This year, we have created a very special edition of Women’s Business Magazine. For 2024, we are going globalhighlighting stories from outside the UK as well as within, and offering a diverse look at female entrepreneurship.
In today’s world, success tends to be quantified using money, popularity, and scale. We want to place emphasis on the small wins, the everyday accomplishments, and the unspoken achievements. The ladies we have chosen to focus on in this issue have demonstrated extraordinary strength whilst building their businesses. Some have left harmful relationships, others have battled debilitating illnesses, and many have shown resilience simply by managing to get up in the morning and give it another go.
On top of this all, they have founded flourishing businesses and organisations, and continue to inspire others while doing so.
This is also a special issue for myself. This time last year I was completing my internship with Women’s Business Club, having no idea that I would be welcomed into the team to work on this year’s issue. I could not ask for a better transition from university to the ‘real world’, and have been so grateful for the opportunity to contribute to every part of the publishing process. We will continue to be working with our Top Ten Voices winners as a community, to provide them with whatever their businesses need right now. In the coming months, we will spotlight each of the women, so that they can be fully supported by us. I look forward to seeing many of you at our Women’s Business Conferences across the UK and online, and hope you enjoy the following features. If you are left wanting more, remember to tune into Women’s Business Voice on all major podcast platforms.
Hello, and welcome! Alekia
Editor
I am thrilled to present this issue of Women's Business Magazine, my favourite edition yet. It has been both a joy and a privilege to interview the winners of our Top Ten Voices, capturing their incredible stories for our Women's Business Voice Podcast and featuring them here in the magazine.
This year, our mission has been to uncover and share the untold stories of women achieving extraordinary feats around the world. In this issue, you will discover a rich tapestry of
Hello from our CEO Angela
articles and features that showcase the remarkable capabilities of women. The stories within these pages are powerful and humbling, reflecting the vast potential of women in business.
From insightful interviews with trailblazing female CEOs to practical advice on career development and entrepreneurship, our goal is to provide you with valuable insights and inspiration.
I encourage you to fully engage with the resources within these pages. Let the stories you read and the knowledge you gain empower you to reach new heights in your career and business endeavours. Remember, you are capable of achieving greatness, and this magazine is here to support you every step of the way.
Thank you for being an integral part of the Women's Business Club community. Together, we can break barriers, shatter glass ceilings, and create a world where women thrive in the business realm.
Wishing you success and fulfilment on your journey.
Cleaner turned CEO - Julita’ s journey to owning her own accountancy firm.
Life as one of the first women on the London Stock Exchange. The founder of the first Laundromat in her Ugandan community tells us how she battled poverty to reach success.
Bags that combine luxury with versatility, allowing for endless combinations. On managing seven successful businesses in spite of a battle with Multiple Sclerosis
How earrings are empowering women and pulling them out of poverty in rural Kenya
Meet the woman teaching financial independence through cooking
Fahima Danishmal fled wartorn Pakistan, and is now pursuing global impact through education.
TAMSIN BROSTER
50 Empowering Women to Lead: It’ s Time to Eliminate What’ s Really Holding You Back
Revolutionising responses to mental health in the workplace.
INTERN PIECES from Angelina Mitchell, Daisy Pearce and Katie Bishop.
LAURA TENISON
76 The ART of WELLNESS: Wonderful Escapes
JULITA STACHOWIAK
Starting from scratch
Julita Stachowiak is the founder of J&B Finance, an accountancy consulting business made up of a team of eight amazing women. In a true display of resilience and ambition, Julita has transformed setbacks into an opportunity to bounce back stronger Today
we ’ll learn how she managed to pick herself up at such a young age, how she manages to stay motivated, and what it’ s like to lead her team through an increasingly male-dominated industry.
Angela: So let's start from the beginning. What made you take a 24hour trip from Poland to Scotland?
Julita: Long story short, when I was 16 my parents divorced and it was a really tough time. If you recall, in 2005-2004 the borders opened for Poland as well as the European Union I kind of saw the trend of people graduating from universities, and moving abroad for a better life. My situation was not the best in terms
of finances and my family. My boyfriend at the time, my husband today, was in a similar situation. So as soon as I graduated high school, we just jumped into the bus and decided to try our luck in Scotland. It was quite a big decision but if we had stayed, we would have had to work difficult full-time jobs on top of studying In Scotland, EU students get discounts on their fees, so we just thought we 'd give it a shot and didn't really think much of it.
Angela: What happened when you got there?
Julita: I studied English at high school, but, oh my goodness, I don't know if you heard a proper Scotsman speak, but we couldn’t understand a word. When we arrived there in the factory, no one had heard of us The jobs were through a friend of a friend of a friend and we ended up being turned away. I started crying and my boyfriend suggested we go back to Edinburgh. We had the number of a man we had never met, who was a friend of a family friend, and we phoned him to ask if we could stay at his place for the night. We waited for him at the bus station and when he arrived, he just walked straight to us I asked him ‘how did you know it was us?’ He just laughed He said, of course it was you, you are sitting there like lost puppies. I lived in Edinburgh for nine years after that and every time I walked past that bus station, I just had to take a moment because it was a very emotional place in lots of ways.
Angela: As a teenager, what was going through your mind?
“When we arrived there in the factory, no one had heard of us.”
Julita: I had a finance career in mind. I' m the sort of person who sets a goal and knows what I' m going to go through to get there. I must say, if you put me back in on that day and told me about the year I was about to have, in terms of the amount of hours I was working, the jobs, and studying at the same time, I’d be shocked. But I was 18 years old and I think you just do whatever you have to do I wasn ’t considering going back to Poland. I got my first job in a bar and then I was cleaning, and then I was in a fish and chips shop, which was an experience in itself. It was so hard to understand everyone because they used a lot of Scottish slang.
Later, when I was in KPMG and we had clients with heavy Scottish accents, my colleagues would always ask me how I could understand them - it was because of that fish and chip shop experience. Every job teaches you something valuable that you will use in the future.
Angela: And what challenges did you face going from corporate to leading your own life?
Julita: It was my dream when I was at university to get to KPMG, which is obviously one of the big four accountancy firms in the world
I was honoured to get there, especially in 2010 when it was really booming in terms of the candidates for these jobs. I loved it and I was just really happy that I made it. So I did qualify within three years with
“Every job teaches you something valuable that you will use in the future.”
them and then I got a really good opportunity to move into industry. That was in Aberdeen. I felt like it was the right decision so I moved into consultancy. I have always liked fast-moving environments and the difference between corporate and the start-up world is that you don't know what you will wake up to. The founder' s life is a lonely place, but it' s also really fast-paced, and it takes a certain type of person to cope with that.
I' m sure this is the same for everyone, that when they set up their company at first they think ‘this is going to be great, the clients will come running, standing at the door, ’ and it never works like that.
Angela: Your company has an all-female team. Was that intentional, or did it just happen to turn out that way?
Julita: It absolutely happened to turn out that way. I must say, in my career, I generally always preferred to work with guys, and I usually only had male bosses Maybe it was a product of the corporate world, maybe not. I thought that it would mean less office politics at times. It is a generally male-dominated industry.
I first employed my assistant, and then my co-founder, Bogna, who is... I mean there could be another interview just talking about her and how amazing she is. One of my senior managers is actually my ex-colleague
from Aberdeen, Dorotka.
We started with just four of us, and then we would joke about only employing women because it just feels good. Now we have a couple of female clients who are absolute powerhouses themselves, but before that it was only men. I was laughing in our Monday morning calls, telling the team to ‘get into formation’ . That comes from the Beyonce song and I always used to say it - it became a habit. I' m not going to go into it, but everyone knows that at different times of the month we have different emotions. Everyone has something going on in their life and sometimes it’ s hard, but we always support each other. If one of us starts crying, then we all cry, and then we all laugh, and that’ s how we get through it.
I’ ve noticed that men just like to action things, whereas I think women just add this sort of structure to everything. I' m proud of my girls every single day.
“If one of us starts crying, then we all cry, and then we all laugh, and that’s how we get through it.”
Angela: Where is the boundary between being friends and being a boss?
Julita: Since January, we ' ve had a big spike in clients, and we decided to hire a new finance manager. Six months on, we ' ve
“There is not a single woman that I can name that hasn’t impacted me.”
gone through three women. I think what I' ve learned is don't give it all on day one. I always just want to be this mama, and to welcome people in with open arms but it' s really hard for someone to step into that team, which is very strong already. I' ve learned, yes it is good to be the mama, but I’ m also the boss and a business owner and I need to look after finances and make sure everyone ' s paid. I' m working on it.
Angela: Are there any women that you'd like to thank for helping in your business journey?
Julita: I’ m going to answer this question in a different way. I honestly cannot say one, because in every part of your life you go through different phases and you meet people that have different impacts on you. Sometimes I look back ten years and I think about my mentor from university and I know if it wasn 't for her, I wouldn't be here. Or I wouldn't be a weightlifter if it wasn 't for
my trainer. Or it could be my coach after I gave birth, or my co-founder Bogna, or anyone else on my team. There is not a single woman that I can name that hasn’t impacted me My mom, my grandma, my best friends I can ’t say one.
