Lucy Griffiths is on a mission to ensure entrepreneurs make an impact on the world!
Having spent most of her career as a TV correspondent Lucy has helped many journalists and TV anchors to become more confident in front of the camera. She is now using her knowledge and experience to assist business owners. As a qualified video strategist and coach, Lucy teaches her clients how to get visible by harnessing the power of video storytelling and maximising their message through live streaming.
You can find out more about Lucy’s coaching and courses via www.lucygriffiths.com
Tell us a bit about yourself, background and your current role
I’ve always been the shy one who hid on the side lines, and now I’m on a mission to help people find their voice and speak up. I worked as a journalist for 20 years, and was on a mission to share stories for the voiceless. I worked in challenging environments including Afghanistan, China and was part of the team setting up the first Western news agency in North Korea. Journalism was great fun, and it wasn’t all about the serious stuff, and I would routinely interview major A-listers on red carpets around the world including Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman. In 2012, I was offered an opportunity to set up a TV station in Iraq and work with Iraqi and Syrian refugees in creating the TV station. While working on this project, I learned more about the coaching world, and completed a Master’s Degree in Coaching.
After the birth of my son, I had a really traumatic birth, and wasn’t able to return to frontline journalism. This was my opportunity to set up my coaching business. I now help people to get confident on camera, and share their message with the world.
Did you ever sit down and plan your career?
I’ve always been a planner. I knew I wanted to be a journalist when I was very little, and I was forever creating TV programs for my teddies! I write down my focus and goals every quarter and firmly believe in writing down what you want, and planning how to get there.
Have you faced any challenges along the way?
My post-birth issues with incontinence were very challenging. I couldn’t walk down a hill without wetting my pants, and in the winter, I get a really bad asthmatic cough and combined with incontinence can mean that I’m coughing so badly that I struggle to leave the house without peeing myself in the street. As you can imagine, this was the major factor in not returning to work after my son was born. It can also play havoc with my mental health and wellbeing, so I’m really careful to eat properly, and do yoga and meditation most days.
What has been your biggest achievement to date?
There’s still so much that I want to achieve, but I am proud that I’ve built two successful businesses all from my kitchen table, and been a very hands-on parent. I also run a six-figure Airbnb and property business.
What one thing do you believe has been a major factor in you achieving success?
Having a steely sense of grit can carry you through the hardest of times. I’m not the smartest person, the cleverest person or the most accomplished, but I’m a grafter. Passion for what I do really matters, but being willing to do the work and put in the hours – even when it’s bloody hard – is what can set you apart from all the businesses that fail.
How do you feel about mentoring? Have you mentored anyone or are you someone’s mentee?
I am a firm believer in coaching and mentoring. When I was younger, I had strong female role models that supported my career development, and I always try to play it forward. While being a news editor in China, I mentored and trained many young female journalists who are now reading the news on major TV stations around the world such as CNN and Bloomberg, and I love cheering on their successes.
About 15 years ago, I mentored an Iraqi refugee who had fled Saddam Hussein’s regime. It was so wonderful to see the world through his eyes, and I really loved being able to help someone navigate life in the UK. Some years later, it was this relationship that led to me being offered the job in Iraq setting up a TV station, which was one of the most challenging and also rewarding things I’ve ever done. So, it just goes to show that spending time mentoring someone can be as rewarding for the mentee as for the mentor.
If you could change one thing to accelerate the pace of change for Gender Parity, what would it be?
Change the way we do homework and exams in the UK. Schools reward you for being the good girl who stays quiet and works hard, but actually the workplace encourages you to speak up, and offer ideas and debate in meetings. We need to learn how to confidently speak up in meetings, and not be afraid to get an idea dismissed or rejected. Failure is all part of the process.
If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self what would it be?
Being shy is okay, you will find your way in the world. Just because you’re not the shoutiest, braggiest person in the room doesn’t mean that you can’t be successful. You just have to pluck up the courage to seek out mentors and find people who will help you to navigate your way in the world.
What is your next challenge and what are you hoping to achieve in the future?
In the past six months, I’ve transformed the way that my business operates, and I’m on track to generate $1.5 million in revenue in the next year. The focus is now selling courses, I sell about 2000+ courses a month, and so I want to build and develop this through creating more courses.
