natural. 1947 meant a move out of India as it was handed over to Nehru. When we came back, the shock was that I couldn't read I was this disruptive child and I remember a teacher who sat me down, and she wasn't telling me off, but she just said, ‘look, you're bright, but you're bored’. She gave me one sentence which taught me the fascination of the English language It was ‘the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog’. The sentence which has all the letters of the alphabet in it. I think children who are dyslexic or are verging on that, you see patterns rather than understanding words. She got me excited because in this black squiggle there was a dog and there was a fox I’m very grateful to her.”
Until Christine was 36, she accepted the name Bill. She says “My father had wanted a son. When I was born, he already had paperwork made out for William Richard Oh dear He'd ordered a son. I must have been a rebel at conception. My mother, my sister, my nieces, nephews, my friends, all called me Bill. At the age of 36 I looked in the mirror one day and I thought, ‘I don’t know who this woman is’. I think a lot of us play roles We play the wife, we play the mother, we play all sorts of roles. But how often do we actually stop and think, ‘who the heck am I? What makes me tick? What is my motivator?’ Because it's seen as selfish. As far as I’m concerned, I think it's the most important part ” questions that are probably obsolete anyway. So an inquisitive nature was
Just a few years ago, Christine sadly lost her husband of over 60 years. On his shock passing, Christine says “Your partner is gone, half of you is gone, and you are faced with what I call a blank sheet of paper. Don’t be frightened of it, that’s what my advice is. You can reinvent yourself. Think ‘what could I do? What haven’t I done? What intrigues me?’. It can be an amazing opportunity, but many people won’t take it as it’s easier to stay with what’s comfortable. Christine has always been an inspiration for those coping with growing older. Our own founder Angela states that before meeting Christine, she feared aging. Now she has a clear vision of what it can look like and the continued success it can bring. How does Christine manage this outlook? She says “Well, I look at Judi Dench, Joanna Lumley and Helen Mirren and I think gosh, they’re embracing life to the full. Judi doesn’t care if she’s got wrinkles. They’re my heroes really.”
As a corporate facilitator, Christine has many formulae for success. One is that M times X equals P. Those who are maths averse, please don’t stop reading now! Very simply, M is your motivation level, X is your skill level, and P is the outcome. As Christine explains, “your motivation level is not constant. I’ve had the dippy bits and the dark places, but out of those dark places comes creativity You either get squashed or you pick yourself up and get on with it and move on again. Skills are something you acquire. Don’t judge people unless they’ve had the opportunity to learn - that’s my mantra. So the M is your motivation and will fluctuate. Your skills should grow, on a scale of one to ten. If my motivation
coming here today is at an eight, and my skills are at a two - eight times two equals 16, so you’re not going to get the best out of me. The motivation you bring to anything will affect the outcome.”
Christine has used this formula to face her fears, one of which was writing her book, Flashpoint Transformation She is inspired by “the play between chemicals and humans” and says “a flashpoint is when you have two chemicals, and when they come together they ignite. Now, for me, Colin's death was a huge flashpoint. Instead of avoiding it, I thought, jump straight in. Just tell a story.” How can we navigate our own flashpoints, which might come as we leave school, university, transition into new jobs, homes, or lose people that we love? How do we use flashpoints to discover who we really are? Christine says “I think it's individual timing. I think we accommodate a lot for other people's expectations of us. Suddenly, you stand up and say, but I don't like doing that, and I don't actually want to be near that
“I’ve had the dippy bits and the dark places, but out of those dark places comes creativity.”
person You've really got to know what your true core values are and stick to them. Don't be swayed.
At 84, Christine says “I just decided to not question anything, just go with the flow. If something comes in, it comes in and it's been really, really exciting ” Though modelling is on the horizon, Christine is still making waves as a corporate facilitator. Retirement doesn’t seem to be on the cards, as she says “I don't want comfort. I want challenges.”
Having recently conquered trips to North India and Monte Carlo, she will soon be tackling the Galapagos Islands, a true bucket list moment.
Christine shows us that getting older simply means more time to learn new lessons and go on new adventures. To follow the ups and downs, you can visit www.thechristinemarsh.com
ere, we delve into the extraordinary life of Lady Elizabeth Ashcombe, the longest serving Chatelaine of Sudeley Castle. Born in America, LadyAshcombe’s journey took an unexpected turn when she met her future husband and heir to the castle on a blind date in New York. The family moved to Sudeley in 1969, hoping to transform the site by opening it to the public. Following the tragic loss of her husband in 1972, Elizabeth dedicated herself to preserving Sudeley's rich history and the castle has continued to enchant visitors for over 50 years Our founderAngela visited Sudeley’s magnificent grounds to speak to LadyAshcombe and find out more about how she tackled the plunge into stately life and business.
