Clare Molyneux

I suppose the network of people, institutions and business’ I work within is quite unique. Open The Door Theatre In Education specialises in Drama- Education projects and performances, so I connect with people from many different walks of life from actors, dancers and writers, pupils, students and prisoners to teachers, lectures, prison wardens and youth workers.

To coin an old thespian saying; “The greatest masterpiece of all time is at the minute languishing under some ones bed”. If you don’t tell people about how great your business, how will they ever know?

Be yourself – the one thing no-one else can do Spread the word – go to launches, dinners, breakfast, forums and don’t leave until you’ve given out all of the business cards you took with you, Believe in your product – if you don’t why should anyone else? Knock on doors – if no one answers, knock them down, Keep trying - it’s not easy but defiantly not impossible.

Yourself. You are your greatest resource. In business even if the product is great, if the people delivering the product have no personalities it will drive customers away. Be willing to put the hours in, send out that mailer, phone that boring man, go to that four hour lunch, keep in contact. If people can’t remember you how can they use you?

This is a really hard one to answer, because every connection is a great one, even if you don’t realize it at the time. I suppose when I was rejected for a shampoo advert but one of the audition panel got in touch with me a few months later to offer me a National advertisement campaign in China – that was quite good! That sort of thing has happened to me a few times - I’ve been turned down for the thing I wanted but it lead to something better. Always be nice to the people you meet, even if you don’t think they can help you because they just might…