Case Study: Debbie Bullock

There is a joke in The Growing Club that our theme song should be Eagles’ Hotel California. For those of you too young to know, the last line is You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave. 

We don’t actually hold people hostage, but as participants feel safe and supported, they tend to stay involved. Of course, it is fine to attend a workshop or course and be on your way, but we’re all about community and for most there is a journey with us, and over the next few months we will be sharing some of those journeys.

Debbie’s story, below, is a typical example. Referred to us by her Boost Lancashire mentor, Debbie came to us as a pre-start and 4 years later is now giving back.

Hi Debbie, tell us a bit about you and your business.

My business is Debbie Bullock HR. I am a Freelance HR Consultant.

My aim is to support employers to have a harmonious working relationship with their staff. I care deeply about people, their lives, our communities and believe we work better pulling together, not pulling apart. I have a strong, knowledgeable, and up to date background in Human Resources, specialising in Employment Law, with a Graduate Diploma in Personnel Management focused in Employment Law from the University of Central Lancashire.

I will always be fair and equitable, I want to work with you, and I want your business to succeed with a happy and motivated workforce whether that be one person or numerous people!  And I am not afraid of having difficult conversations. I will tell you if I think your approach carries a risk and will encourage your business to become an employer of choice. I like to build sustained relationships and will encourage your team to aim for harmonious working relationships, which in turn leads to a happier workforce,  improving productivity and results in a successful business.

What inspired you to join The Growing Club?

When I came across The Growing Club and spoke to Jane Binnion I felt so relieved that there was some help out there to guide me in how to be Self Employed! I couldn’t wait to start the course and learning everything I could as I had no idea how to start up a business working for myself.  I knew my ‘subject’ but I had no idea how to start a business and it felt very scary. 

 Tell us about your journey with The Growing Club 

My journey through Roots and Shoots  had only just started then Covid hit…. so, we had a mixture of Face to Face (well behind masks!) and zoom learning.  This in itself was unprecedented on top of trying to start up a new business, so the whole learning curve was huge for me.   Looking back, I have no idea how we managed it, but I know for sure that The Growing Club was just the best experience for me and the support I felt from the whole training team was amazing. 

What has been your biggest challenge over the past couple of years? 

Once the ‘security’ of my training course ended I was quite overwhelmed, I missed the comradery of the other ladies and The Growing Club team, but having a mentor from The Growing Club helped again to support me and my journey over the first 12 months. When that ended, I felt a little overwhelmed again, but The Growing club has such amazing support with ‘drop-in sessions’, next step training courses and lots of fabulous workshops, it feels as though they are never far away and there if you need them. 

 Trying to find the right work life balance hasn’t been easy, and understanding the workflow pattern of being self-employed  has taken some understanding, but I think I am getting there! 

What are your plans for the next 12 to 24 months? 

This year I have become a mentor myself with the Growing Club, and hopefully by supporting someone else, as I was supported after Roots and Shoots, is just a little way of giving something back and saying ‘Thank you’ for everything The Growing Club did for me. 

 I am still learning about being self-employed but hopefully getting better at leaning how to enjoy the many benefits it can give you, the main one for me is the flexibility to be able to work around supporting my family and grandchildren and enjoying better health and wellbeing. 

What is your biggest takeaway from your time at The Growing Club 

My biggest takeaway would be the support and kindness that was shown to me. No judgment at any stage, just lots of support and encouragement. 

Contact Debbie Bullock HR

You can contact Debbie via her website www.debbiebullockhr.com.
If you would like business support from The Growing Club, please email admin@thegrowingclub.co.uk