“Sudeley is a challenge, let's put it that way, but it's just gorgeous and beautiful and it carries the most fascinating history.”
second date. ” That first impression stuck, as Lady Ashcombe says “I thought he was charming He was extremely English You know, he just had impeccable manners and I thought, gosh, this is a very typical and lovely Englishman. ”
The pair soon arranged a chaperoned visit to the Bahamas, where they were able to get to know each other. Lady Ashcombe was visiting Mark in England by Christmastime, and married him by the following July - in Sudeley Castle itself. When asked if she had any inkling that it would form her future, Lady Ashcombe says “It wasn 't discussed too much because Mark worked in the London Stock Exchange and lived in London. His mother was active here and this was very much her home It didn't occur to us that we would need to take it over anytime soon. ” The couple began to create a life for themselves in London and had two children, Henry and Molly. Alongside being an active young mother, Lady Ashcombe worked with American jewellery designer to the stars, Kenneth Jay Lane. She continues; “Out of the blue, my mother-in-law said to Mark that she
“Everyone was telling me I wouldn’t be able to take it on.”
“You have to have the foresight and the will to do what you really intend to do, and not listen to the negative things that other people say.”
through organic farming, plant-based products, and immersive cultural experiences. In an insightful conversation with our founder, Angela De Souza, she shares her journey from Tanzania to the London Business School, and her vision for expanding Bantu Vegan into a model for ethical entrepreneurship and cultural preservation.
Sabrina recalls her childhood in Sinza, a thriving business hub that was once a small city. She says “I spent a lot of time inside, reading books, watching tv, and I fell in love with what I saw there. I was determined to go to America one day because it seemed like heaven on earth. A friend of mine had told me that if you place in the top ten out of the whole country in the national exams, you can apply to be a scholarship recipient at an American high school in Tanzania. That brings you one step closer to going to an American college I was determined to do this because I'd seen so much life out there and I felt like I wasn't getting any access to it.”
What was Sabrina’s plan? To purposefully fail the exams for the schools her parents wanted her to go to “It was my first rebellion,” she says, “they never let me forget that”. In order to fill her time at home, her parents sent her to intern at a computer programme, where her mentor happened to be a Harvard student. He was able to reveal that
“I felt like I had gained so much from all these resources that were given to me by very generous people, and I wanted to be generous back.”
provider. I realised I could host people on the farm and teach them about our sustainable farming methods It's been a very holistic evolution, where we take something that works, we run with it, and if
Eglė Aleknavičiūtė
already have and get this feeling of abundance. That’ s not always related to the bank account itself ”
As we go through life, it is crucial to lead with purpose, which looks different for
The Power of Continuous Learning
Your paragraph text
Lena says “I still remember when my mom broke the news to me. It was, I think, one of the worst days of my life I was in a new country, I’d finally learned the language, I was just about making friends and then I had to do it all over again. I was in a Navy school and my dream was to become a captain of the Israeli Navy. I had created a whole map of my future life, and now this came up and threw it away ” Life became difficult for Lena and her coping strategies began to show through. She says “ my only strategy became surviving, fitting in, and making friends. I didn’t want to be by myself because I found it extremely hard. I started creating these strategies to make me feel safe, such as reading in the library where I would be by myself but nobody could see me. Things like that became my coping patterns throughout my entire life, literally hiding and removing myself from environments. When I finished school, I started partying and using substances to feel more relaxed as there was such a disconnect in me I spent years raving, clubbing, and at the same time also became a South African fencing champion. I used to represent South Africa and I' ve travelled the world through fencing Eventually I got busted I failed the drug test. I got disqualified. And that was kind of a wake up call for me. I was like, ‘what am I doing with my life?’”
Lena decided to move to the UK to start afresh, and spent 15 years working in ITtravelling the world. She says “I was contracting to global organizations until that disconnect started coming through again. This time I knew that drugs were not the answer I had two kids by then and I was married. I thought my value was determined by how others saw me. I got to the point where I was making six figures in my career easily. I was landing contracts
“I was making money, I had a house, I was married with two amazing kids, but I just felt so unhappy.”
“Energy is not something we get outside of us, from sleep, water, or interaction, but it's something we cultivate from within.”
over, you can ’t make this up. So the next day I emailed them. I had no clue what I was doing, but I went to the bank, I took out a loan, and I just started my own franchise. A few months after that, I left IT and took a deep dive into the unknown. I’ ve been running it now for five years, with two ladies and two vehicles. Later, I got into public speaking through connecting and manifesting this life It just started happening. ”
Lena Thompson is an expert in Spiritual Leadership Development, is an experienced Emotional Intelligence & Mindset Consultant and international speaker with 15 years in tech consulting under her belt.
