# Focus on Women Entrepreneurs- Feature Interview with Eloise Skinner Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2022-04-19 Category: BUSINESS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/business Meta Title: Interview with Eloise Skinner: Founder of One Typical Day Meta Description: Learn how Eloise Skinner founded businesses helping clients find their purpose and navigate the world of work sustainably and inclusively. URL: https://financedigest.com/focus-on-women-entrepreneurs-feature-interview-with-eloise-skinnerhtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/istock-829549336-1736815866198-compressed.jpg) As part of our ongoing series ‘Focus on Women Entrepreneurs we spoke to Eloise Skinner the founder of One Typical Day and The Purpose Workshop. ![](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/eloise-skinner-2-1-450x563-1736815866169-compressed.jpg) Eloise Skinner **Tell us a little about your businesses:** [The Purpose Workshop](http://www.thepurposeworkshop.uk/) was my first business – a social impact consultancy helping clients navigate a sense of meaning and purpose. We [work with clients across the world on the big questions of life:](https://www.financedigest.com/homehunters-balance-life-and-work-at-carriage-court.html "Homehunters balance life and work at Carriage Court") meaning, purpose, identity and passion. Our first book was published in 2021! My second business is [One Typical Day](http://www.onetypicalday.com/): an ed-tech startup that helps students figure out their first careers. Our intention is to create a socially-inclusive, environmentally-sustainable [way to navigate the world of work](https://www.financedigest.com/five-ways-to-keep-your-head-above-water-while-working-from-home.html "Five ways to keep your head above water while working from home"), designed specifically for students finding a first job. **Where did the ideas come from for the businesses?** The idea for One Typical [Day was a direct response](https://www.financedigest.com/data-privacy-day-whos-responsible-for-keeping-customer-data-safe.html "Data Privacy Day: Who’s responsible for keeping customer data safe?") to feedback from my audience of young professionals and students. I’d been writing about [careers development](https://www.financedigest.com/developing-your-career-with-online-classes.html "Developing Your Career With Online Classes") and professional skills for almost a decade, and I was constantly getting feedback from my readers about what they wanted to hear, and they advice they were looking for. Internships / work experience placements were getting harder to obtain (especially during the pandemic), and there’s also an environmental cost to the current graduate [recruitment market](https://www.financedigest.com/recruitment-in-a-candidate-tight-market.html "Recruitment in a Candidate Tight Market "). One Typical Day aims to [provide a tech-based solution](https://www.financedigest.com/thomson-reuters-builds-out-its-award-winning-connected-risk-platform-with-risk-management-solution-providing-a-personalized-enterprise-wide-view-of-risk.html "Thomson reuters builds out its award-winning connected risk platform with risk management solution providing a personalized enterprise-wide view of risk") to that problem. The Purpose Workshop is an extension of my work as an existential therapist: it’s an effort to make the big topics of ‘purpose’ and ‘meaning’ more accessible, especially for students and [young professionals](https://www.financedigest.com/young-professionals-should-try-chertsey-for-its-affordable-commuter-town-status.html "Young Professionals Should Try Chertsey For Its Affordable Commuter Town Status")! **What were your main challenges and what did you learn from them?** Starting new ventures is always difficult, and it takes a lot of effort to find product-market fit and create traction. Our main solution to this [challenge has always been to listen closely to our users and audience – we’ve allowed the businesses](https://www.financedigest.com/new-business-launches-to-support-it-professionalsfacing-mission-critcial-sector-challenges.html "NEW BUSINESS LAUNCHES TO SUPPORT IT PROFESSIONALSFACING MISSION CRITCIAL SECTOR CHALLENGES") to be guided by market demand, even when this requires a pivot. This has been the biggest lesson in starting the [businesses – to create something that users or clients genuinely need](https://www.financedigest.com/what-is-premises-liability-coverage-and-why-does-your-business-need-it.html "What is Premises Liability Coverage … and Why Does Your Business Need It?"), rather than something that works for the preferences of the founding team or investors. **What are your plans for the future?** We’re aiming to make lasting, [sustainable change](https://www.financedigest.com/einride-to-change-the-future-of-transport-with-worlds-first-sustainable-self-driving-t-pod.html "Einride to change the future of transport with world’s first sustainable self-driving ‘T-pod’") in the field of graduate recruitment. Our vision is of a more inclusive, diverse, equitable way of finding a first career, and we [hope to reduce the environmental impact of the sector](https://www.financedigest.com/decline-in-german-services-sector-eases-raising-hopes-for-milder-recession-pmi.html "Decline in German services sector eases, raising hopes for milder recession -PMI") as we do it. **What advice would you give to other first-time founders?** Before you get started, get clear on your personal mission and purpose. If this is clear to you, you’re much more likely to find the [resilience and determination you’ll need to sustain](https://www.financedigest.com/why-sustainable-cyber-resilience-matters-in-the-financial-sector.html "Why sustainable cyber resilience matters in the financial sector") your entrepreneurial journey. **What’s your number one tip for success in starting a venture?** Look for a good [support system around](https://www.financedigest.com/engineering-pipe-hanger-and-support-market-estimates-the-to-expand-at-around-4-8-cagr-from-2021-to-2031-2.html "Engineering Pipe Hanger and Support Market Estimates The To Expand At Around 4.8% CAGR from 2021 to 2031") you – whether it’s an incubator programme, a mentor, or a great founding team, seek out other people who believe in your vision. Starting something new can be intimidating, and you’ll [need to have people](https://www.financedigest.com/banks-need-to-digitise-financial-wellbeing-support-to-help-young-people-manage-through-this-recession.html "Banks need to digitise financial wellbeing support to help young people manage through this recession") on your side, regardless of what happens! **BIO:** [Eloise Skinner](http://www.eloiseskinner.com/) is an entrepreneur, author and existential therapist. She is the founder of two businesses: One Typical Day (an ed-tech start-up), and The Purpose Workshop (a [social impact](https://www.financedigest.com/the-impact-of-environmental-social-and-governance-esg-investing.html "The Impact of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Investing") consultancy). --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---