Dream Bigger, Believe Bigger and Make a Difference
Carmel Jane founded and created Carmel Jane Photography a high-volume photography specialist in the South East.
Today, Carmel Jane Photography is a market leader for dance school photography, and it is rapidly disrupting the school photography market. It also has a film and commercial branch.
Following a divorce and having survived stage 2 breast cancer, Carmel moved from wedding photography to create a scalable business that would not only ensure financial stability for her and her family but empower other women with a kind and supportive work environment.
Carmel has spoken on international stages about volume photography and is well respected in the industry. She has won several business awards, including two for Employer of the Year and the Best Women Most Inspirational Businesswoman award.
With an ambition to help other women to break through the £1million turnover barrier, Carmel launched her ‘Table Top to £1 Million’ campaign.
Top tips
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Employ the best people you can afford and have robust recruitment process. Great employees not only turbo-charge your business, they make your business journey easier and far more enjoyable. Always carry out three interviews and plan ahead so you have time to get the right person.
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Decide on your 3-5 core values. Stick to them. Recruit by them. Lead by them. Make sure all employees know them.
- Never be the smartest person in the room. Always be learning and striving to meet people who are ahead of you on the entrepreneurial journey. If I could turn back the clock, I would have had better advice sooner and the first few years would have been much easier.
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Actively plan time out of the business to work on the business. The great ideas and clarity cannot come when your mind is full. It is in the moments of quiet that the best ideas and solutions happen.
- Look after your health. Starting and growing a business is physically, mentally and emotionally challenging. Eat well and exercise, find something that is not business related that makes your heart sing.
- Develop and cultivate your personal brand. Vlogging, social media, public speaking not only raises your profile and your business profile but it also draws the very best talent to want to come and work for you.
Best piece of advice I have been given
E+M=S. Entrepreneur plus Management equal Success. Accept that you are the entrepreneur that drives the business forward, but you can’t do it without great management to support you.
Key Advice for someone looking to progress
Dream Bigger, Believe Bigger and Make a Difference
