Jenny Williams

You don’t have to have a business degree and a huge bank balance to build a successful company, just motivation, time and confidence. Hear how a career detective adapted her skills to run a successful business.

Jenny Williams, a former police detective had the self-belief and confidence to use her skills and knowledge to set up her own company.

After leaving school she joined the Metropolitan Police and her twenties were spent pounding the streets of London as a detective. In her thirties, Jenny had children and soon realised that getting up at 3am to arrest drug dealers wasn't very compatible with an expanding family, so she took a career break... and never returned to the police

Jenny learned the nuts and bolts of running her own business as part of the Phoenix Trading company. This gave her the flexibility to set her own targets and working hours, she loved being her own boss, well and truly catching the entrepreneurial bug.

When her son was 8 she spotted a gap in the market for a new, exciting and innovative children's party theme. Jenny launched a business called CSI kids, teaching children the basics of forensic science in a hands-on way. The concept was a huge hit and soon expanded into youth groups and schools etc.

The company now runs children and adult events. Its turnover has doubled each year and Jenny has grown the company without external funding through sheer hard work and determination.

Jenny is proof that with a little determination, self confidence and a cunning idea you can develop a business without requiring vast funding and in the midst of a recession.