After graduating from the University of East Anglia with a degree in European and Social Studies Jo started her career in journalism in contract publishing, working on the supermarket customer title ASDA magazine. Moving into trade journalism, Jo then started reporting and sub-editing for travel retail magazine Frontier, writing about luxury goods including fashion, jewellery and leathergoods.
Jo then turned her attention to specialist consumer magazine Car Hifi (which later relaunched as InCars magazine) working as Assistant Editor, often while being subjected to volumes up to 100 decibels (equivalent to a plane taking off...)
The idea of swapping cars for cosmetics seemed appealing so in 2001 Jo started as Deputy Editor on established trade magazine Soap, Perfumery & Cosmetics (SPC) and has written about the cosmetics and toiletries business ever since, still regularly writing for SPC's sister title European Cosmetic Markets magazine.
