Who are you?

Cat Paterson aka The Straight Talking Ginger

What does your business do?

I am a 'Nae Fluff, Nae Nonsense' Mindset Coach.

I use profiling to assist; entrepreneurs, students, exceptional leaders and teams to shift their mindset and identify their hidden strengths and talents.

This allows each individual, team or organisation to provide more value for customers, internal and external, whilst loving their job or career.

Where are you based?

Paisley.

I provide coaching services locally but still have a global reach via on-line courses.

I have the best of both worlds as I serve many people worldwide through on-line courses and skype but also have Scottish clients who need on-site individual or team coaching.

How did you get started?

I secured a place in Entrepreneurial Spark in 2013 for a product I invented, a drink for cats and dogs that reduces incidence of urinary tract disease.

I then secured another placement January 2014 setting up The Straight Talking Ginger.

I left ESpark in June but still have a great network of people around me and returned to ESpark as a mentor in August 2014.

What is your background?

I have BSc (hons) Psychology and held senior manager posts in the public sector.

I was privileged enough to head up an Intelligence Analysis Department for a National Intelligence Agency, obviously I can't say too much about it, but at a basic level a large part of these roles involved; pulling teams together, identifying individual strengths to achieve the required outcome.

Having had a few health concerns, it was the right time to write the next chapter of my career.

I left my job in 2013 and jumped on the roller coaster that is starting my own business.

What is your top tip?

Start before you're ready.

Stop waiting for the perfect moment or the planets to align, that doesn't happen.

Has anyone helped you get started and how?

As well as ESpark I have a Business Gateway advisor and a trusted mentor.

I also completed Marie Forleo's B-School, a course specifically for on-line businesses.

She is one of the top on-line entrepreneurs in the world.

What was your biggest mistake/or what would you do differently?

Giving into fear.

I thought everything had to be perfect before you start.

You must test your ideas, your products, your customers and create what they want, not what you assume they want.

Who was/is your mentor/or inspiration?

My inspiration is my younger cousin Paul.

He passed away after living with Cystic Fibrosis and although knowing his life would be cut short, he lived each and every day to the max.

He became a great golfer and ice hockey player despite mountains of medication and a lung transplant so if he can do it then I don't see any excuse whatsoever not to be the best I can be or help others to do the same.

Where do you plan your business to be in five years time?

I plan to launch more on-line courses.

My first two; TAPAS-UP-YOUR-LIFE and VIDEO MARKETING MADE EASY are available https://www.create-elearning.com/en/online-courses.

I also aim to provide more coaching for larger organisations to leverage the strengths of their people, which is what makes businesses successful and profitable, at all levels. Get the people right from the start and the rest can be planned out.

Useful contacts www.entrepreneurial-spark.com.

Contact Details

Main website www.straighttalkingginger.com

Sister site for profiling www.talent-dynamics.com/td/cat-paterson

info@straighttalkingginger.com

@S_TalkGinger