Rachel Skeoch
Truenorth Marketing

What inspired you to start your own business?

Understanding that there was a real need for marketing services specifically designed for SMEs in the North East that couldn't afford a full time employee kick started Truenorth. There are so many fantastic and innovative businesses in our region that need that specialist consultancy support. We aim to look at the full picture, not just the brief, to support our clients to scale and grow.

What is the best part of running your own business?

The change in lifestyle and being in control of my own working week. Having that added flexibility when having a family to not miss out on anything.

What is the biggest challenge you have faced running your own business and how did you overcome it?

The biggest challenge was actually starting. From navigating a business plan to taking that leap of handing in my notice. The best way to overcome this was to just keep moving forward, one step at a time. Creating lots of lists and not being afraid to ask for support or guidance along the way.

What is your 5 year vision for the business?

Over the next 5 years we want to support our clients in their growth journey. We anticipate that there'll be some brilliant advancements in the industries that we work across so we need to understand how we can harness these to best serve our customers. We'd like to grow our headcount by 100% and create an unrivalled customer experience journey.

What is the one piece of advice you would give to anyone wanting to start their own business?

Less thinking and more doing. Be prepared to fail. Have self belief.

Were there any key moments during your time at Newcastle University which ignited your entrepreneurial spirit? 

During my third year of study learning more about economic geography in particular really ignited my interest in business. Professor Jane Pollard was brilliant – her module on global economics and its relationship to geography propelled my drive even further