International Women's Day - Meet Vashti Bedwell

Let’s start with the elephant in the room – Imposter Syndrome!

Our business journey has always been led by Andy’s drive to be his own boss, his energy and his entrepreneurism so I think of myself as the one following his pathway not as being a “Woman In Business”.

I was very lucky to be able to take a career break in my 30’s to be a stay -at- home Mum.  When the youngest went to Junior School, Andy started to look at ways in which we could run a business together.  He looked at a variety of franchise options and we decided to join Platinum Property Partners and build an HMO business (Shared housing for young professionals).  Eight years later the business was well established, Andy had been able to step away from his Consulting business and he was looking for a new opportunity.  Workspaces seemed the obvious pathway as it built on our residential experience to take a building, renovate it and divide it into smaller rentable spaces.

So, let’s break things down a bit:

I wasn’t just a stay- at -home Mum – I was chair of the PTA, I became a Governor, I was actively involved in several local charities and I was bookkeeping for Andy’s Consulting business. Although I didn’t consider myself to be a business woman I always wanted to keep myself busy both mentally and physically – and getting a Collie pup certainly helped with that!

When we started the HMO business in 2011, I spent a year learning how to purchase property, design interiors, work with builders, run a rental business.  By the end of our first year, I was running all aspects of the business as well as working with the Franchise to help recruit and support new franchise partners.

My biggest achievement was to win Franchise Partner of the Year in 2013 as voted for by the FP community. It was a personal endorsement of my professional journey, my confidence at becoming an expert in my field and recognition of the help and support I had offered my fellow FP’s.

As we grew Point of Difference Workspace our roles changed.  Andy is very much the leader of this business, has built and developed the team and has a strong direction for the growth of the business. My role now is to keep the financials going in the right direction and to act as a sounding board for Andy’s ideas.  You may not see much of me but I’m definitely there in the background.

What have I learnt along the way:

– Learn from the experts in your field– you don’t know what you don’t know.

– Find a mentor – We have used several different people on our journey, it always helps to have a voice outside of your business to have another perspective. It might be your husband, just don’t tell him!

– Know your own strengths and limitations and find other people who can fill the gaps in your knowledge/abilities.

– Surround yourself with motivated people both in business and in your personal life, it helps to maintain your energy levels.

– Learn to let go – by far the hardest thing to do in your own business but you’ll discover that others can do a much better job than you can if they are motivated, interested and supported.

–  Don’t let go of the financials. Even if your accounts are completely outsourced regularly review them to know if invoices are being paid.

Revenue is vanity, Profit is Sanity, Cash is Reality

-Give yourself permission to take time for yourself -don’t feel guilty for prioritising “me” time, you give enough of yourself to your family and your business.

-Have confidence – You know more than you think!

So, who am I now:

Workout warrior, Traveller, A Woman in Business!