Inspirational Woman: Lisa Carter | CEO & Founder, Discussion Box

In this piece, we talk to Lisa Carter, Founder of Discussion Box.

She talks to us about building her business, the challenges she has faced and shares her views on mentoring.

Tell us a bit about yourself, background and your current role

I am a mother of 3 from Bristol in the UK, the CEO & Founder of Discussion Box which is a virtual events platform leading the way in allowing brands and communities to speak up online. I am super passionate about creating beautiful and well-designed products, and as a self-taught jewellery designer, I also run my fashion jewellery brand Nikao which was launched at London Fashion Week in 2016.

Did you ever sit down and plan your career?

I never really had a strategy or plan, but always knew from young that I wanted to be a business woman and call my own shots while dictating how I create and build my wealth. I’ve been really open about the experiences I’ve had in my career to allow me to find the areas that I am good at and passionate about to then monetize them by turning them into businesses.

Have you faced any challenges along the way?

There’s been many challenges, most of which have come from having to learn the ropes and intricacies of running a business as I go, because I’ve not had someone to teach me. Fortunately, those mistakes have been some of my biggest lessons that have then aided me later in my career. As an entrepreneur I have learnt that there will always be challenges, it’s all about how you navigate them.

What has been your biggest achievement to date?

Building Discussion Box without investment whilst working from home with young children, yet turning over £1.2 million in its first year of trading.

What one thing do you believe has been a major factor in you achieving success?

Being willing to take risks and not giving up regardless of the outcome of those risks taken.

How do you feel about mentoring? Have you mentored anyone or are you someone’s mentee?

I think mentoring is really important, there’s nothing like learning and receiving support from someone who has the experience and know-how in your chosen industry or filed. I unfortunately never had a mentor but believe that had I of had one their support could have helped me to further advance my career. I have been a mentor on many occasions and it feels really rewarding to now see the impact of my support and shared knowledge in the lives of those individuals.

If you could change one thing to accelerate the pace of change for Gender Equality, what would it be?

Take down the patriarchy by building women’s generational wealth which allows mothers to build businesses to pass down to their daughters opposed to marrying into money or accessing “daddy’s estate”.

If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self what would it be?

Stop trying to fit in, it’s ok to be you. Your uniqueness and authenticity are your super powers!

What is your next challenge and what are you hoping to achieve in the future?

Scaling and expanding Discussion Box internationally to be a household name known as the one-stop platform for virtual events.