Liz Jackson, MBE, Founder & Managing Director, Great Guns Marketing

Ladies that Lunch Special Event

Tuesday 23 June 09, 12:00 - 14:15
The Orangery, Blenheim Palace, Woodstock, OX20 1PS
Group: Central Oxford
Cost: £45.00 (Non-members pay £50.00)

Liz Jackson is a truly inspirational figure and her story is extraordinary.  With no advanced educational background, she launched her telemarketing company in 1998 at the age of 25.  Support came from The Prince's Trust in the form of a £1,000 grant and a loan of £4,000.

Today, Great Guns Marketing turns over more than £3 million, growing at a rate of over 60% per annum and has seven regional branches in Basingstoke, Glasgow, Darlington, Derby, Cambridge and Birmingham in the UK as well as Waterford in Ireland.

For Liz especially, this is an amazing achievement as she is totally blind.  The year Liz started her business she lost her sight completely as a result of the eye disorder Retinitis Pigmentosa.  However, this didn't stop her from pursuing her dreams.  In September 2003, Liz won the Women Mean Business Award, sponsored by T Mobile and The Sunday Express.  It is Britain's biggest award dedicated to women who have achieved outstanding success running their own businesses.

In 2004, Great Guns Marketing won the South East regional Customer Focus Award in the National Business Awards.  Referred to by Prime Minister Gordon Brown as the business Oscars, the Customer Focus Award goes to the company that best demonstrates the client is at the heart of everything they do.

Liz is a regular motivating speaker at conferences and dinners across the UK inspiring others to achieve their dreams by telling her remarkable story.

In 2007, Liz was commended in the New Years Honours and awarded an MBE by the Queen for services to business.  Liz was acknowledged not only for her achievements in business but also for setting an incredible example to others and being a real inspiration.

Liz's remarkable story is told in her book 'Start Up!' that is listed as one of the top 50 business books currently available.  Published by Peason Prentice Hall, 'Start Up!' can be purchased in print or audio version. 

"I cannot begin to tell you how proud and pleased I am that Elizabeth Jackson has won this year's Women Mean Business Awards.  Elizabeth is an inspiration to young business people everywhere and I do send her my warmest congratulations." HRH The Prince of Wales

This is a Special Event for Ladies that Lunch, which has been running since 2004.  It is open to members, past and present, other networking groups, friends, colleagues and partners. It is also an opportunity to find out more about the inspirational charity, The Hunger Project, which is a global organisation whose aim is to end hunger in the developing world. However, rather than giving aid in the traditional way, The Hunger Project empowers local people to take effective, sustainable and strategic action themselves, through training, education and inspired leadership.

The organisation works in more than 20,000 villages across 13 countries of South Asia, sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America, reaching the lives of an estimated 35 million people, primarily through 275,000 trained volunteers.
 
Fifty percent of the profits from this event will be invested in The Hunger Project and in particular to train 100 women leaders in India.