1. WHAT IS YOUR TITLE, AND WHAT DO YOU DO?
I AM THE CREATIVE MEDIA CHAMPION FOR THE CITY OF MANCHESTER; THE CEO OF THE SHARP PROJECT (A 200,000 SQUARE FOOT PRODUCTION HUB FOR DIGITAL START UPS AND BROADCAST DRAMA PRODUCTION) AND A BOARD DIRECTOR OF A SOCIAL ENTERPRISE THAT HELPS YOUNG PEOPLE FROM DISADVANTAGED BACKGROUND BREAK INTO DIGITAL PRODUCTION AND AM CHAIR OF A NEW DIGITAL START UP THE IDEAS COMPANY INC. LTD. WHICH I GUESS TOTALS UP TO BEING A CREATIVE SORT OF NON CORPORATE "SUIT" IN THE DIGITAL SECTOR!


2. PLEASE DESCRIBE YOUR ROLE IN THE FAMILY, WIFE MOTHER CARETAKER?
I 'VE BEEN MARRIED TO BRIAN FOR 29 YEARS; WE HAVE A WONDERFUL SON WHO HAS JUST BEEN OFFERED A PLACE AT OXFORD AND CAMBRIDGE TO DO HIS MASTERS IN PHILOSOPHY; I NURSED MY LOVELY, LOVELY MUM FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS OF HER LIFE AND I MISS HER EVERY SINGLE DAY AS SHE WAS A TOTAL INSPIRATION TO ME. SHE LEFT SCHOOL AT 14 TO LOOK AFTER HER 9 SIBLINGS AS MY GRANNY COULD EARN MORE THAN SHE COULD. SHE SACRIFICED HER POTENTIAL TO CARE FOR MY AUNTS AND UNCLES. SHE NEVER KNEW THAT SHE ACHIEVED MORE THAN I HAVE IN MUCH MORE DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES.


3. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE A TYPICAL DAY?
NO SUCH THING! BUT THEY ARE ALL LONG DAYS SO I AM WRITING THIS @ 2140 AS STILL TRYING TO CLEAR E MAILS. HAD VERY BUSY DAY WITH MEETINGS, HAD A BRILLIANT FIRST MEETING WITH THE ARCHITECT AND CONTRACTORS TODAY FOR A NEW $15M DRAMA PRODUCTION HUB, BUT MANAGED TO COOK GREEN THAI CURRY FOR MY SON, STUFF SOME WASHING INTO THE MACHINE AND ALSO MANAGED TO GET TO HAIRDRESSERS TO GET MY ROOTS DONE! (ESSENTIAL GROOMING!) A GOVERNMENT MINSTER WOMAN ONCE TOLD ME ALWAYS SCHEDULE YOUR HAIR APPOINTMENTS EVERY 6 WEEKS AND DON'T MOVE THEM, THEY ARE AS IMPORTANT AS CABINET MEETINGS. SHE HAD GREAT HAIR.

NOT ALL DAYS WORK OUT SO WELL BUT YOU LEARN WITH AGE THAT SEEKING PERFECTION ISN'T THE GOAL.


4. IN YOUR CAREER, WHAT GOALS DO YOU HAVE, AND WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO TAKE THIS PATH?
I WANTED TO CHANGE THE WORLD; TO MAKE IT A FAIRER PLACE. IT WAS EITHER POLITICS OR JOURNALISM, AND I CHOSE TO WRITE THEN MAKE TV TO MAKE THAT CHANGE HAPPEN. DID THAT FOR 25 YEARS BUT DECIDED TO GIVE THAT UP AS THE PACE OF CHANGE WAS TOO SLOW. THAT MEANT COMBINING BOTH THE POLITICS OF CHANGE AND THE PERSUASION OF JOURNALISM TO PHYSICALLY CHANGE THE FACE AND SENSE OF PLACE OF A CITY. THAT CHANGES ASPIRATION AND AMBITION AND THEN, PEOPLE.


5. IF YOU COULD CHANGE THE WORLD IS WHERE I STARTED WITH THIS QUESTION BUT I PREFER TO SAY … WE CAN CHANGE THE WORLD AND KNOWING THAT WHAT DO YOU INTEND TO DO TO BE A PART OF THE CHANGE?
I AM CHANGING A PHYSICAL PART OF THE PLANET BY CREATING HUBS WHERE DIGITAL CONTENT IS MADE; THAT CHANGES WHAT SKILLS ARE NEEDED; THAT CHANGES ASPIRATION. THAT FUELS AMBITION. THEN I TAKE THAT WHICH HAS BEEN CREATED AND SHARE IT WITH OTHER CITIES IN OTHER COUNTRIES. AND SO IT IS REPLICATED AND TOGETHER WE CAN RECLAIM ACRE BY ACRE THE PHYSICAL SPACE. THEN THE JOBS, THEN THE PEOPLE AND INSPIRE FUTURE GENERATIONS WITH HOPE AND PASSION. THE THREAD THAT JOINS ALL THIS IS TECHNOLOGY- I USE THAT AS THE TOOL TO HARNESS THE POWER AND POTENTIAL OF PEOPLE TO CHANGE THIS OWN LIVES AND CREATE A NEW WAY OF WORKING LOCALLY AND IN COLLABORATION , GLOBALLY.


