Sarah Loates, leader of Loates HR Consultancy.

Last Thursday at Derbyshire Business Networking at BEAR was one of those evenings that just felt right.

A really good room with plenty of conversation.

What really made the evening, though, was Sarah Loates MSc MCIPD, leader of Loates HR Consultancy, who stood up and spoke with a level of honesty you don’t always get in business talks. There was no gloss on it, no pretending everything has been easy. It was real, straight from lived experience, and people could feel that.

She talked through what she called the things she wished she had known when she started her business, and a number of points really landed.

The first was about knowing your worth and charging accordingly, which sounds simple but is something so many people struggle with. If you don’t value what you do, it sets the tone for everything that follows.

She also spoke about working with the right people, building relationships with clients who actually value your input and listen to your advice, and having the confidence to move away from those who don’t. That takes a bit of courage, but it makes a huge difference.

One of the most powerful parts was around mistakes. Her message was clear. If you get something wrong, own it. Be honest with your client, explain how you are going to put it right, and then follow through. People respect that far more than trying to cover things up.

She also talked about something that often gets overlooked, which is your own energy. The way she framed it really stuck with people. You have to look after yourself first, because if you are running on empty, you are no good to anyone else. It is the whole idea of putting your own oxygen mask on first before helping others. Simple, but very true.

There was also a strong message about finding your tribe, surrounding yourself with the right people who support you, challenge you, and help you grow. That network becomes more important than you realise, especially when things are not going to plan.

She touched on a few other things as well, like being decisive when tough decisions need to be made, asking for help when you need it, and having the resilience to take a step back, reset, and go again when things get difficult.

It was one of those talks where people were still discussing it afterwards, which says everything.

Thank you to everyone who came along and contributed to the evening.

Thank you to Liva Paseka Photography

The next event is at Great Northern Classics with Amanda Fletcher. Get tickets here