Business management

Understanding the power of failure with Beth Tweddle

On this week’s episode of the NatWest Business Show Angellica is joined by world champion gymnast and business owner Beth Tweddle.

06 Aug 2024 . 2 min read

Beth told Angellica all about her difficult early steps into business and why mistakes are important learning experiences.

Beth Tweddle is a three-time world champion, an Olympic bronze medallist, and was the first British gymnast to win a World Championship title on the uneven bars.

Beyond her incredible achievements in gymnastics, Beth has successfully transitioned into the business world with her own company, teaching kids gymnastics.

Beth’s Confession:

“I remember going into a board meeting and everyone is high up in their positions and they're talking all through the reports and everything. And I'm quite happily writing my notes.

“I think everyone thought I was writing notes about the meeting. I was genuinely writing notes on certain words because I had no idea what they meant, knowing that I was gonna go out of that room and either speak to my Dad (because he had worked in business for years) or just go and Google what the words meant.”

Learn not to want everything now. It took 21 years to achieve my Olympic dream. Fourteen years later, my business is still growing. I'm still learning. I'm learning something every day. So, take your time.

Beth Tweddle

Gymnastics World Champion and business founder

Beth on embracing failure

“Failure's not a bad thing because, and I always say this to the kids that I meet, mistakes are our friends, and mistakes are failures. That's what people see them as.

“Whereas actually you learn so much from a result not going your way. So, whether it's in sport or whether it's in business, you do learn from those experiences. And it's how you react to that experience of things not going well that determines that scenario.”

Watch the episode to find out more about Beth Tweddle’s inspirational career and transition to gymnastics business owner.

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