Dee Airey

At the age of 14, I set myself a life goal: to work for myself. In what business? I had no idea. Fast forward, and here I am - owning and running multiple businesses, doing what I love, and getting paid to help people. I’m a professional photographer, passionate about capturing people at their best - without the awkward ‘say cheese’ but with true authenticity. My love for photography evolved into something bigger when I created a successful business from it. Now, I coach photographers around the world to do the same. With an online community of over 4,000 photographers, I know I’m doing my bit to help others turn their passion into profit. I co-own a construction industry business - which, as a black woman in her late 50s, is unheard of in the UK. That fact isn’t lost on me, and I wear it with pride. On top of that, I own and run a construction industry HR & recruitment business, where I help companies attract and retain top talent, ensuring they build strong, stable teams. My Staff Retention Programme supports businesses in keeping their best people, because great employees are worth their weight in gold. People often ask me, “Dee, why do you work so hard? I could never do what you do!” But to me, I’m not working - I’m simply doing what I love, and I get paid for it. Everything I do is about elevating people - whether that’s through business, coaching, or something far bigger than myself. Which brings me to Kids 4 Change - my ‘not quite a charity’ charity (because I can’t be bothered with the red tape). It’s a passion project that I've self funded and raised funds to support communities and a school in Zambia. In 2024, I travelled there to teach photography to 14-year-olds and helped pupils put their dreams on paper - because if they can see it, they can achieve it. We’ve also provided sanitary items for teenage girls in the school and installed lighting in four villages, and that’s just the beginning. Beyond business and philanthropy, I’m also a self-published author, with my proudest work being my goal-setting journal (because goal-setting changed my life) and a book for photographers starting in business. Oh, and because I don’t do things by halves, I’ve even composed music - not my beloved 70s pop or hip-hop (though I do love a bit of Miley Cyrus, Pink, and Adele), but relaxation and focus music. I listen to music all day, every day, and when I couldn’t find exactly what I wanted for winding down, I created it myself.

Apparent Serial Entrepreneur, Photographer & Photographers' Business Coach, HR & Recruitment MD & Philanthropist