Owner: Spice Marketing & PR
Founding Member & President: Company Women
ExpatWomen's Interview with Caroline
ExpatWomen: Caroline, you wear two very interesting hats. Let's start with Company Women. What is Company Women and how did it start?
Caroline: Company Women is a business networking group for women that are working in or about to set up a business in Spain. Our first gathering was a lunch for 70 expatriate women in June 2005, who were all keen to get their business off the ground. Alison Forester organized that first, fruitful meeting. However, not long after, Alison had to return to the UK suddenly after organizing just two events and asked for a volunteer to take over. Having visited the other networking groups in the area, I happily volunteered and took over from Alison in August 2005, because I felt there was a real gap for a networking group that didn't meet at dawn, or wasn't full of testosterone–fuelled, pyramid–selling, serial networkers.
Initially the monthly lunches focused on networking, information–sharing and ideas–swapping. Some women that attended those first meetings have even set up businesses together. We attracted about 20 women a month at the start. Word soon spread and lunch numbers grew. Women were keen to keep in touch outside lunches, so we created a website.
By using my PR skills, I was able to create media interest in both the group and our members, which really helped Company Women flourish. Company Women now has 500 international women on the database, a website that gets over 4,000 hits a month, two monthly lunch meetings supporting women on the Costa Blanca and Costa Calida, links with Spanish business groups and we launched first ever Company Women of the Year Awards in 2007.
ExpatWomen: The 2008 Company Women awards were just presented at the end of November. Please tell us more about these awards and this year's winners.
Caroline: My three motivators for creating these awards were:
(1) Raise the profile of the group;
(2) Shine the spotlight on female entrepreneurs in Spain; and
(3) Celebrate the life of Martha Davies, my marvelous grandmother (1911–2007). The overall award, Company Woman of the Year, is dedicated in her memory.
As a non–profit group, securing sponsorship for the awards is crucial to enable us to create the right caliber of event. This year we were blown away by some amazing support from local and international companies. When Abaco Asesores stepped forward as lead sponsor, I was thrilled that such a well–known Spanish company could see the benefit of being associated with our group.
The buzz that the awards create is astonishing and the standard of entries is incredibly high. You do not need to be a Company Women member to enter, just a woman who is legally registered to work in Spain. The nationalities of the winners this year reflect our international appeal: Spanish; Mexican; Irish; British; and South African. You can read more about our wonderful winners at www.companywomen.org
ExpatWomen:Company Women also held a one–day conference for International Women's Day this year with some fabulous speakers. Please share a little about that event with our audience.
Caroline: I couldn't believe it when all those marvelous women agreed to speak at the conference, for no fee and no travel expenses. The theme, "What Marvelous Women Do Away From Home" focused on expat women that had moved abroad and set up successful businesses.
The speakers shared open, honest and frank experiences to the group of 80 women. They gave us useful tips, practical ideas and what pitfalls to watch out for when you are starting out. BT Female Entrepreneur of the Year 2007, Kerrie Keeling, Managing Director of A Woman's Touch delivered an inspirational talk about her journey so far. Kerrie's story explained how she set up her (almost) all–female building company, supplying plumbers, electricians and plasterers in the UK and was taking the Costa del Sol by storm.
ExpatWomen:Back to Caroline Garrett Inc., when and why did you start your own company, Spice Marketing and PR in Spain?
Caroline: After working for 18 years as Group Communications Manager for an international risk management company, I gave up my corporate comforts and went freelance. I had recently got married and wanted to be in total control of where in the world I worked and what time I got on a plane! That was six years ago.
I feel very fortunate to have worked with (and remain friends with) some of the most amazing entrepreneurs. They say that variety is the spice of life, and I have certainly worked on a vast cross section of brands and industries. In January 2005, we moved to Spain from the UK to improve our work–life balance and write my book. At that time, I was working on two projects: one with a smoothie company in London; the other a wine producer in France. Company Women took the place of the book and as I networked, more business opportunities came my way. These included Brand Ambassador for Spain for Penderyn Welsh Whisky, lifestyle features for magazines, TV presenter for SKY channel's Living in Spain TV, along with creative branding consultancy for hair care products, business directories and training companies – all keen to make a splash in the Spanish market.
ExpatWomen:What were some of your biggest challenges in starting a business in Spain?
Caroline: Finding out fast how it all worked was crucial. Which is why Company Women was/is so useful. I just wish it had existed when I first arrived. I underestimated certain things that we take for granted in the UK. For example, I can work anywhere in the world, all I need is a phone line. Anyone living in Spain reading this will now be smiling. One of my neighbors waited 12 months for a phone, one friend relies on a satellite phone, while other just use mobiles.
ExpatWomen: What have been some of your greatest successes or memorable moments with Spice Marketing and PR?
Caroline: One of the most memorable moments was from my early freelance days. Having left the corporate world behind, I went to a pitch in jeans and a jacket (we were not allowed to wear jeans in the international risk management world). Feeling quite liberated, I stormed in to a firm of tax accountants and told them that their website was full of sausages... without any sizzle... and sizzle sells. The looks on their faces? Priceless! (...and yes, I got the work and created some sizzle for them)
I am very proud of the PR success that I have created for Company Women. In terms of media coverage, totaling the column inches, the full page spreads and front page exclusives, I estimate that Company Women has received about 80,000 Euros in free PR!
ExpatWomen: What words of wisdom can you offer any budding expat women entrepreneurs in our audience?
Caroline:
(1) Never underestimate your skill and knowledge. What comes naturally to you will be viewed as a skill by someone else – a skill they are prepared to pay for.
(2) When everyone is offering sausages, it's the ones with sizzle that stand out. Sizzle sells. Find and communicate your sizzle.
(3) Network, network and then network some more.
(4) Always remember, it's not rocket science. How hard can it be?
(5) Just before I moved to Spain, a wise woman (who was also a client, friend and award–winning entrepreneur) asked me what I was going to do in Spain. She suggested that I just spend a year 'doing good things for other people and seeing what happens'. I remembered her suggestion when Alison needed a volunteer to take over Company Women – and it turned out to be one of the best pieces of entrepreneurial advice that I have received.
ExpatWomen:Caroline, your personal achievements, together with your passion for supporting female entrepreneurs is most impressive. We wish you ongoing extraordinary success in everything that you do.
Maxi Riquelme Moreno (MD, Abaco Asesores, Lead Sponsor), Caroline Garrett, Sandra Cunningham (Hair & Beauty Academy, Company Women's Woman of the Year 2008, Ed Stewart (UK Broadcaster)
