60 Seconds with Jenna Hill

Tell us about your role and your organisation.
I'm Jenna and I am the Founder of FIA Investments, which is named after my three children; Freddie, Isabella and Annie. 

FIA Investments does two things; invests in and buys businesses. 

Investment wise: Perhaps you know exactly how to do the day-to-day activities in your business but you struggle with the actual running of the business e.g. hiring staff, book-keeping, marketing etc that is where we come in. We can invest in the business and help you run the parts of it that you don’t really like. Or, you are at the next stage of growth in your business and need the funding to help you get there. 

Acquisiton wise: Perhaps you have reached retirement age and your family don’t want to take over the business or you have had a change in career and want to sell your business. We are interested in all kinds of businesses across a range of sectors. Currently our portfolio includes businesses in the following sectors; retail, beauty, hospitality, construction. 

Since I established FIA Investments, we have founded and acquired over five companies, and we are on track to double that number this year. Our portfolio is hugely varied and includes businesses in the following sectors; retail, beauty, hospitality, construction. 

Within FIA Investments, it is my responsibility to network and meet a range of business owners every week. If you want to work with us, it will be me that you speak with and we will work together to see how FIA Investments can best support you in your business. Each week my role varies drastically, I could be networking with business owners, assisting in payroll or bookkeeping activities, making deals with those interested in selling their business, out in our current businesses meeting with the teams on the ground and finding out what we can do better as an organisation or working on FIA Investments strategic growth plans.

Give us a brief overview of your career journey so far.
Prior to founding FIA Investments, I worked in HR in the Care Sector. Most recently, I was the HR Director for one of the fastest growing care companies in the UK. I feel very lucky to love what I do now but I also loved my role in HR then too. It was a massively hard decision to leave the industry and that company particularly as we were achieving amazing things and had an amazing Senior Management Team and CEO driving the company forward. After leaving the company, I worked full time in our first company CHILL Gas Ltd and it was there that I won the Women in Business Young Entrepreneur of the Year award which was a huge shock and boost for me! It was a massive driving force in me believing I could take FIA Investments where I wanted it to go.

Describe yourself in 3 words.
Relentless, driven and passionate.

What is one skill that helps you most in your role?
Organisation is key in my role. One minute I could be at a networking event and the next I am helping process payroll for all the companies or devising FIA's strategic growth plans. There are always a lot of balls juggling at the one time in looking after five companies so it is important that I am keeping in constant contact with the teams in each business and we all know what we are working on and what our priorities are for that specific time.

What advice do you have for women in your sector/industry/type of role? 
I would say it would be to be relentless. Have it clear in your mind what you want to do and how you plan to get there. Make your goals actioned base, that way you have a plan not just a dream.

Are there any exciting plans in the year ahead in your organisation that you can share with us? 
This year we plan to double the size of our portfolio in FIA Investments. We are actively seeking other individuals who would like to invest in businesses the way we do to work together as well as businesses who are interested in selling their business. So far we are well on our way of hitting that target, and more, which is very exciting!

Who has been your biggest career inspiration and why?
I had the pleasure of working with Ryan Williams and Douglas Adams during my time in Connected Health and they were hugely inspirational for me. Their drive, ambition and ability to think outside of the box was a massive motivator for me especially from two home grown entrepreneurs.

If you had to pick your soundtrack song to get you through the working day, what would it be?
Any time I need a boost or a song to push me forward I put on Legendary by Welshly Arms.

What's your favourite break-time snack?
Oh goodness, I eat the same thing pretty much every day! It's nearly always a latte and two Jaffa cakes - how exciting!

How can you fellow WIB members keep up to date with you and your organisation?
If you fancy following along mine or the FIA Investments journey you can find us on Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn
Alternatively my pages are here: Personal Instagram and LinkedIn