CXO INSIGHT
Overseeing business growth
As a mother of young children , Willingham made a conscious decision that she would not be responsible for anybody else getting up in the morning other than her own children .
“ That ' s when I then made the shift into minority shareholding , investments and some consulting ,” she said . “ I started with a little business , an online money-saving website , and I started to do more TV and columns , which were more flexible with my time and I was in charge of my diary .”
One key investment was in the The Cocktail Club – of which there are now 13 . It was a business she was this year able to buy , through her new venture Nightcap , marking a new chapter in her 10-year connection with the brand .
Hospitality – a love-affair when she left , wishing her fulfilment . Upon receiving it , colour in the left eye , picturing what success means to you .
“ I coloured in the left eye not long after being given it , when thinking about three things which success meant to me ,” Willingham said .
“ I wanted to be a mum , I wanted to share my life with someone and I wanted to achieve something in business . Your goal is to colour the right eye . I coloured in mine years later . I ' d met Michael , had a baby and sold the Bombay Bicycle Club . My definition of success was those three things .”
Balancing parenthood and business
I ' M NOT JUST A MUM , I ' M NOT JUST A WIFE , I ' M NOT ALL THESE THINGS INDIVIDUALLY . I ' M WHO I ' VE ALWAYS BEEN .
Just as her decision to become an investor and entrepreneur was driven by her desire to oversee her own time , Willingham said that her ‘ pull ’ to the hospitality sector was also personal .
Willingham is an advocate for women in business , having herself navigate the challenges of motherhood and business . She said the key is ‘ balance ’.
“ Ideally , I like to be involved with businesses where I could also be a customer and enjoy them . I love our bars , I ’ m out in them regularly , and at the time , Bombay Bicycle Club was the best Indian food in London ,” she said .
“ My career had to fall into line with my life and give me something more than just money in the bank . It must enhance my life and hospitality does this .”
The meaning – and point – of success
Willingham lived in Japan for a year , setting up Pizza Express , the staff gifting a daruma doll
SSES
“ One of the things that ' s important to me , and always has been since I had kids , was that some days I need to wake up as Sarah Willingham ,” she said .
“ I ' m not just a mum , I ' m not just a wife , I ' m not all these things individually . I ' m who I ' ve always been . I think that ' s very important not to forget for anybody as they navigate life .”
Having spent time working with women entrepreneurs and founders , there is a strong need to be very self-propelled and highly motivated .
“ It ’ s not easy and can be a very lonely existence . But , if it works , and you can find that balance its magic because you will be able to navigate it around the life that you want to have at home . I ' ve learned the hard way that you cannot do both at the same time .”
The Dragon ’ s Den experience
Willingham was invited to a screen test but had not considered the gig would go ahead .
“ You get lots of approaches to do different things on TV and most of them don ' t happen . I thought : ‘ What a laugh . I ’ ll go meet Deborah Meaden . Maybe she ’ ll like me and we can become good friends ’,” she joked . www . intelligentcxo . com
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