Women of Vision is a series of interviews with business women we admire. Visionary women are accessible and inspirational to others in daily life as mentors, friends, advisers, and role models. As part of our Women of vision series, we want to highlight the professional challenges and career aspirations of the women working here in Ireland. This doesn’t require a certain business title, specific wardrobe, or special permission. Women in Ireland have a strong entrepreneurial spirit: the rate of female early stage entrepreneurs in Ireland is the 5th highest in Europe. The agility and resilience of women in business in recent times has been a testament to their strength and courage.
Tell us a bit about you? I’m originally from Seattle but have lived in Ireland for the last 12 years with my husband Karl. We have 4 adult children, the youngest just finished college. I love to travel, work in the garden and just started golfing.
Tell us about your business? I set up GLAM DOLL 4 years ago with the goal to inspire women to create a special place in their home, just for them, to get ready for the day. By providing innovative storage and lighting solutions you’ll be able to start your day with ease.
Have you always been entrepreneurial? When I was young, I was always coming up with ideas to create businesses. Although the majority of my career was in aircraft leasing, so I didn’t really have time for anything else. It was exciting to discover that part of me again while on a career break.
Where did the idea for your business come from? When my daughter Savannah was 16, she was redesigning her bedroom and wanted a Hollywood mirror as she was really getting into makeup. I was surprised that we couldn’t find a high-quality mirror with lights locally and I thought there is definitely a demand for this from other mothers like me.
Who has been your biggest inspiration in growing your business? I’m most inspired by our customers. We hear amazing stories every day from our clients on how our products have helped and made them feel better about getting ready each day. We are part of their special day from birthdays and graduations to anniversaries and returning home surprises, its wonderful to make people so happy with what we do.
What do you love most about having your own business? Being an entrepreneur and building a business from scratch is extremely challenging however it’s been the most rewarding time in my life. I love that I’m able to be creative, to understand the needs of women and provide products that make them feel good. Cutting out the red tape that you can encounter in large organisations allows us to be nimble and make quick decisions, having that flexibility has been key to our growth.
If any, what challenges have you experienced as a woman in business during your overall career? During my 15 years in aircraft leasing, a male dominated industry, I had my fair share of challenges although most of the people I worked with were great. In the noughties, there were very few women in senior roles, and you had to work twice as hard to get recognition and advance.
What are the most important things to progressing as the owner/Director of a business? I think resilience is key to running a business, there are many twists, turns and challenges to manage. I believe upskilling and working on areas that may not be your strong suit. Last year, I did the Illuminate course with the DCU Ryan Academy, and it was so helpful as it delved into areas I wasn’t as familiar with and being around other female founders was very inspiring.
What has been the most significant thing you have done to grow your business? I started the business with a B2C model and we only sold our products directly to consumers. Although, last year we secured an order with Harvey Norman for a few stores and now this has grown to our Hollywood Mirrors and Garden Lighting in all stores on the island of Ireland. This has provided a big boost to our business and great that more people can see the products in person. When I think back to starting the business from my kitchen table, it’s a huge accomplishment.
What is your number one tip for anyone struggling to overcome entrepreneurial overwhelm and keep going? It’s vital to have a support system, whether that’s your friends, family or other business owners, it’s so important to be able to share your highs and lows and have a sounding board. There are many supports as well from the Local Enterprise Office with webinars, grants, etc. that can help.
By Mary-Jane Glamity-Jane
