Yorkshire Businesswoman recently caught up with Jane Dyer, a Vocational Rehabilitation Coach and Business Advisor.
Did you attend University?
As a mature student I studied BA(Hons) Education Studies at Derby University. Being a child of the 60s I went through ‘special’ secondary education with little academic input so I am really proud of this achievement.
What was your first job?
Having been steered into post 16 business studies study, my first job was a PA to a Director of a small IT business. This wasn’t what I was very interested in doing long-term, being a more heart centred people person.
What did you want to do when you were growing up?
What I wanted to do from as early as I can remember was to be an Occupational Therapist. Helping people be their most independent, despite any health condition or disability.
If it’s your own business when did you start it?
A 20-year 9-5 public sector career in education and employment, marriage, a mortgage, and 2 adopted children. And then… I experienced a period of ill health and grasped an opportunity to ‘retire’. I studied for my degree and retrained as a teaching assistant. I enjoyed yoga and a social life, and experienced divorce.
What next? I took up meditation and kept busy with my sewing hobby and socialising with friends. I volunteered for a while as a Teaching Assistant but found it a saturated marketplace. I then met my partner and soon after ventured into being a business owner. Tudor Rose was born in January 2017. Tudor Rose is a Workplace Wellbeing Consultancy which bridges the gap between health and work.
Is your industry difficult for a woman to succeed in?
There are many women in the coaching and related HR, heart centred industry. Difficult for a woman to succeed in? Succeeding in business is more to do with your passion, drive and determination and any difficulties to succeed in my experience, are more to do with your business skills.
What is a typical day like?
Every day brings different opportunities and challenges. Starting with my morning well-being routine at 7am of yoga stretching, a cuppa and healthy breakfast and writing my daily to do list and social media.
Then it’s a short commute upstairs to my home office for telephone or online coaching clients who have long-term health conditions or disabilities (when we are back to more open travel and hospitality, it will be travel to venues). Helping clients to manage their health with work, return to work after a period of sickness absence, and overcome any related stress and anxiety.
Lunch 12.30 then working on my business, admin. and marketing activities. Developing tools to help raise employer’s health and disability confidence to manage employee’s well-being. which in turn encourages recruitment and retention of such employees. I am currently updating a Workplace Wellbeing Workshop and continue to develop and make new connections.
Taking up opportunities wherever I can, while we continue to live with Covid restrictions I have been published in a leading disability lifestyle magazine and been interviewed for two Podcasts, Superwomen Wellness Connection and Follow Your Bliss, There’s Another Way.
I have previously co-authored two books Inspirational, Fabulous and Over 40 and Create, Work, Earn, been interviewed on the radio and on more Podcasts –Maison Frais, Victress FM, Perfect Health with Elaine Godley Elastic FM and Bradford Community Radio. All great ways to raise awareness of your business.
What are your plans for the future?
I am on a mission, to bridge the gap between health and work and empower people despite their health or disability challenges, to feel confident they can manage their health with work and focus fully on their business. “Want to, can do, will do.”
My vision is for Tudor Rose to be a ‘champion’ in eliminating the gap between health and work empowering people to take control and employers be more health and disability confident. Grow the business to advise more businesses with my consultancy and help more coaching clients, both nationally and internationally.
What advice would you give to your younger self?
I would advise my younger self to 100% have more confidence - in my skills and what I have to offer, to influence positive change around inclusion in the workplace.
If you were starting again, what if anything would you do differently?
I would take the leap about 15 years sooner. After some life experience, but not letting family, managing a home hold me back. With more finance behind me, buy in marketing expertise.
FACT FILE:
Partner name: Thanks have to go to my partner 6 years, Dave, for his confidence and support in me starting Tudor Rose. Him being less risk averse than me is a good combo, without him, Tudor Rose may not be here.
Children: My 2 adopted children a now grown up and flown the nest. Giving me the freedom to focus on growing Tudor Rose.
What car do you drive? I have never driven, out of choice and always lived near a bus stop. If I drove, I would probably get less exercise than I do already. A Maserati Spider and chauffer would be very nice though.
What do you do in your leisure time? In my leisure time I enjoy photography and sewing. Both are great absorbing mindful activities, and so good for my well-being. During a work break, or out I can always notice the beautiful detail in nature and snap away. My sewing enables me to make gifts for friends and family and make clothes with the beautiful fabrics I love to buy as I see them. The clothes in the photo being such.
What is your favourite food and drink? My favourite food I would say is Italian. Pasta with vegetable based sauces, along with a glass of Chianti. Bello!
Where is your favourite holiday destination? My favourite holiday destination so far, has to be Italy. Scenery, people, food, culture. I love visiting anywhere though for the different experiences. I’m not a sunbath on the beach kind of girl.
Where is your favourite place in Yorkshire? It is difficult to pick just one place. Being quite a newcomer to Yorkshire from Derbyshire and originally Lancashire, I would say the moors and dales, the coast, towns and villages.
What is your favourite gadget? My favourite gadget has to be my mobile phone. Keeping me connected with people. Although I’m not a gadget girl.
What couldn’t you live without? I couldn’t live without other people, so this pandemic has been a strain. Thank goodness for my work.
