Airdrie woman wins top business award

Sep 23 2009 by Judith Tonner, Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser

A WOMAN who runs the European division of a company from her home in Gartlea has been named as Britain’s best home worker.

Karen Reyburn received the honour at last Thursday’s award ceremony, run by Remote Employment in association with BT Business.

She is the client services director for global firm Ran One – which provides software, training, marketing and consultancy support for accountants – who have now offered to reward her with a trip to Australia.

Originally from Phoenix in Arizona, Karen joined the company almost three years ago but, having been inspired to move to Airdrie after visiting on a church mission, did not want to leave her adopted home in Monklands to relocate to London.

Her employers happily arranged for her to work from her Invergordon Place home, and since then Karen has been uniquely running the company’s European operations.

She said: “We have people based in London, America, Australia and all over the world, but I’m probably the only one who works entirely from home.

“I love it and as I’m fairly disciplined and don’t have anything to distract me like children or even a television, I just get down to my work and get on with it.

“Also, I think I just have a pretty high conscience and wouldn’t be able to skive without feeling wretchedly guilty!

“I just enjoy what I do so much; I have clients relying on me and it’s good to be able to help them to improve their businesses.

“Companies throughout Europe join us as members and I take care of them, providing software, answering their technical queries, doing a lot on marketing and consulting and some sales when I can fit it in, so there’s a lot of variety in it.

“Working from home means that if I need to get things done, I can just work later or be at my computer at 10pm, and it’s easy to take part in conference calls with offices on the other side of the world.

“One of the best things is that I don’t have to put on the suit and go to the train station or be in traffic for an hour before I start work.

“I have ME so that’s another main reason, as I’d get too exhausted.

“I worked in offices for many years before I started this job, but I would definitely find it hard to go back to one now.”

Karen added: “The awards ceremony was really nice – it was at Cliveden House in Berkshire which was a gorgeous venue, and I won prizes including home office and style consultations, a coaching session and a 12-month programme for collaborative software.

“My boss even offered to fly me out to Australia after winning.

“ I asked him if he was serious and he said ‘yes’ so I’ll definitely be taking him up on that!”

Karen moved from America to Airdrie eight years ago, after first visiting the town on an annual Transatlantic mission run by the Reformed Presbyterian Church in South Bridge Street.

She said: “I took part in Mission Team in 2000, where young people come over from the US for up to six weeks with the church.

“I really loved it and wanted to come back here and help. Now I’ve been here for several years and definitely didn’t want to leave Airdrie or the church, which is how I started working from home.”