This has been such an amazing process.  I have enjoyed every minute of it.  And I have come so far.  I now have a far clearer idea of what I want to achieve in my professional life and how I can do this, not to mention lots of progress made.  I also have a much braver outlook which has come from so much encouragement from Jo.  I have also met some other amazing people - including the other mentees, and other completely random people, who have given me their time and advice for nothing but a nice cup of coffee and a biscuit.  I feel very lucky.  

Jo has been a fantastic source of encouragement and very very good advice.  I couldn’t have wished for a better mentor.  She has also taught me to just go for things – not to be put off by a difficult conversation or someone saying no!  Her best piece of advice to me was that passion is the best form of persuasion.  She has been fantastic.  I have also learnt to look at the bigger picture far more, not focus on those small projects that can envelop you when there is a much bigger project that I could be part of.  

I feel very lucky to have been chosen to be part of the process and in the future I would love to help someone else to achieve their objectives in the way Jo has helped me.

Big thank you to Jo and also to Jackie, who had this great idea in the first place, and who is always the one behind the scenes making things happen rather than taking the glory at the front!  Many many thanks Jackie.

Can't wait for thursday - I do not expect to win at all from what I have seen of the other girls amazing  work - but I feel like a winner anyway - cheesy but true!  I have been extremely lucky to do this and will reap the rewards for a long time.

Good luck everyone else!  And see you all glammed up for thursday night!

Georgexx

I am really enjoying this process now.  Its has actually been far less of a process and more of an evolution but it has been a great journey!  My formal time with Jo may be drawing to a close but I know I can still call her anytime I need some excellent advice.  

I think it would be fair to say that my objectives have changed.  I did think this was a failure at first , but of course it isn't, as long as you have clear goals and know where you are heading.  So many people have none to start with, its very sad really.  

I am still talking to that small boutique hotel and I am also talking to a local hotel group.  Still not heard back from trip advisor though - if they were based in the UK I would march into their HQ and wait until someone effective could see me, but as they are based in the US, I will have to wait until my next trip!  However, my strategy now is slightly wider so this is not going to hold me back!

I am now planning a website for pumpkin principle but it will offer so much more than I started off thinking it would (more on that in the interview!).  And I now have a launch date in mind.  Things are becoming much clearer and much more within my grasp.  

Jo has opened my eyes to how possible everything is, with a bit of grit and a large dollop of enthusiasm and lots of hard work.  It was never the latter two I was lacking, but certainly I was a little too low on grit.  So having restocked on that and am now very excited about where I will be in a years time.

Huge thanks to Freshideas and Jackie for this competition.  It has been a real roller coaster - i know that sounds cheesy beyond belief, but it has been.  I have found out a lot about myself and where my strengths and weaknesses are.  And also thank you for the opportunities to meet so many great people (always in great surrounds too!).  And of course big thanks to Jo, who has advised, questioned, cajoled and encouraged, all in the right amounts! A very impressive lady.

Georgexx