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Gail is Director of Elementary Events, she has extensive experience in event delivery all over the globe. Compliance and regulation is in the forefront of her mind and she holds a deep understanding of the stringent code of practice in the pharmaceutical industry having successfully gained the IQ Level 3 Organisation Diploma in the promotion of Prescription Medicines from the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI).
“I ensure only high standards of service are achieved at all times”.
Gail set up Elementary events in March 2019 after having a poor experience returning to work after having a baby. This was the catalyst she needed to go out on her own but it was not easy to leave under those circumstances.
“When I set up the business I thought I’d have time to figure it all out. But I got my first referral 2 weeks into starting up so I ploughed straight in. Whilst this was great it actually didn’t give me the reality of what it actually was to run my own business. I felt like a chancer and that I wasn’t running a proper business”.
“I had no clear direction, I wasn’t clear on my offering or what I should be charging. I didn’t appreciate in any way that I’d need to be the salesperson in my business – I was just underprepared for it all”.
“I had an OMG moment when that first contract finished – I had no idea how to create a network or how to do sales calls”.
“This was around the time that Tracey approached me via LinkedIn – I’ll admit I was hugely sceptical at first. This was someone outside my sector and I couldn’t work out how Tracey or BBB could in any way be right for me. I was intrigued though, so I started to follow BBB on LinkedIn and seeing Tracey’s videos and posts helped me find the signs I needed to validate BBB, what they were doing was really authentic. They had an upcoming event, so I decided I had nothing to lose”.
“When I attended the event and heard George talking it really started to make sense to me, I felt like this was what I needed. I was worried that everyone would be at a higher level than me, that they would have business qualifications and be bigger than me. But in reality, George spoke in plain English and building my business felt really achievable. I came away thinking this is really what I need. Going through the case studies of current members made me realise that BBB was full of normal people and what they were achieving felt obtainable to me and they were really relatable”.
In February 2020 Gail joined BBB. She quickly discovered that the support and encouragement from the other BBB members was everything that she needed.
“I joined BBB in February 2020….and Covid hit! My business disappeared overnight. I worried that I’d just committed to BBB and now I didn’t even have a business. That first meeting after the big UK lockdown announcement I cried – I was so worried what everyone would think of me, but everyone was so supportive, and the BBB team and members just rallied around me. I realised that if anyone was going to get me through this it was BBB and the members".
"If I’d been on my own during that time I would probably have been deluded and thought this will all blow over and brushed it all under the carpet – If I’d done that, I wouldn’t have a business. What actually happened is I pivoted and diversified. BBB encouraged me to look at what other skills I could offer the Pharma sector. I’m now able to offer my target market a more varied offering and will be continuing this in my business going forward".
"I’ve not only developed my business and my business skills, I’ve also developed hugely as a person. George’s content on self-esteem and opening myself up to work on other areas of personal development has increased my confidence. I felt so broken from the experience I’d had leaving my former employer but I can now honestly say I feel much better about it and I have a much stronger sense of self-worth".
Gail's business now has a much clearer direction and the goals she sets continue to push her forward.
"Financially whilst I’ve only been trading for 2yrs, 2020 was my best year, which given I was an events specialist during a global pandemic is quite an achievement. I achieved a 27% revenue increase".
"Having reviewed my business model with George I was hesitant how much I needed to increase my prices by. He encouragingly but firmly advised me that this was the way to go – I’m now confidently quoting and charging at £30ph more that I was when I started".
"I feel like I’m levelling up – I’m assessing work I’m doing and deciding to walk away if the client isn’t right for me or it’s impacting my other clients. I’ve taken on VA support and I’ve started to consider options to subcontract some of the work I’m doing".
"The BBB network is incredible. It's so rewarding being able to contribute to others and there’s always the opportunity to learn from others – you may not have been thinking about the question they asked before the session but the value you get from it can be huge".
"For me the one thing I can say about George in particular is that he is a confidence builder. I’d like to say a huge thank you to the whole BBB team".
“The BBB network is incredible. You get so many different perspectives and it’s a great opportunity to take yourself out of the detail of your own business and look at the bigger picture".
