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December’s North East spotlight series: Karen Nelson

Next up in our December Spotlight Series is Karen Nelson, Managing Director at Calibre Secured Networks Ltd.

Based at The Core in Newcastle, Calibre is a multi-disciplined IT firm, providing solutions and services to clients nationwide.

Enjoy!

Your business

What were the highlights for your business in 2015?

Big wins in the education sector, completing a high profile project for one of our largest enterprise customers at The Shard in London, and growing our business have been the highlights of another year of success for Calibre.

Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently this year?

No, we are all really happy with how the business has progressed this year, the quality and added value work that we’ve consistently delivered and of course, the customers we have made, and continue to make happy.

Is there anything we should watch out for Calibre doing next year?

Next year promises to be even more exciting for us. We’ll be growing our team of technical experts and taking on an apprentice as we look to build a strong and dynamic sales team that will take the business forward. So big recruitment plans will feature high on the Calibre agenda in 2016.

Your favourites

Have any other North East companies impressed you this year, if so - why?

I have followed Visualsoft’s growth in Stockton over the last few years. They’re doing really well with over 150 staff now. I admire that managing director Dean Benson is prepared to trial a risky ‘unlimited holiday’ policy for his staff. I think it’s essential to get a healthy balance between the needs of the business and a happy, productive and loyal workforce.

When business life gets on top of you, what do you do to destress?

Steve (fellow director and husband) and I are keen cyclists, commuting to and from the city each weekday from our home in Whitley Bay keeps us fit and ensures we’re in a good headspace by the time we get to work and return home. No horrendous traffic jams for us!

We’re members of North Tyneside Riders Cycling Club with our children and also promote a healthy workforce through a Cycle to Work Scheme for our staff. Quality family time de-stresses me: our weekends are prioritised by time as a family. Children grow so fast – I never want to be one of those mums who looks back with regret wishing I’d spent more time with them while they were young. I love my funny onions!

Have any social media accounts caught your eye this year, any favourite pages or people to follow?

Nick Linford (former editor of FE Week and Schools Week) on Twitter is always worth following. He offers strong but informed views that often go to the heart of the matter, which always makes for interesting and lively punditry and analysis. Social media outputs from Dynamo – growing the North East IT economy – are worth a shout-out too, promoting our region externally and developing skills and education.

The what ifs

If you could do any job in the world what would it be?

There isn’t another job that comes close to being managing director of Calibre Secured Networks – it really is my dream job. I am challenged every single day and I get to work with an incredible team of highly skilled, motivated and dedicated people, and have learnt so much in the few years since we started Calibre. Looking back it’s been an incredible journey so far for Steve and me – and I am very excited by what the future holds for us.

If you could go back in time, which piece of advice would you give your younger self?

I would have told my 20-year-old self to read ‘Feel the Fear & Do It Anyway’ by Susan Jeffers instead of waiting until I was 40. It was life-changing read for me and I have ‘prescribed’ this book for many friends and family, and even discussed its merits during conversations with people I meet in all kinds of circumstances. Susan Jeffers made me realize…‘it’s not what you are that holds you back, it’s who you think you’re not!’

What would be the perfect Christmas gift for you?

If you could wrap up ‘more time’ in some glitzy Christmas paper with a lovely bow that would be perfect. Otherwise I’ll settle for cozy days in with my family and Christmas TV. I don’t need anything material to make me happy.

Thanks Karen, happy holidays from the Bdaily team.

Look out for more interviews in this series everyday throughout December. Don’t miss out on your daily dose of North East business news, including breaking stories, in-depth interviews and fascinating advice and opinion content. Sign up to our bulletin for free today.

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