“The best career advice I ever had”

 

Half of all graduates are women, yet when it comes to senior management positions, men are leading the way. And that's despite the fact that female-led companies are less likely to fail and they make fewer redundancies when the going gets tough. Clearly, more of us should be climbing the ladder - and hopefully the following advice will give you a bit of a leg up. It certainly helped these women!

"Preparation is everything. Don't let other people put you off if you think you have a good idea, but make sure you research it as thoroughly as you can. Know your numbers and always go into meetings with all the information - particularly in this climate, you have to wow people."
Thea Green, 34, founder of Nails Inc, which operates in over 55 locations around the country.

"Model yourself on the person you aspire to be. I've always read a lot, attended talks and tried to learn from people who've gone before me, because all the challenges I've faced have been overcome by others. And don't be afraid of rejection. I was once listening to a talk by Simon Woodroffe, the founder of YO! Sushi, who said it takes ten 'nos' to get a 'yes'."
Jo Cameron, 40, founder of motivational coaching agency Jo Cameron's High Performance Academy.

"Always strive for more. Leonard Lauder [chairman of Estee Lauder] once told me: 'Just when you're fed up of hearing something, someone else is hearing it for the first time.' I took that to mean you should never rest on your laurels. Also, you have to learn the rules in order to challenge or break them. If you have an innovative idea, find a way to make it palatable to those in charge. That's the way to get noticed and progress."
Michelle Feeney, 46, CEO of St Tropez, has overseen a reported 33% increase in sales to £60million in 2009.

"Put your eggs in one basket - and guard it with your life. That advice came from a businessman friend of mine, at a time when my husband and I were deciding whether to sell our two homes so we could invest heavily in our company. He argued that if you're passionate and committed, you should back your dream. Now, people ask if I have a house and I say, 'No, but I have a factory!'"
Camilla Stephens, 40, co-founder of Higgidy, which makes handmade pies and quiches. Her company now employs 134 people and has annual sales of £10million.