Her demeanor is relaxed and casual, her words are thoughtfully chosen. We spend the best part of an hour in conversation but at no point is there a sense that I am imposing on her hectic schedule. Throughout, her style alternates between energetic exuberance and the more considered tone of the leading academic that she is. It is with skill that Sally enlightens me on her latest research, without making me feel intellectually inadequate.
Talking to Sally it is evident that she is as much a born performer as a born entrepreneur. She describes the 'entrepreneurial spirit' as being part of her DNA and how her childhood dream was always to be an entertainer. A love of the written word and music indicate that whilst her sunny disposition can be tracked to her childhood in Australia, she wasn't your average Aussie girl.
A natural academic, Sally initially found school slow and easy before embarking with the support of her parents, in an enriched education. Excelling in the arts, her life became filled with after school lessons in music and dance. Whilst both her parents have played a continuous supporting role in her life, it was her father, an airline pilot, who supported her artistic pursuits. Her mother, a headmistress, who herself completed a bachelors degree after the birth of her four children, was inspirational in supporting the young Sally's academic interests. When I ask about the importance of childhood education, she is adamant that a rounded education is based on challenging not pressurizing children.
The relationship between a young Sally and her father seems all the more important, when considering the focus of her latest academic program of research. She recalls fondly a family trip to Europe as a teenager, experiencing for the first time the bright lights and culture of European cities. It was then that she first realized the scope of possibility beyond Australia's shores and a sense of where she one-day wanted to be.
Sally's teenage years were spent studying and writing songs; gearing up for the music career she always craved. But it wasn't to be. Aged 21 and struggling to get her 'big break', she was encouraged by her agent to pack in the dream. Asked now whether she was ready at that time, 15 years ago, for a career in music, Sally's answer is instantaneous. "In terms of talent I was absolutely ready but it was the people around me who weren't, they weren't the right people to take the next step forward".
She jokes that this rejection knocked her confidence back 15 years. When considering what she has achieved during the intervening years it is impossible to view them as wasted. The music career may have eluded her but music remained a passion. Her new single No Lover was penned when she was 22 and first making her name in the business world. Enjoying all things materialistic; cars, holidays and fashion its hard not to think that early business successes were providing the popstar lifestyle Sally had missed out on.
It was at the age of 24, that she was recommended into a start up ISP company called Web Central. The move provided instant gratification. Clients and customers began lining up for Web Central services that saw it become Australia's largest webhosting company. At age 27, Sally started her path in to academia, an MBA in entrepreneurship, that she views as an critical step in equipping herself with the tools needed to be taken seriously in the business world. Spin off venture, Web Central Complex, which targeted a more sophisticated clientele soon followed but by 2003, she was ready to make her exit. The enviable dilemma, she explains, is by that point Web Central had saturated the market; if that had been done in the UK the company would have been three times the size.
Her next step was to take the helm at Sinocode, a software development firm based in China. She was also to start a doctorate in entrepreneurship. The move meant she was increasingly finding her time split between the US, UK, China and Australia. It was here that Sally began honing what she believes are her fundamental business skills. Again the theme of relationships and trust are central to her philosophy. The expectations of customers are paramount and must be managed; the customer must get what they want.
After finishing her doctorate aged 34, Sally decided on making a permanent move to the UK. Here she began lecturing on the subject of entrepreneurship at UCL, writing extensively on the subject and chairing a number of forums and industry associations.
Sally Anne's most recent business ventures are the award winning high tech company Event Zero and Entinno, an innovation, education and entrepreneurship research business that has had its findings published globally.
The latter continues the practical application of academia that has served Sally Anne so well during her formidable business career. Her latest academic program is being launched in the new year in conjunction with Julie Meyer, CEO of Ariadne Capital and BBC Online Dragon. The new research will take a meaningful look at the relationship between fathers and daughters and what that means to the fostering of entrepreneurial spirit. It is an interest close to Sally's heart. To this day her family continue to play an important role in her life and successes and it comes as no surprise that her father has proudly kept every piece of creative writing or song that the young Sally Anne wrote.
But what about a family of her own? Sally's response is thoughtfully considered. She is the model of a new woman in a new age. Her successes in life have provided her with choice and there is no doubt she is confident of making the right decision at the right time. She talks fondly of spending downtime, relaxing and socializing with her London family, those friends she cherishes and keeps close and her family of origin in Australia who have played such an important role in her life and many achievements.
For now, her attention and boundless energy has again turned to the music career. Her band, Cherry Byte spent most of November shooting their music video in Manchester and launched their single No Lover in January, performing at a number of events including the Entrepreneur Country Forum. Listening to the single it is hard not to be impressed with the final product; the culmination of a 15 year journey.
With her business and music talents, could Sally Ernst be the next Simon Cowell? The answer from Sally is an emphatic no. Whilst a big fan of what Simon Cowell has achieved in terms of providing a platform and exposure for emerging talent but she has bigger things on her mind.
For Sally, the monetization of the music industry is broken and needs fixing so everyone can share in the profits. She views her own music career as a social venture, an experiment on herself as she investigates ways to restructure the music industry so that everyone benefits financially.
It is at the point that I begin to wander whether someone with her drive and ambition can ever feel satisfied? How do you gage success when one has experienced as much at such a young age? Success in Sally's eyes can be judged by many yardsticks. By a sense of personal achievement when accomplishing a task but also by being able to do the things you love.
When I ask if she has any regrets in life, Sally's answer is typically upbeat, "when looking back on decisions I always think to myself, if was to go back in time and if I had exactly the same information now that I had then, would I have had made the same decision? If the answer is yes, then I can have no regrets".
As we draw to a close it comes as no surprise that Sally talks most about wanting to be remembered for strength and hope in the face of adversity. It's a poignant reflection on a remarkable journey, which over the past 15 years has seen dreams shattered and rebuilt. Sally Anne Ernst's journey has a long way to run but with her infectious enthusiasm I know it's going to be a journey full of positivity and enjoyment. As we say our goodbyes I feel remarkably energetic and upbeat. Sally in typical antipodean style won't acknowledge it but she is truly an inspirational individual.
