Karen Brady is the most famous business women in the country after becoming managing director of Brimingham City F.C. at the age of just twenty three.
More recently she has moved to West Ham United as well as well as being appointed to the England 2018 World Cup bid board.
She is all set to join The Apprentice and is currently working with Avon and their mentoring scheme to help women get back to work after having children.
I caught up with her to talk about her new project and how she balanced her career with her family commitments.
- You are working with Avon to mentor women on how to successfully juggle career and family commitments, so can you tell me a bit about the initiative?
I am working with Avon to motivate and mentor Avon’s dynamic force of independent Avon Representatives to help them juggle family and business life, grow their businesses and achieve their goals.
Avon Representatives are all self-employed entrepreneurs and many are mothers who have opted to run their own businesses in order to give them the flexibility to balance a career with family commitments.
My partnership with them includes contributing towards Avon’s annual report on women in business later this year and mentoring Avon Representatives at key events throughout the year.
- How and why did you get involved?
I share their passion for female empowerment. I am working with Avon because they give women a flexible earnings and working opportunity, which is something I’d love other women to have.
Over the years Avon has been groundbreaking in the way it has supported and empowered women to assert themselves in the world of business and gain financial independence.
Avon allows women to use their entrepreneurial skills and gain financial freedom, whilst giving them flexibility to control their own hours.
- You are a mother of two yourself who went back to work just three days after giving birth to your daughter how much do you regret this decision when you look back on it now? And why did you make this decision?
I do regret the decision but when you are younger you tend to have a different view you don’t understand that a career lasts a lifetime. It’s important for women who want to stop and have a family to have the ability to do that.
Fourteen years ago when I had my daughter phrases like flexible working and work-life balance simply didn’t exist. These days there are lots more options for mothers who want to work.
- For women who feel pressurised into returning to work what would you say?
One of the key messages for all women is that you don't have to have an ambition to run a global bank nor do you have to stay at home running the household.
There is a medium ground and there are opportunities out there to find the balance that will work for you.
- For many mothers the question of when to go back to work is a huge one so do you have any advice?
The super-woman thing doesn’t exist. Accept that you will have to work at balancing a career and family life.
However, there are flexible working opportunities available, such as that Avon offers, so don’t be afraid to explore options that will help you successfully juggle work and family commitments.
- Balancing home and work life can be difficult so how do you cope?
I have a home personality and a work personality and make sure I keep them quite separate. At work I’m a good leader and communicator but at home I’m a pushover!
- You have also joined The Apprentice so how excited are you about being Lord Sugar's right hand woman?
It’s my favourite show in the world! I’ve known Alan for a long time through our connections with football. When he told me Margaret had chosen not to do the show anymore and they’d like me to do it, I was thrilled.
- You have appeared on the show many times at the interview stage of the show so if you were looking for an apprentice what types of things would you be looking for?
I think one of the most important things about is that the people that come through the process actually demonstrate they’ve learnt something from their experiences.
- You are a very successful businesswoman in your own right so how difficult was it to forge a career in the top flight of English football, which is such a male dominated profession?
When I started I was something of a novelty. I was young and it made quite a story. Now it is not an issue. There are lots of women involved in football and there are lots of very successful women executives.
At 23 when I became Managing Director of Birmingham City Football Club I had skin as thick as a rhino, which helped.
Now I have trophies that remind me of the challenges I conquered and achievements I’ve made, including Business Woman of the Year and the Everywoman Award!
- And for women who are worried about stepping into an arena that is dominated by men what would you say?
All you should do in any role is do the best you can each day and handle yourself in a way that you should be proud.
- In January 2010 you were appointed vice-chairman of West Ham United so how are you finding life at a new club?
It’s a great club with wonderful fans. I'm vice-chairman rather than CEO, so it's a very different job but I’m really enjoying it.
- And last year you were also appointed to the England 2018 World Cup bid board as a non-executive director so what is your role here?
I’m on board with England 2018 as a non-Executive Director. My background in football, business and the media gives me a unique position which will enable me to create a strong link between business and football.
- Finally what's next for you?
Later in the year I’ll be contributing towards Avon’s annual report on women in business and taking part in a roundtable event to discuss the report.
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw
Karen Brady is the most famous business women in the country after becoming managing director of Brimingham City F.C. at the age of just twenty three.
More recently she has moved to West Ham United as well as well as being appointed to the England 2018 World Cup bid board.
She is all set to join The Apprentice and is currently working with Avon and their mentoring scheme to help women get back to work after having children.
I caught up with her to talk about her new project and how she balanced her career with her family commitments.
- You are working with Avon to mentor women on how to successfully juggle career and family commitments, so can you tell me a bit about the initiative?
I am working with Avon to motivate and mentor Avon’s dynamic force of independent Avon Representatives to help them juggle family and business life, grow their businesses and achieve their goals.
Avon Representatives are all self-employed entrepreneurs and many are mothers who have opted to run their own businesses in order to give them the flexibility to balance a career with family commitments.
My partnership with them includes contributing towards Avon’s annual report on women in business later this year and mentoring Avon Representatives at key events throughout the year.
- How and why did you get involved?
I share their passion for female empowerment. I am working with Avon because they give women a flexible earnings and working opportunity, which is something I’d love other women to have.
Over the years Avon has been groundbreaking in the way it has supported and empowered women to assert themselves in the world of business and gain financial independence.
Avon allows women to use their entrepreneurial skills and gain financial freedom, whilst giving them flexibility to control their own hours.
- You are a mother of two yourself who went back to work just three days after giving birth to your daughter how much do you regret this decision when you look back on it now? And why did you make this decision?
I do regret the decision but when you are younger you tend to have a different view you don’t understand that a career lasts a lifetime. It’s important for women who want to stop and have a family to have the ability to do that.
Fourteen years ago when I had my daughter phrases like flexible working and work-life balance simply didn’t exist. These days there are lots more options for mothers who want to work.
- For women who feel pressurised into returning to work what would you say?
One of the key messages for all women is that you don't have to have an ambition to run a global bank nor do you have to stay at home running the household.
There is a medium ground and there are opportunities out there to find the balance that will work for you.
- For many mothers the question of when to go back to work is a huge one so do you have any advice?
The super-woman thing doesn’t exist. Accept that you will have to work at balancing a career and family life.
However, there are flexible working opportunities available, such as that Avon offers, so don’t be afraid to explore options that will help you successfully juggle work and family commitments.
- Balancing home and work life can be difficult so how do you cope?
I have a home personality and a work personality and make sure I keep them quite separate. At work I’m a good leader and communicator but at home I’m a pushover!
- You have also joined The Apprentice so how excited are you about being Lord Sugar's right hand woman?
It’s my favourite show in the world! I’ve known Alan for a long time through our connections with football. When he told me Margaret had chosen not to do the show anymore and they’d like me to do it, I was thrilled.
- You have appeared on the show many times at the interview stage of the show so if you were looking for an apprentice what types of things would you be looking for?