Oct 18, 2023
Home Working Heroes
At YouFibre, we know that you can achieve anything you want with access to ultrafast, reliable broadband. To celebrate the launch of our 8000 Mbps package, and inspire you to do more, we’ve interviewed a series of successful entrepreneurs and businesspeople to find out how they’ve made their fortunes from the comfort of their own homes.
Jade Nash Bustorff-Silva is CEO of market lead generation agency, Choose Leads and a previous contestant on The Apprentice. Like many businesses, the company moved to a remote working model when COVID-19 hit the UK in 2020. Three years on, Jade and the team still work from home and are going from strength-to-strength. The company’s turnover has increased significantly, and many of the sales team are earning annual salaries of £100k+. We sat down with Jade to find out a bit more about the secret to her success.
Can you tell us a bit more about Choose Leads?
Choose Leads was formed 10 years ago supplying qualified sales leads for call centres across the UK. We now offer sales outsourcing and software development. We help other companies generate new customers in the B2C space, and we love it!
How did you get to where you are today?
After working in advertising over the years at the likes of Autotrader and yellow pages (when there was a big fat yellow book!) I gained essential knowledge of ‘how to attract new customers’ across various B2C sectors. After working within a lead generation company I thought: ‘Why couldn’t I do this on my own?’ and I haven’t looked back. For me, being true to myself, only making decisions congruent with my morals, and choosing inspiring people to work within Choose Leads seems to be doing the trick!
How has the ability to work from home benefited your career progression?
Working from home means I’m more efficient, my staff members have a better work life balance, and I can employ anyone in the country, I’m not limited to my local area. The company has grown more whilst we have worked at home than when office based.
How do you build relationships with your team whilst working remotely?
Teams calls are just as good as the odd ‘chat in the office’ - I feel as if my staff have more one-on-one time with me now I work from home. Relationships are about good communication. This, tied in with quarterly activities and nights out, makes for a very happy work life.
What’s your advice for other people looking to build a career working remotely?
There is nothing ‘not to like’ about working from home. Make sure you have a dedicated work space in your house. PLEASE make sure the background of your teams meeting in your office looks good! There’s nothing a few picture frames can’t fix! Remember, because of your self motivation, you get to go to the gym, walk your dog, be with your children, be with your partner, or anything else you like before you go to work as you have no commute, no sitting next to a man eating a pasty loudly and messily on the train at 7.30am, no sitting in traffic! All of this, and the focus of home working means you can also earn more money! It’s the winning formula for life.
What does your ideal working from home set up look like?
When I work from home I dress as if I am going to a smart casual meeting. Planned and unplanned Teams calls will always be happening and this is when you’re ‘on the big screen’! Working from home doesn’t mean ‘mufty day’ (old 80’s expression) - the key is to look like you’re in the right zone to work! If you are working, look like you’re working regardless of where you are.
Check out more inspiring stories in our Home Working Heroes series.
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