Ahead of International Women’s Day 2018, inspirational women share the things they wish they’d known earlier in their careers. Here, entrepreneur Lana Elie shares her advice; catch up on thoughts from MP Chi Onwurah.
Lana Elie’s CV would be a lifetime’s work for many, documenting her progress from personal assistant to CEO. But Elie, now 30, did it in just six years – and is still frustrated she didn’t get there sooner. “I had lots of moments when I tried to do it when I was younger. I would start things, not finish them and get down on myself about it,” she admits.
Starting in a PA role at Burberry, Parisian born Elie quickly moved on to a creative role at an agency, then to iD magazine as their head of branded content. Despite working full time, her entrepreneurial mind was racing.
It was the idea for Floom – an online marketplace for artisanal florists across the UK, and now the US – that finally made her hand in her notice and go solo. “I am impatient, I see a lot of people just sitting around being comfortable,” she says.
…
