# How to steer a startup through growth successfully Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2022-04-13 Category: BUSINESS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/business Meta Title: Sophie Attwood: Trailblazing PR Consultant in Health & Meta Description: Meet Sophie Attwood, a young entrepreneur who founded a successful PR consultancy. Learn from her top tips for overcoming challenges in business and life. URL: https://financedigest.com/how-to-steer-a-startup-through-growth-successfullyhtml ![](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/1da7-1736815878816-compressed.jpg) _By_ **_Sophie Attwood,_** _founder and Managing Director of public relations consultancy_ [_Sophie Attwood Communications,_](https://www.sophieattwood.co.uk/) _which focuses on trailblazing brands and experts in the health, aesthetics, surgical and beauty sector._ As a young woman who has founded her own startup, Sophie Attwood knows first hand the challenges that women face when taking a business idea from conception through to implementation and delivery. After graduating from The [University of Birmingham](https://www.financedigest.com/birmingham-the-perfect-city-for-students-who-want-to-make-the-most-of-their-university-life.html "Birmingham: the perfect city for students who want to make the most of their University life"), now award-winning PR consultant, Sophie started working in the public relations industry and quickly discovered her passion.  From there she gained a [wealth of experience in the sector before taking the huge leap of faith and founding her own public relations company](https://www.financedigest.com/poor-user-experience-plaguing-wealth-management-firms-warns-radical-company.html "Poor user experience plaguing wealth management firms, warns Radical Company") in 2017. Since then she’s worked hard to [build a talented and creative team and curate a portfolio](https://www.financedigest.com/building-a-portfolio-for-retirement.html "Building A Portfolio For Retirement") of exceptional brands, representing trailblazers within the health, wellness, beauty and medical aesthetics industry from household beauty names through to leading cosmetic surgeons and award-winning skincare brands. She regularly [sees clients featured](https://www.financedigest.com/top-10-retro-phone-features-we-would-like-to-see-in-modern-smartphones.html "Top 10 retro phone features we would like to see in modern smartphones") in Vogue, Tatler, Glamour, Vanity Fair, as well as broadcast and television channels. In addition to gaining first-class coverage for her clients, Sophie’s ethics and integrity are paramount – [meaning that she works to advocate industry](https://www.financedigest.com/senior-managers-regime-what-does-it-mean-for-the-industry.html "SENIOR MANAGERS REGIME – WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR THE INDUSTRY?") guidelines and act as a positive influence in a sector which often comes under negative scrutiny. Amid the brand’s global expansion, Sophie shared her [top tips for overcoming the challenges faced by women](https://www.financedigest.com/top-brands-for-women.html "Top brands for women") in business: - **Understand Growth Mindset** [Overcome the fear of challenges](https://www.financedigest.com/5-challenges-to-overcome-in-governance-risk-and-compliance-magazine.html "5 Challenges to Overcome in Governance, Risk and Compliance-Magazine") and the unknown by understanding the Growth Mindset. This is essentially the belief that skills and [intelligence can be improved](https://www.financedigest.com/accountancy-firm-brookson-uses-artificial-intelligence-to-improve-customer-insight-and-prevent-churn.html "Accountancy firm Brookson uses artificial intelligence to improve customer insight and prevent churn") with effort and persistence. People with this mindset embrace challenges, stay resilient when faced with difficulties, and [learn from constructive criticism](https://www.financedigest.com/machine-learning-critical-for-better-sme-credit-scoring-in-trade-finance.html "Machine learning critical for better SME credit scoring in trade finance"). They’re also inspired by the success of others so if you [work with this belief you develop a fantastic office culture of positivity](https://www.financedigest.com/7-tips-for-building-a-positive-remote-work-culture.html "7 tips for building a positive remote work culture") through shared knowledge. We don’t all naturally have this mindset but it’s a really [positive one to try and foster](https://www.financedigest.com/allianz-benelux-taps-into-modern-data-management-to-combat-fraud-and-foster-a-positive-customer-experience.html "Allianz Benelux Taps into Modern Data Management to Combat Fraud and Foster a Positive Customer Experience"), both in business and everyday life. - **Accept that some failures are inevitable** There is a tendency nowadays for people to try and do everything they can to [avoid failure](https://www.financedigest.com/security-and-compliance-must-be-top-priorities-to-avoid-fintech-failure.html "Security and compliance must be top priorities to avoid fintech failure") and I see this a lot in the workplace, especially amongst women. However, my [advice would be that if you learnt to accept that some failure is inevitable you’ll be less scared to take risks and more likely push yourself out of your comfort zone and use any mistakes to learn from them and move](https://www.financedigest.com/investment-advice-moving-towards-a-new-model.html "Investment advice – moving towards a new model") on with improved knowledge. - **Take a step back sometimes** When you’re at the centre of