Simone recently completed a Management Training Programme with the Large Independent Racecourses following her participation in the British Horseracing Development Programme.  Her training took place over two years and she was based at several large racecourses including Newbury, York and Ayr where she learnt all aspects of racecourse management.  She is now working at Ascot Racecourse as Senior Group Sales Executive.

What’s the best part of your day at Ascot?

I love the beginning of the working day when I first arrive in the office, seeing colleagues and catching up on goings on, both in racing and in personal lives. We laugh as plans are made for the day/week ahead.

What’s the most challenging thing you have encountered so far in your career?

Knowing which way to go, I love racing and there are so many roles in the industry it can be difficult to decide which area you’d like to explore and when.

What do you feel makes your job appealing?

Being a strong, confident and independent character is important in sales regardless of gender, however you can’t underestimate the value of empathy either. Females are naturally empathetic, and so can build trust and understanding to then influence clients, a lack of empathy makes it harder to influence and clients don’t buy from people who don’t understand them.

What careers advice would you give yourself if you could go back in time?

Work hard on your personal development, identify flaws and gain as much experience as possible, racing has many different sides and I think it’s important to understand the whole industry. Follow your passion and you’ll enjoy every day, not all day of every day but every day.