http://www.insider.co.uk March 2020 INSIDER 25
LETTER TO MY YOUNGER SELF: JEANETTE FORBES
when the stuffing has been knocked out
of you!
Your husband and your children will be the
focus during the early days in business. Sadly,
you will have to adapt to being mum and dad
and no matter how lonely you may feel at
times, you will always count your blessings for
being “one of the lucky ones.”
Although not easy, you will watch your
offspring grow into mature young individuals
wishing that your late husband was here to
share in that pride.
The opportunities will ebb and flow as you
build your empire. Who would believe that
you would help to build the fastest flight
route algorithm in the world for the airline
industry? Then be given another opportunity
to develop a digital solution for oil and gas
to identify “ice plugs” caused by changes
in temperature and pressure in pipelines.
Remember when you were inspired by
reading Scott of the Antarctic three times?
Well now you know why that book was so
significant.
Mentoring will become the norm for you.
Giving some of that experience back is hugely
gratifying to you. Being a WES ambassador is
high on your priority list as you want to help
women, especially women who want to work
in diverse sectors, where only men usually
succeed!
The awards for technology
and business acumen will
come at pace and you will
always wonder “why me”
because you really don’t think
that you are doing anything
different other than getting
on with the day job! Start
now and look back on your
career and see what you have
achieved and be proud that
some of the top oil and gas
women see you, yes you, as a
role model. You will receive an
OBE in the Queen’s New Year
Honours and that shall be a
huge turning point for you.
Still unsure and suffering
from “imposter syndrome”
there will be days you
physically pinch yourself till it
hurts to make sure that you are still alive
and breathing!
You never wanted to waste your life and
constantly told others to make something
of themselves if they could. “We are here
for such a short time, make the most of
everything you do” is now becoming the
mantra you share with others.
“Life is a journey, look out of every window”
is the small phrase you will keep by your bedto remind you about the importance of life
and not only about being Jeanette Forbes the
Entrepreneur.
Your business journey will be a rollercoaster
as you enter your 20th year in business. Fasten
up that seatbelt because you will take it up a
notch in a new decade and whilst you might
not meet JR Ewing from Dallas and Southfork
Ranch is out of your budget, go buy that
Stetson, because you always loved hats!
Love Jeanette xn
r