Rachel Lowe

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.

For the Australian soccer player, see Rachel Lowe (soccer). For the British artist and filmmaker, see Rachel Lowe (artist).
Rachel Lowe
Born
Rachel Tanya Lowe

August 1977 (age 46)
Portsmouth, United Kingdom
Alma materUniversity of Portsmouth
OccupationEntrepreneur
Known forCreator of Destination
Websiterachellowe.co.uk

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.[1]

Early life and education

Lowe was born in Portsmouth in August 1977,[2] and attended St Edmund's Catholic School and Havant and South Downs College.[3]

While working as a taxi driver and mother-of-two, she developed an idea for a taxi-themed board game.[4][5] A passenger, a university lecturer, encouraged her to attend university.[6][7] She enrolled for a degree in Law and Business as a mature student at the University of Portsmouth.[6]

Career

Destination board games
Main article: Destination (game)

In 2003, Lowe founded board games designer and publisher RTL Games.[8] She funded production of the board game through an enterprise competition at the University of Portsmouth,[5][4][6] and sponsorship deals with local companies.[6][9][10]

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.[5][9]

Toy retailer Hamleys launched the first edition, Destination London, for Christmas 2004.[4][9] The game sold 2,500 copies and was the store's most-sold game of the year, beating classic games like Monopoly.[9][10] Further versions were produced.

RTL Games entered administration in May 2009. Lowe lost her house and suffered a nervous breakdown.[5][6][11][12] 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,[5][6][11][12] including Destination Hogwarts, Destination London 2012 and Destination Downton Abbey.[12][13][14]

In 2014, Lowe appeared on the panel for an episode of BBC's The Apprentice: Your Fired for the candidates’ board game challenge.[15]

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.[5][6][12][11]

The company produced perfume, jewellery and accessories for women.[10][16] 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.[10][12]

Lowe resigned as a director of She Who Dares in July 2017.[16]

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.[17] The company has created products under license for Hotel Transylvania, Call the Midwife, Mr Bean, Friday Night Dinner, Laurel and Hardy and WWE.[18][19][20]

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.[21][1][22]

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.[18][23]

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.[19]

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.[24]

She serves as a Governor at Portsmouth College, where she sits on Audit and Student Health and Wellbeing committees.[25]

Recognition

In 2006, Lowe was the winner of the NatWest everywoman Award, which celebrates female entrepreneurial success.[26]

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.[27]

References
  1. "Board game designer Rachel Lowe launches new Call the Midwife licensed title". ToyNews. Retrieved 2021-09-15.
  2. "Rachel Tanya LOWE personal appointments". Companies House. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  3. White, Peter (14 December 2015). "Rachel Lowe and her board games you'll be playing this Christmas". Great British Life. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  4. "Taxi board game rejected by Dragon's Den makes Wales its next destination". WalesOnline. 10 November 2006. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  5. Tabbitt, Sue (29 October 2012). "Bouncing back from bankruptcy". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  6. Teuton, Dan (25 February 2013). "Rachel Lowe - She Who Dares". The Business Magazine. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  7. "Finding a creative approach: Read about graduate Rachel Lowe's entrepreneurial journey". University of Portsmouth. 11 May 2020. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
  8. "RTL GAMES LIMITED filing history - Find and update company information - GOV.UK". find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk. Retrieved 2021-09-15.
  9. Heald, Claire (7 February 2007). "Pass go, collect £2m". BBC News. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  10. Thomas, Charlie; Driscoll, Brogan (5 November 2012). "Rachel Lowe's Journey From Cab Driver To Board Game Developer". HuffPost UK. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  11. "Game on for Rachel Lowe ahead of new launch". Insider Media Ltd. 12 April 2013. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  12. Tatton, Fiona (2 July 2014). "'SHE WHO DARES' Entrepreneur Rachel Lowe MBE on bouncing back - Womanthology". Womanthology. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  13. "Destination Hogwarts: The Boardgame". www.game.co.uk. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  14. "Rachel back on top with Olympic game". Daily Echo. 8 August 2012. Retrieved 2023-02-20.
  15. "BBC Two - The Apprentice: You're Fired, Series 10, Episode 6". BBC. Retrieved 2021-09-15.
  16. "SHE WHO DARES UK LTD people". Companies House. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  17. "About Rachel Lowe MBE". Rachel Lowe Games & Puzzles. Retrieved 2021-09-15.
  18. "Award-winning game designer Rachel Lowe launches WWE: Road to WrestleMania Board Game". ToyNews. Retrieved 2021-09-15.
  19. "Rachel Lowe unveils Beano board game to celebrate Dennis' 70th anniversary". Toy World Magazine | The business magazine with a passion for toys. 2021-01-26. Retrieved 2021-09-15.
  20. "Rachellowe.co.uk | Shop Games & Puzzles | Buy Games | Shop Puzzles". Rachel Lowe Games & Puzzles. Retrieved 2021-09-15.
  21. "Rachel Lowe jointly awarded Game of the Year". Toy World Magazine | The business magazine with a passion for toys. 2019-11-14. Retrieved 2021-09-15.
  22. Hurst, Ben (2015-12-13). "Rachel Lowe is back in the game after savaging by TV's Dragons". Business Live. Retrieved 2021-09-15.
  23. "Game designer Rachel Lowe launches the official The Elf on the Shelf Board Game". ToyNews. Retrieved 2021-09-15.
  24. "Entrepreneurs in Residence". www.port.ac.uk. Retrieved 2021-09-15.
  25. "Members of the Corporation". Portsmouth College. Retrieved 2021-09-15.
  26. "NatWest everywoman Awards - Previous Winners and Finalists". Everywoman. 2014-05-12. Retrieved 2021-09-15.
  27. "Page 19 | Supplement 59090, 13 June 2009 | London Gazette | The Gazette". www.thegazette.co.uk. Retrieved 2021-09-15.
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