intelligent

Hospitality – a love-affair

Just as her decision to become an investor and entrepreneur was driven by her desire to oversee her own time , Willingham said that her ‘ pull ’ to the hospitality sector was also personal . “ Ideally , I like to be involved with businesses where I could also be a customer and enjoy them . I love our bars , I ’ m out in them regularly , and at the time , Bombay Bicycle Club was the best Indian food in London ,” she said . “ My career had to fall into line with my life and give me something more than just money in the bank . It must enhance my life and hospitality does this .”

The meaning – and point – of success

Willingham lived in Japan for a year , setting up Pizza Express , the staff gifting a daruma doll when she left , wishing her fulfilment . Upon receiving it , the recipient must colour in the left eye , picturing what success means to them .

“ I coloured in the left eye not long after being given it , when thinking about three things which success meant to me ,” Willingham said . “ I wanted to be a mum , I wanted to share my life with someone and I wanted to achieve something in business . Your goal is to colour the right eye . I coloured in mine years later . I ’ d met Michael , had a baby and sold the Bombay Bicycle Club . My definition of success was those three things .”

Balancing parenthood and business

Willingham is an advocate for women in business , having herself navigated the challenges of motherhood and business . She said the key is ‘ balance ’.

“ One of the things that ’ s important to me , and always has been since I had kids , was that some days I need to wake up as Sarah Willingham ,” she said . “ I ’ m not just a mum , I ’ m not just a wife , I ’ m not all these things individually . I ’ m who I ’ ve always been . I think that ’ s very important not to forget for anybody as they navigate life .”

Having spent time working with women entrepreneurs and founders , there is a strong need to be very self-propelled and highly motivated .

“ It ’ s not easy and can be a very lonely existence . But , if it works , and you can find that balance it ’ s magic because you will be able to navigate it around the life that you want to have at home . I ’ ve learned the hard way that you cannot do both at the same time .”

The Dragon ’ s Den experience

Willingham was invited to a screen test but had not considered the gig would go ahead .

“ You get lots of approaches to do different things on TV and most of them don ’ t happen . I thought : ‘ What a laugh . I ’ ll go meet Deborah Meaden . Maybe she ’ ll like me and we can become good friends ’,” she joked .

At the time , she was investing in small businesses , with an understanding of different types of business models , and concedes she is lucky to have the ability to ‘ take something quite complex and make it very simple ’.

Two days later , she had been shortlisted to the final three and then confirmation came later that week that she ’ d been selected as a new dragon .

“ On the first day of filming , I remember looking at those five chairs and that ’ s never left me

Sarah Willingham , mother , businesswoman and ex-Dragon

I ’ M NOT JUST A MUM , I ’ M NOT JUST A WIFE , I ’ M NOT ALL THESE THINGS INDIVIDUALLY . I ’ M WHO I ’ VE ALWAYS BEEN .