The Tales and Travels of Taylor Made PA – My love for Sport

First Published 25 June 2019

Hello!

Welcome to the next edition of The Tales and Travels of Taylor Made PA.

My Love for Sport

My love for sport was definitely something that grew on me. Although I was a huge equestrian fan growing up – Bob Champion and Nick Skelton nestled on my bedroom walls between Wham! and Bros posters – I wasn’t actually a big sports fan generally. I certainly didn’t play any sports – other than ride Horses and having Dance Lessons. I also had a bad knee injury from the age of 9 which would have and did stop me playing many Sports and doing PE at school.

Football Fan

I was always a closet football fan – l would tell anyone I was Tottenham Hotspur fan having seen them play on TV and win in the 1981 FA Cup Final. But changing schools in my GCSE years meant building new connections and in the absence of finding fellow Equestrians I found my support of my North London Football Team a talking point and common ground. It was an interesting time in the club’s history and I found my interest growing with it.

Then came Italia ’90 and Paul Gascoigne and I was hooked! Bob, Nick, George and Matt were joined on the wall by Paul!

In my 20’s I started going to Football Games, both Tottenham and my local league side and I began following the National Side, starting with a trip to Manchester on a wet and miserable October evening. I’m very grateful most games are played at the home of Football… Wembley Stadium near to where I live and where I grew up. I always remember being able to see the blimp in the sky from our front garden on Cup Final Day as a young child… in the days of the traditional 3pm Kick Off!

Equestrian Disaster

Then just before my 25th birthday disaster struck. I had a nasty fall from a horse than ran away with me on a hack. It was to be 10 years before I rode a horse again. But my passion for horses never left me. I was just too scared to get back on.  My mindset became “What If…?” Something that also impacts many Business Owners. Confidence is key in Equestrian and Business.

The gap that not riding left in my life was suddenly filled by Football. As time went on I found myself watching more and more football, locally, nationally and internationally.

Working in Sport

It also led me to a then Dream Job. By this time I was working in Business Development, still in the Travel Industry and I applied for a new role with an online travel company. What I didn’t know what that they had just signed to be the shirt sponsor of a major League Football side. I suddenly had two of my passions fulfilled in one role – Travel and Football.  I even spent my 30th birthday on tour in Seville with another League side when we supported their pre-season tour! This in turn led to a year working in a Professional Club as a Commercial Sales & Marketing Manager.

Then I was made redundant… and the next part of the journey began. Not quite knowing what to do next, I decided that using the admin and organisational skills I had developed and honed over the years I would temp for a while. Allowing me to make a decision on my next career move. Staying in Football or a return to Travel.

Becoming a Personal Assistant

I started temping as an Administrator and then  moved into Personal Assistant roles. Not only that I found I was good at it! Taking on a variety of short term and contract Personal Assistant roles, I also took a part time role at a Football League Club, still keeping my options open. But after staying in a 9-month contract 9 years and still being in the part time, now Premier League Football role, the rest as they say is history!

Want to take advantage of my organisational skills? Email me to book in a Discovery Call today!

Until next time!

Jules x