Name: Maiden Voyage
Based: Halifax
Website: www.maiden-voyage.com
I launched Maiden Voyage, a social network for female business travellers, from my home in West Yorkshire.
Last year I left my corporate career to concentrate full time on Maiden Voyage; as a result 50% of the company’s income now comes from abroad - we have members in over 70 countries and a team of 36 ambassadors spread across the globe.
Voice over IP and Skype allow me to keep my international expansion costs to a minimum – I can still expand globally while working from home when I’m not travelling.
Through maiden-voyage.com, professional women are spared the boredom, intimidation and often danger of travelling solo. They can meet with like-minded women who are also travelling for business, liberated to get out and see a new city safely together.
Ahead of their trips, members can access our team of ambassadors to ask for top tips, recommendations or just advice on the local business culture and how to get around.
Finding a good safe hotel in a new city can be a challenge, so we have created a brand standard of female friendly hotels. These hotels have each been physically inspected to ensure safety (eg double-locking doors, a 24/7 manned reception and discretion on communicating room numbers) and comfort (eg good quality toiletries and salon standard hairdryers).
It’s a simple idea that makes business travel both safe and social, creating new relationships across a growing pool of senior women.
Carolyn Pearson is the CEO of maiden-voyage.com
