Logging on with…Deborah Leary

Organisation
British Association of Women Entrepreneurs (BAWE)

Employees
A board of six and a membership of 200 nationally – affiliated to the World Association of Women Entrepreneurs, which is represented in 60 countries.

Describe yourself in a Tweet
Like a box of chocolates, sometimes soft, sometimes hard and very occasionally ‘nutty’.

Career Highlights
Seeing my company Forensic Pathways win the Orange National Business Awards 2009 – what a team! 0n an extremely personal level, receiving the OBE was a really wonderful honour of which I’m very proud.

I continue to have the most amazing, blessed and extremely eclectic time.  I still feel amazed when I find myself sitting in UN Headquarters in New York in my role as Deputy Director of the United Nations UK Global Compact, or speaking at the World Islamic Economic Forum on behalf of the Association and indeed representing the Midlands World Trade Forum as its Chair.   

Wonderful, surreal, challenging and totally unmissable. A lot of working hard, playing hard and keeping one eye on an opportunity.

What’s on your iPod?
Damian Marley, Macy Gray, Paolo Nutini, Black Eyed Peas, Kanye West and a touch of Sam Cooke and Nat King Cole.

Favourite/Worst Job
Everything that I do now. Being President of the Association is a fantastic opportunity to help find and shape the women business and thought leaders of tomorrow.  

Worst job? Working nights as a cashier in a mouse infested petrol station when I was a student and being left with no float in order to give change. Maybe not the worst and it was certainly character building!

Ideal Dinner Guests
Boris Johnson, Stephen Fry and Eve Arnold. The latter was born in 1912, a favourite of Marilyn Monroe and an extensive global photographer, going to some of the toughest assignments around the world.

Are you worth what you’re paid?
And more! Unfortunately I’m priceless – totally vintage darling!

Biggest Business Mistake/Achievement?
Biggest mistake is probably not being in business sooner. Biggest business achievement is hopefully still to come with a bit of luck.

Pet peeve?
Excuses for inaction – ‘poor me’ and ‘it’s everyone else’s fault’ mentality

Who has had the biggest influence on your career?
My parents. They gave me responsibility at an early age, were creative and certainly in my mother’s case always looking for the next great thing. A combination of consistency, creativity and fun. And remember ‘ordinary things done consistently bring extraordinary results!’

What do you enjoy most and least about your role?
Working alongside some of the most globally talented, connected, ambitious, generous business women on the planet.

Least is probably still hearing some women using the language of ‘disadvantage’ – I propose the banning of the word ‘barrier’! STOP IT – NO BARRIERS JUST CHALLENGES

Key to managing people?
Say what you mean, mean what you say and always give people space to breathe.

Biggest barriers to your organisation’s success?
Bearing in mind my answer above, that question does not compute.
 
What would make the West Midlands an even better place to live and work?
More passion, more belief, more confidence – anyone can be great, but it takes that bit extra to be exceptional. We’ve got it, but individually we need to believe it.
 
If you weren’t doing what you do now, what would be your alternative career?
Definitely a photographic journalist, going to the toughest assignments like Eve Arnold.

It’s what I told my Careers teacher I wanted to be back in 1977 and he suggested being a nurse or a civil servant. I did neither. What 15 year old knows what a Civil Servant is – at 48 I’m still struggling to understand what it means!