This year I have been recognised as one of The Independent's E2E Female 100 List of the fastest-growing female-led or founded businesses in the UK
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The early days of PER
Being made redundant from what I thought was the best job in the world, turned out to be a pivotal moment. From a successful and exciting career one day to uncertainty the next seemed daunting at first. In hindsight, it gave me the motivation I needed to start my own business.
Having interacted with numerous individuals in my job at 3i who had either initiated or developed their own ventures, I gained valuable insights. Learning from their successes and failures was inevitable and invaluable. Despite my initial fear of the absence of a steady income, I was fortunate to have a supportive partner, which eased the transition. Nonetheless, I had to take the leap and take full accountability for my actions.
Having interacted with numerous individuals in my job at 3i who had either initiated or developed their own ventures, I gained valuable insights. Learning from their successes and failures was inevitable and invaluable. Despite my initial fear of the absence of a steady income, I was fortunate to have a supportive partner, which eased the transition. Nonetheless, I had to take the leap and take full accountability for my actions.
The growth of my business, PER, was gradual, and marked by numerous mistakes along the way, which I continue to make. My experience of venture capital taught me a crucial lesson: the unpredictability of outcomes. Being willing to take calculated risks, whether in dealing with people, seizing opportunities, acquiring clients, exploring markets, or refining products, was imperative. Knowing that the negative consequences of any decisions primarily impacted me was liberating. It was OK to get things wrong. What was not OK was being too scared to try. Some things worked, some didn’t. Both outcomes were OK. This was a massive shift in perspective from the corporate world where your job or career might be at risk if hindsight revealed costly errors.
Being a female entrepreneur
I take immense pride in PER and what we have achieved as a business. I am especially proud of the dedicated individuals that make up our team. We face multiple challenges every day. Problems are there to be dealt with and not brushed under the carpet. Honest mistakes should always be forgiven.
As a female entrepreneur, I acknowledge that my gender has occasionally influenced my experiences. It's certainly easier to stand out in the room - I have been to many a conference where wearing a brightly coloured outfit has made it very easy for people to find me in a sea of dark suits and white shirts. On the downside, maybe I'm a little more risk averse than perhaps some male founders would be.
Getting up and trying my best to do the right thing every day means I sleep well at night and I hope that all the people who work at PER enjoy dealing with the challenges as well as the opportunities that we encounter in the same way.
As a female entrepreneur, I acknowledge that my gender has occasionally influenced my experiences. It's certainly easier to stand out in the room - I have been to many a conference where wearing a brightly coloured outfit has made it very easy for people to find me in a sea of dark suits and white shirts. On the downside, maybe I'm a little more risk averse than perhaps some male founders would be.
Getting up and trying my best to do the right thing every day means I sleep well at night and I hope that all the people who work at PER enjoy dealing with the challenges as well as the opportunities that we encounter in the same way.
The future of the business
We have placed well over 4,000 professionals in private markets, significantly shaping the private capital landscape. Our business has grown to over 80 employees across the world, and we are delighted to be opening in New York later this year to round off our global footprint.
Alongside growing the business, I am committed to helping women develop fulfilling and successful careers in private equity. I use my knowledge and experience to mentor women through workshops, one-to-one sessions and events designed to help them develop networks and discuss issues impacting their career progression.
I’m delighted to announce my next Women’s Workshop will be taking place this summer, specifically designed to inspire more women in private markets to take up non-executive positions. You can sign up below to find out more.
Alongside growing the business, I am committed to helping women develop fulfilling and successful careers in private equity. I use my knowledge and experience to mentor women through workshops, one-to-one sessions and events designed to help them develop networks and discuss issues impacting their career progression.
I’m delighted to announce my next Women’s Workshop will be taking place this summer, specifically designed to inspire more women in private markets to take up non-executive positions. You can sign up below to find out more.
Find out about the upcoming Women's Workshop