Sharon Brown, Businesswoman, Managing Director, Editor in Chief & Bestselling Author
Founder of Revival Sanctuary (Women in Business), Editor in Chief at MO2VATE Magazine, Founder of The Speakers Index, Managing Director at Lydian Events Ltd, Best Selling Author and Member of BSME
Sharon Brown left Glasgow 18 years ago and set up home in the West Midlands in 2003. After starting her own events agency in 2015 called Lydian Events Ltd whilst still holding down a full-time job, Sharon realised fairly quickly that business was heading in the direction of digital platforms.
After struggling to find a network or community she felt could support her, Sharon launched Revival Sanctuary for Women in Business in 2018 to do just that!
Sharon developed a model that allowed women to work together to achieve success by embracing the mindset of 'Collaboration over Competition.'
Sharon has created projects and tasks to allow community members to run projects on a profit-sharing basis, giving autonomy, a sense of camaraderie and a fully supportive environment where women empower and uplift each other.
“Freedom and flexibility are my key drivers. The freedom to work when and where and at what I want and, of course, with who I want. Determination, tenacity, resilience, thick-skinned, bloody-mindedness, grit, common sense… They are important to make it through.”
Sharon Brown
Sharon Brown, LinkedIn, MO2VATE Magazine & Revival Sanctuary
One of these projects is MO2VATE Magazine, an online global publication written, produced and published by SMEs (both men and women), covering six topic areas of business and life. This magazine was born within 6 weeks from idea to implementation during the lockdown and has been a massive success after launching in June 2020.
The team comprises Sharon, the Editor in Chief and other Revival members whose specialities match those needed to run a successful magazine.
The second lockdown project to launch in 2020 was The Speakers Index, which allows business owners and public speakers to amplify their voice through a live global directory, matching speakers with organisers. This project is also led and run by Revival Sanctuary members.
All of Sharon's projects have one aim in mind: to support small business owners to build their brand, raise their profile, amplify their voice, and ultimately see growth in their business through writing, speaking, and gaining credibility.
She encourages collaboration across all of her projects and expects to have five online businesses by 2022. Sharon also enjoys playing guitar, camping and walking in her spare time. She is married and still lives in the West Midlands.
Tell us about your current role and what you like about your career/role or areas of focus?
I have many roles, as my bio states, but the one I enjoy the most is working on the magazine.
I'm naturally creative, and this project gives me a great opportunity to use my vision and, most of all, build people up.
Once that 'winning' email goes out each edition, it's super rewarding to see those replies of happiness and pride come back.
What inspires you, motivates you, helps you make each day count?
Enthusiasm and gratitude are qualities that inspire me. I love seeing people jumping on opportunities with the excitement of a child at a fairground.
I also think it's important to have gratitude in every area of our lives. Gratitude brings contentment and abundance. These are things that help me get out of bed every day as I see these qualities, and I feel them.
Outside of your professional work area, what hobbies or interests do you have or what other areas of your life are of real importance to you?
My family will always come first before everything else in life. I love my business, but I know the importance of family, so I'd drop everything for them regardless.
That aside, I love learning to play the guitar, which I also took up during lockdown. It's amazing to see that progress week on week, and it has tangible results.
I also love being out in nature, whether that's camping, walking or hiking. It's food for the soul.
When it comes to your life chosen career, is there a phrase, quote or saying you really like?
There are many quotes that I can't totally resonate with, and one of these is, "I'd rather be someone's shot of whiskey than everyone's cup of tea."
It's simplistic but so true and quite apt as I'm Scottish, although I hate whiskey.
What are you most proud of in your life?
I feel extremely proud that I created something from nothing that helps people find a sense of belonging and who they are.
There are no airs and graces in revival. We're all REAL women who feel comfortable in our own skins, and that's not easy to find anywhere else, so I'm very proud of creating that kind of authenticity within a community.
I'm also proud of everything we've achieved within that too, like our published books and teamwork through group working.
What do you wish you had known when you started out?
I wish I'd known that it was going to take longer than I thought, and it would be harder than I thought. It would not have changed my mind as I was ready to take that leap, but I didn't realise just how hard it would be to get to this point.
