How woman went from part-time job selling ice cream to director of award-winning firm

Zara Taylor is one of those people, having worked up from a part-time job selling ice creams at the weekend to becoming a director of Tony's Ices, a Stafford-based ice cream firm.

The company operates four vans around Stafford, providing a range of ice cream choices on the street and at events, with the 41-year-old's role working to acquire new business opportunities and effectively manage the company's finances.

It's something Zara has loved doing since she joined the company as a 13-year-old, having been told that if she wanted the job, she'd have to learn to pull an ice cream.

She recalls: "I was a teenager when I started, having wanted to get a Saturday job to earn my own money, rather than just asking parents for money.

"They told me that if I wanted the job, I'd have to be able to pull an ice cream, which isn't the easiest thing to do, but I managed to get it around the cone and while the point wasn't perfect, I used the flake to get it to stand up right."

Having got the job, Zara began to find she really enjoyed the job, particularly for the bit where she got to meet customers.