me, the most important person that I needed to convince that I could be an effective leader was myself. Yes, taking that step into leadership was initially daunting but only by taking these steps can we appreciate what we are truly capable of. Three words that would describe you. I guess that is how I can come across as I’m very passionate, direct and decisive, although I do reserve the right to change my mind if I’m persuaded of a different view. 22 wirrallife.com What is your vision for Wirral’s economy and businesses? My vision for Wirral is a place where our children want to stay to pursue their careers and raise their families. We have some great natural and built assets, for both business and leisure, and it’s a great place to live for many of us. We have to build on these assets and make this a place that our leading businesses – like Unilever, Cammell Lairds, General Motors, Dong Energy, Typhoo, Progress to Excellence and The Contact Company – thrive, grow and attract their supply chains. We need a thriving small business ecosystem, brimming with high growth, innovative companies that sell their services nationally and internationally. We will make the most of our outstanding Liverpool facing waterfront and Wirral Waters schemes to make them business destinations of choice; and we will work with our town centres to make them attractive and sustainable destinations for shoppers and business. And we should achieve much greater inclusion – creating opportunities for all of Wirral’s residents to realise their potential. What is the main piece of advice you would give to those thinking of starting a business? Invest in ensuring there is a real demand for the product or service your business is looking to provide. If you’ve got something people want, at a price that you can make a margin on, then you’re in business. Family is very important to you and for many years you and your husband have fostered children. Why did you decide to become foster carers? There are a raft of reasons we decided to become foster carers but the most significant is the inspiration given to me in life by my mum. She drummed into us as children that we were no better than anyone else, but that no one was better than us. And she lived her life, and still does, to that belief. For years she supported the extended family whilst working full time too and we always had other children in the house with