ULTIMO QUEEN REVEALS ALL ABOUT HER RISE TO THE TOP
SHE'S the undisputed queen of lingerie and one of the UK's most successful businesswomen, yet teachers once told Michelle Mone she'd amount to no more than a CHECK-OUT GIRL.
Determined to prove the doubters wrong, she worked her way up from humble beginnings in Glasgow's tough Gallowgate area to build the £55million Ultimo empire.
And today mum-of-three Michelle reveals her full rags-to-riches story in an extraordinary exclusive interview with the News of the World.
For the first time, the 37-year-old talks in frank detail about the highs and heartaches of her journey from drop-out teenager to tycoon . . . and success beyond her own wildest dreams.
In the first part of our exclusive series - Michelle Mone: My Story - she opens her heart to tell us how she was:
DRIVEN to success by her tough upbringing and losing her first job
HEARTBROKEN over the death of her baby brother, who she never even SAW, and
SEXUALLY assaulted by a pervert who dragged her into his flat
Michelle also reaches out to the thousands of people facing redundancy as the credit crunch bites - because she remembers clearly the pain of being in the same situation as a young mum.
She says: "I look at all these people with families and mortgages losing their jobs and I feel so desperately sorry for them.
"It's such a mess - a truly horrible situation. I've been there, I KNOW what they're going through."
She reveals that her own dark days were the spur which helped her fulfil her childhood dream of running her own business.
Michelle blagged her way into a prized marketing junior's job at Labatt's lager by fibbing that she had Highers, and set her sights on running the Scottish end of the operation within two years.
With grim determination and hard graft, she did it in 18 months - but was gutted when the firm was taken over and she was made redundant aged 23.
"Being made redundant was awful - a truly horrific experience," Michelle reflects. "After being laid off I spiralled into depression as I couldn't find another job. Nobody wanted me because I had no qualifications after leaving school at 15.
"But deep down, I was determined to get through it. I have always been a positive person.
"My philosophy is that if you think negative things, then negative things will happen to you. But if you have a positive attitude then the best will come of whatever situation.
"Whenever things aren't going my way I just remember what my mum told me. She always used to say that when one door closes, many more will open. It's just a case of finding them. She is so right."
And now Michelle urges anybody who has lost their job to look at her as a shining example of how to succeed - even when the whole world is against you.
"I lost my job with two children to support and a mortgage to pay. I couldn't find work anywhere. But I am living proof that even with no qualifications, you can still succeed. You have to believe in yourself.
"If you are unfortunate enough to lose your job, once the tears have dried up view it as a chance to go and do something new.
"If you stay positive you can achieve anything. Don't think your life is over. It's just beginning."
Gemma Atkinson modelling Ultimo lingerie
READ THE FULL STORY ONLY IN THIS WEEK'S NEWS OF THE WORLD
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This article has 2 comments
I'm pretty sure that there has been a boob job on MM otherwise those bras of hers are bloody wonderful, as she is flat chested in the bikini pic, but has a cracking pair in the other pic. I would !!!!!!!
By Gordon.. Posted May 17 2009 at 10:53 PM.
I wonder how the *honest* candidates that MM beat to the marketing job by lying about her qualifications must feel reading this.
By Allan.. Posted May 17 2009 at 1:50 PM.