‘Richard Branson told me not to start my business’: Gravita CEO Caroline Plumb
We dig into the memory bank of the City’s great and good. Today, serial entrepreneur and Gravita CEO Caroline Plumb tells us about her career in this week’s Square Mile and Me
CV
- Name: Caroline Plumb
- Job title: Group CEO, Gravita
- Previous roles: Co-founder of Fresh Minds and founder and CEO of Fluidly
- Age: 46
- Born: Manchester
- Lives: Surrey
- Studied: Bolton School then Engineering Economics and Management at St John’s College, Oxford
- Talents: Driving change with technology, scaling businesses, falling asleep quickly
- Motto: “Never play the princess when you can be the queen.” – Clementine Paddleford
- Biggest perk of the job? Hearing lovely things about my team and clients
- Coffee order: Skinny latte
- Cocktail order: Espresso Martini
- Favourite book: You Talkin’ to Me? by Sam Leith
What was your first job?
My first job was in a shoe shop for £1.79 an hour – I was 16 and it was pre minimum wage!
What was your first role in the city?
My first role in the city was when I started my first company in Covent Garden called Fresh Minds. It was an innovation and recruitment consultancy and I was the co-founder and co-CEO.
When did you know you wanted to be an entrepreneur?
I wasn’t one of those children who grew up knowing they’d run their own business one day! It was down to meeting my then business partner at university during the dot-com boom, and everyone was talking about starting a business. People like Martha Lane Fox and Brent Hoberman were in the press all the time and it suddenly seemed like a possibility that we could do this and so we decided to get going.
What’s been really great is to see how the culture of entrepreneurship has changed so much over the years. When I first started out, it was hard to find the right support or to meet with other like-minded entrepreneurs – the main scene was a networking group called First Tuesday, which was quite nascent at the time. There’s so much more support nowadays and the environment is much more open to starting a business, especially straight out of university.
What’s one thing you love about the City of London?
It is impossible to name only one thing. I grew up in Manchester, so I think I was always sceptical of how wonderful everyone says London is when you’ve not lived there yourself, but I have definitely fallen in love, and it feels like my city. What I love most is the historic architecture standing alongside the new. I think it reflects the way in which the culture has moved. Despite there still being challenges, there is a real sense of momentum across the technology, financial and scale-up communities here which have flourished to become much more vibrant.
And one thing you would change?
The cost of public transport. It’s so much more expensive here than other European cities and it’s a real challenge for my team when you think about the cost of coming into the office. Everyone has to get up and go to work and the cost of transport shouldn’t factor in, but unfortunately it does, which is one of the many reasons why we support hybrid working.
What’s been your most memorable business lunch or dinner?
In my final term at university, there was a management consulting firm that took my whole course for a smart dinner in Oxford – the kind of place you typically wouldn’t go to as a student. Across the restaurant that night was Richard Branson and, somewhat boldly, I thought it would be a great idea to try and beckon him over. To my surprise, he got up to talk to me, and I asked him whether I should start my own business or take the management consulting job. He said to take the job (I didn’t)!
And any business faux pas?
Probably beckoning over Richard Branson in a restaurant at someone else’s recruitment event!
What’s been your proudest moment?
When I hear people talking about the Gravita team. Receiving client feedback which spontaneously mentions one of our team members who has gone above and beyond, that’s what I love most.
And who do you look up to?
Lots of people. I’m a real fan girl. Elona Mortimer-Zhika, the former Iris CEO, Alex Mahon at Channel 4, Lindsay Pattison at WPP, Dawn Marriot at Hg – all these incredible women who have achieved so much and are brilliant role models.
What’s the best business advice you’ve ever been given?
Know what you don’t know… and then find someone who does.
And the worst?
Take the safe job!
Are you optimistic for the year ahead?
Yes, I’m optimistic for Gravita – there are lots of opportunities and I’m looking forward to the year ahead. In general though, the business environment is tough and a lot of our clients are finding it more difficult, especially with the impact of employers’ NI and rising costs. I’m a glass half full person but you have to be neutral on the environment as it is today.
We’re going for lunch, and you’re picking – where are we going?
Ottolenghi – they are a client of Gravita and is just around the corner from my office.
And if we’re grabbing a drink after work?
Two places. The first is the Discount Suit Company which is a speakeasy near Spitalfields. The other is the King’s Arms near Waterloo station – it’s very casual, easy to get home and it has a decent Thai kitchen at the back.
Where’s home during the week?
Surrey, Claygate.
And where might we find you at the weekend?
On the side of a pitch watching my children play sports, or maybe going for a run.
You’ve got a well-deserved two weeks off. Where are you going and who with?
Mongolia! I’m half Mongolian and I’d love to explore the country with the kids (although I suspect they’d prefer a beach in Mexico or the Maldives instead).