I also wish I'd known that competitive mindsets were just as rife in the business world as in the corporate one. That would have prepared me better as I thought I was leaving all that behind.
Who do you most admire in business, academic or creative circles?
There is no one person for me. It's more about attitude and people who've come from very little and worked their way up by using integrity and fair play rather than cutthroat or devious tactics.
I respect people immensely, who will do the right thing even when they don't need to.
What companies, brands, or institutions do you like or do you think are getting it right?
I'm not sure of brands in particular, but companies putting diversity and equal pay at the forefront as well as their employee mental health!
What is the best advice you've ever received?
I have had some fantastic advice from some super successful people over the years, so here are just a few snippets.
One business owner told me just when I had started, "persistence will be your friend. Focus on what you want, and don't deviate off that course. The road doesn't get easier, but if you love what you do, you'll be successful at it."
That has stuck with me!
What drives or motivates you each day in a work environment?
Good energy motivates me. I work at a high-frequency level, so I'm always juggling a hundred balls at once.
I love the feeling that vibe gives me, and I feed off others who also have this. It's what makes me go faster and harder towards my goals.
What are your thoughts on the future of social media?
I think more platforms will open up. There will be more noise. I think certain platforms may start charging or make it really difficult to stay on a basic level.
Facebook seems to be doing that at the moment! However, I do think if you're not a business that relies on recommendations, then you need to be on it in some capacity, making sure you're getting yourself out there.
What is your favourite social media platform, and why?
Without a doubt, LinkedIn.
I think the content on there is great, and it's a place to build connections and business. Most of my business has come from LinkedIn, and it doesn't have the same noise or rules (at the moment) as Facebook seems to have.
Do you have a mentor, or have you ever been a mentor to anyone?
I haven't had an official mentor or been one officially, but I ask for advice from my peers, and I also advise those who ask.
I think it's important to share our experiences and hopefully learn from others.
How do you network? What is your preferred way to network?
I like online networking. I prefer it, to be honest. I am a face to face person, but unless it's our events, I tend not to go to other networking meetings now as I'm fully satisfied with Revival Sanctuary and the informal way we connect.
I honestly don't think I'd find that anywhere else.
What advice would you give to someone looking to get into the same area of work?
I'd say try and do it as automated as possible. I made the decision to be more personally involved as I felt that would build trust and a better community, and it has to some extent.
However, I feel I'm always on call, and I get messages all the time asking questions. People will come to me rather than just going to the website for the answer, which can be frustrating. Set boundaries and automate!
What do you feel is the most common reason for people failing or giving up?
Without a doubt for me, its work ethic and attitude!
Many business owners talk a good game but don't have the goods to back it up. They are unreliable and generally just can't be bothered. That attitude won't go far in business.
It's a dog eat dog world with lots of competition just waiting to swoop in. Having a casual attitude is not going to get you to the next level. If someone lets me down without an explanation or apology, I wouldn't give them another opportunity.
How do you define success, and what lessons have you learned so far that you could share with your audience?
Many look at bank accounts to define success, but that's not what I feel or think. I've never actually been money-driven, which I guess is why I've always had it.
Freedom and flexibility are my key drivers. The freedom to work when and where and at what I want and, of course, with who I want.
My advice is don't chase the money. Once you stop thinking about it, it will naturally flow towards you. It's like that saying you hear older people chuntering… Why do all the buses come when you don't want one! Same idea.
What skills do you feel have helped you become successful?
Determination, tenacity, resilience, thick-skinned, bloody-mindedness, grit, common sense… These aren't so much skills and more necessities, but they are important to make it through.
Skills that have helped me are being really organised as I have so much to juggle, I wouldn't be able to do it if I didn't have a detailed way of working. I also have a great gift of vision and big picture thinking. I seem to know if something is going to work or not quite early on.
Is there anything new you're working on that you'd like to share?
Project wise it's all under wraps at the moment. Still, we are looking for new participants for our new book, Revival Women Embracing Their Superpowers (Volume 3), and we're always looking for new Contributing Article writers; for MO2VATE Magazine!