When it comes to the factors that contribute to your success in business, being surrounded by the right people is key.
Loyalty, commitment, discretion, and dedication are all crucial characteristics I look for in those I work with.
They are similar to the qualities you would look for in a friend or life partner. This is just as well, because you’ll probably spend as much, if not more, time with them as you will with those outside work.
The amount of time I have spent with one particular colleague resulted in the title “work wife”, which I’ll expand on later.
Success Factors for Your Team
I have been fortunate to work, and still do, with some of the brightest and most talented people you could find. Over the years, I have endeavoured to create a workplace environment that recognises and rewards ability and hard work, and gives everyone the tools and encouragement to be the best version of themselves.
I see the value in pushing yourself outside your comfort zone, so you grow professionally and personally. My business ethos is to create those opportunities while also providing a safety net that allows people to try.
Over almost three decades in business, I have seen people join my companies, flourish, make significant contributions, and, on occasion, spread their wings to continue their professional journey elsewhere.
Some have gone on to set up successful businesses of their own. It is always a pleasure to be part of that journey and act as a mentor when asked.
Saying goodbye is always hard, but I take pride in seeing people chasing their dreams and achieving their potential. Ambition, passion, and bravery are all success factors.
Time to Say Goodbye
This month I say to one of the best and the brightest. After very nearly 11 years by my side, key team member Jo Tippett (nee Whiteman) is starting a new chapter in her professional life.
Jo joined me in a sales support role and moved on to become my personal assistant. Her entrepreneurial spirit, innovative approach, and full-blooded commitment were clear to see. I saw a lot of myself in Jo and knew her potential was limitless.
She was there when I launched what has been my most successful start-up so far, and a voice of reason when the challenges came.
Jo rose through the ranks until she reached the role of Chief Strategy Officer.
A Support in Hard Times
Inevitably, we have experienced emotional highs and lows during more than ten years of working together. From the unpleasant reality of making redundancies to keep a business afloat to the elation of scaling a start-up into a company with an annual turnover in excess of £27 million.
Jo has been not only a part of that journey, but a crucial component. She has been my rock, my sounding board, my comfort in hard times, and my friend.
When it comes to the success factors in my life as an entrepreneur, Jo is definitely one of them.
Personal Success Factors
While we can measure our professional success by turnover and profit, that’s not everything. Life is about much more than how many hours you put in at the office.
I met Jo as an employee, but over more than a decade she has become one of my best friends. She has been my travel buddy, my confidant, and someone I trust to tell me the truth, even if that means criticising me or calling me out.
She has lovingly been referred to as my ‘work wife’ by colleagues and friends, including my actual wife and Jo’s husband!
The decision to move on to a new challenge follows a significant change in her personal life. Jo and her husband Luke, who I’m lucky to count as a friend, have welcomed their first child. Such a life-changing event gives us all cause to take stock. For Jo, this has led to her decision to try something new, professionally.
For such a long time, she has been part of Brendan World. Now it is time for her to focus on Jo. And I know she will go from strength to strength.
A Simple Thank You
Although our time as colleagues is coming to a close in a few days, I know this isn’t the end of our time together.
Our friendship, built in the crucible of entrepreneurship, will sustain. There will be many more adventures for Jo and me, and our families, in the future.
I will always be here for her, as she has been for me, providing support, constructive criticism, praise, and mentoring whenever needed.
Where one chapter ends, another one begins.
So, this article is my way of saying a simple ‘thank you’ to a person I consider to be among my success factors.
But it is also a chance to remind entrepreneurs that surrounding yourself with the right people, and enabling them to grow, can be one of the most important success factors on your professional journey.
