Sarah Jones is the Associate Sales Director for a new financial services consulting company in Norfolk, having worked away from home for the past few years. Here, the 40-something shares how she has made new connections – even going on holiday with a group of women she had met once before!
Who are you and what do you do?
I’m Sarah Jones, aged 44, and am proud to be from Norwich. I’ve lived and worked in the city all my life and loved every moment… pretty much! I’m a very driven person. In fact, I recently launched a new business (MCB FS Consulting) offering complete financial support to other businesses, aligned to their goals, values and beliefs as I love to help others.
If you had to describe your career in a paragraph or two, what would you say?
I love my career story, I could talk about it all day as I very proud of how it started as a part time job as a 15-year-old, leading to a very happy and successful career in hospitality for 25+ years! I took a sidestep upon reaching hotel management, to sales, revenue and marketing roles which I loved… that buzz of the chase and the thrill of the wins enticed and motivated me, leading me to Business Development roles, all in hospitality.
Then the dreaded lockdown changed everything, and post-Covid at age 42 I needed a change so took a leap of faith and complete career change, and went to work for an international tech company, taking me all around the UK and into Europe, fabulous! Now, I am on my next adventure with the new business, back in the place I love best – Norwich.
Are you Norfolk born and raised? What do you love about living and working in the county?
Yes, I was born and raised in Norfolk, I have lived in several different areas, but always in Norwich. Having been taken around the UK in different stages of my life and career, I have never found a place quite like Norwich – safe, friendly, supportive with lots of opportunity for culture, countryside, seaside towns and we have the BEST business community of anywhere I have been.
What led to your career change?
I had two big changes. The first being almost three years ago when I left working in hotels and hospitality. I always loved my job. Sadly, Covid brought so many changes to the industry and, with this, my job role, and I was no longer enjoying it. But I was 42 and did I really want to have a complete career change? I wasn’t sure if I was just having a wobble or if things would get better with time So, I took myself off on a two-week holiday on my own, with very little contact with anyone from home, to get some clarity. On return I was unhappy and felt sad to be back, so it had to be done, I had to make a change!
I looked on LinkedIn and saw a job advertised in sales for a tech company, selling software to hotels and holiday parks, as head of business development for the UK and Europe – which was a bonus, as I would get to travel, still work in hospitality, but out of the hotels.
I applied and got the job! Then two and a half years later, just before Christmas last year I had the dreaded news: I was being made redundant. I was sad and worried but also felt like I was ready to come back home and back to our lovely business support network.
So here I am, on my next adventure with my new business, a very exciting challenge in a completely new sector, but still in sales, creating and growing relationships, which is my passion.
How did you go from living out of a suitcase, due to your career, to reconnecting with people, professionally and personally?
I found this hard to be honest. I was at home, alone all the time, all of a sudden. I had lost contact with a lot of people and hadn’t been involved in many business networks and events, I felt very disconnected and knew it was going to take some time to get it back.
Professionally, I went out to every networking event going, reached out to lots of previous clients and business partners using online platforms such as LinkedIn. It took lots of time and energy but had to be done.
Personally, I had kept in touch with friends throughout; however, lots of people had changed their priorities due to families and life circumstances, which is understandable, but left me feeling a bit disconnected again. So again, I felt like it was time to do something about it and make some changes. I joined some sport and social groups (in person and on social platforms), used some of the networking events to meet new people and I also joined a friendly group on Facebook called Norwich Girl! On here we all offer support, advice, tips, trade jobs to help each other both in business and at home.
Tell us about the solo travel trip! Would you recommend it?
The solo trip came was a really good experience and came from two things: firstly, I saw that Norwich Airport had last-minute flights available to Portugal at just £20 each way – wow, I couldn’t travel to London and back for that! I decided I was going, I could take my laptop and work from there, no problem! I was going, whatever.
Secondly, I then came across a solo travel subgroup of Norwich Girl on Facebook. As soon as I joined, after already seeing these flight prices, a lady posted that she was looking to go to Portugal in July. I said, I am looking at going next week with a screenshot of the prices I had seen. There was an influx of people interested but soon whittled down to the three of us. We met to make sure we were all genuine and serious about going, chose the area suitable for all our requirements from the trip and then we booked it, there and then, to go the following week!
We all rocked up at the airport having only had that one meeting, and off we went! We all checked in online with completely different seats, and, after an hour in the airport getting to know each other, we were soon up in the air and asking to move seats to sit together (as much as we could).
We then arrived in Portugal and quickly found we all have some similarities, but also lots of differences. There were days of doing our own thing, some with two on a trip and two staying back to chill; we mostly ate together every night, which could be a challenge with food preferences/dislikes, but we made it work. We are all still in touch with each other, sometimes individually, and often chat on the Portugal WhatsApp group.
What are your top tips for people thinking of doing the same thing?
• Choose a short trip – Three to five nights is enough I would say
• Meet beforehand – make sure you are all genuine, and feel trust in the group
• Align expectations – the vibe you hope for, activities/chill, budget, location
• Go with a group of 4+ – more personalities, more flexibility and options to split to fulfil everyone’s needs from the trip
What positive message can you give to people in their 40s, pivoting like you have?
If you are not happy, do something positive to make the change. Do not be afraid of doing something new. The worst-case scenario is you can go back to doing something like before (be that personally, or professionally). Change is good, trying new things is exciting, and new accomplishments are thrilling!
Sarah Jones is the Associate Sales Director of MCB FS Consulting.
Featured image of Sarah Jones by Richard Jarmy
Thank you for taking the time to read this article.
Any questions about any of the topics, let me know. You can find me on LinkedIn if we aren’t already connected
I am very proud of what Sarah has achieved in her working life, including career changes and the unexpected challenges she has faced along the way. All I ever wanted as a dad was for my girls to be happy in what they do, and Sarah has managed to do that in spades.
Daddy Jones aka Michael Jones.