How can we all find that freedom and get rid of disconnect in our lives? Speaking candidly, Lena says “I' ve invested tens of thousands of pounds into healers, coaches, mentors, trying to understand myself, but the only thing that really works and is free to all of us is our ability to face and feel. ”
If you want to find out how you can better handle your own emotions and find the key to your own untapped energy, visit her on LinkedIn at Lena Thompson.
If you are concerned about where to start, Lena gives us three simple questions which can be used every morning;
1. What would I love today?
2. How do I want to show up?
3 What do I want to experience?
She says “Life will start giving you more and more evidence that with your mind,
“There’s no right or wrong way. It’s accepting who you are.”
Priyanka grew up in India, moving to the UK four years ago. She says “my parents have always been very supportive and progressive. My dad would always encourage me to learn new things. ” As the eldest child, Priyanka describes herself as “the responsible one” who helped her mother and spent time developing her knowledge on her own. She says “I never waited for anyone to tell me to do anything, I just got up and did it. ”
As her father worked across India, her family moved around the country every few years. This became formative for Priyanka as she says “learning different languages, learning how different people react and what they eat - you never realise that by the time you reach your late thirties, everything has become part of your personality. ” Priyanka, who hails from Rajasthan, can speak Hindi, English, Marathi, and Bengali. In 2016, as she was balancing motherhood with her career, she was diagnosed with an illness that would turn her life upside down and change her trajectory forever. The diagnosis was
relating to her lymph nodes Doctors found 17 tumours over her abdomen and liver - urgent treatment was needed and Priyanka’s life was put on pause as she quit her job and moved in with her parents for treatment. Unfortunately, it was not just her health that encountered issues as she says “Something changed in my relationship and the connection between us. We drifted apart and he wasn’t there when I needed him most. Even as I got better, things between us weren’t ok. I can never understand what led to that, but I started feeling a disconnect when I got ill. I was putting on weight, I was obviously not looking my best, I was on steroids and medication, my hair fell out and everything. I gave it some time and thought maybe it was a phase, but years went by and nothing changed ” Though positive and optimistic Priyanka
tried to see the best in the situation, she eventually filed for divorce in 2021. This, coupled with her recovery and childcare, took a toll on her mental health. She began to see the connection between
changes, Priyanka’s advice is to trust your support systems and remind yourself of the help available around you It’s hard when you feel like nothing is working out, but you must trust that things will take place the way it’s supposed to be. It will be fine. That has helped me even in the darkest places. Gratitude is a powerful thing
As Priyanka looks towards the future, she prepares to undertake a PhD in Glasgow, researching the economic development of single mothers in marginalised communities through entrepreneurship. She says “My dad cried when he heard about the PhD He knew I wanted it. It is the biggest accomplishment for me.”
mental and physical health and started writing online about her experiences. Thus, Sanity Daily was born in 2019. Though the blog initially helped with her own healing, it began to resonate with other readers. Priyanka says “That was the first time I felt that I wasn’t alone. People are suffering due to so many things. It gave me motivation to write about mental health and I learned so much about it That’s when I did NLP (Neural Linguistic Programming), because I actually come from a background in finance and marketing. I educated myself so that I could spread mental health awareness in the right way.” After achieving success with her blog, Priyanka launched her Therapeutic Journal, a tool that guides women through the journaling process using prompts and exercises. She is also a certified yoga and meditation practitioner. For women going through major life
Priyanka’s final words of wisdom are to stay authentic, real, and consistent. She says “Show up for yourself. That’s important Whatever it is, writing, dancing, anything - do something for yourself and take out time for yourself. Don’t lose yourself in the process of managing the house, children, in keeping everyone happy.”
Alekia Gill on pyjama days, treating the world as a catwalk, and finding her own corporate style in a world of black turtlenecks
Glamorous?’.As soon as I saw her name in the contents page of the October edition, I read the entire piece through and flagged it for later I was desperate to know - as a writer and someone desperate to be perceived as both glamorous and seriouscan I have it all? I recently saw the author speak on the last night of the London Literature Festival. She stepped out on stage in an all-black outfit and from my seat in the back row she resembled a monolith of class - her wide, orange-tinted glasses providing her that extra ounce of intellectualism that her reputation nevertheless precedes. Smith is, undoubtedly, my literary hero. I should be compelled to mirror her, to go out and buy some black framed, orange tinted glasses, to purchase a pair of heeled leather boots and an all-black outfit, to walk the streets in it daily as if that will somehow grant me just a drop of her literary stardom. Unfortunately, black doesn’t suit me. So where do I go from here?
