My Journey: From Pickles to Burgers & the Road to DBASo here’s the deal—my life is a true story of taking the bull by the horns. I’ve had my fair share of challenges, but if life throws you a pickle, well, I say make a mean burger out of it! As an immigrant at just shy of 17 years old, things weren’t exactly a walk in the park. But let’s just say being on the wrong side of immigration was an entirely different ball game. Trust issues? Oh, I’ve got plenty. But those experiences, tough as they were, have all been part of preparing me for the road ahead—one I’m grateful for.

 

Did I mention I had my first child at 17.5? Yes, that’s right. I made some pretty tough decisions early on in life, and I’m sure many people thought, “Well, that’s it, she’s done for!” But little did they know, a seed had been planted—one that would grow into something quite unexpected. Let’s face it, many success stories have a rough backstory—mine is no different. I’ve had my fair share of ups and downs, but over the years, I rode the educational tide and ended up top of my class. Oh, and did I mention I was also honoured as the best-performing candidate in my MBA program? Yep, that’s right! My thirst for knowledge was unquenchable, and I embraced the evidence-based practice mindset that my lecturers drummed into us.

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Change is inevitable, and if you resist it, well, let’s just say you’re probably getting replaced by someone who’s keeping up. Fast forward to today, and here I am, on my way to completing the pinnacle of my academic journey—a DBA. No, I wasn’t the brightest in high school, and no, I didn’t get straight 10 As like my second-born daughter (yup, she’s the real overachiever in the family). But you know what?

 

The key to my success wasn’t the grades—it was my determination and hard work. Trust me, if you can put in the work, no matter where you start, you can go anywhere. You might be thinking, “But what about the businesses you started that didn’t quite go as planned?” Ah, yes, my two failed businesses—they left me with more hot potatoes than I could handle. Scraping sofas for coins for my kids’ sandwiches? Been there. Tiptoeing around thinking bailiffs were knocking at my door? Done that too. And let’s not forget the day I had to watch them unplug the TV and threaten to take my sofa—talk about hitting rock bottom! That’s when I realized the only way out was to rise again like a phoenix. It took me six months to pay off a £1,200 debt to my lovely friend who opened the door to the bailiffs by the way- way to go Mary...

 

But it all clicked on that day whilst i licked my wounds at mid-day in bed with curtains closed ashamed to even face the birds in the sky, I created my five-year plan. So what did I do next? I returned to nursing and, as my fire was burning bright, I enrolled in an MBA program. Why? Because I needed to fill the theoretical gaps from my business ventures. I was juggling two universities at the same time (yes, I’m still not sure how I managed that!) while working night shifts. Let’s just say I learned to be lean with my time—and that’s not just a phrase I learned from my MBA!

 

I remember my ward sister telling my she wasn’t thrilled at me starting as a band 5 after completing my MBA. She said I was overqualified. My first gig at pitching was here. I shared and sold her my five-year plan, explaining that returning to grassroots was part of my journey. Let’s just say she would joke with me about being the future chief of Nursing in the trust one day. In my heart I was steadfast in sticking to the vision I mapped out tempting as the prestigious role sounded. I am all about driving change after all.  

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You can’t lead a team if you don’t understand how to do the work yourself—that’s why I live by my mantra: "Walk the trenches before sitting on benches. “After gaining experience with the NHS (which I’m forever grateful for—it shaped me into the nurse I am today), I worked as an agency nurse to experience firsthand what Requires Improvement, Good, and Outstanding ratings really meant in practice. And then, I was recommended to my great mentor, who became a key figure in my journey as a consultant. Well, the rest? That’s history.

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There’s one phrase that continues to ring true: “If you can use your hands, you can never starve.” My mother used to say that to me all the time, and now I’m putting it into action. I took my love for nursing and turned it into a profitable business that allowed me to make a difference while providing for my babies. Now, I’m on a mission to help others achieve the seemingly unachievable, because let’s be real—if I can do it, so can you. This is why I’m pursuing my DBA—to take all my experiences, lessons, and challenges, and use them to empower others to not only survive but thrive in their own journey.

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If life has taught me anything, it’s that failure is inevitable—but that doesn’t mean you stay down. You get up, take that pickle, and make it into something great!