Adele de Caso is testament to the fact that shy people can be just as successful in the business world as extroverts.

The 52-year-old runs three businesses, is a published author and gives talks and workshops to help other people become successful – including mentoring young people who are about to set foot in the workplace for the first time.

Adele, from Trentham, founded the personal development and mentoring brand The Shy Entrepreneur after writing her first book in 2009. She writes books, writes and delivers training courses, has a blog and records YouTube videos.

She also runs a network marketing business with a team of several hundred people and owns dog daycare and boarding business Paco’s Place which has 50,000 social media followers and has attracted more than two million views for some of its social media reels.

The Staffordshire University alumna graduated in Biology and Environmental Science and began her career working in the haematology department at what is now the UHNM.

She joined a network marketing business as a side hustle but reached a point where her income from that part-time job was more than her day job at the hospital.

“It was network marketing that introduced me to personal growth and development,” said Adele. “I began doing little talks which got bigger and bigger until I was speaking on stage in front of thousands of people at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham.

“I remember thinking that this doesn’t happen to people like me. So I decided to write a book to share my story with other people that are shy and lacking in confidence or that may not believe in themselves.

“My first book is a very simple, straightforward and easy to read. I share my story and positive changes that people can make.”

Adele says she loves running her three businesses in tandem and that each draws on different skills and passions.

“Every day is different. If I have a quieter day with one business then I focus on the others.

“The key is to find things that suit your personality and things that you are naturally drawn to that you love doing.”

Adele is currently working on a book proposal for a publisher and has the long-term aim of opening a personal development café where people can enjoy a coffee while they read motivational books.

She has been nominated in the Entrepreneur of the Year, Alumni Business Person of the Year and Skills for the Future categories of the Staffordshire University Business Awards.