If we all think like that, then whenever we meet each other there will always be somebody that will inspire you or have an impact on you I also hope that I impact them, and maybe they'll look back and think that. I think every one of us has so much to give. You can meet Julita in person at this year's Women's Business Conference in Edinburgh, where she is hosting an Expert Pod focusing on Accounting and Financial Consulting.
Her company, JB Finance provides cutting edge accounting consultants. Julita specialises in helping startups manage their finances effectively.
Find out more at jbfinance.co.uk
“I had to learn to stand on my own two feet”
ZOË COUSENS
WALL STREET CRACKING
As a young woman, Zoë Cousens left Guernsey to become one of the first women dealers on the London
Stock Exchange. Now a true expert in her field and an advocate for women’s financial empowerment, Zoë coaches other women on money management, spending time assisting female founders and pursuing a Masters in her field.
Zoë was 24 when she started at the Stock Exchange. Was a young woman from the small island of Guernsey intimidated by one of the biggest trading floors in the world, almost completely dominated by men?
Speaking with humility, she says “It wasn’t really a big deal in my mind because it was just a job. I was always very aware that I was in the vast minority… but in the 1980s, phrases such as glass ceilings and gender equality weren’t really discussed. I thought it would be the older guys who would have a little resentment towards me, but in actual fact it was the younger men who would make jokes. It certainly taught me a lot about standing on my own two feet.”
“It’ s
A difficult position to be put in - you have secured your dream job at the London Stock Exchange, do you draw attention to distasteful behaviour directed at you from your colleagues?
Zoë says “I actually experienced very little difficulty and believe it' s down to attitude. I agree it’ s necessary to call out bad behaviour, but on the other hand we must be careful not to overreact, and to consider each awkward situation as to whether malice was intended or simply an innocent joke gone wrong, and deal with it accordingly. Society and life change and different views come from different generations. ”
So how do you protect yourself in the workplace?
“It’ s all about boundaries” says Zoë, “I' ve always worked in teams of men, and the main thing I' ve said is ‘here' s my red line’ , and they' ve always respected that. Now that young women are more prevalent in the finance sector, we should be there to support each other I find that one of the most disappointing things that I come across when coaching is when a woman is being bullied by another woman. That' s quite a big issue actually, bigger than people realise Being one of few women in any workplace can lead to competitiveness,
egged on by the common and untrue rhetoric that there is limited space for women at the top of any industry. In fact, we can all succeed by supporting each other ”
Zoë is the founder of Castellet Consulting, an independent investment consultancy company which she created after a move to Dubai. Whilst there, Zoë was part of the judging panel on ‘Mompreneurs’ , which is similar to the UK’ s Dragon’ s Den.
She says “That was how I first realised how many inspirational women there are out there, setting up their own businesses, doing amazing things, stepping right out of their comfort zones and being very courageous. There' s the horrible statistic that anything between one and two percent of funding goes to female founders It' s just shocking, to the point where some women have a man as a co-founder because that helps to gain investment. ”
This led Zoë to create the Women’ s Investment Network, which provides executive coaching, personal development courses, community events and holistic advice to female founders. Having accomplished a long and successful career in investing, Zoë decided to pursue a qualification in Coaching, aged 62. She states “I wanted to make sure that I had sufficient knowledge in order to practise to the best of my ability and help my clients to the maximum benefit I love learning and I love travelling, and despite being in my 60s, my grandmother and my great grandmother both lived until their late 90s, so I’ m touching wood that I may have another 40 years That’ s nearly a whole lifetime, so I really wanted to learn a new skill. I decided that this is the time of my life where I want to be giving back and sharing” . Zoë proves not only that it’ s never
too late, but that you should continue to invest in yourself in your later years. Women over fifty, as Zoë says, become “ a little bit discarded. We' ve got all this knowledge and experience that people don’t seem to value as much as they could” . Whilst this proves a struggle for many, Zoë shows that it is more than possible to flourish after 50, and that many women do, despite not being highlighted as much as their younger counterparts.
At Women’s Business Club, we’re dedicated to fostering a community of collaboration and support, and like to find out about incredible women who have supported our members on their journeys. This could be a mother, mentor, or even someone who gave a single piece of advice.
Zoë, who is at the forefront of her own supportive community, and has no doubt
“It’ s important for everyone to know what we’re truly capable of”
been that woman for many, told us “actually, I' ve always had to stand on my own two feet since quite a young age. Even though I haven’t had anyone to support me, I’ ve managed to achieve quite a few goals It can be quite a lonely journey, but it’ s not such a bad thing because it teaches you a lot, to be independent and courageous. It’ s important for everyone to know what we ’ re truly capable of and to live life to the full And I have a fantastic group of friends who support me through the ups and downs, as well as a wonderful son and his family” .
The Women’s Business Club exists to bridge that gap, making that journey less solitary and forging connections for life. Zoë’s own company does similargiving women the confidence to achieve their goals and showing them how to gain some crucial financial freedom.
Zoë’s coaching helps her clients feel confident in their journeys to success.
To find out more at zoecousens.com
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SALIMA NAKATUBA
Salima Nakatuba is a female entrepreneur working in Uganda, who started the first Laundromat in her community, and has built up her business to now be working with the biggest hotel in town. She works with The Zena Brand, a non-profit dedicated to empowering some of the most marginalised women in the world
WASHING AWAY BARRIERS
Could you tell us a bit about your life in Uganda before Zena?
Salima: I was married and living with my husband. He never supported me financially and ignored me and my baby. Getting basic needs like food and medication was a tug of war. My baby would get sick to a sorry state but I had no means of getting him medication. I used to do chores here and there in order to survive, using my hands to wash loads of people' s clothes in my community, which would get me peanuts.
I believed that I would achieve and manage the business if I got it some day.
What made you think you could run a business - was it something you always wanted to do?
Salima: I loved doing laundry from way back and I was so passionate about it. I made a promise to myself that no matter what, I must put up a laundry business. Friends from the community laughed at me because my dream back then seemed unrealistic.
I believed that I would achieve and manage the business if I got it some day.
What would you say to women who also have a dream to run a business but don't feel like they could do it?
Salima: I urge them to erase fear from their hearts. They should be confident about themselves and pursue their dreams. I also encourage them to start small in order to achieve their bigger dreams. Sitting at home and waiting for a miracle won 't do anything - rather just start and be persistent. I also started washing using my hands but now I have a washing machine and am aiming for something bigger.
Can you tell us a bit about Zena and about how they helped you?
Salima: Zena is an organisation which has helped women achieve their business goals and put them on board The business I have now is not solely my work. While at the programme, Zena helped me through teaching me business management, building self-esteem, and being confident. I was making jewellery while saving up money as startup capital.
Did you need to put any money in at the beginning?
Salima: Yes, I had already saved up capital while at Zena through making earrings and necklaces. I used my capital wisely, bought a washing machine, rented out space for my business, paid electricity and water, bought all the other necessary requirements and paid one woman who was working for me.
If you hadn't started your laundry business what do you think you would be doing today?
Salima: I think I would be depressed and living a hard life. Zena gave me a stable mind through counselling and providing team bonding games which helped me to connect with my inner peace and make friends.
What are your hopes for the younger generation in your community?
Salima: I hope they focus on their education and create a better community. My heart aches for young girls who drop out of school, become young mothers and end up suffering. I recently started paying school fees for three girls in my community. I took them back to school, got scholastic materials and basic needs to use at their home So I would love the younger generation to have a bright and colourful future
Tell us how you secured your deal with the hotel
Salima: When I was still under the Zena programme, I always dreamt of washing for the biggest hotel in my community. So when I established my own laundry, I saw that my dream was soon becoming a reality.
I was actually scared of approaching the owner of the hotel. When I saw her entering a certain hotel, I approached her and told her about my business. I gave her my business card and she promised to call me After a month, I had lost hope but she finally called me, sent people to inspect my business and gave me the contract till now. I was so happy that I couldn't believe that something so massive happened in my life
My heart aches for young girls who drop out of school, become young mothers and end up suffering. I recently started paying school fees for three girls in my community.
What are your next steps with your laundry business?
Salima: I am planning to get more workers and get a bigger laundry machine to accommodate more customers.
Do you have any big dreams with your business?
Salima: Yes, I do. I dream of having many branches in different places. I also want to employ more people in my business, especially women.
Will it always be a laundry business or are there any other things you want to have a go at?
Salima: My laundry business is my dream business and I like it but I would also love to do dairy farming and also open a women ’ s hair salon.
What would you say has been your biggest challenge in running your business?
It
gives me joy to see my son riding a bicycle that I bought for him using my own money.
Salima: My biggest challenge is unstable electricity in Kamuli. Sometimes blackouts last two days which means I am not using the machine, yet I still have a lot of clothes to wash. I am planning on buying a generator in the future to help with that problem. How do you think that what you do is impacting your children and their future prospects?
My child is now living a better life I had no hope that my child would ever go to school but he is now going to school, and getting the necessary medication when he is sick. I believe that he will study up to a university level if he wants that, and could get a wellpaying job. It gives me joy to see him riding a bicycle that I bought for him using my own money.
Do you have any women who have supported you, and have stood out to you in your journey?
The first two women whose support I appreciate are from Zena staff - Faith (Natukunda - Former PD) and Phiona (Naigulu). They always gave me reliable advice as well as guiding me. Phionah got me some customers when I just started my business
The other woman, Hon. Rebecca Kadaga, is the owner of the hotel who gave me the contract, which is a big deal to my business. She also inspires me to do better because she is involved in a number of initiatives that help people.
