1. Tell us more about your company and your journey.
I originally started my business, KnowThyBrand, in 2014. At that time I was living in Singapore and I already had over 10 years of experience in Marketing and Branding.
It was after the birth of my second son that I decided to quit the corporate world to gain more flexibility and be around my kids. From Singapore I then moved the business to London where I relocated with my family.
After the initial challanges of having to re-establish a professional network, finding the first new clients and creating awareness about my brand, the business started to grow steadily.
The two highlights of that period were when on a Facebook group someone asked for a brand professional and the replies were full of people recommending my services.
I was finally recognised as an expert. Then, when I won my first Fortune 500 client.However, I was still feeling that something was amiss.
2. How did you come up with this idea and go about executing it?
It was on a Friday evening, after we relocated from the UK to Luxembourg, as I was helping a female entrepreneur who runs an upcycling tiny business and who had lost all because of Covid.
In that moment I realised what was the missing part: the work that was giving me the most joy was the one that helped those who couldn't pay.
I always strove to give back to the community by doing probono work, but this work was usually relegated to evenings and weekends as the paying clients had to take priority and that was not right.
So, I decided to change my business and turn it into a social enterprise that works like a for profit business except that we reinvest the actual profit in helping the women in need.
3. What has been your biggest challenge that you faced and how did you overcome that?
Time. The biggest challenge especially at the start is finding time to do everything: from legal to admin, from finance to sales, from marketing to project management, from networking to actually working with the clients, a founder has to do it all.
My biggest learning has been to accept that I need to prioritise and that some things will stay behind but as long as you plan properly you will still manage to get them done.
4. What do you think are the most important qualities of a successful entrepreneur?
The life of an entrepreneur is not an easy one but it can be extremely fulfilling. The key is to give 100%, believe in yourself and your project, accept that you will make mistakes but that you will learn from them, be resilient but also accept your own vulnerabilities and use them to grow.
5. What are some of the most important factors for running a successful business?
Your network, finding good mentors, being practical but never stopping to aim for the stars, learning, learning, learning. Never stop be curious and inquisitive.
6. What are your tips for first time and aspiring entrepreneurs?
Follow your dreams but don't forget to do the ground work: validate your idea, study your market, understand your target audience and how your offer will be relevant to them. Invest time in clearly defining your positioning to differentiate your from your competitors. And try to have fun, ultimately, you must love your project otherwise the challanges will be too hard and not worth your efforts.
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