Jen Todd on keeping things honest

The Silk Bow Group has many arms; how did you decide the ways in which you have branched out?

Bookkeeping and accountancy are my background, and the events company is run by my business partner who has experience in that area.

Silk Bow Global Yachts is based in Italy. My business partner’s brother lives in Viareggio in Tuscany, and runs a company that paints superyachts for Benetti. We run a team that writes insurance reports for any scratches or damage to the paintwork. The partnership came about after spending an evening there by the sea talking with the local paint inspectors who needed assistance with that side of their business.

Silk Bow Business Basics is a free service that we provide. It helps people decide if they want to be self-employed, a partnership, or a limited company. It's very important to me because people can spend a lot of money setting up a limited company and not know that they have to file statutory accounts using software. If I can help people get over those problems, that makes me happy.

You’re very entrepreneurial by nature; how would you describe yourself as a business owner?

My view is to be a true entrepreneur you've got to have had it, and lost it big time, and then built it back up. I haven't ever lost it big time, although I’ve come close sometimes.

We've recently reviewed our company culture, and the one thing that's come out of it is that we're always very honest. When people say to me “What do you think?” I have to remember to pause and say, “Do you really want to know?” Because if someone tells me their life’s dream, and I don't think they’re going to make any money, I will tell them. They might never speak to me again, but it makes me feel a little bit better that at least I've been honest and brave enough to tell them.