I am also inspired by another woman entrepreneur from my community, Mrs. Kyaligonza. She is a single mother who has
built herself a thriving businesses and properties, raised her children and helped other people.
Salima is just one of many women who have worked with ZENA to open their own businesses. To ensure that more women are given a chance to rewrite their stories, buy a piece of gorgeous jewellery at thezenabrand.co.uk, where all donations go towards helping these women over the poverty line, and teaching them the skills to make their own way.
Sarah Haran
Bringing bags of joy for life’ s every moment
Bright Idea to New Career
In conversation with the founder of Sarah Haran Accessories, we discuss her move from IT to business ownership and take a look at the bags that combine luxury with versatility
How did your business start?
You began your career in ITwhat led to bag design?
Designing and making handbags started as a hobby, that turned quickly into a passion for me. I came up with the Sarah Haran concept in 2013 and the idea developed from a combination of different influences in my life.
As the director of a Cloud Computing company, I was travelling every week with meetings during the day, and functions in the evening, so I knew firsthand that having a multi-functional handbag would be useful. I saw an opportunity to address my handbag frustrations by creating a handbag concept that could transform from travel to business to play.
I found I was at a crossroads with my day-to-day role in IT and it felt like the right point to give Sarah Haran my 100% attention, as my concept had started to resonate with customers. I always think you have to give something you want to do your full attention, and so decided to take the plunge and go for it!
Can you share any challenges you've faced in running Sarah Haran Accessories and how you overcame them?
Rather than just one challenge there have been a number, as you can imagine. Originally it was adapting to my new career, which is very different from corporate IT, and of course in the early days being a ‘one woman band’ I was doing everything myself. I was also learning the industry and no longer had the network that I had back in IT The business was run from my home originally and whilst that was great in the early years, it got more difficult to fit the team and our stock. Once we got a bit more traction we were able to find offices, and today we are located in a New York style mill building. This move really helped us build the business, recruit more staff and of course we were able to store our stock more adequately!
I think the biggest challenge for any business – and that’s probably no different whatever size of business– it’s getting sales! This is particularly the case when you are an independent brand going up against the established players in the market
What's the most unique part of Sarah Haran Accessories - something you do better than anyone else?
We are offering a unique concept that plays on luxury, versatility and personalisation. One bag really can look different every time you use it and can be styled to match your outfits or your day.
The Dahlia
This is one handbag – – seen in four different ways!
What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs looking to start their own company?
Make sure that whatever business you start, it’s something that you really love. It can be so stressful and challenging starting a business, so you really need to do something that brings you satisfaction and pleasure. Find your goals so you know what you are trying to achieve – it makes it so much easier on the days that are particularly challenging!
Every day is a school day so make sure you are prepared to keep on learning. Joining business communities (like Women’s Business Club) and network groups really help with learning, and it’s also great to know other people in the same position as you.
Finally, take time to relax and enjoy the journey. It can be really exciting being in control of your own destiny, but with that inevitably comes stress, so switching off is really important. You do not want to burn out.
How do you envision your next ten years? What are the big goals you’re hoping to achieve?
We are hoping that by 2028, our unique handbag concept will be embraced by women seeking to enjoy luxury, customisable bags in the UK and US.
We plan to continue to introduce our bag to celebrities and influencers, and would love someone like Catherine, Princess of Wales, to one day carry one of our bags!
When we get to £5 million revenue, we have plans to introduce other complementary products such as carry-on suitcases and leather travel goods that will complement our customers' lifestyles.
Finally, is there a particular woman you think of as someone who has really helped on your journey? It could be someone in your family, a boss, or even someone you met just once.
I think overall it would have to be my mother. She has been really supportive throughout my business journey. She was a great business woman in her day and though things have changed, the foundations of running a good business are pretty much the same. She always has sage advice and great listening skills!
Follow Sarah Haran bags: @sarahharanuk
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JUSTINE MARTIN
Justine Martin looked to art as an outlet during a time of turmoil. Little did she know that this would completely change her life for the better, and would lead to her founding not one, but seven successful businesses.
The QUEEN of RESILIENCE
JUSTINE MARTIN is an incredible woman with an inspirational story. After being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, facing a battle against three heart surgeries and three primary cancers simultaneously, Justine was told she would never work again. Refusing to accept defeat, she turned these roadblocks into catalysts for transformation. Now, she is a multi-award winning artist and founder, with seven businesses under her belt.
Life can change in an instant. Before her diagnosis, Justine would hold up to four or five part-time jobs at
any given time. She owned a clothing store, worked in a wholesale meat outlet, was the manager of a bedding store, and was a Weight Watchers leader. She says that “pretty much every multi-level marketing business that you can think of, I’ ve done. I’ ve always multi-tasked and had more than one job at any particular time” . In the blink of an eye, however, this all changed. “My vision went funny and I had cognitive issues happening. My short-term memory had gone, I couldn’t count anymore, all I wanted to do was sleep. ” After visiting the doctors multiple times and flagging that her own mother had also been diagnosed with MS, it took six months until she was finally given the diagnosisthat she had MS and with her severe symptoms, would not be able to work again. Justine says that she felt like a failure “What was my purpose going to be for the rest of my life? I was in my dream job, we were looking at buying a house, I’d just gotten engaged to my dream man, and then it was all taken away from me in a matter of months. I was scared” . Justine’ s own mother passed away from complications of MS at age 49. At the time of her own diagnosis, she was 40 years old“nine years is all I thought I would have left I couldn’t get any government assistance at all and
became solely reliant on my fiancé at the time. I lost over 60K instantly with not being able to work anymore, and our medical bills went through the roof. ”
Justine lost her self-esteem, her identity (which is very much wrapped up in work), and the love of her life. How does one come back from that? For Justine, it meant picking up a paintbrush. Doctors had told her to pick up a hobby but due to high anxiety, Justine had trouble walking into an art studio. “I was so scared of being judged as a disabled person and not feeling whole anymore. It took me four months to actually walk through the doors. I was spending day after day at home alone, and one day something just snapped and I got angry at myself, walked inside the door, and was greeted with open arms. ”
“All of a sudden I realised that my purpose was to make other people smile.”
After six months of developing her skills, Justine entered an art competition and sold a piece for £300. “To me, that felt like three million because all of a sudden I had the capacity to earn some money - my money From there, it just started to grow and that little snowball is now like an avalanche. ”
Painting, for Justine, was worlds apart from her previous businesses - a creative endeavour that allowed her to truly express herself. “People would stop and look at my art because
I had it hanging in various places, and they’d smile. All of a sudden I realised that my purpose was to make other people smile I brought out a range of greeting cards and prints, and then I registered my first business (in my new life) as JUZT Art. ”
Nine years later, Justine has seven businesses - each a flourishing endeavour of their own She says that “Out of every adversity I’ ve faced, I’ ve managed to see something positive in it and take it to a higher level. I’ ve never bounced backwards because every obstacle helps me grow as a person - I’ ve bounced forwards I had three cancers at once, two other blood conditions, along with the MS at the same time I kept telling myself ‘I’ m not going to die, I’ m not going to die, I’ m going to teach people how to paint. ’ At that particular time, I couldn’t even bend my fingers anymore because of the mixed cryoglobulinemia, so I learned to finger paint. Now I teach finger-painting classes for adults. ”
This is what Justine terms a ‘Resilience Mindset’ , something she teaches in her coaching business, and the focus of her speaking engagements. “By telling my story gives other people hope - that you can get through the adversities and that life won ’t be the same, but better. ” If you ’ re in the
middle of a difficult time, Justine stresses the importance of finding someone like her - a resilience coach “We do not build resilience without help and support. No one ever has, no one ever will. I still seek counselling every two to three weeks and have done so for the last 12 years. It’ s not my family and friends' responsibility for me to dump it all out to them. ” As Justine was a carer to her mother, she has seen both sides of the coin“I want my daughter and my son to have a natural relationship with me. As mother and daughter or mother and son, not mother and carer. ”
“I’ve never bounced backwards because every obstacle helps me grow as a person - I’ve bounced forwards.”
When faced with such hardships, it’ s easy to lay down the gauntlet and quit. Justine, however, says that though that thought may have entered her mind, she never paid much attention to it. “It was always a fleeting thought, a pity party for an hour and then back to thinking outside the box. ” Instead of quitting, Justine cycles through ideas, coining what she terms ‘the wardrobe theory’ ; “You know when you buy a new item of clothing and when you put it in the wardrobe, you ' ve got to get rid of something else? It' s the same with when we take on something new, we have to drop something that' s not making money. You’ re putting time and energy into a project that is not giving you your return on investment and you know deep down that it' s never going to give you that return on investment. Then why are you still doing it?”
What is clear is that Justine continually strives to fulfil her purpose in life, whether that be painting or speaking, or something new that might come her way. By refusing
let life pass her by, she not only fuels her own ambition, but helps others to do the same. Justine takes her mother as a huge inspiration in her own life; “she also had three primary cancers, and raised my brother and I by herself with no help from my father whatsoever. She was my hero. ” Now, Justine is that hero, not only to her children but to those that she helps in her journey Sometimes, it takes a few roadblocks for one to realise how precious their time is, as Justine says “Time is the most precious commodity on the planet. You can 't buy it, sell it, borrow it, or reuse it So be careful on what you spend it on and who you spend it on. ”
‘Time is the most precious commodity on the planet. You can't buy it, sell it, borrow it, or reuse it. So be careful on what you spend it on and who you spend it on.’
