Rachel Lowe
{{UPE|date=January 2022}}
{{Short description|British entrepreneur (born 1977)}}
{{about||the Australian soccer player|Rachel Lowe (soccer)|the British artist and filmmaker|Rachel Lowe (artist)}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Rachel Lowe
| image =
| birth_name = Rachel Tanya Lowe
| birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1977|8}}
| birth_place = Portsmouth, United Kingdom
| alma_mater = University of Portsmouth
| occupation = Entrepreneur
| known_for = Creator of Destination
| website = {{URL|https://rachellowe.co.uk/}}
}}
Rachel Tanya Lowe MBE (born August, 1977) is a British serial entrepreneur and board games developer. She is best known for developing the Destination series of games, including editions for Toy Story, the London 2012 Olympic Games and Downton Abbey.
She is the founder of Rachel Lowe Games & Puzzles, a company that creates board games under license for brands such as The Elf on the Shelf and Call the Midwife.{{Cite web|title=Board game designer Rachel Lowe launches new Call the Midwife licensed title|url=https://www.toynews-online.biz/2019/02/20/board-game-designer-rachel-lowe-launches-new-call-the-midwife-licensed-title/|access-date=2021-09-15|website=ToyNews|language=en-GB}}
Early life and education
Lowe was born in Portsmouth in August 1977,{{Cite web |title=Rachel Tanya LOWE personal appointments |url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/officers/KXvBBpOo3-2IhYc1iVkW8ykDmA8/appointments |access-date=20 February 2023 |website=Companies House |language=en}} and attended St Edmund's Catholic School and Havant and South Downs College.{{Cite web |last=White |first=Peter |date=14 December 2015 |title=Rachel Lowe and her board games you’ll be playing this Christmas |url=https://www.greatbritishlife.co.uk/news/22586560.rachel-lowe-board-games-playing-christmas/ |access-date=20 February 2023 |website=Great British Life |language=en}}
While working as a taxi driver and mother-of-two, she developed an idea for a taxi-themed board game.{{Cite news |last=Tabbitt |first=Sue |date=29 October 2012 |title=Bouncing back from bankruptcy |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/small-business-network/2012/oct/29/bouncing-back-from-bankruptcy |access-date=20 February 2023 |issn=0261-3077}} A passenger, a university lecturer, encouraged her to attend university.{{Cite web |date=11 May 2020 |title=Finding a creative approach: Read about graduate Rachel Lowe's entrepreneurial journey |url=https://www.port.ac.uk/news-events-and-blogs/blogs/alumni/finding-a-creative-approach |access-date=3 March 2023 |website=University of Portsmouth |language=en}} She enrolled for a degree in Law and Business as a mature student at the University of Portsmouth.
Career
= ''Destination'' board games =
{{Main articles|Destination (game)}}
In 2003, Lowe founded board games designer and publisher RTL Games.{{Cite web|title=RTL GAMES LIMITED filing history - Find and update company information - GOV.UK|url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/04977336/filing-history?page=2|access-date=2021-09-15|website=find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk|language=en}} She funded production of the board game through an enterprise competition at the University of Portsmouth,{{Cite web |last= |date=10 November 2006 |title=Taxi board game rejected by Dragon's Den makes Wales its next destination |url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/taxi-board-game-rejected-dragons-2296782 |access-date=20 February 2023 |website=WalesOnline |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Teuton |first=Dan |date=25 February 2013 |title=Rachel Lowe - She Who Dares |url=https://thebusinessmagazine.co.uk/profiles-cpt/rachel-lowe-she-who-dares/ |access-date=20 February 2023 |website=The Business Magazine |language=en-GB}} and sponsorship deals with local companies.{{Cite news |last=Heald |first=Claire |date=7 February 2007 |title=Pass go, collect £2m |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/6314837.stm |access-date=20 February 2023}}{{Cite web |last=Thomas |first=Charlie |last2=Driscoll |first2=Brogan |date=5 November 2012 |title=Rachel Lowe's Journey From Cab Driver To Board Game Developer |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/01/30/rachel-lowes-destination-boardgames-interview_n_2065006.html |access-date=20 February 2023 |website=HuffPost UK |language=en}}
In September 2004, she appeared in the inaugural British series of Dragons' Den. After struggling to answer questions on the company's finances and the size of the market, her pitch was rejected.
Toy retailer Hamleys launched the first edition, Destination London, for Christmas 2004. The game sold 2,500 copies and was the store's most-sold game of the year, beating classic games like Monopoly. Further versions were produced.
RTL Games entered administration in May 2009. Lowe lost her house and suffered a nervous breakdown.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=12 April 2013 |title=Game on for Rachel Lowe ahead of new launch |url=https://www.insidermedia.com/news/south-east/88326-game-rachel-lowe-mbe |access-date=20 February 2023 |website=Insider Media Ltd |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Tatton |first=Fiona |date=2 July 2014 |title=‘SHE WHO DARES’ Entrepreneur Rachel Lowe MBE on bouncing back - Womanthology |url=https://www.womanthology.co.uk/dares-entrepreneur-rachel-lowe-mbe-bouncing-back-realising-nothing-impossible/ |access-date=20 February 2023 |website=Womanthology |language=en-US}} The company's demise was covered by a 2010 BBC Panorama investigation on bank irresponsibility. She Who Dares UK Ltd later acquired the Destination brand and produced further editions of the game, including Destination Hogwarts, Destination London 2012 and Destination Downton Abbey.{{Cite web |title=Destination Hogwarts: The Boardgame |url=https://www.game.co.uk/en/destination-hogwarts-the-boardgame-40466 |access-date=20 February 2023 |website=www.game.co.uk |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=8 August 2012 |title=Rachel back on top with Olympic game |url=https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/9862644.rachel-lowe-back-on-top-with-olympic-destination-game/ |access-date=2023-02-20 |website=Daily Echo |language=en}}
In 2014, Lowe appeared on the panel for an episode of BBC's The Apprentice: Your Fired for the candidates’ board game challenge.{{Cite web|title=BBC Two - The Apprentice: You're Fired, Series 10, Episode 6|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04pmghl|access-date=2021-09-15|website=BBC|language=en-GB}}
= She Who Dares =
Lowe's appearance in the BBC Panorama documentary was watched by angel investor Simon Dolan, who provided the funds to launch a new lifestyle company, She Who Dares UK Ltd.
