The Last Word: Anna Penrose

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Name: Anna Penrose

Company: MailAway

Job title: Email Marketing Specialist

What did you want to be when you were young? Anything and everything, apart from a farmer. Funny, email marketing specialist didn’t pop in there…

What was your first full time job? Fish Fryer at Thurleys Fish and Chip Shop in Helston. Sadly I loved that job too (and have no doubt I could give Rick Stein a run for his money).

What is your best quality? Honesty.

What is your worst quality? Holding a grudge.

What is your favourite book? Anything Lonely Planet.

What is your favourite film? It’s so cheesy, but it really is Dirty Dancing.

What is your favourite restaurant? It’s called Trewavas, no one really knows it but I know the chef really well. She’s called Mum and she makes the most amazing meals to order. I particularly like to go there when I know Cornish Pasties are on the menu.

How do you like to relax? Flooring someone with the most awesome tackle on the rugby pitch, followed by a beer and admiration of bruises.

If you could build a house anywhere in the world where would it be? Pokhara, Nepal.

Who was your teenage pin up? Leonardo Dicaprio (cringe!)

Can money buy happiness? No, it buys short-term material gains and longterm emptiness. Life does suck a little without any though.

Most annoying TV personality? Anyone from The Only Way is Essex.

What has been the worst moment in your career? Leaving work and crying for a whole weekend.

What has been the best moment in your career? Being shortlisted as Employee of the Year two years in a row is pretty cool.

What do you begrudge spending money on? Fuel. I still drive a little red Fiesta (although this one does have John Deere green side panels), in 2002 it cost me £20 to fill up the car, now it costs £50. There is a little rage every time I hand over the credit card.

If you only had £1 left in the entire world, what would you spend it on? A small but heartfelt act of kindness to someone who has even less.

What’s the best thing about Cornwall? Too many to list really, the people, environment, culture, freedom, space, blue skies, most of all I guess is that it is home.

What is the most valuable lesson you have learned in life? Nothing ever goes according to plan, roll with it anyway.

What makes you happy? Jumping on a plane with nothing but a backpack, Lonely Planet and passport. When I can’t have that a good cup of tea with shortbread biscuits does the trick quite nicely.

What makes you angry? Selfishness, incompetence and politics.

If you could invite any two people for dinner, who would they be and why would you invite them? I’d invite Maggie Alphonsi because she is a women’s rugby legend and my sister because I couldn’t have dinner with Maggie and not have Caroline there.

What could you not live without? My team. My mates. My game. Rugby.

What’s the greatest invention ever? Tea, think about it – it solves everything. Bad day at work? Cup of tea. Split up with partner? Cup of tea. Suffering with a hangover? Cup of tea…

Describe yourself in three adjectives: Determined. Willing. Honest.

This article first appeared in the Dec 2011/Jan 2012 issue of Business Cornwall magazine

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