Justine’s coaching helps individuals build a better mindset in order to lead more positive and courageous lives.
To find out more at resiliencemindset.com.au
Digital Transformation and AI
How Businesswomen Are Leading in Digital Innovation
Written by ChatGPT
In the rapidly evolving landscape of business, digital transformation has become more than just a buzzword; it’s
a vital strategy for companies looking to stay competitive and innovative. At the forefront of this movement are businesswomen who are not only embracing digital tools but leading the charge in harnessing the power of artificial intelligence (AI) to streamline operations, revolutionise marketing strategies, and boost customer engagement
Embracing Digital Tools for Efficiency
One of the most significant advantages of digital transformation is its ability to enhance operational efficiency. Businesswomen, particularly those in leadership and entrepreneurial roles, are utilising AI-powered software and automation tools to optimise day-to-day tasks, allowing them to focus on more strategic, growth-oriented activities.
From automating administrative tasks such as invoicing and payroll to utilising project management software that improves team collaboration, women in business are capitalising on digital tools to save time and reduce errors. AI-driven data analytics platforms also allow leaders to make data-informed decisions faster and with greater accuracy. These technologies are helping to eliminate inefficiencies, reduce operational costs, and enable better resource management.
AI in Marketing: A Game Changer for Strategy
Marketing is one of the key areas where AI is making a profound impact. Businesswomen are increasingly leveraging AI to drive smarter marketing strategies and campaigns. Tools like predictive analytics help anticipate consumer behaviour, enabling personalised marketing that is more effective and targeted. This means that women entrepreneurs and business leaders can tailor their messaging and outreach more specifically to their audience, maximising engagement and return on investment.
AI also plays a significant role in automating customer interactions through chatbots and AI-driven customer service platforms These systems provide instant, 24/7 support, improving customer satisfaction while reducing the workload on human staff. This not only helps businesses maintain a competitive edge but also provides a seamless customer experience that fosters loyalty and trust.
For many women-led businesses, AI has become the backbone of their digital marketing strategies, enabling more efficient customer segmentation, personalised content creation, and automated social media scheduling. These AI-driven tools empower businesswomen to run campaigns that
are not only more efficient but also more impactful, allowing them to reach larger audiences with fewer resources.
Enhancing Customer Engagement with AI
Beyond marketing, AI is transforming the way businesses engage with their customers. Businesswomen are leveraging AI-powered tools to better understand and meet customer needs. Through sentiment analysis AI can track consumer emotions and opinions, enabling business leaders to tailor their offerings and communication strategies to reflect customer preferences and feedback in real-time.
AI also provides valuable insights into customer behaviour through data analysis, allowing businesses to predict trends and offer more relevant products or services For example, AI-driven recommendation engines, much like those used by major platforms like Amazon and Netflix, are being adopted by women-led businesses to provide personalised product suggestions, thereby increasing customer satisfaction and driving sales.
Additionally, AI’s integration into customer service is revolutionising support systems Women in business are using AI to enhance their customer care offerings, with virtual assistants and chatbots providing instant, around-the-clock service. This improves the customer experience by
ensuring that their questions and concerns are addressed promptly, without the need for extensive human intervention.
Leading the Charge in Digital Innovation
Women in business are not just passive users of AI and digital tools - they are actively driving innovation. From tech startups led by female founders to women in senior leadership roles at large corporations, they are at the helm of implementing and advocating for digital transformation. By embracing AI, these business leaders are not only futureproofing their companies but also setting new standards for success in the digital age.
As digital transformation continues to reshape the business landscape, women are leading the charge, leveraging AI and digital tools to enhance efficiency, refine marketing strategies, and elevate customer engagement. Their innovative approach to adopting and integrating these technologies is not only helping them stay ahead of the curve but also contributing to a more dynamic, competitive, and inclusive business environment. In an era where technology is key, businesswomen are proving that they are at the forefront of digital innovation.
@supportsmalluk www.supportsmalluk.co.uk
EARRINGS that EMPOWER
Caragh Bennet Bridgwood is founder and CEO of ZENA, a non-profit organisation based in Texas, which equips female entrepreneurs to drive change against extreme
poverty and gender inequality. Awarded NatWest’ s 100 Top Women in Social Enterprise in 2022, Caragh is a pioneer of inciting social change, and a constant advocate for women ’ s rights. Our founder, Angela, was lucky enough to speak to her about her journey
Angela: What would you say was the beginning of the brand?
CBB: The beginning of my story with ZENA started in my final year at university, as part of my university degree. I did geography at Oxford, and I was really interested in postcolonial feminist development studies. I think I' ve always had a real interest and passion for people involved in
transformation work, and I was struck by how the best intentioned interventions can sometimes have adverse outcomes. I decided to follow that curiosity, and ended up writing my dissertation on a women ' s empowerment organisation in rural Uganda. I basically interrogated this understanding of what empowerment is.
That was the beginning. I went out to Uganda for a six week research period where we were running interviews and
focus groups. I was really trying to learn and listen to the experience of those in these communities who are experiencing the complexities of living in extreme poverty .
Who gets to define what empowerment is for women living on the margins? What would happen if the women themselves were defining what empowerment means for them?
Angela: At Women's Business Club, our plan is to empower ambitious women to succeed. Can you unpack that empowerment? After your studies and your research and your conversations, what does empowerment really mean?
CBB: The truth is, it’ s actually different to each woman that you ask. What we kept hearing from women in these communities was ‘I want to have an income so that I can send my children to school, so that I can pay medical bills for my family’ . It was that sense of, ‘if I had an income, I would feel free, I would feel empowered, I'd feel independent’ . As we ' ve continued, we ' ve heard iterations of that Maybe for someone, having the income looks like building a house so she can move out from underneath her parents and live in her own space, and that for her is what empowerment looks like. For some women, there' s actually a journey of discovery while they come to their own understanding of what empowerment means to them. The context in Uganda and the challenges that women are facing are extraordinary. The women in our community are under the highest rate of poverty in the country. The Busoga district has come out, once again, as one of the highest regions where over 50% of women are experiencing gender based violence on a
regular basis. It has the second highest rate of vulnerability to human trafficking in the country as well.
So for us, the work that we do is about seeing women be able to change the story in their community
Angela: When you are speaking about empowerment, is that in the context of single women or married women? Do women, even when married, still want to be empowered to provide for themselves?
CBB: In our context, absolutely In the cultural landscape that we are working in, polygamy is very much widespread. So you will have a situation where women might be the second or the third wife, and in that case, it is really important that women continue to have a way of supporting themselves and their family.
For a lot of the women that we work with, their relationship status doesn't actually play a part in how financially independent they are. For all of them, having an income that they can call They are the benefactors, and they' re not only creating empowerment for themselves, but for their communities and their families
.
their own means they' re increasing their decision making power in the home, and that’ s so powerful for them. Access to jobs in the community is limited, and so you will often have a situation where the men in the family are moving to cities to try and find employment elsewhere. What that means is that the women are left in rural communities supporting their families, and they do a fantastic job of it, but our priority is to try and help them get what they need to do what they' re wanting to do.
Angela: It's hard to comprehend, because it's just so far from our reality here in the UK. I know you said empowerment means something different for each woman. I'm imagining that it's worlds apart between a British woman, an American woman, and a Ugandan woman.
CBB: As colleagues at ZENA, we talk about this sometimes, because we ' re from a lot of different cultures. Our senior management team are Ugandans, and we work in partnership with them. It’ s fun getting to know our whole team and talking about our experiences as women on different sides of the world. I think here, conversations
around empowerment are often to do with using our voice and feeling heard and listened to. It’ s about the fact that what we say matters and what we say will be believed or reacted to in the right way or will be taken seriously. I think that’ s probably because most of us have the privilege of not worrying about survival.
This year I was in Uganda with the team and unfortunately, two weeks before International Women' s Day, we had two different safeguarding flags amongst women that we work with, which were two extremely serious cases of gender based violence We had a woman sitting in our office with a broken jaw from violence in her home. It’ s interesting, because the social media narrative is often around girl power, and women ' s empowerment narratives over here can feel softer They are so needed and so important, but
for the women that we work with, empowerment isn’t an added optional extra - it’s a matter of life or death.
That week I saw lots of posts on LinkedIn about maternity pay or flexible working, and that is so important and so needed, but it made apparent the stark gulf between the issues faced on the other side of the world I know women in our country face that every day too, but I think it can feel like that the spectrum of inequalities and injustice is vast
Angela: How did you go from university to ZENA?
