Caroline Esterson from Genius Learning - Summer August Q&A 2021

We've been talking to various business owners about their summer and autumn plans and today we're talking to Caroline Esterson who is a co-director of innovative learning and development company Genius Learning which provides dynamic and inspirational training to companies looking to empower and develop their teams.

How is August looking in your business? 

August has been a positive month. Companies are seeking growth once more and investing in their teams with gusto. A keen focus for companies is innovation. 

Having faced the ravages of the pandemic they now better appreciate that having a nimble, engaged workforce is a key to ensuring strength in the future. The pandemic shone a light on people’s resilience and ingenuity and now is the time to leverage this.

What have you done this month?

I’m in training! Hadrian’s Wall  beckons in October, where, with my daughter, two friends and four dogs, we will hike five days averaging 15 miles a day. This is no mean feat bearing in mind I was on crutches two months ago. I have serious arthritis in the knee that often gets triggered, so this is part of my plan to build strength.

I have a further incentive too. My husband has been involved in a campaign to have stab kits placed around city centres and in pubs. With knife crime on the rise affecting not just gangs but everyone, this kit can stem bleeding to allow time for the paramedics to arrive and treat properly – these kits cost pennies but save lives. So, we are raising funds to buy kits for our area.

A great place to visit for a day trip is New Brighton beach on the Wirral – the fish and chips and ice cream are to die for!

The Olympics – Tokyo 2020 – have come and gone and the Paralympics are underway. Have you seen anything which touched or inspired you?

I was so impressed with the attitude of Bradley Sinden, the young Taekwondo fighter who lost the gold medal with just seven seconds on the clock. He was clearly devasted and understandably so but was so gracious in defeat and I’m sure this experience will offer determination to achieve gold medals in the future. 

Did you know August 21 was World Entrepreneurs Day? What does this word mean to you and do you apply it to yourself? 

For me, being an entrepreneur is not about what I do but about who I am. It guides everything I do from spending and saving money to my flexibility in coping with life’s challenges.

Can you name one business you’d like to give a summer shout out too? Who has gone the extra mile for you recently? 

I’d like to give a shout out to Adoption UK. They are such a vital support group for both adopters and adoptees and last week they posted a list of 40 questions for adopters to reflect on which inspired an incredible conversation between my daughter and me which has led us to develop a practical programme of support for new adopters. It is wonderful to be developing a project with her and use both our skills to support others.

As we move further through the pandemic, how are you feeling about the future of business in general? 

I think the summer is a crucial time to consolidate your position. I fear we will move into another lockdown in the winter and the actions that all businesses take now will help to insulate them for this period. 

Now is the time to get creative to think about what you CAN do in the event of another lockdown, to build a community and maximise sales.

Have you got any events planned for the autumn you’d like to shout about – either that you are running or attending? 

Watch this space for more news on the programme for adopters which we hope to launch in the autumn!

And finally, August 16 was National Tell a Joke Day? Can you tell us a joke and raise a laugh? 

I’m really not very good at jokes so the simple ones that make me smile work best for me. I particularly like this one because I love the sea and it always makes me smile when I go to the beach and think of it.

How do we know that the ocean is friendly?

It waves.

For more information visit www.inspireyourgenius.com