From £35k to £1M: How a Cancer Diagnosis Forced This Marketer to Sell Her Business and Start Over

The Moment That Changed Everything

With hands shaking, Jade Arnell took a deep breath as she scribbled her signature on a contract—she had just sold her marketing business for £1 million. But the mum-of-three’s celebrations were bittersweet, overshadowed by a devastating diagnosis: doctors had given her just three months to live.

Leaving the 9-5 Grind Behind

Jade Arnell, 38, from Portsmouth, had painstakingly built Rebellion Marketing over six years after leaving her dead-end sales job in 2019. Earning £35,000 as a client delivery director, she felt stuck with no career progression and missed commission payments. "I didn’t have a voice and it became clear I wanted to steer my own ship," she said.

The Birth of Rebellion Marketing

Over drinks in a pub in 2018, Jade and a friend brainstormed the idea of offering better services than the agencies they’d dealt with. Over several vodkas, Rebellion Marketing was born, focusing on social media management, SEO, and website design. They registered the company but waited a year to refine their plan.

In 2020, Jade took the plunge, leaving her job with a six-month deadline to get the business running. Her husband supported her by covering household bills. "I needed to be earning after six months or I would have to quit," she recalled.

Rapid Growth and Challenges

After hitting free networking events and leveraging LinkedIn, Jade secured her first client within six weeks. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the business thrived online. By the end of 2020, she was turning over £15,000 a month, leading to hiring her first employee.

"Employing people was surreal... it motivated me to get more business," Jade said. The business grew steadily, reaching £30,000 a month in the second year and £150,000 a month by year five in 2024.

A Shocking Diagnosis

In April, after a neck injury at the gym, Jade had a routine MRI scan. In July, she received unexpected news: a suspected brain tumor. "It didn’t feel real," she said. A biopsy went wrong, leaving her with paralysis on one side of her face and other complications.

Weeks later, she was told she had an aggressive tumor and would be dead by Christmas. Devastated, she decided to sell the business to focus on her health and family.

Selling the Business and Moving Forward

Further results revealed the cancer was treatable, but Jade proceeded with the sale, signing the contract in January. The business was valued at £1.5 million, but with a six-month handover, she received £1 million. "I couldn’t believe a business I grew from nothing was worth that," she said.

After paying off her mortgage and taking a summer off, Jade grew bored and founded new ventures: Slater Scotney, a digital transformation service, and Marketing Rebels, an education platform for marketers. Despite ongoing chemotherapy, she plans to launch two more businesses.

Jade’s Top Tips for Starting Your Own Business

1. Get out to free networking events—don’t rely solely on social media.
2. Know your offering and sales pitch inside out.
3. Understand your target audience and their problems.
4. Set up processes early, from sales to onboarding.
5. Learn daily from industry experts and resources.
6. Treat your business like a client with a solid strategy and plan.
7. Opt for retainer-based models in service businesses.
8. Be prepared to graft—opportunities won’t come to you.
9. Become a great salesperson or hire one quickly.
10. Hire people with skills you lack and trust them to deliver.

Jade’s journey shows that even in the face of adversity, entrepreneurship and resilience can lead to incredible outcomes. "I love building business and just because I’ve got cancer it’s not going to stop me," she said.