Every Friday I post a “here’s the thing” blog. “Here’s the thing” is something my mum (and many other wise people) like to say when they’re about to make a good point. Hopefully these posts are also good points.
I don’t know about you, but autumn often makes me nostalgic – something about the mid-afternoon sun that makes things orange and warm and hopeful.
And I’ve been thinking about everything that brought me to this point: in my fifth month of self-employment and mentoring, about to move into my first non-rented home, and in a fun, fulfilling relationship with an awesome person.
One of the things that came to mind in my nostalgic mood was my interview with notonthehighstreet.com. It was in a little coffee shop across the road from their offices – they only had one very busy meeting room, so lots of meetings took place in the Corner Café.
We were meeting there, so I’d gone in and ordered a cup of tea. I was sat holding it, feeling the warmth of the glass mug and enjoying seeing the milky tea in a different way to usual. Out in Barnes, away from my then-job in busy Covent Garden, I felt really peaceful, but excited. I liked this business. I liked their brand and what they were doing. I was willing to man the phones, make the tea and wait for the right role to pop up.
Just before my interviewers walked in, I felt hopeful. It felt like my life was going to change.
And I didn’t have to wait long for the right role. In that interview, we were suddenly talking about a different job, something that sounded amazingly full of things I loved to do – proof, write, quality check, analyse. I was caught off-guard, but I went with it. I met Sophie Cornish and my first manager, Gail. Inspiring women then, and even more so now.
As I left, I felt even more excited! Not only was I going to work for this amazing business, I was going to be a doing a job that really felt like me, with passionate, intelligent women (and men, but there were like three of them in the business at that point). I had found a kind of home.
Here’s the thing: working for notonthehighstreet.com changed my life.
It stimulated a passion in me that had never before been clear. I’ve always been passionate (and stubborn, and determined), but I didn’t always really know what I was passionate about in my work life. I thought I was passionate about publishing, but honestly that was pretty boring.
And then suddenly here I was, finding a passion for doing a great job, finding and telling the story of fun and cool products, and supporting creative people. The hard work (and there was plenty) only seemed to make me more passionate.
I’ve heard people say it so many times: “notonthehighstreet.com has changed my life”. But they were Partners, sellers, small businesses that notonthehighstreet.com helped to find their audience and grow astronomically. It seemed like a statement exclusive to them. But it changed my life too.
In five years, I became a manager, an expert, a public speaker, a teacher. I worked with Holly and Sophie on both their books. I met Richard Branson (sort of – I was in the same room as him. That counts, right?). I won an award for being meaningful (where else do you get that?). I worked with Lucy, who managed me for years and became a treasured friend. I ran eight events, and spoke at seven of them. I met my boyfriend.
Five years later and it seems so obvious, that I would be here, mentoring small creative businesses. Helping them make more money, create their unique brands, and – ultimately – feel better about their businesses.
I can’t imagine not being here, not doing this. I feel, somehow, like I would always have ended up here, no matter which path I’d taken.
But that day, in that interview, and everything that happened since – all of that helped me get here. I cannot deny that notonthehighstreet.com changed my life.
And for that I’m incredibly grateful.
