Welcome to my new series, “Interviews with inspiring women”. The idea is to highlight peaceful warriors and lady bosses and to learn from our challenges and achievements. This first interview is appropriately with my mum, Jill Goodenough. I personally got a bit emotional reading her answers to my questions. I hope you too will enjoy her nuggets of wisdom!
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Can you please give us a quick intro to who you are and what you do?
I work in the Holiday business – for Siblu, a French company that owns 21 campsites in France. My role is to maximise the holiday sales revenue – so I need to decide prices, opening dates, offers, commission schemes, negotiate contracts with Tour Operators, decide when we need to try and get more capacity by contacting families who have bought mobile homes on our campsites, manage a team of yield analysts and the team that answer the phones in the contact centre. I’ve worked for the same company for over 30 years, and whilst there have been many changes over that time, I have colleagues that feel like family, and there’s a friendly atmosphere at work – most of the time.
At home I’m a wife to Marc (we met at school and will have been married 39 year this summer, he’s my best friend) and mum to three fantastic young adults: Jessica, Lauren & Christian.
In my spare time (?) I keep bees in the garden, I like to read, ride my bike, go on long walks, cook, research our family tree, do the odd bit of sewing, painting & decorating, and have a laugh with family & friends, like most people. I believe life is too short to waste by being unhappy.
Oh – and I’m a vegetarian.
Where are you currently based?
Near Bordeaux in France.
What are you passionate about?
Family, health, equal chances, the environment/reducing waste…
What does a typical day in your life look like?
Up at 6:30, stretch exercises, breakfast, hang out washing, then in work by 8:00. Each day is different, but there will usually be a lot of emails to answer, Excel tables to analyse – which should show me if recent actions have produced the desired results or not, meetings with colleagues, consultants, or Tour Operators… Lunch with Marc, we nip home for a sandwich, back in work by 14:00, more of the same, home about 18:00, coffee and watch Pointless whilst adapting to home me, make dinner which most days we eat together, Marc, Christian and me. Later I’ll watch TV and/or read, then throw some washing in the machine before bedtime. Repeat – unless it’s a day when I travel to a trade show, conference, or to visit partners in their offices – for now that’s likely to be in France, the UK or Holland.
What is your favourite and least favourite thing about what you do?
At work – the autonomy to identify what’s happening, deciding the action required, setting that in place and measuring the results – especially when things go well.
At home – chatting around the table, laughing about anything, extracting honey, curling up on the settee… (sorry – hard to pick only one).
Least favourite – dealing with rude or uncaring people or those who don’t show respect.
What is your definition of success?
Being happy, having family & friends, and being free from financial worries.
What has been your biggest “pinch me” moment in your life so far?
Finding out I was pregnant after four years of fertility treatments and one miscarriage. [That was me!]
What’s the biggest change you have made in your life?
Deciding to live in France.
Which achievement are you most proud of?
Raising three fantastic kids, whilst working full time, and with Marc often away from home whilst they were small – looking back there were some tough years, financially, emotionally & just plain tiring – but also some of the best times ever.
What is your next project?
Home improvements – we are replacing our kitchen.
What is your next big goal?
To end my career at Siblu well in two years’ time when I will be 62. I have recently been promoted (Yay! An older woman being appreciated!), however once I hand the role on to someone else, I’m looking forward to having more time to spend with family, travel, participate in local associations, and hopefully enjoy a long retirement with Marc. Unfortunately, my Dad died at 63, my mum outlived him for a very active 33 years, until she recently died at the age of 96. I’m hoping to take after my mum.
What food or fitness choices help you to be healthy?
I don’t eat meat. I enjoy walking & biking, and on fine days use my bike to get to work.
Which habits or personality traits do you think have helped with your success so far?
I’m confident, not afraid to speak my mind, and a bit stubborn. I believe you should never ask somebody who works for you to do something you are not prepared to do yourself.
How do you stay organised and productive?
Write down a plan, how to get from where you are now to where you want to be in baby steps. Take the first baby step, and you’re off in the right direction.
What is the best advice you have received?
Smile and the world smiles with you – from my mum.
What advice would you give your 20-year-old self?
Don’t sweat the small stuff, have fun & stay true to what you think is important.
Words to live by?
Try not to go to bed unless your soul’s intact: don’t leave things unfinished if you may be ashamed or unhappy about them tomorrow.
What’s the number one book that you would recommend to others?
Too many, and it would depend on the person/context: Harry Potter, The Kite Runner, Lord of the Rings, the Game of Thrones books….
What are you currently reading?
The Deborah Harkness All Souls trilogy [I got the first book for her after reading it myself, it’s a very good/easy read!].
What is your favourite book?
Probably Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel.
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What’s the one change you think would improve the world?
Remove border controls – allow refugees to resettle wherever they choose – take away the lottery of birth determining where you can live, work, study or get health care.
What small steps do you do, that contribute to making the world a better place?
I don’t eat meat (better use of resources), volunteer as an English-speaking hospital visitor, keep bees, make compost from veg waste, recycle, support Médecins Sans Frontières & cancer charities amongst a few others, take part in local associations for beekeepers, ramblers, English speaking women, and help out at sports events like the Bordeaux marathon. Nothing very unusual.
If you had to eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Curry.
If you could only watch one film or series for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Maybe Game of Thrones?
If you had to listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
You’ve got a Friend – James Taylor.
What’s your favourite place you’ve travelled to?
Many, but if have to choose one, maybe the “Bastide Blanche”, an isolated headland near St Tropez.
Which places are on your travel bucket list?
The UK coast to coast walk, Corsica, Norwegian fjords, Rome, Madrid, Seville, Sardinia, Mont St Michel, Fontevraud Abbey, Scottish Islands…
What are you most excited for in spring?
Bees emerging from the hives, flowers blossoming, feeling warm in the sun, days getting longer…
Who would you recommend I interview for my next Interviews with Inspiring Women?
Christina Cherry, Linda Fawkes, Marjorie Goodenough, Maddy Reason, Savi Patel…
If people are interested in connecting with you, or following what you’re up to, where should they find you?
Can’t imagine they would – maybe Twitter but I rarely post.
There you go – the first of the Interviews with inspiring women! I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. Please check back in two weeks for the next one in the series. If you don’t want to miss it, make sure you subscribe below!
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