Caroline Plumb, a former Bolton School student, spoke to students on International Women’s Day 2024.
Caroline Plumb OBE, a successful serial entrepreneur, inspired the next generation of young businesswomen. Caroline has founded and sold several successful firms, writes a column for The Times on small businesses and entrepreneurship, and was previously one of Prime Minister David Cameron’s business ambassadors.
Caroline fondly remembered her time at Bolton School (1987–1996).
She also shared fond memories of her time at Oxford University, where she earned a First-Class degree in engineering, economics, and management.
Caroline shared how, after graduating in 2000, she and a buddy saved £250 each to start their own business and built their first computer from scratch.
Caroline described Fresh Minds as a consultancy and recruiting agency that focused on connecting brilliant young individuals with businesses. She said the company grew quickly and eventually employed 100 people. Today, she is the Group CEO of Gravita, a technology-enabled accounting business. She urged the girls, “Don’t worry if you don’t know what you want to do when you grow up. Gloria from the film Barbie once stated, “You must be a boss, but you cannot be mean.”
“You have to lead but you can’t squash other people’s ideas.”Today, good leadership is about being a powerful communicator who paints a picture of the future with empathy, creativity, and enthusiasm, all of which women excel at.
Caroline concluded by quoting Hermione Granger, who stated, “It’s sort of exciting, isn’t it, breaking the rules?”
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