Tonight I was privileged enough to be part of an intimate audience to hear Michelle Mone OBE tell her story. A Scottish entrepreneur and founder of Ultimo, a company estimated to be worth £20m and a brand that’s irrepressible.
Michelle told her story, from growing up in the east end of Glasgow to recently releasing her book ‘My Fight to the Top. I was never sure of my opinion of Michelle, but after reading her book and hearing her speak tonight, I’ve found a profound respect for her after learning about the struggles she faced as a child but also for the majority of her adult life.
I feel it can be quite cliche to talk about ‘obstacles’ overcame when building a business, it seems to be one of those tick box sections that has to be included to make your story interesting, and of course, everything is relative to each individual, however it appears Michelle has genuinely had more than her fair share. Facing challenge after challenge, hardship after hardship, hurt, distrust, disrespect and at times just…. sheer bad luck; yet she has managed to power through and deliver.
Whatever your opinion of her, I would encourage anyone to read her book. Yes, at times it seems dramatised and of course you never know how biased it is, but it’s a example of with sheer grit you can do what you set out to do. As much as I don’t agree with some of her actions, some things she’s said or some of the stories you hear from the business community; you cannot deny the strength of her resilience.
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Tonight I wore a more casual outfit than normal, as today I finished a 2-day Risk Masterclass in my full-time banking job – where it was a more relaxed environment – before rushing to the event.
I’m wearing the cutest little dress – a fave in my wardrobe – a navy blue number from… Primark! My shoes are also Primark – which I grabbed last week from Edinburgh’s Princes St store when my feet were a little sore after some drinks in the city! Not the greatest quality but they’re an easy choice. Dress is complimented by a beautiful red, navy and cream vintage Jean de Bahrein scarf.
Being one of the most iconic buildings in Glasgow and one of Europe’s biggest public libraries, the Mitchell Library, with it’s distinctive green dome, was the perfect location to hear Michelle in her home city.
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‘My Fight to the Top’ | £12 | Amazon
http://www.amazon.co.uk/My-Fight-Top-Michelle-Mone-ebook/dp/B00R2WGHN8/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1429652290&sr=1-1&keywords=my+fight+to+the+top
Dress | £12 | Primark | Oxford St LDN Branch | 2013
Shoes | Primark | £6 | Princes St Branch | 2015
Scarf | £8 | ElephantJuiceVintage
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/321710932412?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649
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