“Focus on actions that produce results to move potential to reality” Susan Stocker, Managing Director, Gaia Global Recruitment and IoD Kent Vice Chair & Ambassador

I learnt very early that life is short, and you never know what’s around the corner following the sudden death of my father as a teenager. This experience made me driven and determined. I began in a corporate Telecoms company where I was quickly promoted. My love for people and property moved me into estate agency where I recognised the power of sales and the importance of listening to clients.

I absorbed a lot about running a business when I left the property industry to join my husband’s business in the rail and construction industry. We expanded fast and it was a steep learning curve, bringing with it a lot of pressure and extreme highs and lows. Over nine years nurturing the business, I gained a great deal of experience in a wide variety of areas, from HR and finance, to marketing and sales.

As a woman and mother of three daughters who has worked in many male dominated environments, I have developed great confidence and belief in myself. I love to empower other women to embrace their self-worth, especially in business. Many of us feel the potential we have and put great pressure on ourselves. The greatest advice I was ever given was to focus on the actions that produce results to move from potential to ‘making it a reality’.

In 2022, following the breakdown of my marriage, it was time for me to go solo in both my personal and professional life. I invested in a professional consultancy course and an accelerator course at the London Business School, and I began sharing my business knowledge through Boardroom Advisors.

I see a lot of directors getting caught up in operations when they should be stepping back to take a strategic view. At Boardroom Advisors, we provide directors, advisors and NEDs to businesses on a day rate basis, supporting them without the need for full-time employment.

My passion for supporting businesses and people motivated me to set up my own recruitment business last year, Gaia Global. Whilst we support many roles, our focus has been to act as a strategic partner for global companies, sourcing the highly skilled people required to drive large-scale projects all over the UK and globally. We’re a small, highly experienced team and understand the importance of connecting with people on a human level and delivering solutions. We only work with companies that align with our values, and we are keen to demonstrate that having a diverse workforce and an inclusive approach can create magic.

I originally joined the IoD because I needed somewhere to work in London in the evenings. My youngest was performing in the West End, and to my delight I discovered the Director’s Lounge is open until 10pm! It is a brilliant place to work, people are so welcoming, and I have made many incredible contacts. The facilities are amazing. I’ve held many client meetings there, and spending time at Pall Mall opened my eyes to networking at the IoD through the many fantastic events they hold.

I joined IoD Kent as Marketing Ambassador and in February I was also appointed as Vice Chair. I love that the people you meet are real directors of real businesses who are all willing to share their wins and challenges. Our goal is to raise the profile of the IoD locally by hosting round table events and mastermind groups to engage with the Kent business community. We endeavour to make everyone feel welcome and are delighted that we are achieving our goal of increasing the membership, along with the average age of new members dropping and the male/female gender balance vastly improving.