Inspiring women at the habb networking breakfast
HABB's third Women's Networking Breakfast, held at the Goldwell Academy in central London, welcomed beauty editor and entrepreneur Jo Fairley as its star guest.
Interviewed by Hellen Ward, co-owner of Richard Ward Hair & Metrospa, Jo shared the secrets of her success in beauty journalism, and how she came to launch the iconic chocolate brand Green & Black's, which has gone on to become a global Fairtrade brand.
With her philosophy that beauty is as much about what you put into your body as what you put on it, Jo is co-author (with Sarah Stacey) of the Beauty Bible series of books.
She currently writes for You magazine, runs beauty website and blog www.beautybible.com, and reviews fragrances on www.thescentcritic.com.
Other current projects include an organic bakery and wellbeing centre, as well as developing a shopping guide version of the Beauty Bible as an iPhone app.
Jo told the breakfast guests that her attitude to new business projects is to dive right in, as she believes that 'fortune favours the bold'. She added: "When poised on the edge of something quite scary, I ask myself: 'Would I regret not doing this?' And the answer is 'yes'."
While she admits she has been 'totally unstrategic' about her career, she has always trusted that the right opportunities will present themselves.
"If you're open in every way, and prepared to roll up your sleeves, then things do come along. I take the opportunities and dive off the diving board," she said.