“All of a sudden, I looked forward to getting ready in the morning.”
2025 marks ten years since our founder, Angela De Souza, published her book; I Did it in My Pyjamas: There is No Recipe for Business Success.As a writer who currently works from home, I do the majority of tasks in my pyjamas too. I have never been one of those people who simply has to get changed
before starting their day. I have never had a wardrobe full of monochrome loungewear perfect for when you want to get things done but not to go outside. I am perfectly content in my Cath Kidston, teddy-bear adorned bottoms and my fluffy pink dressing gown.As they were forAngela, pyjamas have been my uniform for creation.Writing and furthermore, freelance writing, is very much a solitary profession. It is not unknown that it attracts a certain type of person.As someone who was debilitatingly shy as a child (and an only child at that), I am content to wile away time in my study by myself As well as being solitary creatures however, writers are often, ironically, flamboyant attention-seekers. I am no exception. In her article, Smith speaks of moving to New York in the early 2000s and being met with ‘The Carrie Bradshaw
Effect’ - the tendency for people to dress spectacularly for the everyday.Among the literary elite, she noticed the effect in its swathes. I am no stranger to this phenomenon and it is the reason why my wardrobe doors finally refused to accept another thrifted mohair scarf and simply fell off two years ago. I love to dress myself and spend inordinate amounts of time picking outfits that reflect my mood each day. Steve Jobs’ black turtleneck cycle is my living nightmare, and this was realised when I started my first office job in a newsroom last November. Before then, I had been utilising my freelance role to embrace my style as an onthe-go creative and journalist. Flares were paired with oversized patterned jumpers and leather jackets, my eyes were lined with yellow streaks and dotted with sparkles, my unruly hair was adorned with bejewelled hair clips Faced with an office job, I decided to play it safe. I took a trip to Uniqlo and bought some pleated wide trousers in black, and the same in a soft beige fabric. I asked my mum to send up some of her old Ralph Lauren white shirts and found a plain brown jumper in M&S. Complete with a slicked-back bun and some ‘barely there’ makeup, I was ready for the corporate world.As Smith remarks, characters are a writer’s bread and butter. ‘Alekia Gill - Local News Reporter’ was my character, and I dressed her appropriately. Unfortunately, after about three weeks the “I was desperate to know - as a writer and someone desperate to be perceived as both glamorous and serious - can I have it all?”
novelty wore thin and I dreaded putting on those unflattering trousers and frumpy jumpers every morning. One day after
work, I sat on the floor in front of my broken wardrobe and devised a plan to inject life into my workwear I picked out pieces that would toe the line - smart but fun, out-there yet acceptable. I worked out how to make my flamboyant writer clothes suitable for an office. My sleeveless velvet crop top would work over a cream turtleneck My purple satin midi skirt would go with a cream shirt. My leopard print sneakers could be paired with smart black flares, and my green skinny scarf would match with my brown suede skirt. I already had an office-friendly wardrobeall the clothes were there, I just had to combine them in the right ways I booked a nail appointment and got a sparkly purple manicure, and started to pick up my coloured eyeliner again.All of a sudden, I looked forward to getting ready in the morning, as I knew I had picked out a stellar outfit the night before At 6:38am every day, I relished walking onto the bus with the other commuter regulars, imagining the number 36 as my catwalk.As I typed out my serious daily stories, I took sneaky glances at my freshly painted nails and smiled. Though I was no longer an onthe-go creative about town, I was certainly dressed like one. Smith concludes that she applauds every writer who puts down the blazer and risks the ridiculous and for me, it was my ticket from corporate boredom to daily joy.
Connect with Alekia alekiagill.my.canva.site/journalism-portfolio Alekia Gill
FROM SIDE HUSTLES TO EMPIRES
with Dr Amy Edwards
From Side Hustles to Empires - Histories of Women’s Working Lives, featuring a series of conversations between Dr Amy Edwards and a range of expert historians. The series as a whole explores the relationship between gender, work, and career in the nineteenth, twentieth and twenty-first centuries, asking what’s new (and what isn’t) about the nature of women’s working lives in Britain?
Episodes focus on different industries –from politics and science, to entertainment, sex advice, sales and beyond – through the lives of some of the women who worked in them. The series will explore not only the success stories of famous entrepreneurs and business leaders, but also ‘hidden’ histories of women who made a living in systems and structures not often designed with them in mind.
About Dr Amy Edwards
Amy is a senior lecturer in Modern British History at the University of Bristol, where she has worked for the past 10 years. Her research focuses on how ‘ordinary people’ experience large economic changes and how people in the past worked, saved, spent, and invested their money. Her first book, Are We Rich Yet? Told the story of how the worlds of business and finance became part of our day-to-day culture. It looked at things like the business press, financial advice columns, investment based boardgames, and the popularity of the filofax in the 1980s.