CBB: So the conversations with the women created this real curiosity around what would happen if women had the money to start their own businesses. We were really passionate about partnership rather than
the power hierarchies that often come through charity. We thought, employment seems like the best way to get money into the hands of these women I was only 21 or 22 at the time so I had to work within my scope. I was pretty sure that my friends would buy jewellery if we could make some, so we started on this journey of creating nice pieces that I thought our friends would buy. We started in my final year of uni and my co-founder, Loren, was full time in Uganda, hitchhiking around the country trying to find our first location and meeting with local artisans We came across the heritage craft of Ankole cattle horn production In Uganda, there are the most extraordinary horns on these Ankole cows. They grow up to about four or five feet long. The horns are a natural by-product of the meat industry and they' re discarded, and so we were able to think about a method of reclaiming these cow horns, transporting them over to what became our HQ, and there we were employing our first group of nine women. They were able to receive a monthly paycheck for working in our studio and then it was up to us to try to sell this jewellery in the US and the UK, and that has been my job for the past seven, nearly eight years.
Angela: Break it down even more for me. Where did the money come from?
CBB: My mom did a few markets in 2016 and 2017, and through those markets I think we raised about £10,000 and that was what we started with. I'll never forget when we hired our first member of staff, and we knew we wanted full Ugandan executive leadership on the ground. We had no idea how we were going to afford such a competent, professional individual. I remember we got to payday for her and for two other members of staff; a training director and a chef. When we paid those salaries, I breathed a sigh of relief I thought, okay, we did it, we paid them and the d id i I i d fi
It’ s just a huge privilege and a massive responsibility. I was pretty young doing this, so it was very formative, and I think that the fear just brings on the hustle Once we had those guys on payroll, Loren and I were flat out, we lived, breathed, dreamt it. We were able to bring in our first cohort of nine women in February of 2017 and each of these women had their own business dream. For example, one of the women, Sandra, wanted to start a hair salon She knew how much she needed for this hair salon, and therefore we were able to work out, okay, this is the salary that we can provide. With ZENA, you can save 60% of your monthly salary and 40% will put you and your family above the poverty line.
We knew we wanted to work with female entrepreneurs. I think it took us a minute to realise that would mean we would need to become female entrepreneurs too.
At the beginning, we didn't relate to that term at all. I think both of us thought that we were starting this social impact brand and I guess it took us a minute to kind of get into that identity. It was fun at the beginning, when you ' re discovering how to put together a lookbook, or having a meeting with a wholesale buyer, or even knowing what a purchase order is We did ridiculous things at the beginning, like Loren and I hired a car and drove from Los Angeles all the way up to San Francisco, and stopped at every single boutique that suited our product At each place, I'd jump out and try and talk to this extremely glamorous Southern Californian buyer. We hadn’t a clue about the terminology or what a recommended retail price was or any of that, but were just talking to as many people as we could. We stopped at over 100 boutiques that trip. It was exhausting, but we got our first three retailers. And you know what? Right up until COVID, those three retailers ended up representing a third of our US revenue between them. We learnt that you can have a million people tell you no, and a couple of people say yes, and that can begin your journey. We were accepted into an accelerator program with the Council of Fashion Designers of America, which was a massive breakthrough moment for us and led to us getting our retail opportunity with Bloomingdale' s and Diane Von Furstenberg. It was amazing seeing these products on the shelf in Bloomingdale' s knowing they' ve been made by women in rural communities.
Angela: You must have felt so proud.
CBB: Yes, I mean it was about celebrating the women behind the work and recognizing their craftsmanship as worthy of being on these shelves next to designer brands. For them, it was a huge achievement The Bloomingdale’ s team allowed us to put stories of the women in a big display and it was amazing to see their stories elevated to that level.
Angela: And so in your journey up to today, have you ever had a panic moment when you didn't want to do it anymore, or didn't feel you could do it anymore?
CBB: Oh my gosh, so many. We' ve had a couple of really dark moments. I mean, I think we probably have panic moments once a week. There' s always a cash flow question There' s always a fire you ' ve got to put.
I definitely learned along the way that when there are fires to fight, it’s not because you’re not doing your job; that is your job.
That' s why you ' re there. And that was encouraging. We' ve had so many moments where I' ve thought ‘it will be a miracle if we get through this’ and time and time again, the money ' s come in. But there have been significant moments of really having to examine what our bottom line is. For us, we ' re first and foremost a non-profit and our bottom line is not the money we make from the jewellery We are so attracted by growth in the UK, but for us our question is whether the model is working in Uganda. Are these women getting to do what they' ve set out to do? If the answer is yes, then it' s all worth it Now we have a very close relationship with the data on the ground giving us that feedback all the time.
The stories of success have been incredible. We had another woman on our program who just last week was recognized as one of the 100 top entrepreneurs in Uganda. She started a juice factory and they are being distributed across not only the district, but in other districts as well. That’ s a huge achievement for a woman who, before this program, had not been able to use a laptop, and had no access to any form of literacy training or digital education. For her to be now operating at that level is so inspiring. The women we work with are truly what keeps the show on the road.
Angela: Gosh, it's incredible. I think sometimes when you’re in it, it can become familiar to you. But hearing it from my side, it’s mind blowing. You're running an entire business and an entire social enterprise, and it seems like you have to do both to be effective. That's two things, and you’re absolutely smashing them both.
CBB: A lot of people along the way have told us it' s not going to work, because it is both things. But I think for us, we ' re just trying to go slowly and show that it can work. One thing that' s really exciting actually at the moment is where the market is growing the most for us is actually in Uganda. That charts a future of full Ugandan leadership, which is the dream
Angela: And do you ever see yourself planting this in other countries, in other public districts?
CBB: When we started, that was actually one of the big things we were running towards, and it' s definitely still a dream. Along the way, especially during the COVID pandemic we thought, okay, I' m not sure if we ' re going to make it out of this. It was a real fight for us.
We had to shift our ideas and place a real value on small things done well.
CBB: I think our own ambition can get tangled up in these huge, grandiose visions where growth is almost our measure of success. We had to reframe the narrative and thought ‘what a privilege to have the opportunity to work for just these 25 women a year ’ Just last week, we broke ground on our construction project to grow our HQ in Uganda. We' re so excited. We' ve been pouring over these architectural designs for nearly a year now, and fundraising this campus has been a huge project, but it will allow us to increase capacity in our community, for which there is enormous demand. We only have space for 25 and even that' s a real push in our HQ at the moment We had over 500 women come to interview in December for those 25 places and we need to do better. We want to provide this for more of the community.
Angela: I just wanted to reiterate what you said. ‘Small things done well’. I think it could be very undervalued
by many women reading. For Women’s Business Club, we could have a million members and serve them badly, or have a handful and really serve them well, but not having a huge membership can mean you are looked down upon, and that should never be the case.
CBB: I remember a really important moment of realising: what is the point of always fighting for the future, if it' s not actually worth it today? How can I make sure that the existence of this entity today is valuable? Because what is the point in me fighting for it to continue if it' s not doing what I need it to do today? Often as business women, the horizon is far away, and you ' re running and running and running, and you ' re never satisfied with where you are now. I think I' ve just had to understand that I know where we ' re running to, but right now my focus needs to be on where we are right now, because we ' re gonna miss it, and it will devalue where we could go if I' m not valuing where we are.
Angela: One of the things we do to help our team is that we make sure we always
celebrate small wins. Regular wins, no matter how small. You're placing value on every milestone and every achievement, and that’s so important isn't it? Otherwise, you're always living like you say, in the future. You're not enjoying what you actually achieve, but it’s a challenge isn’t it?
CBB: It’ s amazing how quickly you forget as well. In times when you ' ve got that sense that the business is doing okay, it' s so easy then to think about all the breakthroughs and times where things have gone right, but in the moments of darkness you tend to forget that. Your short term memory forgets that you made it through before so you ' re going to make it through again
I was still in my final year at uni when we brought in those first members of staff. I remember staring at the ceiling thinking, I don't know how I' m ever going to get out of this feeling of anxiety
And I remember in that moment realising I was going to have to befriend the risk,
Angela: Befriend the risk. I think that
that’s scary, but it's also a choice, isn't it? It’s important that people hear that, because so many people want to give up, or they don't understand why this is happening to them.
CBB: You need to accept that you are not doing something wrong because you feel this sense of anxiety over the risk. Obviously you need wise counsel, and you have to make good decisions, but if you ' re going to build and go the distance, there' s going to be moments of real risk, and so you have the choice to turn around and decide: Is it worth the fear? And if you ' re going to progress, you have to get over that hurdle. And I found it really helpful to remember, this is not going wrong, this is part of the game and the journey.
Angela: It's also crucial that women reading this know that you have to make a choice. Is this for you? Because some might decide it’s not, and want to find an alternative that's less risky, more comfortable, and that's okay. You do have a choice. You don't have to be stuck in this hustle, unless you intentionally decide to befriend the risk.
CBB: That' s empowerment, right? That' s having that ability to say, ‘this is what I want for my life ’
In your journey, have there been any significant influences or champions, women or men who have really supported you?
CBB: The first person who comes to my mind is my mum. I' m sure everyone ' s going to say that, but my mum is the one who believes in this more than I do on the bad days, and she deeply cares about the women in our community. During COVID, I was at home
stuck in bed because I was so worried about everything falling apart. But my mom was telling me ‘ you ’ ve got to get out of bed. You got to fight, you ’ ve got to get up ’ . The other person is my co-founder, Loren She and I have always been equal partners and it' s an amazing thing to have grown up with someone in a business. The conversations around relational management and teamwork have been some of the most formative of my life, and I still say if ZENA stopped tomorrow, one of the things I would feel the proudest of and thankful for is my relationship with Loren, my co-founder Not all co-founder relationships work, but when they are fought for and done well, the strength it gives us as a team is extraordinary.
