Inspirational Women-Hannah Coleman
Hannah Coleman has an unusual job – she sells walls! Not just any old walls but walls to help you make your dream home! Read on to find out how Hannah ended up as the inspiration behind Dreamwalls
Jane: Hannah, you have quite an unusual role now, involving walls! Can you tell us a bit more about your current role and how you ended up in it?
Hannah: I agree it is an unusual role, and not one that I went out to seek, the role found me!
At the time I was heavily pregnant with my daughter and lived in a new build town house in Barry, South Wales. Previously I had lived in Manchester, and adored the old mills and loft conversion properties; I had a vision to create that look in to the new build town house in Barry, but couldn’t build an old rustic brick wall on the 2nd floor of the property due to the extra weight load on the property.
I tried sourcing on the internet for an imitation rustic brick cladding that I could use, but I couldn’t find one suitable. Not long after my daughter was born I was out walking with her in the pram, and found a few old rustic bricks in an old skip, I took them back home and had a go at making a moulding from them. To a cut a long story short, my daughter’s father and I between us hand casted a rustic brick wall cladding system for our home in our garage; only when it was fully completed on the wall did the light-bulb moment hit me. I realized that a business idea had been formed and that is exactly how Dreamwall started.
I got professional advice with Business in Focus in South Wales on how to start a business, and obviously needed advice on manufacturing, finance and grants (no capital).
I officially began trading as Dreamwall in March 2003 as a mail order company from home, which was perfect as I was also a full time stay at home new mum.
What was the very first job you had and did you learn any skills from it you still use?
As a teenager I always had various weekend jobs, my first was actually being a Saturday girl at a riding school, the job entailed mucking out the stables, cleaning tack, grooming feeding the horses, and involved a lot of responsibility and discipline.
I also worked in a Fish restaurant, on a Friday and Saturday night, I learnt a lot on how to deal with customers, taking orders, taking time to talk and engage with people. I always had the best tips at the end of an evening, I learnt that the customer is always right, (sometimes 
) – and communication was key.
In the summer holidays I worked in a clothing Boutique that was owned by Delia Dolan who was a Miss United Kingdom, with her winning money she set up the up market boutique HOBO. Clients always looked like they lived a dream lifestyle and I loved the glamour of the boutique, I really became interested in clothes, and admired Delia’s work ethics; I wanted a piece of that glamour.
Having various jobs while at school and college installed in me the principle always to be self sufficient and never to rely on others. For me there is nothing more rewarding than earning your own money, it taught me to be a grafter, and not to be afraid to take on challenges, responsibility. I always say I am a jack of all trades but not a master of any! I will try anything once!
Did you stay on to further education?
I actually didn’t do very well in my GCSES and failed them first time round No one is to blame, my father was critically ill in hospital while I was taking my exams, and lots of other personal things happened in this period of time. I just went off the rails and didn’t revise. I have a very short attention span, and I just couldn’t concentrate. I kept on at my weekend jobs, but just couldn’t focus on my school work.
Years later I found out I am dyslexic and I take a little longer than normal to grasp things, this is not in any way being judgemental and making excuses for myself, but it put a lot of things into perspective. I ended up re-sitting my GCSES exams and passed with flying colours the second time round, enough so to secure a place at art and photographic college, to study. I did an OND in art and design and photography, but didn’t go to university.
I worked a few years in the photographic industry straight afterward college, then went on to do other things. I think it’s important that we all get an education and keep our brains active to keep learning but it’s not the be all and end all to obtain degree after degree, so many people have never used them. It really is a case of what profession you are choosing.
Did you plan a career? Or have you reacted to events as they have happened?
As a child I always wanted to be a singer, I had a dream of being an international singer! I did have ago in the music industry in my mid 20’s it was fun, recorded lots of few tracks, did backing vocals for a few singers and travelled to Sweden to record a song. I even had a bash on ITV Pop Idol in 2001. No regrets, but as I mentioned before, I fell pregnant with my daughter and found Dreamwall. As you can see from my answers I have had many experiences in all sorts of professions.
Who most inspired and motivated the young Hannah?
Madonna, 100% through and through Madonna, my idol.
And who does now?
The amazing people I have met through twitter, social media, every day I am inspired by so many amazing people, there are so many talented souls out there, genuine people who really are supportive and inspiring to others. I love learning about people, and every day I learn something new, all are inspiring.
What is best thing about running your own business? What has been the most exciting and challenging to date?
The best thing about running your own business is that you are your own boss; every day there is a new challenge no day is the same, I have met some amazing people through my business.
The most challenging to date would be the fact I was a first time mum, with a new baby at home, and I was also starting a new venture with Dreamwall. Those two combined together was challenging, as they both were babies, both needed me to nurture them, grow them, support them, and somehow I managed to find a balance of running a new business with a new baby all from home – so yes that’s been the most challenging part to date.
