business woman


What goals do you still have to achieve? I often act on impulse and gut-feeling – that’s how Gocompare.com started in the first place – but I constantly evaluate where I want the business, and myself, to be in one, two, three years’ time and beyond. This hasn’t been easy at Gocompare.com


due to the fact that the business has grown so quickly, but I admit that it’s a good problem to manage. You have to have a goal or else you don’t


know what to aim for, but you have to adapt constantly and not be blinkered by your goals – and this is something that I think I learnt to appreciate very early on in my career. On a personal note, I’d love to own a bright


red Ferrari one day. I think that would go nicely with my red shoes and handbags.


where I did in that company based on merit. I’ve always been noisy and nosey in business, talking to the right people and asking the right questions, and it’s got me to where I am today.


What do your family think of your business? Well, my dad wanted me to master a skill and become a hairdresser. Needless to say, I ignored him and I’m glad I did! My family have been really supportive throughout my life, and this was particularly important when I decided to leave a secure job at Admiral and go it alone. I live near to my family and we are all very close. This is so important to me and it’s great that we can socialise together, go to football matches and my kids can play with their cousins.


Most difficult bit of running a business like Gocompare? In the beginning, launching Gocompare.com was quite scary as each member of the then small team was really taking a gamble, leaving their existing jobs to come and work for a new venture. I recognise that people took a risk joining the team initially and because of this, we have maintained an open and honest culture in the company about where we’re going and how the financial side of the business is performing. We all put in the extra effort to make the company a success and because of that it’s a really enjoyable place to work. Building a highly-recognisable consumer


brand from scratch was also a daunting challenge. Gocompare.com launched in November 2006 with no history and a relatively


18 THEbusiness QUARTER


modest business plan. Initial funding allowed us to enter the market with a soft launch. As confidence grew in the Gocompare.


com proposition and the technology being used to deliver this service, we re-visited our initial business plan and the level of investment being used to build the brand. We secured additional funding in early


2007, which enabled Gocompare.com to build a brand that would compete with the previous market-leaders and really challenge the market by switching the focus onto product quality as well as price competitiveness. This strategy paid off – we’ve utilised


proven marketing channels and brand building strategies to establish Gocompare.com as one of the leading insurance comparison services in the UK.


Who is your business hero? I’m lucky enough to have a few and they have all influenced me in different ways, but they are all mentors to whom I owe a great debt of gratitude. David Stevens and Kate Armstrong had a huge impact on my career and development at Admiral. Of course there’s also Peter Wood, founder


and CEO of esure, who has been a constant inspiration and provided the financial backing Gocompare.com needed when we decided to really build our brand. That loan was paid back last year, but Peter remains an invaluable mentor and friend.


What are the main challenges in your line of business? Competition is a big challenge. The big four comparison sites all have to work hard to develop their brands and stand out from the crowd. This is easier said than done, but I think it’s something we’ve achieved through our technology, the usability of our website and our marketing campaigns. Getting people to realise that loyalty doesn’t pay when it comes to things like insurance and energy is another challenge. In fact, our own research shows that nearly a quarter of Brits have never switched any of the 20 most common financial products. And when you consider that the average saving on car insurance using Gocompare.com is more than £340, not shopping around at renewal can be an expensive mistake.


Will you continue to be based in Newport? I live a five minute drive from the office, which lets me get to work at the drop of a hat, drop my son off to school on the way and get home to my partner and children so I can spend more time with them. I love living and working in Wales, have done so my whole life, and intend to do so for the foreseeable future. As Gocompare.com has grown we’ve had to move offices, but we’re still on the same business park that we’ve always been in.


How important is it for you to be a South Wales-based company? Our location is perfect. Everything we need as a business – the expertise and quality of staff – is right here, on our doorstep. And as we have many employees who live throughout South Wales and in Bristol, being located where we are lets everyone get to work and back home quickly.


The country as a whole has been having a tough time of it lately – how has business been for you? Our business doesn’t suffer from the same pressures as many others. You could argue that when times are tough, people’s appetites for saving money on outgoings is stronger than ever, and price comparison sites like Gocompare.com become even more relevant.


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