Hilary Rowland, Director, Next Chapter Retreats
Hilary has run peer learning groups of CEOs of SMEs for the Academy for Chief Executive and Vistage for some years. This led her and Peter Hyson to set up Next Chapter Retreats offering executive retreats working with successful people who may have lost a sense of purpose and direction, have run out of steam, gone off the boil and those who want to get back to their best. Hilary has previously had roles in the BBC and PWC, where she was a Director, as well as run her organisation consulting business. Hilary is an experienced coach, business adviser and facilitator.
What is your favourite social media platform, and why?
LinkedIn because I sense that is where most of my audience is, and it is where I get the most engagement.
Tell us about you and your current role or area of interest.
I am a Co-Founder of Next Chapter Retreats together with my business partner Peter Hyson. We started this essentially face-to-face business two years ago and were somewhat sideswiped by the pandemic. We spent a lot of time trying to repurpose our retreats to go online. We realised that it is just not possible to replicate the experience on a webinar as we are still in the process of growing the business that takes a lot of my time and attention. My current area of interest is beginning to write a book, working title, 'Design your life.'
What do you like about your career or area of focus?
It is the culmination of all that I have ever done, and I am able to complete work to my purpose, which is to enable people to be themselves fully. I love running our retreats, and doing that plays to what I'm good at.
What is the best advice you have ever received?
Do what you love.
What inspires you, motivates you, or helps you to move forward?
I love seeing people's lives change for the better and playing a small part in that. I love being able to offer a small intervention that has the potential to make a big difference.
What are you proud of in your life so far?
My children, what I have achieved in my career, is getting this business off the ground and learning how to use social media.
What is your preferred way to meet new people/network?
Ideally, face-to-face, but I have got very used to being online during the pandemic and am very comfortable meeting people that way too.
What skills or qualities do you feel have helped you?
Courage, innovation, being a thought leader, a creative, focused, calm, insightful, curious, good networker, outgoing, friendly and caring, being a good coach and facilitator.
What do you wish you had known when you started out?
How much I had to give, the extent of the contribution, I could make.
Who do you most admire in business, academic or creative circles and why?
The entrepreneur Daniel Priestley. He runs some excellent programmes for entrepreneurs, practices what he preaches, knows what entrepreneurs need to help them succeed and is generous with his advice and help.
Outside of your professional/work area, what hobbies or interests do you have or what other areas of your life are of real importance to you?
Health. I love cooking and healthy food, cycling, walking and swimming.
Has the pandemic had a positive or a negative effect on you and/or your business, and how have you managed it?
Both. Because hotels have been shut, we have not been able to run any retreats until June of this year and therefore have suffered financially. On the other hand, it had given us a lot of time to plan, develop marketing materials, refine our concept, clarify our audience and generally prepare for when things opened up again.
Do you have a mentor, or have you ever mentored anyone?
I have mentored a lot of people. I'm particularly interested in people who are high postnational but not achieving it.
What advice would you have for someone looking to get into the same area of work or interests?
Don't be afraid to get life experience and learn from it.
What do you feel is the most common reason for people failing or giving up?
Lack of the right kind of support.
Is there a phrase, quote or a saying that you really like?
Many people die with their best music unplayed.
What companies, brands, or institutions do you like or do you think are getting it right?
John Lewis, Waitrose, First Direct, Audi, Financial Times, Dent, BBC, Oxford Astra Zeneca, Pfizer.
How do you define success, and what lessons have you learned so far that you could share with our audience/readership?
Achieving my potential, living my purpose, making a meaningful difference in other people's lives, enabling others to thrive. Lessons I have learned: be true to yourself and what you believe and know, don't try to be like others, no matter how great and influential they may seem, trust your own intuition and instincts.