Amy’s Book Are We Rich Yet: The Rise of Mass Investment Culture in Contemporary Britain (University California Press, 2022)
Amy’s Project 'The Secret of My Success': Women and Self-employment in Britain, 1970-2000
Find out more
But more recently she has been carrying out a research project that looks at the instagram.com/somsproject linkedin.com/in/somsdramyedwards @somsproject.bsky.social
For the second episode in the series –‘When I Grow Up: A History of Careers
Advice’ – we were lucky enough to be joined by Dr Hannah Charnock, a Senior Lecturer in History at the University of Bristol. Dr Charnock and Dr Edwards have worked together for the past 8 years, sharing an interest in the social history of Modern Britain. Dr Charnock’s research expertise lies in the history of young people and their relationships. Her book, Teenage Intimacies: Young Women, Sex and Social Life in England, 1950-1980 (Manchester University Press, 2025) came out this year, and tells us all about the role of friends, boyfriends, parents, and teachers in how young women experienced sex in the 1960s and 1970s. She is also currently developing a new project all about school life, which will involve studying the history of schools not only as sites of education, but as places where places where young people built their social lives: where friends were made and broken, where bullying happened, and people navigated what it meant to be popular.
The second episode of the series picked up where the first one left off, focusing in more closely on the role of education and careers advice in young women’s lives. Having already touched upon social mobility, and how changes in society after WW2 affected women’s experiences of education, work, and family in the series, this episode took a
About Dr Hannah Charnock
Dr. Charnock is a historian of modern Britain and specialises in histories of relationships, gender, sexuality, and youth culture during the twentieth century. Her text Teenage intimacies Young women, sex and social life in England, 1950-80 was published earlier this year and can be found at Manchester University Press
Full episode on Women’s Business Voice
This podcast episode features Dr Eve Worth, who explains women’s experiences of social mobility, class, education and work in modern Britain This research helped her in her own parliamentary career where she sadly encountered many episodes of blatant misogyny. How has our relationship to work changed over the past 150 years? Women have, in fact, always worked. Before the industrial revolution, this was widely in informal or domestic spheres. Industrialisation formalised labour and women’s contributions became less visible.
In the 19 century, there was a rhetoric promoted saying that “respectable” women shouldn’t work. This excluded the realities for workingclass women who continued to labour in factories, farms, and service roles. After WW2, women entered many professions - this led to the expansion of the welfare state which Dr Worth has researched extensively for her book; The Welfare State Generation: Women, Agency and Class in Britain since 1945. Women’s experiences were shaped by both structural change and personal agency. th Worth uses a number of interviews, through which she has found striking similarities between the patterns in women’s lives, relating to education, career change, and resilience across class disparities Adult education was common rather than university, allowing
many a chance at upward mobility.
In the 1980s and 90s, changes to the welfare state that many jobs were lost and women from this generation experienced a loss of income and status. A new generation, especially within the middleclass, found opportunity however in the expanding private sector. The female experience of work has long been complex and non-linear, marked by shifts, balancing care and adapting to instability which is reflected in the labour market today.
About Dr Eve Worth
Eve is a Lecturer in Modern British History at the University of Exeter. She is particularly interested in women’s experience of social mobility and class, ranging from working class to the increasing public role of elite women in Britain since 1945. Her first book, The Welfare State Generation: Women, Agency and Class in Britain since 1945 was published by Bloomsbury in 2022. She is a member of the DWP’s Methods Advisory Group.
About Professor Helen McCarthy
Professor Helen McCarthy specialises in Modern and Contemporary British History at the University of Cambridge, and is the author of three books; Double Lives: A History of Working Motherhood, Women of the World: The Rise of the Female Diplomat, and The British People and the League of Nations: Democracy, Citizenship and Internationalism, c. 1918 - 1945
Full episode on Women’s Business Voice
About Dr Amy Edwards
Dr Amy Edwards not only leads our discussion series with a multitude of academics from across the UK, but is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of History at the University of Bristol She has recently been running an AHRCfunded project titled 'The Secret of My Success': Women and Self-employment in Britain, 1970-2000, and is the author of Are We Rich Yet? (University of California Press, 2022) which explores the history of finance in twentieth century Britain.
Here, we get to hear from Dr Aleena Din, a historian whose work explores the intersections of gender, race, and class in modern Britain Her research focuses on British Pakistani women in Northern England from the 1960s all the way up to the 2000s, uncovering how selfemployment and informal work offered survival during a time marked by migration and discrimination Through a series of interviews in Middlesbrough and Oldham, Dr Din found that many women didn’t identify their labour as work - including home businesses, sewing, or community volunteering. Homeworking was widespread but poorly paid and unregulated, and work was balanced with childcare and community building. Self-employment also emerged as a response to racial and gender barriers in formal workplaces.
