SHE'S the woman who puts the fun back in business in Hampshire.

Trudy Simmons, of The Daisy Chain Group in Winchester, is a business coach who also runs the Hampshire Women's Business Awards.

She said: "I help businesswomen to move from feeling stuck to being passionate about what they want to build in their life and business.

"After years of working in the financial sector, I left that world to focus on myself in 2010. I needed a break and during that time I wanted to help others find clarity and direction in their professional lives. A small business owner friend came to me in a state of overwhelm, not sure what to do next to keep her business on track. She had so many different ideas, but didn’t know how to get them out of her head and into a forward-moving vision. In the process of listening, asking questions, and hacking through the proverbial jungle together, we came up with an action plan. And thus, Trudy the Coach was born!

"I empower small business owners to grow their business and reach their grandest potential."

Trudy has more than 20 years of experience in organising businesses and, in addition to coaching and training, she puts on networking events and nurture online communities that support women entrepreneurs.

"Business coaching can be seen as dull and process and strategy driven but i am keen to bring out the fun in work. Most of my clients come to me because they’re confused, stuck in a rut, unsure what to do next, or spread too thin.

"It’s important not to feel alone. I would like to encourage all small businesses to try and network as much as they can, especially with the current situation we find ourselves in. It’s important to connect with other people especially, if we are all working from home. networking can shift your mindset and help you to take that next step. Sometimes, it is someone else’s throw-away comment that can be just the thing that you need to hear. Most of us in small businesses are at home, behind a computer, working incredibly hard and it can feel isolating and like no one else understands. Networking is a chance to take yourself out of your comfort zone and meet and talk to new people in a safe environment."

Trudy has continued to be a constant support to small business owners during the pandemic with all her meetings and networking events migrating online.

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