GROWING up in a volatile and abusive household, Stacey Wilkinson did all she could to escape.
The 38-year-old threw herself into education and attended every after school club, just to avoid going back to her Manchester home.
Stacey, who is single, made the brave decision to put herself into care at 17, relying on handouts from local charities and the Prince’s Trust to get through her graphic design course at Salford University.
Today, she’s one of the world’s top independent tech headhunters – on track to make £100,000 this year – and she does it all while travelling the globe.
The best part of her job? She can work from absolutely anywhere, as long as there are cheap flights and WiFi.
Stacey spoke to Fabulous Digital for #BOSSINGIT, our series about ordinary women who have launched incredible businesses.
Stacey, who speaks four languages, said: “I was a bit of an abnormality at the kids’ accommodation.
“I was the only one going out at 8am everyday with my portfolio, the others were all drinking or on drugs, none of them were working.
“I always focused on my education and came out of high school with 10 A*/A GCSEs, the best exam results in the city that year.
“I lived in supported accommodation for a year until I got my own council flat, where I stayed for six years while studying for my degree.”
She added: “I wouldn’t change my past, but I do recognise it’s led me to revolt against authority.
“With my newfound freedom at 17, I didn’t really have any respect for anyone who might try and stifle me.”
Stacey started her working life in sales, but says her colleagues struggled to deal with her outspoken and opinionated manner – meaning she was fired from several jobs.
She said: “I couldn’t be tamed but I was desperately seeking approval.”
When Stacey was fired from a job she truly loved in 2012, despite being a top seller, she hit an all time low – suffering from severe depression.
She said: “I just locked myself away for months.”
With the help of Mind mental health charity, in 2011, Stacey was able to build up her confidence and establish a routine once again.
Stacey, who didn’t go abroad until she was 19, took three years out to travel the world solo but found her return to corporate life, in December 2014, even more challenging.
She said: “As time went on, I felt I was getting shafted by a lot of companies in the sales and recruitment industry.
“I felt mentally drained. I would continuously do well and win sales but I found there were still times these companies wouldn’t pay.
“In November 2018 I decided I could never work for anyone ever again and I wasn’t going to be ashamed of being different anymore.”
Stacey set up Tech Searchers, a recruitment company charging 50 per cent less fees than your average headhunter.
It cost her nothing to launch – Stacey simply connected with 8,000 tech business on LinkedIn and offered her services, to see if anyone would bite.
She said: “A man who I used to work with is now an internal recruitment manager at a tech company in Germany.
“He approached me to help him find developers for a small town in the middle of nowhere – a seemingly impossible task.
“He was my first client and I managed to find him two awesome developers already with more in the pipeline.
Sun on Sunday columnist Karren Brady says:
“I am a passionate supporter of encouraging women to learn new skills to help give them the confidence to reach out and achieve their ambitions.
“This brand new series will help share different stories which I hope will act as inspiration and show just what can be achieved with grit and determination.”
“In my second month, I was approached by two other poeple I used to work with and I invoiced for £16,500 – which was in my bank in time for Christmas.
“Knowing that I was finally working for myself and was in control of my own finances, that was the best feeling ever.”
Stacey is based in Manchester but has continued travelling as much as she can.
She has now been to 78 countries, across six continents… and counting.
A keen Man United fan, she often wears her colours while posing in front of jaw-dropping monuments and stunning cliff views.
Now five months in, Stacey is easily finding work through referrals and networking events.
She said: “Every company is hiring at the moment and tech is never going to go out of fashion.
“As long as I adapt and evolve with the market, I’ll do well.
“There are massive skill shortages in the tech industry, in remote areas, or areas where there is more demand than supply.”
Stacey aims to support more women to move into the tech industry.
She said: “I am proof that you can get back on your feet – now at last I can finally be myself.”
In last week’s Bossing It, we spoke to an elite matchmaker who’s set to make her first million – and is hitting back at school bullies who dismissed her as a “dumb blonde”.