And worse…?
There isn’t any! OK I admit it’s not all being glossy and plain sailing but seriously I have no regrets. The worse times are all put down to challenges and experience.
What advice would you give to any woman thinking of starting their own business?
Just GO FOR IT! We only live once, life is for living, you spend a long time dead! – Seek professional advice, there are plenty of organisations out there who want to help start up new businesses; they can help with all the practicalities of starting a business from accountants, to marketing, grants, funding. And don’t be afraid to collaborate, two heads are better than one.
How do you relax?
I enjoy ME time, if that makes me selfish then that’s OK, but I always take 30 minutes out of the day just to sit down and switch my mind off from everything, I like to walk, run, bike. It’s something that has always stuck in my head from school, my form tutor once told the class in tutorials that as we get older we need ME time to collect our thoughts, time to reflect, and I have always taken her advice and still do. Even if it means getting up early before your children wake up, grab those few precious moments on your own and switch off.
What (or who) makes you most happy?
My daughter – her smile is contagious, her love and laughter, she is spirited and keeps me grounded. And I adore my boyfriend my soul mate . My family, mum dad, sister they are my rock. My close friends. To sum it up I always surround myself around positive kind people.
Do you have a favourite book, or saying to share that has inspired you?
I am a Jack of all trades not a master of any! Favourite books that have been an influence is Jack Canfield’s Chicken Soup for the Soul, and The Secret.
Hannah, thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to talk with us. I hope your story will enthuse other budding entrepreneurs to follow their dreams too! And continued success with Dreamwalls!
Inspire Yourself!
Here’s a tip to inspire yourself and to help keep your motivation going!
When I’m running my own seminars and courses I often get participants to write to themselves for delivery at a future point. And I’ve recommended writing down your aims in previous blog posts.
It can be really helpful to write down what you want to do, how you are feeling at a particular point in your life, and how you want to feel at a point in the future. Or maybe write down stages you need to reach to achieve your goals and aspirations. For example, by June I will have written two chapters of my book and researched possible publishers! It really helps to put it in writing.
And now you can get it sent to yourself in the future! There is a web site futureme.org where you can do just that! It could be really helpful in keeping your motivation going! Not as helpful as attending one of my courses obviously….but helpful all the same!
If you try it do let me know how you get on? And how do you keep your motivation going?
Inspirational Women – Veronica Akinyemi
Veronica, you are the founder and Director of Smart Opportunities for Women, an organisation to promote the interests of working women. What inspired you to start this enterprise?
I have always been passionate about motivating and supporting people (especially disadvantaged groups) to develop personally and professionally. I decided to set up Smart Opportunities for Women (formerly Employ A Woman) as a result of my personal interaction with various bright women who have worked, or still work, in job roles well below their capabilities and potentials.
I observed that certain women give up on advancing their own careers as a result of various issues such as motherhood, cultural influences, unsupportive and discriminatory work environments, lack of confidence, inadequate family support etc., and was keen to make a difference no matter how little.
As part of my academic research, I discovered that the UK is yet to fully tap into the skills portfolio of women. The statistics by various bodies clearly shows that women have a long way to go especially in leadership positions and certain job sectors.
Why do you think women need a site to themselves?
Historically, women have been subject to unfavourable treatment and practices. I believe that initiatives such as ’Smart Opportunities for Women’ will play a crucial role in bridging some gaps and achieving specific diversity objectives; a network/site/group of events where women are able to meet and network with other outstanding working women within a safe and comfortable framework.
It will give their confidence a major boost and help them to effectively manage their careers despite the obstacles which they might face along the way.
Veronica, you grew up in Nigeria. When did you come to Britain and how do you think that experience has impacted on your career development?
I was born in London but grew up in Africa (the south-western part of Nigeria) before returning to the UK in 2004. My parents made a crucial decision to ensure that all their children gained a thorough understanding of their ethnicity and cultural values.
Looking back now, I believe that they made the right decision. My personal experience of two totally different worlds has helped to shape me into the woman that I am today. I grew up in a stable, loving and Christian environment, and was fortunate to attend some of the best academic institutions.
The African society places a very high value on education and my parents spared nothing to ensure that my siblings and I received the best education. My parents worked in the IT/ Engineering sector, and my brother in the medical field, and this put huge pressure on me to choose a career path along these lines.
I spent close to five years of my life studying Industrial Chemistry that was of very little interest to me. It was a very torturous journey for me but I stayed on as I had no other choice.
When did you finish formal full time education? Did you have any idea of what you wanted to do when you left school?