For South Asian migrants during this time, working for themselves became both a necessity and an act of resilience. When traditional factories closed, migrant women became the hidden workforce sustaining production in new, precarious ways. South Asians are now the largest ethnic minority group in the UK, and their presence dates back centuries. Din’s research connects to her collaborative project; Remaking Britain: South Asian Connections and Networks, 1830 to the Present, which has been created with her colleagues at the
University of Bristol, Queen Mary University of London, and the British Library. It maps nearly two centuries of South Asian presence in Britain through archives, oral histories, and digital records. Its publicly accessible website, SouthAsianBritain.org, contains hundreds of entries on South Asian individuals, communities, and organisations, demonstrating the longstanding and deeply embedded role of South Asians in British history.
Although we might not consider scientists traditional entrepreneurs, they have often been lauded by society as innovators, creators, and forces for change in society. It’s also one of those worlds that we often associate historically with men. In Episode 6 –titled ‘Women of Innovation: Women Scientists’ – Dr Andy Flack introduced us to some of the women who were accepted (or not) into the scientific community during the twentieth century. For many women, the ability to work as a scientist was curtailed, although no small number of them found ways and means of studying plant and animal life, even without the formal backing of institutions or access to finance and resources enjoyed by others. Through their lives we got to see how even the objective world of scientific discovery was shaped by social and cultural attitudes to gender
Dr Flack is an Associate Professor at the University of Bristol, where he works as an environmental historian who studies the relationship between the human and non-human world. As part of this research, he has often found himself encountering those people – scientists –who pioneered the study of the natural world. This includes his most recent project, which takes the form of a forthcoming book on the history of the dark, titled Dark Natures: Finding Life in the Shadows In it, he looks at how naturalists discovered news ways of
Dr Flack is an Associate Professor in Environmental and Sensory History at the University of Bristol. He has appeared on countless BBC radio shows and consulted on an episode of Great British Railway Journeys. He also features on the Historians at Bristol blog where he speaks about ability and disability.
Full episode on Women’s Business Voice
About Dr Andy Flack
Episode 8 of the podcast –‘Women of the Exchange: Stockbrokers and Financial Advisers’ – features Professor James Taylor, a historian of modern British history at the University of Lancaster. His work explores business history from social and cultural perspectives, and he has a particular interest in financial markets and systems. He has written on subjects including the history of company law, white-collar crime, financial advice, popular investment, and advertising. He has authored and co-authored five books including Invested: How Three Centuries of Stock Market Advice Reshaped our Money, Markets, and Minds, which came off the back of an Arts and Humanities Research Council-funded project that explored the history of financial advice from modern-day blogs all the way back to the eighteenth century
In the episode, Professor Taylor talks to us about his most recent book, Sexism in the City: Women Stockbrokers in Modern Britain, which was published in March 2025 by Oxford University Press. In it, he follows the story of forgotten pioneers and businesswomen who fought against the odds to establish themselves in the world of financial advice and brokerage. Picking out a handful of the women whose lives he encountered during his research, Professor Taylor explains the challenges that faced women who tried
About Professor James Taylor
Professor James Taylor specialises in Modern British History and published Sexism in the City: Women Stockbrokers in Modern Britain earlier this year.
Full episode on Women’s Business Voice
Professor Lucy Delap is a historian at Cambridge University, who researches and teaches the history of feminisms across Britain, the United States and the British empire. Based on this work, she published Feminisms: A Global History in 2020, a book that offers a global history of feminism that explores its multiple points of origin and varied contributors worldwide.