your business, no matter how big or small it is, this can be very hard to do. However sometimes being able to take a step [back is vital because it will give](https://www.financedigest.com/giving-the-control-of-the-payment-process-back-to-consumers.html "Giving the Control of the Payment Process Back to Consumers") you the perspective to see the bigger picture. To look at what’s going [well and assess what can be improved](https://www.financedigest.com/what-actions-can-business-leaders-in-the-finance-industry-take-to-improve-wellness.html "What actions can business leaders in the finance industry take to improve wellness?"). - **Keep a check on your** [work-life balance](https://www.financedigest.com/find-your-work-life-balance-at-great-kneighton.html "Find Your Work-Life Balance At Great Kneighton") This is one of the biggest [challenges faced by many women](https://www.financedigest.com/under-saved-and-underprepared-women-face-challenges-saving-for-retirement.html "UNDER-SAVED AND UNDERPREPARED: WOMEN FACE CHALLENGES SAVING FOR RETIREMENT") who are starting and running their own business, because there is always more that can be done. And nowadays with technology allowing more [flexibility of working](https://www.financedigest.com/the-flexible-working-revolution-is-here-so-why-arent-you-tracking-expenses-on-the-go.html "‘The flexible working revolution is here – so why aren’t you tracking expenses on the go?’") than ever, the benefits of this can sometimes be negated by the fact that many women feel like they never truly switch off from the demands of work. Consequently they lack a healthy [balance with their work and personal life](https://www.financedigest.com/homehunters-balance-life-and-work-at-carriage-court.html "Homehunters balance life and work at Carriage Court"). There is no miracle solution for this but one of the best things to try and achieve a better work-life balance for me has been to turn off my phone for hours at a time at weekends and only catch up on work until a [set](https://www.financedigest.com/oneweb-eutelsat-set-for-secondary-london-listing-the-times.html "OneWeb-Eutelsat set for secondary London listing – The Times") time in the evening.’ - **Realise that money isn’t the most** [important thing](https://www.financedigest.com/the-importance-of-helping-customers-do-things-for-themselves.html "The importance of helping customers do things for themselves") It sounds counterintuitive to some people to think like this when you’re [running a business](https://www.financedigest.com/ceo-riggs-eckelberry-of-originclear-discusses-the-power-of-intuition-in-running-a-successful-business.html "CEO Riggs Eckelberry of OriginClear Discusses the Power of Intuition in Running a Successful Business "), because that, after all, is the nature of most businesses. However my experience has taught me that running a [business fuelled by passion](https://www.financedigest.com/6-expert-tips-to-turn-your-photography-passion-into-a-business-2.html "6 Expert Tips to Turn Your Photography Passion into a Business") needs to take priority. Underpin your [services with your ethics and values](https://www.financedigest.com/savings-efficiencies-and-greater-reliability-in-entity-verification-processes-of-a-combined-annual-value-of-650m-to-the-financial-services-industry-identified-in-new-research-into-legal-entity-ident.html "Savings, Efficiencies And Greater Reliability In Entity Verification Processes Of A Combined Annual Value Of 0m To The Financial Services Industry Identified In New Research Into Legal Entity Identifiers") and channel your mission statement into everything that you do. Remember that the most unique thing that the [business has is you – and if your sole focus](https://www.financedigest.com/which-kpis-should-a-budding-business-focus-on-for-sustained-growth.html "Which KPIs should a budding business focus on for sustained growth?") is money then the customer will cotton on to that pretty quickly. - **Own and celebrate your achievements** I find that women often have a tendency to credit other people, circumstances or even chance for their successes. Whereas men often seem to do the opposite! Sometimes this is because women are scared of being perceived as boastful or competitive, however, this tendency can in fact be hugely negative to confidence. You can start to overcome this by practising acknowledging and [celebrating your successes](https://www.financedigest.com/loveitcoverit-celebrates-the-successes-of-four-recently-completed-apprenticeships.html "loveitcoverit Celebrates the Successes of Four Recently Completed Apprenticeships"). Some people find it useful to do this in writing, or even to hold a regular meeting in the [workplace when all employees](https://www.financedigest.com/norway-wealth-fund-employee-sues-for-workplace-gender-discrimination.html "Norway wealth fund employee sues for workplace gender discrimination") have the opportunity to celebrate their successes and achievements. (I do this, and my [team still struggle to find something positive to say](https://www.financedigest.com/finland-sweden-to-send-teams-to-turkey-to-discuss-nato-bids-haavisto-says.html "Finland, Sweden to send teams to Turkey to discuss NATO bids, Haavisto says") about themselves!).  By seeing this as a celebration rather than a ‘boast’ you will not only [improve confidence but also foster a more positive mindset – for both yourself and your team](https://www.financedigest.com/improving-your-it-team-in-four-simple-steps.html "Improving your IT team in four simple steps"). --- This blog is powered by Superblog. 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