I’ve always joked I’m rich in name only, but that’s not entirely true. I’ve also lived a very rich and full life. Originally from the States, I moved to the UK in my twenties, and this is where the big things have happened to me – I started a company, I married and had a family, and I overcame cancer.
The company was Long Tall Sally – long clothes for tall women, like myself. When I came to London I found it virtually impossible to buy trousers that came down past my ankles. I decided this had to change. I opened the first Long Tally Sally outlet in1976. Today the company has over 30 retail outlets and thriving mail-order and web businesses. I’m very proud of its success – not just because it became a flourishing business, but because it was so innovative.
At 42 I was diagnosed with breast cancer. By now I had a young child and it was a shattering experience. I quickly realised that I had to take some responsibility for my treatment and recovery myself. I read everything I could about the disease and explored alternative therapies – homeopathy, relaxation, counselling, nutrition. This opened up invaluable knowledge which I still draw on today. I also helped to launch a new charity – Breakthrough Breast Cancer – which became an important part of my healing process. Today it’s the leading breast cancer charity in the world.
In 2005 I decided it was time for a change. I sold Long Tall Sally and trained as a life coach with The Coaches Training Institute (www.thecoaches.com) – the recognised leaders in the field. Life coaching seemed to me a brilliant way of putting my experience as a businesswoman and entrepreneur to use – as well as the life lessons I’d picked up along the way. It’s thrilling to watch people re-discover their passions and start to make the most of themselves. I love it.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s what my countryman Henry Thoreau said so well. "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined." It’s really important to have dreams – and it’s even more important to make them happen.