
(1) What is your career background?
I have worked at Bupa for over 20 years, and during this time I’ve covered a variety of roles throughout the business. I started working within the member services team, which could be described as the real heart of Bupa, listening to and helping people who need to see a consultant or receive treatment and supporting them through that process and to get the help they need. I then moved into our provider services team, working closely with the hospitals and consultants who deliver care for our customers. My passion has always been to find the best solution for the customer. This led to me move into our sales team, working firstly with large corporate groups to support each in meeting the health and wellbeing needs of employees, before moving into my current role as head of direct sales for small and mid-sized corporates. (2) What does your current role involve? I head up the sales team for small and mid-sized companies. We are dedicated to creating healthcare solutions for these firms to help support employees to keep healthy and well. We are all really passionate about the businesses we speak to and work with as each play such a vital part in supporting the UK economy. It is our role to really understand the needs of our customers and their people, and to ensure we have the products and services to meet those needs and help them keep their people healthy and well. Research is key and I work closely with my team to contact and meet with customers and potential customers to gain their feedback and insights to ensure we really understand what it is they want and need. I thoroughly enjoy speaking to customers to get their honest and insightful feedback and I believe it’s vital to what we do. It means we understand their needs and as a result, can create products, services and solutions that are really tailored to them and SMEs more generally.- The young female achiever changing the face of transport and engineering
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- Network: The power of getting out there and meeting people shouldn’t be underestimated. There are some great opportunities, such as the First Women Awards, to meet with other female entrepreneurs who have successfully set up their own businesses and to learn from them. And, as they often say it’s not what you know, it’s who you know
- Have confidence: Believe in yourself and your abilities. Look at the role models around you and they will inspire you that it’s possible. This is your dream and your idea, so believe in yourself and go for it
- Don’t be afraid to ask: Don’t be afraid to seek advice and investment from others. There may be so many people out there that would love to back or support you if they believe in you and your idea
- Attracting good talent: One of the major factors of a small businesses survival and success is to have the best people doing the right jobs. To do this you may need to convince them to potentially take a risk to join a small business. They may be used to the benefits of a larger established company so speak to them and consider what career opportunities and benefits they would really value. The health and wellbeing of your people shouldn’t be underestimated – it’s vital in helping keep your workforce happy, motivated and working productively
- Promote yourself: Marketing yourself and your business is key. Don’t be afraid or shy to promote yourself and your idea – whether it’s through PR, marketing, at events or on social media. Make use of the channels available to you and those that will put you in front of your target audience
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