As part of her research, Professor Delap has been involved in a number of oral history projects, including about the world of feminist publishing industry. One outcome of the project is The Business of Women’s Words collection at the British Library, which features interviews with all manner of women who contributed to the feminist movement through their roles as publishers and bookstore owners. The project more broadly highlighted the attempts of feminist activists to reconcile the pursuit of profit with their commitment to the feminist purpose and the movement’s general aversion to capitalist ways of organising production and labour
More recently, Professor Delap has been working on a book that is all about the history of employment and labour for people with disabilities in twentieth century Britain. She spoke to us about this for Episode 9 of the podcast, titled ‘Intersections: Women, Disability and Work. ’ We spoke about the challenges
About Professor Lucy Delap
Professor Lucy Delap is Professor in Modern British and Gender History and Chair of the History Faculty at the University of Cambridge. She published Feminisms: a global history in 2020. Full episode on Women’s Business Voice
Episode 10 is titled ‘Feminist Publishing: Business Experiments and Innovations’ , and features Dr D-M Withers, who is a Lecturer in Publishing at the University of Exeter. Their research focuses on the post-war publishing industries, especially feminist, queer and womenled companies. They worked with our guest from Episode 9, Professor Lucy Delap, on the ‘Business of Women’s Words’ project, and have published widely on the history of feminist publishers, Virago Press. This includes a book that came out in 2021, titled Virago Reprints and Modern Classics: The Timely Business of Feminist Publishing. In it, Dr Withers explains how books that have fallen out of favour find new audiences and come back into print, with a particular focus on Virago Press, which became known for its work reprinting classic feminist texts and works written by women authors
Dr Withers’ interest in the history of reprints carries into their own work as a publisher. They run Lurid Editions, which publishes queer books form the twentieth century archive as part of an effort to help queer readers to access the queer literary past. Excitingly, Lurid Editions has a forthcoming title set for publication in January 2026 – A Jingle Jangle Song by Mariana Villa-Gilbert, which was originally published in the late-1960s, and tells the story of folk singer, Sarah Kumar and her encounter
with Mrs Stankovich. Drawing on their expertise and knowledge of the publishing industry, in episode 10 Dr Withers introduces us to some of the women from the 1970s Women’s Liberation Movement who existed not only as political activists, but as entrepreneurs who experimented with business practices. Dr Withers introduces us to the masculine world of publishing through the stories of two women who made a living in it: Norah Smallwood and Carmen Callil.
About Dr D-M Withers
Dr Withers is a lecturer in Publishing at the University of Exeter and co-directs the university’s MA Publishing programme. Their publishing practice, Lurid Editions, reprints LGBT+ books that have fallen out of circulation and will soon publish A Jingle Jangle Song by Mariana Villa-Gilbert
Full episode on Women’s Business Voice
The final episode of our series: From Side Hustles to Empires: Histories of Working Women’s Lives, features Dr Mar Hicks who is an associate professor at the University of Virginia’s School of Data Science.
Dr Hicks looks at the computing industry, which was once a highly feminised field and later became one of the most male-dominated industries During their own journey into the field, Hicks noticed a generation gender divide where many managers were women whilst new starters were male. In the mid-20 century, women provided essential roles as programmers, operators, and system analysts - though this was often dismissed as “unskilled clerical labour” . As computing gained prestige, it was redefined as a place for “high-calibre” workers - simply a euphemism for management-aligned men Hicks explores what this was driven by - not technological necessity but rather cultural and institutional biases. The result was a loss of much of the workforce, hurting Britain’s efforts to computerize right when the country needed this labour the most, as Hicks describes in their award winning book Programmed Inequality. th
This episode also looks at a number of hidden figures - Ann Moffatt being one of them. Moffatt programmed the black box flight recorder for the Concorde from her kitchen table and was employed by Freelance Programmers - a
About Dr Mar Hicks
Dr Mar Hicks is a historian who specialises in technology, gender, and modern Europe. They are also Quantitative Foundation Associate Professor of Data Science at the University of Virginia. They are currently working on a book about the history of the dot-com boom and bust and how it led to many of our current technological issues.
at a business level, played a vital role in bringing BTV to the level we ’ re at today. ”
Working as a woman in Pakistan has its own challenges. Hina speaks of the lack of opportunities for women to work in their region, saying “The tourism industry is quite male-dominated so when we started BTV we had a great focus on women ’ s empowerment and we wanted to promote that by encouraging them into the industry in a meaningful way. By working closely with local communities we aim to create long-term opportunities where women can play a central role in shaping their tourism
NAVIGATING LIFE AS A POST GRADUATE
Exploring the reality of adulthood. Chasing a new purpose. Balancing dreams and rejections in an uncertain economy.
Adulthood
is
hard. No one talks about this enough.
That being said, post-graduate life is all about finding a new purpose, new ambitions and bouncing back from rejections. Yes it’s easier said than done, but no one expects you to have everything figured out. This is what now is for.
This is the first time in years or in your entire life that you don’t have to follow a syllabus. You have the freedom to choose for yourself. Whether that’s working full time or travelling, no one can tell you otherwise.
If not the most important, building your own life You have the power to determine your outcome. You might not know everything and that’s okay, that’s what your 20s are for.
So go out there and be the best version of yourself, you may make mistakes along the way but everything will fall into place Just like it’s meant to.
Written by Angelina Mitchell.