Caragh Bennet Bridgwood continues to advocate for women in Uganda, with her co-founder, Loren Thomas.
Proceeds from every piece of jewellery bought from the ZENA brand go towards helping women from these communities to harness their power and produce their own income. The ladies handmake the jewellery you buy, until they can afford to start businesses of their own, which they do with the help of ZENA training.
To support the ZENA brand, visit www.thezenabrand.co.uk
SANGEETA SENGUPTA
Sangeeta proves that no matter how dire your situation, there is always a way out. Please note that this feature contains mentions of domestic abuse.
£25 a week...
...to empowering FROM HUNDREDS
Sangeeta' s story is a testament to women ' s empowerment, and is one that we are honoured to highlight on our platform. Her story brings up issues that are difficult to talk about but crucial to acknowledge, not only to celebrate how far Sangeeta
has come, but to show other women that change is possible and that you always have the power to claim your life back. Sangeeta is a domestic violence survivor who, 26 years ago, was seeking refuge in a women ' s shelter and living on just £25 a week In founding TiffinWalli CIC, Sangeeta has provided opportunities for women to transform their domestic skills into stable employment. Below is Sangeeta’ s story, in her own words but edited very slightly for clarity.
“We are so busy moving on and looking forward, so I never had that opportunity to look back and see how far I’ve come.”
It feels like there is such a distance from that time, it happened such a long time ago and I’ ve come so far, but I do believe it’ s important to share the story It' s to inspire other women who are in similar situations. I never used to talk about it Not intentionally, but because we are so busy moving on and looking forward, so I never had that opportunity to look back and see how far I’ ve come. Through doing this business, I see similar women are in those positions, and it' s become important for me to talk, to give them that practical experience. If I can do it, I think you can do it as well. I trust everyone can come out from that or change their circumstance, if they' re really willing to. So I got married to a British citizen and came to this country. It was not a typical arranged marriage, but it was arranged in the sense that I didn't know exactly what the person was doing, or their behaviour. Just after the marriage I had problems, but our friends and family said ‘if you go to the UK and live
together, those problems will probably decrease’ . I didn’t want to come to the UK as soon as I found out that the person wasn ’t as expected - he was really violent. We had met twice or thrice before we married, and that period only lasted three months. I saw a few warning signs, but I thought that they weren ’t big issues. You can ’t get a dream man - that’ s the culture I was brought up into. I was so happy and thought I was lucky - I never thought that I could meet anyone my age who would be so abusive. I had plenty of male friends and never saw any of these bad qualities in them, so I expected all men to be the same. But people are different.
“Everything went into his bank account.”
I came to this country and had my first child, but the marriage only lasted three years. I suffered for those three years continually. It was first physical, and then mental abuse. I had reported it quite frequently to the police as well, but in the end, when I could tell that my son could see what was going on I realised I had to take steps, even if it wasn ’t for myself. I still felt that divorce was taboo, and I didn’t
have control of my money even though I was working. Everything went into his bank account. I was told that it was being invested into the family, that my husband was the main breadwinner, and that I was supporting that investment I didn’t have a single penny in my hand, not even for travelling. It was 50p for the bus and I never even had that, so I had to always travel with him.
I kept trying to save my marriage, to avoid arguments, and then I was pregnant so there was such emotional turmoil at the same time. After two years I decided not to live with him. When we went for a holiday back home, I didn’t want to come back to the UK, but his family forced me - they insisted. Everyone was telling me to look at the good side: that he loved me and we had a child to focus on, so maybe things would improve I still hear these types of comments today. I get really angry when women say to other women that if you have a baby, things will improve. A child cannot bring improvement
to a couple' s relationship. I came back to the UK and decided to not contact anyone because of how bad the relationship was There was no point asking them for support. I asked for support from the local authority and I didn’t get it because I wasn ’t a British citizen at the time. So, I decided that I had to go back to India. I didn’t have the money so I withdrew my application from the Home Office, accessed my passport, and went to the Indian High Commission to send me back home. They asked ‘why do you have to go back? It’ s the local authority’ s responsibility to protect you and your child. ’ so they called the local authority and within one hour my son and I were put in refuge. I stayed there for one and a half years, and there I realised how important it is to be financially independent. I was the only one who started working in the women ’ s refuge, because I didn’t want to depend on the benefit. Child benefit at the time was £11 and Section 17 money was also about £11 or £12, so the total was about £24 a
week in 1998. Many years later, after having spent a long time actively helping people find jobs and become economically independent, my friend and I decided to set up a company to help these women develop professional cooking skills, and to help them set up their own businesses. We started the training and started our own catering business so that we could employ these women, and then slowly help them to set up businesses of their own.
“As long as I’m helping people and focusing on the impact on them, I don’t have any larger dreams.”
The ‘TiffinWalli’ idea comes from Mumbai. ‘Dabbawala’ means ‘Tiffin’ in Hindi and it’ s a food service where wives cook food and take it in Tiffins for their husbands. The Tiffin is the container with separate compartments. We used this concept to help the clinical workers at the NHS eat healthier. After COVID happened, we started a home delivery service for elderly people who couldn’t go out and buy food After that, we decided to focus solely on catering. That’ s when we started employing a lot of women to work for us and helped them to supply food. In terms of my dreams for the business, as long as I’ m helping people and focusing on the impact on them, I don’t have any larger dreams. We had one girl volunteering with us who was going through postnatal depression Having gone through my own experience, I was able to tell her how I overcame it - that you have to engage in something and so she started volunteering with us. She came up with yoghurt for her specialised menu, and I loved it so much that I wanted to take it to the public. Because it was a traditional recipe, we had to make sure it catered for the mainstream market. I told her to work on the recipe at
home and after several tries, one whole year, and lots of tasting, we were happy with the product. We took it to an event that a funder was attending and they liked it so much that they provided us with the capital cost to buy a machine which creates the yoghurt and the pots. Now, we are supplying a few South Asian shops!
Some advice that I would give to anyone in a situation with no control, is that abusive relationships are very complicated. I had a few friends who were in similar situations at the same time as me, and after ten or twenty years they are still in the same situation It’ s so difficult because you are emotionally tangled with that person and their family to such an extent. Even if you want to empower these women, they can ’t see a way out. You can ’t pull someone from the bottom to the top They have to come halfway by themselves, and then you can help them.
I want everyone reading to know that I’ m happy to help them, whether they live in London or if they want to reach out online, I’ m always here for advice.
To support Sangeeta and the women she empowers, go to tiffinwalli.co.uk
Through the website you can order Doiee Yoghurt, a sweet snack available in natural, soya milk, and coconut milk.
You can also sign up for cooking training, wellness classes, or hire Sangeeta’s amazing team to cater an event of your own.
Resilience in Action: Fahima
Danishmal fled war-torn Pakistan, and is now pursuing global impact through her passion for education
FAHIMA DANISHMAL
Fahima’ s story is one of strength and determination At just twelve years old, she was forced to flee to
Pakistan from Afghanistan, and there found a passion for women ’ s education. After founding three schools for Afghan immigrants in Iran, she moved to England and has since been building a business here, championing women and their right to education. Today we will speak about her continuous endurance in the face of adversity, as she has built a home for herself and her family in an unfamiliar country As the founder of business institute Naz Global, Fahima proves that it doesn't matter where you are or where you ’ re from, through hard work you can always achieve what you set out to do
Fahima was part of a family of five sisters and three brothers in Afghanistan, all of whom had to leave when war struck. Fahima was twelve when she immigrated to Pakistan, leaving her father, brother, and other sister who were sent to India. She still does not know where they are to this day. Fahima says “This was not our choice, and it was very difficult for me to leave my country and go somewhere with a new culture, new people, and new religion. Everything was new and it was very difficult for me, but it was war. ”
“A man can educate one person, but a woman can educate a whole community.”
Fahima remembers crying on the journey to Pakistan, thinking ‘why has this happened, what’ s the problem? I need to find where that problem is coming from ’ From that moment, she decided that the education system needed help, as only 30% of the population was educated, and only 10% of that was women. Governmental expenditure
prioritised teaching boys. Fahima thought ‘if I can educate women, they can bring a brighter future to people. A man can educate one person, but a woman can educate a whole community’ . She started her dream from there, at only twelve years old, and today is delivering education to children and adults across the world.
So how did it happen? Fahima went to primary and secondary school and started her teaching job immediately afterwards. “I owe thanks to the Pakistani Government for allowing that to happen, ” she says, “When I was seventeen, they let me open a school for immigrant Afghan people (with no funding), and I started teaching in different areas of Pakistan. I helped a lot of students there, and after my teaching job I pursued higher education in university ”
Fahima and her family realised they wouldn’t be able to return to Afghanistan now, or in the near future. She speaks of the country with touching reverence, a part of her that will forever remain, and is honoured by the hard work she has done for Afghan students. She says that “because there has been a war in Afghanistan for more than 45 years. I haven’t been back since leaving I started my life in the UK, married, and now I have three children, a
job, and I focus on women here. A lot of my family and other families died in Afghanistan, that’ s why we couldn’t stay. ” Fahima’ s family, like so many others, had no choice but to become refugees and migrants. Now, the UK is their secondhome, which allowed her to found Thurrock Training Consultancy, based in Essex. The company began with Fahima teaching children from different backgrounds who were struggling in school. Gradually, she began to help women who were struggling with depression or anxiety due to the shock of coming from a war-torn Afghanistan to England, and who didn’t know how to live here. She helped them through the culture-shock and taught them how to stand on their own feet, to even start businesses using their skills.
