A woman who was tormented in school got her own back when the bullies applied top work for her six-figure business – she’s now urging people to always be kind
A woman who was cruelly tormented in school by bullies has got her own back while running her thriving business.
Vicky Owens, 23, a successful CEO, posted a job ad on LinkedIn earlier this year in a bid to recruit more employees to work for her six-figure business.
But when three bullies who poured ketchup over her head in high school applied for a job in her Alderly Edge-based social media agency, she instantly rejected them to her own back. Vicky says karma means they got “nowhere in life”.
The entrepeneur revealed that two of the women who sent their CVs over would ignore her in school, but she was most shocked by the third woman who applied as she says this ‘bully’ threw food at her in public.
Vicky, from Stockport in Greater Manchester, said: “The company just started to get bigger and bigger so I put out a hiring post and three of the girls that were absolutely awful to me at high school applied for the job. Two of the girls were people who just didn’t give me the time of day at school and then the other girl was someone who flung yoghurt all over my head in the canteen in Year 10.
“Another time I was out with some of my friends in Nando’s in year nine or year 10 and this girl walked past and flung ketchup across my face. I don’t know why people did this to me. I think I was just an easy target as I was quiet and didn’t say much. Both of these incidents were done by girls who then applied to work for me. I think in a really sad way I got used to it [the bullying]. When you’re younger everyone makes it out that it’s funny.”
Due to the torment she endured during her school years, Vicky would have panic attacks and she struggled to leave the house after leaving full-time education. When she shared her experience on TikTok, she said that many users were quick to suggest more savage revenge on them, but Vicky said she was the “bigger person” and she just chose to ignore the applications from the young women.
“The pinch me moment was when I saw the girl that was awful to me at school wanted to now work for me. That was a full-circle moment,” Vicky said. “I found it very interesting [that they had applied]. I was really baffled whether to reply to them [the job applications] or to decline them. Some people on TikTok were so nasty and suggested I invite them into an interview and make them feel awful but this is just not in my character.”
“I just ignored them and every time we go to hire every couple of months there are definitely familiar faces in the applications that definitely weren’t horrible to me at school but didn’t give me the time of day.”
Vicky has now emphasised the importance of being “kind” as you never know when a personal connection could help you succeed in the real world. She said: “The good that you put out does eventually come back to you even if it feels like it’s never going to.”
Since starting her company Socially speaking Media from her bedroom in 2021, Vicky has collaborated with the Netflix show Emily in Paris as well as entrepeneur Grace Beverly – and helped clients feature in Vogue magazine.
Vicky said: “We’re definitely at a six-figure business and we’re very soon to be moving into the multi-six figures. Even though it does feel like it, high school is such a short time [in your life]. I would just say to everyone to be kind. I never stooped to their [the bully’s level] and the good that you put out does eventually come back to you even if it feels like it’s never going to. If you stay consistent and get your head down, you will see results in the end.”
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