Career Spotlight - Jacqueline Gold

For many years women were deemed to be second standard when it came to business as well as many other things, but over the last 50 years and even more so over the last 20, the tables have turned! Women are setting up businesses and working in more powerful positions. So being a female and an entrepreneur myself, I find this a massive inspiration. This is the first in a 5 part serious I’m going to be writing about female entrepreneurs and I think you will find the subjects of these posts interesting as well as inspiring. There is nothing we can’t endeavour to achieve if you put your heart and soul in to it, whether you are male or female. If you have passion and commitment you will succeed, even if the end goal might not be where you set out to end up.

I don’t think there will be many of you reading this who haven't heard of Ann Summers, the first shop of its kind to offer the type of products it does and on the high street. Founder Jacqueline Gold, also the founder of Knickerbox, is one of the most wealthy business women in England. With an annual gross turnover of £150 million she clearly knows a thing or two about business, and even more inspiringly she has had no formal business qualifications and had no training.

 “It forced me to rely on feedback from my staff and customers.”

It’s this success that’s made Jacqueline an inspiration to thousands of women determined to emulate her business achievements.  

“The best piece of advice I could ever give is be true to yourself. As a woman you should never compromise your femininity or create an aggressive stereotype in order to emulate your male counterparts – it’s not necessary.”  

“I’m an opportunist – I do not let myself become too bogged down in business plans which can restrict you being entrepreneurial.”

Jacqueline’s father was the man who brought porn to the high street with his publishing firm, so it’s from him she went down the avenue in which she did. She decided to work for Royal Doulton chinaware company when she left school but chose not to go into management and instead leave and work for her father. She was not given the preferential treatment as you might think, she was paid £45 a week, less than the tea lady and was given a lot of responsibility. When Jacqueline was 21 she began to become aware of a niche in the market for sex toys and lingerie to be brought in to peoples homes and sold in a girls night-in party environment. She took her idea and developed this over time with inside knowledge of the industry from her father, but with her self taught business knowledge. Today, over 7,500 people host Ann Summers parties, she has hired hundreds of other members of staff and she also has a Youtube set of videos on good on interview techniques and tips, have a look here.

Rather than get formal qualifications she to decided to learn the craft of business by working her way up and involving herself in each part of the business structure. In the Late 80’s she was a CE and had created a empire run by women for women that was turning over millions. She was so successful that she then went on to buy Knickerbox and has transformed the brand in to one of the high streets most respected brands.  

Jacqueline has received countless awards and uses her business profile to raise money for women’s charities, she has written a book and had books written about her. From the research I have done about her she seems like a down to earth woman that has made a massive mark in business and is an aspirational role model.  

With her choice of product and methods of sales she made sex less taboo on the high street and was instrumental in taking sex toys and games out of the back road seedy shops. She may have also played a big part in the cheesy hen parties trend - engaged women all over the country are eating chocolate willies and blowing cock whistles in celebration for brides-to-be, but despite that she is a fascinating women and definitely one to research if you too are a budding entrepreneur  :)

S x

Comments

[Dewbien]

Good post, I actually didn't know that this was formed by a woman so that's really interesting.
:)