The perfect blend of business and drama, My Fight to the Top by leading UK entrepreneur, Michelle Mone, is a unique, heart-rending autobiography that has mass appeal, whether the reader wants to learn how to get ahead in business, or simply learn how to keep it together through life's challenges.
From the rough East End of Glasgow, Michelle Mone overcame the physical violence of school bullies, the emotional trauma of financial difficulties at home, and the tragic paralysis of her father, to become one of the UK's most respected entrepreneurial women. From the simple experience of wearing an uncomfortable bra, Michelle created the Ultimo brand, now worth £50m. However, the road has been far from smooth, and the pressure of trying to build a business and be a good mother brought her marriage—and her health—to the edge. But with steely determination she fought back, striving to make Ultimo a genuine success story.
Michelle Mone is one of the most successful businesswomen of her generation. An inspiration for entrepreneurs the world over, Michelle overcame hardship and a difficult childhood to become one of the most lucrative and creative executives in business circles across the globe. Striving from working-class to developing the Ultimo brand into the foremost accessory for women, gaining an OBE and bringing up three children whilst going through a tumultuous divorce, My Fight to the Top is a wonderful tale of how an enterprising spirit, pure ambition and savvy know-how combined to create one of the UK s most successful fashion brands.
Author quotes
I live my life by one simple rule; work hard, play hard, and always give something back.
I left school at fifteen with no qualifications – not that education doesn’t matter, of course it matters – but I’ve worked my way up from nothing to where I am today through hard work and determination.
Everyone is capable of being a winner if you put your mind to it; you don’t have to be born with a silver spoon in your mouth to succeed in business.
The best thing to do is to dream. Go where it really motivates you and dream. It’s amazing what you can do once you get in the zone and get your mind sorted. It's incredible what you can achieve.
About the author
Michelle Mone is renowned as one of the UK’s most influential ladies. The multi-award winning Entrepreneur-turned-Parliamentarian is now Start-Up Business Tsar to the British Government and advocate for female equality in business.
Founder of Ultimo Brands International, the UK’s leading lingerie brand for the last two decades, she set out with a vision of helping women look and feel their very best. It was upon that simple concept that Michelle Mone built her career and influence, being honoured with a Life Peerage to the House of Lords by the Prime Minister and an OBE from Her Majesty the Queen for her outstanding contributions to business. Michelle, or Lady Mone as she is now known, grew up in the underprivileged East End of Glasgow. At the age of fifteen, her father fell ill, became paraplegic and was wheelchair bound for life. This forced Michelle to leave school without any qualifications in search of full-time employment, sparking her instinct for entrepreneurship. At the age of just 22, Michelle was promoted to Head of Sales and Marketing in Scotland for the Glasgow-based Labatts Brewers. Due to a company reorganisation the role was made redundant 2 years later. In 1996, after only six weeks out of work, Michelle was at a dinner dance wearing a very uncomfortable cleavage-enhancing bra. It was here she had an epiphany on what the lingerie industry was missing, and the world-famous Ultimo bra was born. After the launch of Ultimo, Michelle quickly established herself as one of Scotland’s finest exports, winning the World Young Business Achiever Award in 2000 at the Epcot Centre in Florida, as well as Business Woman of the Year at the Corporate Elite Awards in London. Michelle’s status as one of the UK’s leading entrepreneurs was confirmed soon after when Prince Charles invited her to join the board of Directors for The Prince’s Trust.
Why LoA loves it….
Being a woman entrepreneur can be tough at the best of times, and we all need a little inspiration to keep us going when things are challenging. So it’s always good to hear from those women who have risen from the most difficult of beginnings to the top of their field, becoming global influencers in the process. Michelle Mone is one such inspirational entrepreneur and her story of how she became of the most successful business and brand builders in the UK, going on to become a peer in the House of Lords in recognition of her outstanding contribution to business, is nothing short of remarkable. She is proof positive of the old adage “it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish” both in business and in life. This is a truly inspirational read. --- Melanie Hawken, founder and editor-in-chief of Lionesses of Africa