Lynne Wilkins, owner of I Enable You - Cognitive Hypnotherapy

What first drew you to starting your business?

Meeting a great therapist and coach who helped me when I’d started to feel low, burned out and out of love with my old career and lifestyle – eventually I sat in sessions thinking, I would love to do what you’re doing. So when the opportunity came up, I did! Sometimes a pearl comes from out of the grit in your life.

What is the best thing about being your own boss?

Flexibility to work when and how I want doing something that doesn’t feel like work – I love what I do and can’t imagine a life without it now.

What's your advice to other women going into business/entering your career?

Don’t try to do everything yourself – the business girlfriends I have from WIBN are an amazing support – I’d never worked out of London before and didn’t have a local network in Herts – it’s been great to realise how much talent is around me and being able to consult the hive mind is such a help at times

What is your top tip for success?

Don’t wait to be ready, it’s like sitting on the edge of a pool and not swimming. Once you get it in you might take to it like a duck to water or you might need someone to improve your stroke. Either way, once you’ve got going, mostly you’ll be glad you did and, if not, you can always try something else.

Tell us something about yourself we might not expect?

I’m terrified of heights – I’m a cognitive hypnotherapist and I help others deal with their fears all the time, I just haven’t sorted this one for myself yet! Doesn’t tend to come up in everyday life though. I’ve got over my fear of public speaking thankfully, that was even worse!