MICHELLE Mone, millionaire bra tycoon and founder of the Ultimo brand, offered the county's business women her recipe for success as the keynote speaker at Business Link Kent's latest Women in Business lunch.

Ms Mone also praised the advice she received from Business Link, claiming it had made an important contribution to the global success, survival and revival of her international lingerie company.

She described how she left school at 15 in a bid to earn money to support her family, which was struggling financially after her father became ill and was unable to work.

Ms Mone started working as a model but after spending an uncomfortable evening at a dinner she concluded that bra design left a lot to be desired. She decided to create a bra that would not only be comfortable to wear but also produce an attractive cleavage.

Three years of research and design for a gel-padded bra led to a working prototype. Business Link provided advice on setting up the business and brand – Ultimo – and helped Ms Mone find a manufacturer in Portugal through its team of international trade advisers.

She said: "Business Link was vital in helping me launch my company, fulfilling the role of mentor and ensuring I had a clear business plan and marketing strategy."

Ms Mone described the roller coaster experience of the rapid international business success of her first bras, which attracted interest from the stars and leading stores across the world, followed by nearly losing it all when two major companies failed to pay their bills and rival lingerie companies launched similar garments.

"We were just 15 minutes from our bank closing us down when another bank I had been in contact with at a networking event came to the rescue.

"It was a dreadful time. But I was not going to give up. I brought out a new design and promoted it directly to a leading chain store – it was hard keeping up with demand.

"I signed an international model to promote the new lingerie and we were back in business and not looking back. In the past we were selling our designs into retailers – now they are coming to us.

“I’ve learned a lot. The most important lessons were never to give credit unless you can afford it, not to trust people so much and never to stop networking."

She added: "But my business would not be as large and as successful as it is today if I had not made those mistakes on the way."

Ms Mone, 33, now employs 1,100 people in her home city of Glasgow and Hong Kong.

Running the business and her family is a full-time job for Ms Mone but she still finds time to fulfil a few speaking engagements each year designed to inspire other business women. All fees for speaking are donated to children’s charities.

Business Link Kent is aiming to widen participation at Women in Business events, which are open to women employees in the county as well as business owners and directors.

Christine Hamilton, television celebrity and wife of former MP Neil Hamilton will be offering anecdotes from her associations with the House of Commons and her career in the eye of the media at the Women in Business Christmas lunch.

It will be held at the Marriott Tudor Park hotel, Maidstone, on Monday, December 12, 11.30am – 2.30pm. Tickets cost £32.50, excluding VAT. Book online at www.eventskent.co.uk, email events@businesslinkkent.com, or telephone 01732 878555.