Against the odds

Most people you meet, you instantly forget about. But there are a select few who's words of wisdom stay with you.

My University tutor, Stuart was one of those people. Stuart was from Newcastle and sounded like he should have starred in Byker Grove, alongside Ant and Dec.

"Imelda, lass" he said to me one day as I sat outside his office particularly disheartened. "Whether ye like it or not, ye gonna have to work twice as hard as everyone else to get to where ye wanna be".

He was of course referring to the fact that in this dog-eat-dog world of business and politics, there was me. A petite, vertically challenged, oriental girl who looked the best part of 15. If I saw me, I'm not sure I would take myself seriously either. I'm not particularly outspoken, or brash, or tall, or glamourous, or burley. Just very short and very young looking.

I admire his honesty to this day. Now every time I get round to that first meeting with agency-types who I talk on the phone with and Email back and forth, I'm ready for the sudden look of confusion on their faces, followed by the usual questions that try to determine if I am even of legal drinking age. When that happens I smile and think of Stuart.

Thanks for the heads up lad. Ye aalreet, ye are.