This blog gives you an insight into how Debbie Stevens the Worthing Business Award 2010 winner got to where she is today. We are proud to have such fantastic businesses on our site, and we really do mean what we say, we have the best of Worthing!

Take a look at Debbie Stevens feature for more information on her business and the services she offers.

This is her story.

I left school in the 80s not really knowing what I wanted to do. By then I had attended about 10 different schools all over England and Germany, moving every 2 years with the army and playing constant catch up with the school syllabuses.

I finally finished school, however I left on Friday and started work in a factory on the Monday, the incentive in the factory was 'the harder you worked the more you earnt'. I learnt the skills to make friends and talk to people and have the understanding that if you work hard you receive the benefits. I also discovered that not everyone possesses these skills, they just come naturally to me.

I have a very supportive husband, two beautiful teenage children, a lovely home and a faithful dog. Everything was great, and then I slipped into that ‘bored housewife’ syndrome. I wasn’t actually bored I just needed to do something for myself.

I suddenly found myself on a Reflexology course.

I remember going into the class room and hearing the tutor saying’ this course is not for the bored housewife it’s the equivalent of taking an A level, my heart sank, had I already failed? I didn’t even possess a GCSE.However I was absolutely absorbed in the course and in the end had a pass mark of 98%, I have never achieved as high a mark for anything not even for talking!

Then came the biggest challenge for me handing in my notice and becoming self employed! I have never looked back.

Business continued to be busy and through demand I launched Debbie Stevens Wellbeing Events. In October 08, and was nominated by the public and short listed for the Worthing Business Awards 2008 in the Micro Business category. My Wellbeing Events have become so popular that I now am hosting them all over Sussex. My team of experts can provide work place wellbeing and pampering at home or at one of our regular venues, they can even be tagged onto a weekend. How fantastic is that!!

My business is a word of mouth one, and all of my referrals have come from my clients, and all the ladies who have come along to my Girls Nights In.

In 2009 I was delighted to receive a Highly Commended award at the Worthing Business Awards 2009. Receiving this award was the icing on the cake. I was overwhelmed by all the support and pledged that 2010 will be the best one yet.

Over the last 12 months I have been working exceptionally hard to promote wellbeing within the local area.  I am very passionate about building a service which includes a partnership with other small to medium sized businesses.  I have more than doubled the Girls Nights in venues and taken on more public events.  This has enabled me to offer more work to more therapists, local venues, local businesses and make contributions to charities.

This year I decided to go for the Worthing Business Awards 2010 in the Marketing & Promotion category. I asked all my clients that if they felt I deserved their vote for this to vote for me (I am privileged to have a database full of worthy followers).Worthing Herald then called me to ask if I would submit a portfolio, two weeks later I was called again and told that I had been short listed. To my amazement I won this award! I was up against Utilities Warehouse, Northbrook College, LD Entertainment and Caffyns PLC, all these companies have staff and a budget to market their business, there’s only me and my P.A who works two days a week.

I have never thought of myself as a small person, running a small business.
I am not afraid to be standing next to the bigger companies !

It just goes to show that you don’t have to be a brain box to be a success.

The magic formula to my success is this; I have been myself throughout the whole experience, I haven’t promised anything I can’t deliver I have the passion and drive to move my business forward and truly love my job.

I have thanked all my clients whole heartily for allowing me to have the best job ever.

Debbie Stevens