From teen mum to multimillion-pound business owner, CMe Media's Charisse marks a decade

She’s overcome major hurdles, both financial and domestic – but now Charisse Smith is marking the tenth anniversary of her business, CMe Media.

Charisse currently heads up a team of 18, including her mother Belinda – the company’s financial director – and her eldest child Jack, a recent hire who’s come aboard as business development manager.

“A decade ago, I faced some of the toughest personal challenges”, she said.

Charisse in the early days of CMe Media

“I struggled from the impact of the 2008 financial crisis, when I lost everything I’d worked for.”

“By then I had a second child, so the level of responsibility increased and survival mode kicked in.

“I needed to provide financial security for my two children forever.

“It was then I launched CMe Media from my dining room table and regularly worked through the night to get things off the ground.”

CMe specialises in media buying and provides creative, digital and complete marketing support.

What started from the table at home has since moved to Fareham Innovation Centre, where the company is now based.

“As we approached our fifth year, I was pregnant again and chasing a large contract.

“Then on the way home from an important boardroom meeting I had my third child, who was premature.

Charisse with baby Isla, who was born premature

“It led to a month of juggling business and being a mum from the neo-natal intensive care unit at Queen Alexandra Hospital in Portsmouth.

“I watched the lines on my daughter’s life support machine move up and down for a painful touch-and-go 41 days.

“Just as I thought I could start to think about reducing my hours and adjust to looking after her while she remained wired up to oxygen, we were faced with the Covid-19 bombshell.

“CMe suffered a dramatic loss of £500,000 in billings in five days and we were owed hundreds of thousands of pounds that businesses were unsure if they could pay.

“This was one of the biggest tests of my mental health and strength in my life, but working with clients and partners we came through it, diversified and created a new future.”

Charisse with the CMe Media team

Charisse puts her journey from a 16-year-old mum to successful business owner down to her ‘need to survive’.

“After having my first child I started work at a scuba diving magazine selling advertising – I rollerbladed to work.

“I then broke into the automotive advertising sector working for Wave 105.

“I had great managers there, and they taught me a lot which I’ve relied on to grow CMe into what it is today.

“We’ve had a decade of success despite Covid, and my aim is to continue to grow the company and the team.”

• cmemedia.com

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Charisse with her three children – Jack, Isla and Harry