Angelina is a Media Communications and Culture BA Graduate from Nottingham Trent University. She joined us as an intern last year , following her passion for female representation in the literary arts. As well as the valuable skills she has picked up, she was able to make contact with Olga Olensenko, an independent Ukrainian fine jewellery designer who was one of our Top Ten Voices winners this year. As well as hosting the Top Ten Voices this year, 2025. Because of this, she is eager to continue a career within Journalism. We wish her the best of luck on her journey! linkedin.com/in/angelina-mitchell
Come Netwalking with Us and Help People Find a Pathway Out of Poverty
Walking with Purpose
Why People against Poverty?
Our Mission: More Netwalking Groups, More Impact
all walks of life entrepreneurs, leaders, and professionals who want to connect meaningfully and make a tangible difference Every group will have the opportunity to raise funds and awareness for People against Poverty through their regular meetups. You’ll not only be building your own network but also contributing to building stronger, more self-sufficient communities across the globe. Whether you host, join, or simply spread the word, every person who gets involved plays an important role in helping us reach more people in need
How You Can Get Involved
1. Join a Netwalking Group Find your nearest Women’s Business Club Netwalking event and sign up to take part.
2. Start a Group Don’t see one near you? You can easily set up your own Netwalking Group with our simple guide and resources.
3. Donate or Fundraise Support People against Poverty by donating directly or fundraising through your Netwalking events
4. Spread the Word Invite your friends, colleagues, and clients to join the movement and make an even greater impact.
Each small step adds up and together, our steps can change lives.
womensbusiness.club/pap-netwalk
Ellen received seeds and fertilizer to grow and sell crops providing income for her family thanks to People against Poverty.
Ellen received seeds and fertilizer to grow and sell crops providing income for her family thanks to People against Poverty.
Women Rising: Stories of Strength Through People against Poverty
“You have given me a hook to fish for myself.” Lizzie
Lizzie
And then there’ s Victoria, who turned a modest loan into a thriving goat-keeping enterprise What began with six goats has grown to fifteen, helping her feed her children and invest in fertilizer and crops. “The selfhelp group approach means a lot to me, ” she says, “I can sell a goat now any time I need money ”
Each of these women once faced the impossible feeding children, keeping homes, and surviving day to day with no income and little hope. Today, they are entrepreneurs and providers In the words of one project leader,
“If women are empowered, households are also empowered.”
For Sonia, Memory, and Iris, the chance to learn a trade was the first step out of a cycle of dependency. Through PaP’s Tailoring Project, 22 vulnerable young people affected by HIV/AIDS have been trained to sew and supported to start small tailoring businesses.
“Without PaP support I was nothing, ” says Sonia. “Now I am so excited that I have skills which help me to generate money. I thank you for uplifting me. ”
M ry’s story echoes hers: “The ng support has built long-lasting n me which will help me for life. I w meet my needs without ding on relatives. I will continue ng hard so that I can help others ” is once a trainee, now a mentor proudly, “My life has completely ed. I am able to help myself with hing I need. I now mentor young n in business and help them have ence in their ideas and ambitions. ”
Sewing a New Future
Martha
Sonia
Growing Hope from the Ground Up
The Ripple Effect
Memory
Why We Honour Men at the Women’s Business Awards
The Man of the Year award reminds us that gender equality isn’t about separation – it’s about solidarity. It honours men who understand that empowering women isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s the smart thing to do for business, society, and the world we’re shaping together.
Connect with Craig:
boxleisurerecruitment.co.uk
Craig Stephen Barclay
Find out more about Women’s Business Awards and the Man of the Year Award at womensbusiness.club/awards
Designing the Future of Regenerative Living
By Klara Goldy Founder of The Soul Decorator & Klara Goldy Interiors Top 10 Voices Winner, Women’s Business Club 2025
“When women lead from soul, they don’t just build businesses they build worlds. Each choice, each space, each creation becomes a prayer for what’s possible.”
the end of a journey for me it’ s the amplification of one that’ s been whispering
Connect with Klara: www.klaragoldy.com Klara Goldy
Are you ready to shine and share your story with the world? Women's Business Voice is on the hunt for the Top Ten Voices to feature in our exclusive Women's Business Voice Podcast and Women's Business Magazine.
Why Enter?
Elevate Your Story: Showcase your journey, insights, and expertise on a global stage
Amplify Your Voice: Reach a diverse and engaged audience through our dynamic podcast and magazine. Expand Your Network: Connect with like-minded professionals, mentors, and influencers in the business realm.
The Prize
Featured Podcast Episode: The chosen Top Ten Voices will star in dedicated podcast episodes, reaching thousands of listeners. Magazine Spotlight: Get highlighted in our digital magazine, sharing your story with a broader audience. Recognition and Awards: Receive exclusive badges and certificates, showcasing your achievement as one of the Top Ten Voices.
Find out more and enter the Top 10 Voices competition at news.womensbusiness.club/top10-voices