6. WHAT TYPE OF STYLE IS MOST COMFORTABLE FOR YOU, AND WORKS BEST FOR YOUR TYPE OF WORK?
THE SOFTER SIDE OF ME SAYS COLLABORATION, STRONG LEADERSHIP WITH GREAT TEAM WORK AND LESS PROCESS AND RULES WITH MORE ACTION. MY FRIEND WOULD SAY I INSPIRE THEM TO WORK HARDER, SEEK OUT A BIGGER VISION AND TO NEVER FEAR FAILURE- IT CAN MAKE YOU STRONGER.

OTHER SAY: SHE SAYS RUN WITH ME, OR FOLLOW AND KEEP UP THE PACE BUT IF YOU GET IN THE WAY YOU'LL GET RUN OVER!!!


7. WHAT TYPE OF PARTNER IS NECESSARY FOR A WOMAN WHO BELIEVES SHE CAN DO IT ALL?
SUPPORTIVE,GENEROUS, PATIENT. CONFIDENT IN THEMSELVES. AND NOT TO BE TAKEN FOR GRANTED.T HEY ALSO NEED TO HAVE THEIR OWN STUFF TO DO. BUT EVEN THESE RARE EXAMPLES OF PERFECTION HAVE GRUMPY DAYS SO BOTH SHOULDN'T GET SO HUNG UP ON SLAMMED DOORS AND PICKING UP LAUNDRY. WE ARE ALL JUST DIFFERENT AND PERFECTION IS AN NON ACHIEVABLE MYTH. ONLY BRAD AND ANGELINA HAVE ACHIEVED NIRVANA. THE REST OF US ARE JUST LIKE SCARLETT AND RHETT.

(I WISH!!)


8. WHO IS YOUR MENTOR?
MY MUM AND MY GRANDMOTHER. ONE WAS FROM A VIRTUALLY ILLITERATE IRISH/ITALIAN FAMILY WHOSE MOTHER WAS A CIGAR ROLLER. HER DAUGHTER,MY MUM TOLD ME I COULD BE ANYTHING I WANTED TO BE AND SHE WOULD ALWAY STAND BY ME. SHE DID. AND SO DID I.


9. HOW DO YOU MANAGE YOUR SELF ESTEEM WHEN IT IS CHALLENGED?
IT'S CHANGED OVER THE YEARS.

AT 11,WHEN I WANT TO HIGH SCHOOL MOST KIDS IN THE CLASS COULD SPEAK FRENCH AND DO HIGHER MATHS. THE SCHOOL I CAME FROM THOUGHT THEY'D DONE A GOOD JOB IF YOU JUST READ ENGLISH OK. I HAD BIG SELF ESTEEM ISSUES. BUT I WAS FUNNY AND GOT VOTED SCHOOL CAPTAIN SO THAT LEVELLED THE PLAYING FIELD. I WORKED OUT HUMOUR WAS A GREAT ASSET. I ALSO GOT INTO FIGHTS! AND DID TERRIBLE THINGS..AT 15 I WORKED HOLIDAYS IN A SPORTS GOODS STORE. THE OBNOXIOUS OWNER USED TO CHASE ME AROUND THE STOCK ROOM TRYING TO FEEL ME UP.TO PUNISH HIM I GAVE AWAY HUNDREDS OF PAIRS OF EXPENSIVE TRAINERS TO EVERY KID IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD. THAT WAS HOW I DEALT WITH THAT CHALLENGE.

I DEALT WITH CHALLENGE'S DIFFERENTLY AT 20 THAN I DID AT 30. BUT ALWAYS IN AN AGGRESSIVE WAY. YEARS WASTED! NOW AT 57 I DON'T GET OFTEN GET ANGRY. I HAVE WORKED OUT THAT MOST PEOPLE TRYING TO UNDERMINE YOURSELF ESTEEM ARE LACKING IN IT THEMSELVES. SO IT'S THEIR PROBLEM, NOT YOURS. UNLESS ITS THE BOSS (CHANGE JOBS) OR A PARTNER (DO SAME). LACK OF SELF ESTEEM IS ABOUT COMPARING YOURSELF TO SOMEONE ELSE'S IDEA OF WHAT YOU SHOULD BE. I LIKE WHO I AM. I STILL MAKE MISTAKES AND SCREW UP BUT IT'S ALWAYS WITH GOOD INTENT. NOW I JUST ADMIT TO IT AND MOVE ON. THAT IN ITSELF BUILDS YOUR SELF ESTEEM. SEE ABOVE, DON'T FEAR FAILURE.


10. BEST ADVISE TO SHARE FROM YOUR OWN EXPERIENCE.
THE FEAR OF FAILURE IS WORSE THAN FAILING SO DON'T THINK YOU CAN'T, GIVE IT A GO. AND BLOCK BOOK HAIR APPOINTMENTS. ALSO I LIVE BY A SIMPLE RULE:

DEAL WITH IT, DELEGATE IT OR DUMP IT. BUT DON'T DO NOTHING!


 

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