Business Digest April 2021
Interview with Linda Plant Planting Seeds at Linda Plant Academy
Linda founded her international knitwear brand, Honeysuckle, selling her designs worldwide before selling the company for millions at aged 29. She later took back control of the influential fashion brand before becoming one of the first women to float a fashion brand on the London Stock Exchange. You may also recognise her as one of the interviewers on BBC 1’s ‘The Apprentice’, providing advice to Lord Sugar for over 5 series. Her passion for business and entrepreneurship has been recognised by several business awards and Linda is a panelist and judge, including top female entrepreneurs for HSBC’s Panel of Forward Ladies.
You have done extremely well for yourself, but life was not always so. Can you share what life was like for you growing up? Life for me growing up was a close family affair. I was the only child of doting hardworking parents. My mother was a part time secretary in the local synagogue, my dad was a tailor in Montague Burtons, the founders of the Burton empire (you can research them for more info) which started with immigrant brothers owning a large tailoring factory in Leeds. Life was happy but we were poor. We took in a lodger to help make ends meet. My mother eventually got a stall in Dewsbury market selling ladies hosiery. The market was open Wednesday and Saturday, my joy and first taste of business was to work on that stall every Saturday. That was truly the beginning for me and the start of a long love and lessons in trading. Working on a market stall gave me the foundation and platform to form my business life. My mum always worked out of
necessity, that is how I grew up. I loved and respected my parents, and it gave me the foundation of who I became. I did go on eventually to be one of the first women to take a business from a market stall to The London Stock Market! Can you tell us about the Linda Plant Academy... what it is all about, who is it for and why should they join? Linda Plant Academy was born out of the first lockdown. I had thought for a long while about writing a business course, and simply wanting to share my experience and my knowledge of a long and varied career in the business world. Most of all to show people of all generations it is possible to achieve success without any formal qualifications. I am not saying to young people do not go on to university and do not forsake academic achievements, I am simply saying yes you can do it. You must have the right mind set. The Academy has a range of options and is basically there to help
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by Russ Turner, Director Business Digest Magazine
everyone. If you believe in yourself, you can achieve success. I want to connect directly with people who need guidance and advice. I am overly excited about my latest venture which is part of my academy. Apprentice to CEO. I have collaborated with Cordell Jeffers who is an award winner of Princes Trust. Cordell started life off from the wrong side, but he is a young man who is focused and determined. He has received an award from the Princes Trust and is a specialist in mindset coaching which is so important in today’s world. I met him when I was giving an inspirational talk for Princes Trust. We decided to put our expertise together and we are offering mentorship, my blueprint course and mindset coaching. The beauty about The Academy is that it is for absolutely everyone. If you are a start-up or if you have an existing business, we are there to help you.