The company produced perfume, jewellery and accessories for women.{{Cite web |title=SHE WHO DARES UK LTD people |url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/07325954/officers |access-date=20 February 2023 |website=Companies House |language=en}} The company later launched its own fragrances, Eminence and Dalliance, and signed a deal to produce Swarovski fashion accessories. The company's fragrances were sold in Jarrold.
= Rachel Lowe Games & Puzzles =
In 2017, Lowe founded Rachel Lowe Games and Puzzles, which creates and sells licensed board games, jigsaw puzzles and card games.{{Cite web|title=About Rachel Lowe MBE|url=https://rachellowe.co.uk/pages/about|access-date=2021-09-15|website=Rachel Lowe Games & Puzzles|language=en}} The company has created products under license for Hotel Transylvania, Call the Midwife, Mr Bean, Friday Night Dinner, Laurel and Hardy and WWE.{{Cite web|title=Award-winning game designer Rachel Lowe launches WWE: Road to WrestleMania Board Game|url=https://www.toynews-online.biz/2019/12/06/award-winning-game-designer-rachel-lowe-launches-wwe-road-to-wrestlemania-board-game/|access-date=2021-09-15|website=ToyNews|language=en-GB}}{{Cite web|date=2021-01-26|title=Rachel Lowe unveils Beano board game to celebrate Dennis’ 70th anniversary|url=https://toyworldmag.co.uk/rachel-lowe-unveils-beano-board-game-to-celebrate-dennis-70th-anniversary/|access-date=2021-09-15|website=Toy World Magazine {{!}} The business magazine with a passion for toys|language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |title=Rachellowe.co.uk {{!}} Shop Games & Puzzles {{!}} Buy Games {{!}} Shop Puzzles |url=https://rachellowe.co.uk/ |access-date=2021-09-15 |website=Rachel Lowe Games & Puzzles |language=en}}
In 2017, Lowe released a board game for the Jumanji film series, which became a top seller on Amazon and won Product of the Year at the Toy Industry Awards in 2019.{{Cite web|date=2019-11-14|title=Rachel Lowe jointly awarded Game of the Year|url=https://toyworldmag.co.uk/rachel-lowe-jointly-awarded-game-of-the-year-2/|access-date=2021-09-15|website=Toy World Magazine {{!}} The business magazine with a passion for toys|language=en-GB}}{{Cite web|last=Hurst|first=Ben|date=2015-12-13|title=Rachel Lowe is back in the game after savaging by TV's Dragons|url=http://www.birminghampost.co.uk/business/business-news/rachel-lowe-back-game-after-10584917|access-date=2021-09-15|website=Business Live|language=en}}
In 2019, Lowe launched the WWE: Road to WrestleMania board game, along with a puzzle and playing cards. In the same year, her company was awarded a licence to launch the official Elf on the Shelf Board Game, which launched in December 2020.{{Cite web |title=Game designer Rachel Lowe launches the official The Elf on the Shelf Board Game |url=https://www.toynews-online.biz/2020/12/14/game-designer-rachel-lowe-launches-the-official-the-elf-on-the-shelf-board-game/ |access-date=2021-09-15 |website=ToyNews |language=en-GB}}
Rachel Lowe Games & Puzzles was one of the official licensing partners to develop and launch a range of official Beano puzzles and games to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Dennis the Menace.
= Other activity =
Lowe is an Entrepreneur in Residence at the University of Portsmouth, where she advises students, alumni and staff on the launch or growth of their businesses.{{Cite web|title=Entrepreneurs in Residence|url=https://www.port.ac.uk/collaborate/business/business-services/entrepreneurs-in-residence|access-date=2021-09-15|website=www.port.ac.uk|language=en}}
She serves as a Governor at Portsmouth College, where she sits on Audit and Student Health and Wellbeing committees.{{Cite web|title=Members of the Corporation|url=https://www.portsmouth-college.ac.uk/governance/members-of-the-corporation/|access-date=2021-09-15|website=Portsmouth College|language=en-GB}}
Recognition
In 2006, Lowe was the winner of the NatWest everywoman Award, which celebrates female entrepreneurial success.{{Cite web|date=2014-05-12|title=NatWest everywoman Awards - Previous Winners and Finalists|url=https://www.everywoman.com/natwest-everywoman-awards-previous-winners-and-finalist|access-date=2021-09-15|website=Everywoman|language=en}}
She was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire in 2009 for her services to business in promoting enterprise in schools, colleges, and universities.{{Cite web|title=Page 19 {{!}} Supplement 59090, 13 June 2009 {{!}} London Gazette {{!}} The Gazette|url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/59090/supplement/19|access-date=2021-09-15|website=www.thegazette.co.uk}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.rachellowe.co.uk Official site]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lowe, Rachel}}
Category:Alumni of the University of Portsmouth