Karren Brady says lockdown has made her take stock on future

Karren Brady says lockdown has made her take stock on future

Karren Brady says lockdown has made her take stock on future (Image: Getty)

Apprentice star and vice chairman of West Ham United Karren Brady says the coronavirus crisis has provided an opportunity to press the reset button in many people’s lives and careers.

And, although she’s not about to launch a boardroom coup to worry Lord Sugar, she does sound like she’s got a clear plan for where she wants to go next in both business and in life.

“All the things we took for granted, and how we frame our daily lives has changed, and that is where a lot of people are now reflecting on,” she says. “What they want to do with their life, how much they enjoy it; they are re-evaluating.

“I guess a lot of people are beginning to realise that life is precious and doing things you really love is important. And being good at things you do comes from being happy at doing them. The pandemic is a good chance to think; Where do I see my long-term future? “So it’s a chance to stop, take stock, and think about what is important.”

The Tory peer, who was created Baroness Brady of Knightsbridge in 2014, has been in lockdown at her home in central London with her husband, former football player and manager Paul Peschisolido, while their children, Sophia, 24 and Paolo, 21, have self isolated in their own homes.

She says: “It’s been fine. We’ve been married for 25 years and love each other’s company so we never run out of things to say.

Karren Brady with Lord Alan Sugar and Nick Hewer

Karren Brady with Lord Alan Sugar and Nick Hewer (Image: Getty)

“The days have seemed so long sometimes though!

“But there are certain routines that we’ve all had to give up because of lockdown, sometimes the days just merge into one.

“It’s so hard when you are used to finishing work at the end of the week, and going for drinks, or having a meal with friends.

But there is nowhere to go and nothing’s open, so we have all had to reframe.

“I really miss my friends but I have done some cycling with the odd friend, we’ve done some picnics and social distancing walk bys and waves! I would normally have been filming the Apprentice for six weeks around this time of year, but it got cancelled because of coronavirus until next year.”

Passionate about women in the workplace and determined to narrow the gender pay gap, Karren runs courses, is a regular motivational speaker, and has her own business magazine, Jobs & Careers, which is now in its third year with the most recent issue just out.

She says: “It is all about knowing your worth. But lots of women don’t know theirs. I always say: Own your own successes, be prepared to mention the things you’ve done really well.”

She remembers what drove her in her early years. “I wanted independence more than anything else, and I really understood that true independence comes when you make your own money. The problem was that I didn’t know how to make it at first!

Karren is passionate about women in the workplace and determined to narrow the gender pay gap

Karren is passionate about women in the workplace and determined to narrow the gender pay gap (Image: Getty)

“But I did work out that before you work for yourself, you need to work for someone else. So I left school at 18 and went to get a job.”

Karren, 51, began her career as a trainee at the advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi and made a name for herself when she became managing director of Birmingham City FC at 23 after persuading her boss, businessman David Sullivan, that he should buy the club.

It was also where she met her Canadian husband who was a star player for the club. The couple married in 1995.

She recalls of her younger self, “I realised that I was very ambitious, something that I think is very undervalued and underrated. People are embarrassed to say they are ambitious. But ambition means that you won’t settle for anything other than what you think you deserve and you will persevere in the goal of getting the career that you want. I was very determined and I wasn’t afraid of hard work. And I had integrity, so I would do everything that I could with an ethical and moral compass.

“And actually, at 18 those were my core values and at 51, they are still the same” Karren muses, “Am I still as fired up now as I was then? Yes, I think so. I’ve got that financial independence so I can make the choices to do the various different things that I want, when I want to do them, and that’s important.”

She remains ambitious and is taking a Masters in Business, doing homework in lockdown. “I really believe in life-long learning,” she says. “So, constant improvement, learning new ways to do things, how best to cope with crisis. I’ve got distinctions in all my assignments so far – long may that continue!

“There were about eight people in my office at West Ham that wanted to do it. We are always doing new things together, whether that is learning sign language which I did, or doing extensive day courses, we all decided we’d do a Masters, and we’re halfway through it.”

Karren has also worked with Arden University to launch the online Master in Business Administration course ‘The Karren Brady MBA’, which starts in October.

In the meantime, her beautiful daughter Sophia has attracted a big online following. She is carving out her own career as a fashion influencer and Instagram model. But Karren insists she has never spoilt her children. When Sophia was a graduate at Nottingham University, she made sure her daughter took out a loan like everyone else, and had a weekend job to fund her student lifestyle.

Already Sophia’s stunning posts have attracted many followers with each post reportedly earning her up to £10,000. She numbers online giants Pretty Little Thing and Boux Avenue as her clients.

Karren has also worked with Arden University to launch the online Master in Business Administration course 'The Karren Brady MBA'

Karren has also worked with Arden University to launch the online Master in Business Administration course ‘The Karren Brady MBA’ (Image: Getty)

Karren smiles, “Well yes, she’s busy which is good! And she is enjoying it as well which is all you want for your kids. For them to be happy, and do something they like. She takes the photos herself, she has a stand, and a light, and she just gets on with it.”

While she has not lost any close family or friends to Covid, she reveals that her father, retired businessman Terry Brady, 73, is shielding with her mother, Rita, following prostate cancer surgery.

She says, “He’s doing really well. He had fantastic care through the NHS. They were amazing. He’s had radiotherapy at Royal Marsden Hospital. He’s mentally strong and coped well but obviously like everyone else, he’s confined to his space and just has to get on with it.”

So, what has she learnt most from the current crisis? “They say health isn’t everything but without health, everything is nothing, and I think it is an important time to consider that. To reflect on family and community, and your neighbour, and being a good citizen. And the little you can do, doing it as well as you can.”

For information on The Karren Brady MBA see arden.ac.uk/KBMBA

source: express.co.uk