I finished my first degree in Industrial Chemistry in March 2004. Whilst growing up, I had an interest in a couple of professions such as Journalism, Advertising and Catering. I also enjoyed reading my dad’s management, business and development books.
At this point I knew I wanted to do something which involved a lot of contact with people (not chemicals!), but was not quite sure how this would translate into a career.
Did you follow a plan?
I returned to the UK in May 2004. My first port of call was a careers advisory service in Essex, where I discussed various options with an advisor. Once I started my job as an Advanced Apprentice within the training team of a London local authority, I had a plan!
The plan was nothing complex, just a diagram of myself with various arrows indicating the jobs that I would love to do and by when. Included in the plan were qualifications. I have always been very flexible with my career plan and this has paid off.
You have a gorgeous twenty three month old son and eight week daughter. How do you manage to juggle motherhood with your career?
I don’t know how I do it! I believe God gives me the grace I need for each day. Motherhood is a totally different ball game and one has to be very hard working and plan well in advance. Sometimes I feel like screaming!
What has been the happiest moment in your life to date?
Marrying my first love and childhood sweetheart, Anthony and having our wonderful children.
What do you think is the secret of happiness for you?
I have learnt to be proud of who I am.
How (if ever) do you relax? What keeps you going?
I never miss my daily ‘hot’ (I mean hot!!!) baths. This helps to soothe any sore muscles. My faith also plays a crucial part. Each time my battery needs to be charged, I pray, meditate and sing worship songs.
Who has been the most significant and or influential
person(s) in your life to date?
I have a strong nuclear family network and have benefitted from knowing some very inspirational women. My husband’s belief in me and my abilities is simply fantabulous.
What is the most important lesson you’ve learned in life?
Our purpose as humans is to live a life of purpose. I have learnt that I can do all things through God’s help. I need to use all my gifts on earth and die empty.
If the present Veronica could give some advice to the 18 year old Veronica what would it be?
Get up Veronica – Turn your ideas into reality! I should have started ‘Smart Opportunities for Women’ a long time ago.
Thank you, Veronica and good luck with the upcoming events! You can find out more about Veronica’s business here.
Persuasion
How to Persuade Others
Have you ever had a request from a charity for a donation accompanied by a small gift, like a pen or a address stickers? The answer is probably yes because the idea of reciprocity is a frequently used tool because it works so well. How to persuade people to do things is one of the most studied fields in psychology.
Give to Receive?
The principle of reciprocity is simple; give someone a gift before you attempt to persuade them to do something and they’re much more likely to ‘give’ you something back. Most people have a sense of fair play that makes them feel they should offer you something in return. As you read the request from the charity, holding the pen in your hand, even though you know what they are doing, you feel more compelled to give them something than if the request had arrived simply as a letter.
Ethical?
Written baldly like that it sounds to me decidedly dodgy and manipulative (as it often can when we start analysing how and why we behave the way we do).
But actually, we teach our children to do this from an early age when we encourage them to share their own toys so they can be allowed to play with the toys of their friends.It’s a form of socialising too.
And would it be ethical to continually try and persuade others to do what you want them to without offering anything in return? As I write this I realise (gulp) that in a way it is exactly what I am doing by writing this blog.
I freely share my knowledge and skills here and in the newsletter. In effect I guess it is a gift to you (even if you do put it on a par with that misshapen hand knitted jumper from Auntie Gladys who thinks you still like candy pink and fairies…)
In return, people ReTweet me on Twitter, forward my links to colleagues, recommend me to friends etc, giving me a wider audience and a potential pool of women who may use my services one day or attend one of my courses. (Although to be totally honest I often get carried away by my love of writing and sharing knowledge and forget to put any links in to what I actually do! Fortunately I work with a great marketing expert or I would be permanently eating lentils!)
What do you think? Do you feel manipulated and tricked in some way when a free pen drops through your mailbox? Do you actually notice when this form of persuasion is happening? How do you persuade others- work or home? I would love to hear from you!
Can You Change Your Life in Thirty Minutes?
When you are finding it hard to motivate yourself, or can’t see a way ahead, try the thirty minute rule!
The Thirty Minute Rule
Thirty minutes, half an hour, 1800 seconds, is not a long period of time but it can be long enough to help set you on the way to some serious life changing stuff.
Recently I found myself with a task I really didn’t want to do and I kept putting off, day after day. My task was finalising my book, something I really needed to do. I’d done the bit I loved, the actual writing of it, but was taking almost as long to get it ready for print.
I had a deadline, which always helps, but the nature of the task meant that I couldn’t actually do it all in a mad rush the night before (something I have been known to do!) I needed to let my secretary have the pages well in advance and I needed to have checked with the printers, the cover designer, incorporate the ISBN and so on.
