If We Can, You Can

Author:

Kari Owers

Business:

O Communications

Published:

10/11/2008 11:14:00

Even though I didn’t know it at the time, I think it was inevitable that I was going to set up my own business. Working for somebody else never really felt right. Plus when I became a mother I never wanted to have to say to my boss, “My child is sick and needs me, can I go now?” My children are my number one priority, and that was the key thing for me at the beginning.

I came to the North East when I was 18, and after graduating from uni I worked in a small PR agency for five years, and they experienced a big growth spurt during that time, eventually becoming a national chain. I then got to experience a much different role, and joined a former colleague who was working by himself and helped him grow his company. In that job I got to work with a lot of small businesses owners around the region.

In both jobs, I was very lucky in that I nearly always dealt with the Managing Director of the company we were providing PR services for. Meeting with entrepreneurs was the bit I really enjoyed. To be able to work with the person who was making all the decisions within their business, and help them shape their image, was fantastic for me.

Also, as an employee I was very much driven to make my own decisions. I always knew that I liked being able to make them, and one day I might break away and want to do that fully in my own company.

With hindsight, I think I could have set my business up sooner than I actually did. I watched all the entrepreneurs I was dealing with and learned loads of management styles, both good and bad. But I think I lacked the self confidence to actually step out and go and do it for myself.

My friends and family were key to helping me overcome that though. You can’t underestimate how important the people closest to you are, and I think you need to have people around you who encourage you. My family know me very well, I think they knew it was going to happen even before I did! But their encouragement was all I needed to say yes, this is the right decision.