Fellows stories: Hilde Bartlett

I was born in 1939 just before World War II and grew up in the idyllic surroundings of a small village in the south of Germany. We were poor, but we never went hungry because we lived off the land. Everyone looked out for each other.

However, there were a couple of things that stand out for me as having given me my drive. I loved mathematics at school, and I’ll never forget a teacher telling us, “We’re learning percentages today, but you girls will never need that,” before sending us off to sew and knit instead. That message stung. Combined with being denied the chance to attend high school because my family couldn’t afford the bus fare, these experiences solidified my determination to succeed.

At 14, I left school to work as a maid, but my mother could always see something in me. After the war, training programmes for teachers opened up opportunities. Without telling me, my mother arranged for me to start training to become a domestic science teacher. Then, one day, my mother announced she’d accepted a job for me in London. I was very obedient, I never questioned her. I didn’t even know where London was. At 17, I left for England with no English skills but a lot of determination. I wasn’t frightened in the least!

I loved it, and it was a turning point in my life. I worked as an au pair and attended night school to learn English. The lady I worked for was the ex-lady in waiting to the ex-Queen Helen of Romania and she and her sister often came to stay. Working around royalty made me realise they are just human beings like everyone else.

‘Women in Business’ award from Lord Kenneth Clarke at No. 11 Downing Street

Then, in 1956, I met my husband at a Christmas dance. He made it clear he wouldn’t leave England, so I knew I had to build my life here.

After we married, I started a small sewing business, creating curtains and clothing, even involving my neighbours in what became my first venture. This fitted in well with bringing up our two children. I did work for chains like Alders, A&N and other shops. Then came our first big opportunity – my husband wanted to buy a fish-and-chip shop. At first, I thought ‘that’s the last sort of shop I would want to buy’, but I threw myself into the business, and we ran it very successfully for 13 years. During that time, I was also invited to become a magistrate, which offered a lot of useful training.

My true calling emerged in 1986 when I became the 50% shareholder in a recruitment business called Silicon Valley Consultants, specialising in telecommunications and engineering. Within a year, we had around 50 contractors placed on a major submarine communications project in the UK, and that was big business. It seemed obvious to me: companies needed short-term experts, and we could fill that gap. Being a woman in a man’s world helped me win business. Clients couldn’t believe a woman was running the company – and that worked to my advantage.

“It seemed obvious to me: companies needed short-term experts, and we could fill that gap.”

In 1990, I co-founded a second company called Silicon Valley Systems, a software house. Being bilingual and German also helped as our clients included the CAA, Eurocontrol, MOD and NATO, British Aerospace, etc, and I was always on client business travelling to Europe. We subsequently acquired two further companies, the most successful of which was MASS. MASS specialised in the development of bespoke military and special systems and the name lives on today.

At its peak, the Silicon Valley Group employed over 250 people and had a turnover of £16 million.

In 1995, I won the ‘Working Women Mean Business’ award, presented by Sir Richard Branson, and the following year, I received the ‘Women in Business’ award from Lord Kenneth Clarke at No. 11 Downing Street. My two daughters had secretly entered me for these awards. I was overwhelmed by the recognition.

‘Working Women Mean Business’ award, presented by Sir Richard Branson

In 2006, we decided it was time to sell the business and when my partner consulted our accountant, we were told the business was worth £3.6 million. I disagreed. The price/earnings ratio (PE) was exceptional, we had a 20-year contract with the MOD and many other long-term projects. The business was as solid as a rock.

Then we attended a presentation you were running. After speaking with you, my partner and I realised the company was worth much more. Thanks to your efforts, we sold the business for a significantly higher figure.

“Thanks to your efforts, we sold the business for a significantly higher figure.”

Selling the company marked a new chapter for me. Initially, I felt relief, but I quickly wondered, “What next?” I threw myself into voluntary work, and joined an International Women’s Club in London, where I became president and later founded a new club in Guildford. I also joined Population Matters, a charity which campaigns to reduce world population and other important matters affecting the planet – I gave a lot of speeches on the subject!

To improve my public speaking skills I had joined Toastmasters, and while there, I was asked by some young people to coach them in how to start a business – I did that for several years. I felt confident doing this, as years earlier I had been invited to serve as a Guest Lecturer at Surrey University in the Business Studies Faculty and later also at the London Business School, where my role included evaluating the students’ business plans.

Today, I’m very involved in the u3a, being a trustee in our local group. I offer German Conversation to three groups, twice a month and participate in some of the other groups on offer, so my life now revolves around the u3a.