Resilience, Improv and Art, 02/12/2022

RTL Today - The Lisa Burke Show

Join Lisa and guests: Rachel Watkyn, CEO of The Tiny Box Company, Melissa Dalton on her improv work, artist Philippe Lamesch and RTL's Sasha Kehoe.
Rachel Watkyn -Tiny Box Company
Rachel Watkyn set up Tiny Box Company in a bedroom 14 years ago, into a company which now turns over circa £10m. Yes, she's a brilliant entrepreneur and business woman, but what's all the more remarkable is how she got here.
It's not often we hear the voice of those who've lived through traumatic childhoods, who have experienced life in a children's home, to then be returned to a home which remains unstable. And despite this start, Rachel managed to put herself through A levels, university and then into the world of work.
Her working roles included implementing a new financial system for the Government of Sierra Leone in 1998-1999. This was a pivotal moment for Rachel as she witnessed another level of poverty when the civil war was raging violently at this time, and there were literally people starving and many people injured and maimed by the rebel soldiers.
Health issues have paralleled her life’s work. From chronic fatigue syndrome to cancer, nothing has deterred her determination to get back up and think, outside the box.
In 2008 Rachel and her then business colleague Robin Banks were invited onto Dragons Den and two dragons, Peter Jones and Theo Paphitis offered investment of £60k for 40%.
Tiny Box Company grew rapidly, to now employing over 90 staff and turnover circa £10m per annum. Whilst running the Tiny empire, Rachel unfortunately experienced breast cancer in 2016 and lung cancer in 2019. Cancer has returned once more and she will soon have a mastectomy for which we wish her nothing but the best.
As an outspoken advocate for female led small businesses, Rachel runs free business clinics on a Thursday for any small business owners who want advice, or often just to chat through hurdles they are experiencing and gain some confidence.
It is Rachel's innate mental strength, which I find extraordinary to witness, is such a shining example to us. From selling sweets as a 7 year old, and measuring her wealth in terms of sugar, to a renowned success, she constantly gives back to others, and looks upon her life as being one of the lucky ones.
Melissa Dalton - Luxembourg's Improv Queen
You may know Melissa as the voice of The Home Stretch
at RTL Today Radio, but she’s also a trained actress with a passion for Improv, guiding classes and also performing herself!
You can join Melissa's improv classes by registering here. The next one will be on December 6th.
Melissa's Improv Troupe is called The Garage Gang and their next show will be on 17th Dec at Theatre Le Dix. Buy tickets here and join their instagram page here.
Philippe Lamesch - artist (and biologist)
Philippe discovered his passion for printmaking in Boston in 2001 and went on to train as a traditional printmaker at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and the KALA Art Institute in Berkeley,
In 2014, Lamesch and three of his friends create the non-profit organization ‘Art2Cure’ with the mission to stage art fundraiser where revenue is split evenly between the artist and a good cause. In just four years, the young organization managed to raise over €200,000 for biomedical research.
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