Lynne Franks.

Lynne Franks.

25/08/2001 00:00
TW
0

Lynne Franks is an inspiration. She is also a world renowned public relations guru who started her own successful company at the age of 21, a pioneer for women in business, a supportive mother and a lover of Majorca. Sitting in the tranquility of her Deya finca yesterday, Lynne spoke of her dedication to the female figure in business in both first and third world countries, her SEED handbook (Sustainable Enterprise and Empowerment Dynamics) and all that has snowballed from her highly respected manual for female entrepreneurs.

Q. Looking back at your business history, what prompted your move to sell your PR company Lynne Franks PR? (which launched the Spice Girls and Tommy Hilfiger)
A. I had a very successful business but then I sold it to go on a journey of discovery. I was burnt out at that point, I had been doing it for twenty years and needed a break.

Q. What inspired you to begin a company at the young age of twenty one?
A. At that point I was almost unemployable. I was a young journalist but I found it very hard to work for other people and I had lots of ideas and was full of passion. I met Katherine Hamnett (the acclaimed designer), we became friends and she asked me to do her PR - it all began from there.

Q. Define your idea of PR.
A. What PR should be is a facilitator for information, but the reality is that it's an image maker, creating hype, spin and interest in a product and a person. If it's done with integrity, the truth and excitement then you can do many good things with it.

Q. Did you always realise you were a pioneer for women in business or did that realisation take time to evolve throughout your career?
A. It was a realisation that came over a number of years, PR is a very women's led industry and I was in the fashion world to a large degree; that's also a very feminine way to work. It was only when I sold my business and stepped back that I realised just how fortunate I'd been as a woman. I was a pioneer for my era, part of the baby boomers, the Anita Roddicks (founder of the Body Shop) and the rest of us. We are the first ones who did all this so I hope we have a lot to teach from our mistakes.