“I was happy to come to the UK because it felt safe, but I missed my country, my students, and my job.”
After that, Fahima focused on what was needed in the UK, because lots of her students had qualifications from Afghanistan that would get them into universities. They went into health and social care, and she educated a lot of people from all backgrounds - bringing them together. Some families didn’t know where to start, and she gave them great advice on how to start their own businesses. To be able to do any of this, however, Fahima had to adapt and settle into life in the UK after being forced to leave her home and her family. “When I first came to England it was very difficult for me to leave my country again, ” she says, after finally making a home for herself in Pakistan “I was happy to come to the UK because it felt safe,
but I missed my country, my students, and my job. ” The UK government provided Fahima with free language classes, which opened the door to teaching here. “I decided to stand up on my own feet and I motivated myself to come back to the field of teaching. ”
After teaching locally, face-to-face and online, Fahima realised she could make some improvements and bring people together even further. “I wanted to help universities and people living abroad, especially in the Middle East, Dubai, Qatar and Kuwait. We are now the best consultancy there ” Fahima was teaching over one hundred girls in Afghanistan using the internet, but when regimes changed, they couldn’t access her classes anymore. Instead, she invited universities to supply courses at discounted prices for these students, to help them afford the classes. She recognises that her students have credentials that far exceed the requirements at these institutions, and continually stands up for their right to access education
It’ s not easy trying to fit into an unfamiliar country, with unfamiliar customs. Luckily, Fahima speaks with gratitude on her experience in the UK, saying that it’ s “ an amazing country When we came here, wearing hijabs, everyone respected us. We don’t have problems because the majority of people here are also from elsewhere. It was easy to adjust. ”
“I was able to see how much good I had done in the world - I could see it with my own eyes.”
Fahima also spent some time in Iran, where the government unfortunately did not allow her to open a school - they did not allow Afghan children to study Fahima went ahead with her plans anyway, founding schools herself, buying second-hand books
in poor condition and asking the teachers to work for free. Soon, with three schools built, she was making enough money to pay her teachers. Years later, Fahima describes her proudest moment as when she ran into some of the Afghan students she had taught there. The children, now grown up, had used her teaching to pursue high-up positions in successful careers and were doing well. Fahima says “I was able to see how much good I had done in the world - I could see it with my own eyes. ”
Fahima’ s secret to finding a home in a country very different from your own, is to “Take time to understand the culture. Try to respect the rules and regulations - they can help you and give you new opportunities If you mix your culture with theirs, you can try to bring your dreams into reality, by helping the community there and being a helpful person. Never forget your own culture, but understand that you can bring two different ones together. ” Despite Fahima’ s success, and the education business she has built in the UK, she continues to commemorate Afghanistan through her memories. “My role model in my home was my grandma She was a nurse who worked in the community, and was always kind to other people I say thanks to her even though she’ s not with us. ” Through Fahima’ s work, she impacts women like her grandma, changing their trajectories for the better and teaching others to do the same
Naz Global allows students to undertake UK university courses online, for discounted prices. This reduces restrictions to education across the globe.
To find out more, visit... ttcglobal.co.uk & nazglobal.org
The Women’s Welfare Association, founded by Fahima Danishmal, is a nonprofit organisation dedicated to uplifting and empowering disadvantaged women.
Thurrock Training Consultancy specialises in helping students across the country apply for VISAs to study across the world. They also offer training programmes for continuous professional development.
Empowering Women to Lead
It’ s Time to Eliminate What’ s Really Holding You Back
When I started this journey, it wasn ’t about being the loudest or most popular voice in the room. It was about creating real impact. My mission today is laser-focused: I’ m here to empower women to step up, own their value, and lead their industries with confidence. And I want them to stop letting things like body image hold them back. I’ m not here to offer fluff or sugarcoat reality. I don’t believe that telling women to simply “love their bodies” solves the deeper issue. We live in a world that still values women for how we look, not what we ’ re capable of achieving. The only way to change that is by showing the world we
mean business no playing small, no staying stuck in victim mode. I work with ambitious female entrepreneurs who are ready to embrace their power. These women aren ’t just chasing short-term cash flow they’ re building long-term wealth, creating financial independence, and seeking freedom of choice. But it’ s more than just money. It’ s about having the internal freedom to make decisions that align with their worth Together, we get to the root of what’ s really holding them back. Whether it’ s confidence, body image, or the belief that they don’t deserve more I help women dismantle these barriers. Because
they do deserve more.
Leadership, Not Lip Service
My leadership philosophy is rooted in clarity, action, and empathy. Women have been conditioned to shrink, to play it safe, and to tolerate less than they’ re worth. I see so many talented women dimming their light every day, and it’ s unacceptable That’ s why I’ m obsessed with elevating women helping them find their voice and watching them crush it. We don’t need endless courses to improve our skills. What’ s often missing is confidence, not competence.
In a business world where men still hold the privilege, it’ s critical for women to stand in their power unapologetically. I’ m not here to simply tell women they’ re powerful I’ m here to give them the tools, the mindset, and the clarity to realise it for themselves.
A No-Nonsense Approach
There’ s no fluff in my work. Surface-level conversations and empty advice won ’t cut it. My clients know that I’ m not afraid to give honest feedback, even when it stings If you ’ re looking for someone to reassure you while you stay in your comfort zone, I’ m not your coach. I want you out there taking action, making moves, and showing the world exactly who you are
I hold women accountable to their own greatness. That’ s what leadership is stepping up, owning your outcomes, and refusing to settle for anything less than you deserve
I stand firmly against the idea that women must be defined by their current phase of life, whether as a new mum or someone in perimenopause. Yes, I’ m a
mother and on my perimenopause journey, but my identity doesn’t end there and neither should yours. We are multifaceted, powerful, and capable of leading no matter where we are in life
Building Confidence and Worth
When you dig deeper into why so many women struggle in business, themes like body image, confidence, and self-worth are at the core. Too often, these issues keep women from showing up fully. Whether it’ s a lack of confidence in their bodies or the belief that they’ re not “worthy” of success, these limiting narratives hold them back. I challenge women to see their true value. To stop tolerating the limitations they’ ve been conditioned to accept, whether in business, at home, or in society Because if you want to attract your ideal clients or elevate your business, it starts with how you see yourself. When you recognise your worth, others will too.
I don’t just teach women how to succeed in business I help them succeed in life. When women own their value, build confidence, and claim their financial independence, we change the game. It’ s not easy, but it’ s always worth it Because when women lead, we all win.
Tamsin is the UK South West Director at Women’s Business Club as is passionate about helping women to rise and take their rightful place in the businessworld.
Connect with Tamsin in the Clubhouse at womensbusiness club/u/Tamsin Broster
A MENTAL HEALTH REVOLUTION
Nicole is the founder of CraveHRO, a HR consultancy that values compassion and mental health awareness in the workplace. Nicole, like many if not all of us, has experienced obstacles in her personal life, which can drastically affect your business
life. Our founder, Angela, talks to her about how she has managed to transform these experiences into her mission; ensuring that the corporate world acts as a pillar of support for those facing mental health challenges. No one should be unsupported in the workplace, and as a mental health certified HR professional, Nicole equips others with the skills to support those in crisis
Angela: So we know that CraveHRO was born from personal tragedy. Are you comfortable telling us a little bit about that?
NC: When my mum unfortunately attempted suicide, the warning signs were there but I just did not know how to handle the situation. I had to take some time off work and
unfortunately was terminated from my position. I didn’t really have the capacity to take care of my mom and look for another job. I had my small business, and I really leaned into that as a safety net Within the first year I turned my pain into purpose and was able to recoup my corporate salary.
Angela: You were in HR prior to this tragedy. Do you feel that it changed the
NC: I don't think it changed the way that I viewed HR, but it changed the way that I viewed the workplace as a whole A lot of times people don't want to talk about uncomfortable topics, people say ‘suicide’ like it' s a bad word, but it' s really something that needs to be spoken about more. This would lead to people feeling more comfortable bringing it to the attention of their employer. You spend the majority of your life at work and you should be able to bring your struggles to your employer to get the support you need
Angela: Looking back at my corporate career many years ago, I went through some significant personal and mental health challenges whilst at work. I would even sit crying at my desk sometimes, I just couldn't keep it in. I would never dream of telling anybody at work, I wouldn't even know who to go to. Is that something that most people feel or was that just me?
NC: That’ s a completely normal way to feel because there is such a stigma surrounding mental health and what might happen if you were to talk about it. Would you be looked at as less capable? There' s always a fear that you 'll be retaliated against by your employer.
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Angela: So I imagine that's what your HR company is about - making it easier for people to communicate at work.
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“there is such a stigma surrounding mental health and what might happen if you were to talk about it. Would you be looked at as less capable?”
Angela: Sometimes, I might feel as though I want to go to work, put on a suit and be a different person because it helps me cope. Then when I go home, I take off my suit and I can let it all out and deal with it. Is that unhealthy?
