From bullied to British Diversity Awards winner:

One year of Recruit Inclusively

One year ago today, I launched Recruit Inclusively with nothing but a vision, a VR headset, and frankly, a lot of naivety about what lay ahead. If someone had told me then that I’d spend months perfecting empathydriven video content, win a national diversity award, and help companies transform their inclusion practices in just 90 days, I’d have laughed nervously and asked for a cup of tea.

The reality behind the vision Those early months were storyboards, technical manuals, and an alarming amount of coffee cups, trying to create VR experiences that didn’t just look impressive but changed hearts and minds. The technology was the easy part - it was crafting those crucial moments of genuine understanding that nearly broke me. Each video had to be perfect. Months of rewrites, re-shoots, and the occasional creative meltdown later, I finally cracked it.

The real challenge? Defining exactly what our 90-day neuroinclusion programme would deliver.

I experimented with every combination of workshops, follow-ups, and tools. The breakthrough came when I realised cookie-cutter approaches were exactly what I was trying to move away from.

Beyond the PowerPoint Prison

Our final offering became something I’m proud of: interactive workshops that ditch the dreaded PowerPoint in favour of VR empathy journeys where participants literally experience the workplace through neurodivergent eyes. This is paired with comprehensive staff engagement surveys to uncover blind spots, followed by hands-on support. Because without proper follow-through, diversity training is just expensive boxticking.

The magic happens when a manager puts on that headset and suddenly understands why a colleague might need to step away during fire alarms, or why that brilliant analyst produces their best work with noise-cancelling headphones. It’s not about special treatment; it’s about smart management.

A night to remember

In March, standing in a packed ballroom in Park Lane, London, hearing my name called as Hero of the Year at the British Diversity Awards was something I hadn’t dared dream of. That recognition wasn’t just about me; it was proof our approach - innovation with empathy - was making a real difference.

Making it personal

I’m neurodivergent myself. I’ve lived the isolation of not quite fitting the mould. Every workshop I deliver is fuelled by that memory. Recruit Inclusively exists because no one should navigate that alone.

The road ahead

As I celebrate this first year, I’m buzzing with plans for what’s next. Here’s to year two of shaking up workplace inclusion, one immersive experience at a time.