Next up for my interview series with inspiring businesswomen is Naomi Rose. Naomi is a coach and mentor and is a “digital GP” helping entrepreneurs create a business that works for them. Read on to find out about her other life, and how she can help you create a sustainable business.

What was your first job? Did you enjoy it?

I was a shop assistant in an independent family-run homeware shop in Totnes (Devon) – I learned a lot about bedding and kitchen equipment there which was very useful when I opened the doors to my café and bar (my first business)! I got paid £2.50 per hour which eventually went up to a whopping £3.40. The pay wasn’t great (even then) but I quite enjoyed working the tills!

What do you do now? Is this what you originally trained to do?

I’m a coach and mentor and specialise in helping entrepreneurs create a business and marketing strategy that works for them so they can have more flexibility and a sustainable business.

My first career, which I also still do in ‘my other life’ as I call it, is in music – I’m a classically trained cellist, and currently playing in three orchestras.

My first proper job was in arts management working in theatres, events and festivals on the business management and marketing side. I got to work behind the scenes in every department, from programming acts at festivals, working backstage for productions, working in PR to arrange media launches and stuffing envelopes with direct mail!

Also, as I knew the most about digital and technology (this was pre-social media), I ended up working primarily in marketing managing all the digital channels including social, email and websites. This is really what led me to what I do now.

You can find out more about how I help entrepreneurs from my website or follow me on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.

How do your services help small business owners?

I help business owners grow their businesses in a sustainable way that works for them. Think of me as a ’digital GP’. Just like a GP looks after your health, I look after the health of your business.

With my API method, I diagnose the issues that are holding your business back and prescribe the perfect remedies.  I work with people 1:1 and offer a variety of strategy days, 3- and 9-month packages. I’m also the founder of the Coffee & Collabs networking group (for people who don’t like networking!) and will be launching my VIP membership and ‘Mini-Mind’ in 2025.

What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve been given? How did it help you?

I’ve been given a lot of advice over the years, but I think the one piece of advice that I’ve always lived by is you get to choose what your career looks like.

I’ve managed a lot of different people over the years, and one of the things I see so often is people moving up the career ladder because ‘they thought they should’ and ‘the pay is better’ rather than it being what they really want to do.

The thing that I’ve always lived by is to do what makes you happy, not what ‘society’ says you should do.

If you could give your 20-year-old self, one piece of career advice, what would it be?

Opinion is the lowest form of knowledge.

Growing up in the competitive world of classical music, I was told so many times ‘I’d need to work 3 times harder’, ‘you’re not good enough to be a professional musician’ or ‘You’ll never be paid enough so you’ll have to teach’.

None of these were true, and I stopped playing for a while because I believed these myths, but I still have to work on my mindset every day because of them.

Which do you prefer, tea or coffee? Beach or pool? Seaside or countryside?

I love Earl Grey tea but being I former coffee shop owner, I also love an oat milk flat white. Sunshine and swimming pool for me – the hotter the temperature, the better!

What’s your dream job or client?

Doing what I do now! I work with some amazing business owners and my success is seeing their businesses grow and flourish!

If you’d like to find out about other inspiring businesswomen, head to the SEO and Copywriting tips section.