The Generation Game
last year was Dad’s book – and not only because it was within easy reach on the coffee table! I found it invaluable to organise my early ideas for the business that became Paint me a Present (
www.paintmeapresent.com), assessing whether it could work and what I should do to get started.
The fact that I was looking for a business idea at all can mainly be attributed to Dad. His enthusiasm is infectious and hearing about the people he meets who start something of their own is a permanent source of inspiration.
Up until now, I have followed a fairly unconventional path. Having completed a language degree at Bristol University, I went to the City as a derivatives broker, which meant talking numbers down a phone all day, putting aside all my artistic skills in the pursuit of monetary reward. However, the five years spent on a trading floor made me realise that happiness and personal success is not related to the wage that lands in your bank account. This led to a period of soul searching, with the aim of re-establishing myself in a more interesting and independent way.
Dad was always interested in my plans and suggested many avenues that I should try – he is always recommending this website or that one. I often think we are the wrong way round in terms of technology - surely I should be telling him about new advances on the Internet and social media - not listening to him discuss exciting forums and new online businesses!
He helped to make introductions to a section of the entrepreneurial community who reminded me that everything is possible with a can-do attitude. The activity I witnessed showed me that there would probably never be a better time to start a business of my own.
So after a brief but brilliant stint working with some entrepreneurs, I realised that the time had come to take the plunge and work on my own project full time. I don’t think you can do justice to an idea unless you give it 100%. Dad’s support at this point was important - the fact that he (who sees so many businesses succeed and fail) thought it was a good idea was the boost I needed to put the money down and build the site.
I haven’t looked back. Paint me a Present has had a wonderful response from customers and artists alike. Until now there hasn’t been a platform to commission affordable paintings from photographs and I am thrilled to be involved in something that gives people so much joy.
Providing a
much-needed distribution channel for talented artists is an additional and important bonus.
One of the first things Dad taught me was that you need to have pride in your work and be able to be passionate about it. I’m so pleased to have found my niche after losing some of that focus after university. Building something of my own is one of the most fulfilling things I have ever done and, as a new mum, I hope to instil that sense of pride and ambition in my own daughter.”
27 entrepreneurcountry
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