So I applied the thirty minute rule. I decided that for just thirty minutes every day I would focus on getting it done. And it worked. Some days those thirty minutes seemed to last forever but I ploughed on. Other days I didn’t stop at thirty minutes and carried on for an hour or two feeling smug and virtuous! and I got it finished in time.
It’s a great rule and works for all sorts of things, however deep,or difficult, or light and trivial. Try it! We all have things we don’t like doing, which we’re frightened of, or are anxious about doing, are putting off, or which represent a developmental stretch for us.
For years I have also used the thirty minute rule as a way of helping people to manage the really difficult episodes in their lives, as well as a way to motivate myself to get on with both inconsequential and important things!
Important Things
I first used it when working with individuals who had experienced great trauma in their lives. They would ask, how am I going to survive this? How can I go on? What will my life be like in these new circumstances?
At times of great personal change our minds can be flooded with possibilities; we overload ourselves with possible scenarios, usually negative ones. We race ahead in our minds to the new life of which we have no experience, like managing as a single person, newly bereaved, a diagnosis of life changing illness, losing our job. It can be overwhelming.
At this point, when life feels out of control, we need to find a way to take back a little control. And we can usually exert a little control over the next 30 minutes of our time. Like driving home safely, getting food in the house, and so on. We are not in a position to make rational big decisions so don’t try. Just focus on the minutiae of life for a while; the big things are going on anyway. Plot your life thirty minutes ahead.
When you can’t see the wood for the trees, just focus on each twig on each tree in front of you; one step at a time, and eventually the path becomes clearer.
Work Stress
On a slightly lighter note, imagine that you are feeling stressed at work. You know you have to take a breather but your mind presents you with all the chaos and endless problems that will ensue if you so much as slacken your grip a little.
But even the most egocentric of us can’t believe that the world will fall apart if we take a thirty minute break. So try and plan in thirty minutes of each working day when you only focus on you. That means you do have to leave the office and switch off your cell or mobile. (If you don’t know how to turn it off that’s telling you something!) Better still, turn it off and shut it in your desk drawer.
Walk away from the office, don’t look back! Walking itself is really good for you but this has to be totally your time; it doesn’t count if you are walking to a meeting as your mind will be on the meeting. In thirty minutes you can go back, refreshed and if you can do this for a whole week you will have begun to acquire a habit – a good habit!
Trivial Things
Try this with any task you don’t want to do or find difficult to make a start on, like weeding the garden, or reading a tedious report. Here’s a real life example.
A participant on one of my seminars recently was genuinely and seriously overwhelmed by the amount of clutter and filing in her office. She knew what she had to do but it seemed such a huge task that the prospect of ever finishing seemed unlikely, and would mean that she got behind with her real job. It was really cluttering her in every sense of the word and felt like a block on her creativity.
So she tried the thirty minute rule. In fact, in her case we agreed that she would not do any longer than 30 minutes, even when she wanted to. This helped her make really good use of those thirty minutes and it never got too dull or boring; we all spin things out when we have all the time in the world! And within weeks she had got it under control.
Thirty Minute Dream Catching
How many dreams do you have that you haven’t actually got around to starting? Try the thirty minute rule with your dream life. Resolve now to spend just thirty minutes a day on pursuing your dream.
For example, if you have a dream of writing a novel, or retiring to the country, break down the first steps into 5, simple, thirty minute tasks:
Monday - Research areas that have the ‘good places to live’ tag.
Tuesday – Sign on with an on line estate agency to see what properties there are in your preferred area. You will get regular updates in your mailbox giving you an idea of what your money will buy.
Wednesday – Apply for a pension forecast to get some idea of how much income you will have on retirement.
Thursday – Make a list of all the reasons why you originally wanted to move to the country. Stop after 30 minutes. If this dream is still has relevancy for you the ideas will flow fast and furiously, and you should be able to list them in half an hour.
Friday – Review your list and cross off anything that no longer holds true. Add any new thoughts.
Each one of those thirty minute exercises will help you focus on your goal and by taking it a twig at a time, stop it becoming overwhelming. But each 30 minute block is taking you nearer and nearer to achieving your goal. And you’ll hardly notice that you’re doing it!
By the way, if you are a very visual person, try drawing a tree with several branches and have each of your tasks as leaves. As you complete a leaf/task you can add it to your tree and watch it grow and develop!
Your 30 minutes could be the beginning of a significant life style change!
A Real Female Role Model!
Serena Williams – A true motivator!
Motivation
The link that follows will take you to an interesting article on Serena Williams. I have included it because I think she has a lot to say about MOTIVATION!
Serena was in a bad way following the murder of her sister but she used this traumatic event to motivate her and help her to achieve even more. Look out for the paragraph on her various post it notes. Read it and be INSPIRED!
Here’s the link to the Guardian article. Click here