NC: People feel like they have no choice but to do that, because if they show any type of vulnerability they might be looked at differently. In the professional world it can be hard to speak up if your employer is not progressive or doesn't have compassion or empathy for what you ' re going through.
Angela: How does your business help employers learn about how to deal with people and not judge them when they're struggling with mental health issues?
NC: One of my biggest pieces here is having that knowledge on how to approach these situations. So like I said, when my mom attempted suicide, I am ashamed to say that I shut down. I didn't know how to address it appropriately and
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NC: A large part of being supported is just being able to be your real self in any situation that you ’ re in, whether that’ s work or personal. I always say that if I can 't do that, then it' s not the place for me.
I didn't feel like I was equipped with the right knowledge to know what to do. I educated myself and got Mental Health First Aid certified and became an American Foundation for Suicide Prevention volunteer, where I deliver a Talk Saves Lives program for workplaces. I continuously try to gain more knowledge so I can help as many people as I can. A big piece of that is just educating employers on how to approach these situations.
Angela: Your organisation is rooted in your personal story. Is it ever draining to have such an entwined relationship between your work and an experience that must've been incredibly difficult for you?
NC: No, I actually find it to be motivating. To be able to take something that was extremely difficult and use it to drive my mission forward - it is what gives my work meaning.
Angela: Looking back at your experience, if you were giving somebody else advice who were in your situation, what should they do?
NC: It’ s difficult to answer without knowing the dynamics of the workplace, because you could be in a workplace where they prioritise the wellbeing of employees, or you could be in a less empathetic workplace.
Let’ s look at both; If you ’ re in a company that’ s supportive, you can go to someone you trust like your supervisor. If you are a manager, you can go to someone like me or your boss and have an open dialogue about what you ' re experiencing, and then explore your options from there. If your company is not supportive, you might want to limit what you ' re sharing. You can approach outside resources to get guidance on how to deal with the situation. There are a lot of mental health programs and not-for-profit organisations that focus on mental health and wellness, and they would be able to give the employee some sound advice. Maybe they would want to look into their local Department of Labour and see what kind of accommodations would be available to them.
Angela: Big corporates won’t be too
affected by someone needing time off, but smaller businesses need to think about balancing the books. Could you give advice for them?
NC: Everybody is different - some people like to work through grief, but some people can ’t do that You have to remember that if your employees are coming to work with that heaviness on them, they’ re not going to be performing to their full potential anyway. You need to weigh up - what’ s more expensive? Giving them the time they need, or having them come to work not their best self?
Angela: When is it necessary for a small business to take on HR support such as yours?
consulting firm. Last year, our local publication published an article and they don't tell you who else they' re interviewing When the article was published, I had been interviewed alongside my mentor on this topic, and to me, that was like a full circle moment - to see my face next to hers in our local paper
Angela: It's so important, isn't it?
Having that support, having somebody else who's ahead, that's willing to invest in you. I find most women who have that get ahead further and faster.
“you want to have the fire extinguisher before the fire.”
I always tell my clients or prospective clients that you want to have the fire extinguisher before the fire If you are being proactive, you want to make sure that you ' re set up and compliant, and that you ' re doing things the right way
Angela: At Women's Business Club, we are all about women supporting women. Is there any woman in particular who you’d like to thank for helping you in your business journey?
NC: A long time ago when I first started my corporate journey, I joined this program called the ‘Moxxie Mentoring Foundation’ . They took young women who were entering the workforce and paired them with seasoned businesswomen who had been at it for a while. That' s actually how I first got interested in HR because my mentor was the director of an HR
So how is your mum doing today?
NC: She has just moved in with me. She had several more hospitalisations and many ups and downs. With her last hospitalisation, they recommended that she not live by herself anymore. I have the space in my house so it’ s been three months with her here now. She seems to be adjusting well, and it’ s nice to be there for her every day.
Angela: We wish her deep healing and hope she finds strength on her journey. If there's anything Women's Business Club can do to support you, we are here. That goes for all our readers - our team and community are here for anyone going through a difficult time, or anyone who needs some extra support.
If you are interested in Nicole’s HR services, visit cravehro.com They work with many small companies across the US, and are based in New York.
SHARI JAFARI
Shari Jafari, the CEO and CoFounder of Simon Ourian MD speaks to us about her passion for skincare, which has led her to pioneering one of the most forward-thinking dermatological brands in the world.
Shari Jafari, the CEO and CoFounder of Simon Ourian MD, boasts over 20 years of experience
in the prestige cosmetics industry. In her role, she integrates technology and beauty, offering AI-enhanced virtual consultations to recreate the offline experience online.
How did the idea for Simon Ourian M.D. come about?
During his 25 years of cosmetic dermatology experience, Dr Simon witnessed countless skin concerns and to him, each person needs to be treated differently and should receive their own personalised skincare regimen. Working together as co-founders, we realised that there are a lot of consumers out there who, surprisingly, do not have a skincare regimen. We talked about the fact that there are a lot of women who would love to have
an appointment face-to-face with him but, with his clinic being in LA, many are not able to. When we put our heads together, we realised that we could utilise his practical experience and my global market understanding of consumer needs to create a unique brand. We partnered with top technology experts over several years to develop this comprehensive AI skin analysis and a concern-based skincare line
As AI is developing rapidly every day, how do you envision this pairing to evolve?
As a new technology-based skincare brand, we ’ re launching into more countries and we will be using our real-life AI data to develop products that relate to each market rather than being led by ‘supposed’ trends With busy lifestyles, people appreciate the convenience of accessing dermatological care from the comfort of their homes By eliminating the need for in-person appointments, digital dermatology saves time, and money, for those who would otherwise have to wait weeks or months for an appointment. This personalised approach, coupled with Dr. Ourian' s expertise and commitment to quality, defines the future of beauty buying, driving our remarkable success.
You are dedicated to making others feel comfortable in their own skin. Is this something you also had to work on for yourself?
There were incidents when I was disregarded early on in my career, as others felt intimidated by my agility and adaptability. I could easily have been disappointed, but I looked at the positive sides and continued to strive for success. As cliché as it may sound, you always want to put your best face forward - having
glowing clear skin just makes your experience much better.
You have lived and worked all over the world - how has this shaped your perspective of the beauty industry?
I’ ve spent 20 years of my career in the prestige cosmetics industry, working for one of the largest beauty brands in the world, Clinique. I’ ve worked across North America, the Middle East and now in Europe. I have seen and experienced many different skin tones, types, cultures and traditions around skincare, and it has always been a fascination of mine. Of course the dominating factor has been that customers all want clear, glowing skin. You work with over 31,000 independent ambassadors/entrepreneurs within your Beyond Beauty programme. What do you do to protect your work-life balance?
When I was younger, I sacrificed living far away from family and friends and was constantly travelling. Having a healthy balance of work and love in your life is the ultimate success in my view I didn’t have that throughout my entire career, but have
striven to acquire it now. I decided to leave a large corporate role for a smaller, more agile start-up company – this was the moment I really took a bet on myself, and my ability to grow a seed into a tree.
What three pieces of advice would you give to someone looking to set up their own company?
1. Always, and in all ways, lead with kindness. You never know who comes back into your life after an encounter.
2. The impression you leave on others is not only a representation of you but can leave a lasting market on others.
3 Cross the bridge when you get there – a great reminder you cannot control everything – some things just need to happen to deal with them – good or bad.
Are there any women in particular who you’d like to thank for helping you in your business journey?
When it comes to one woman I’d like to thank – it is my mother. Loyalty, agility, adaptability, and resilience are all words I connect to my mother and her achievements in life.
TAKING THE WORLD BY STORM:
THE EVOLUTION OF INDEPENDENT FASHION BRAND'S SUSTAINABLE APPROACH
Independent founder Bethany Williams shares her solution to environmental and social issues within fashion
WHO IS BETHANY WILLIAMS?
Bethany Williams is a Londonbased fashion designer. Her passion for art began with her degree in BA Critical Fine Art Practice at the University of Brighton. Her interest led to her further study into fashion, particularly her MA in Menswear at the London College of Fashion
The Bethany Williams label was launched back in 2017 to create a much-needed impact on social and environmental manufacturing within the fashion industry worldwide. Her partnerships with The Quaker Mobile Library, Adelaide House, The Magpie Project, and Spires are charities and non-profit organizations
SUSTAINABLE FASHION?
The design production prides itself upon distribution from locally sourced agencies and manufacturers. The distribution companies are Mending For Good, Manusa, San Patrignano, Orto Print Studio, Spencer Martin at London Green Wood, and Making for Change
These are all small companies that range from the UK to Europe to reinforce the message of creating a positive impact on environmentally friendly items. Each piece is constructed from recycled and organic substances. Her recognition of her inserted modernistic change in terms of designing products that contribute to sustainability has been acknowledged.
Williams utilised her authentic ideas by casting homeless models that honoured her promise to donate 20 per cent of the profits of the show to the homeless shelter
Her show was attended by the Duchess of Cornwall who shared her admiration of the designer for forming “ideas and people together, putting change for the good at the heart of her business”
The 28-year-old designer' s attentiveness to her brand caught the attention of the Queen Elizabeth II Award which considers “the role the fashion industry plays in society and diplomacy’” .
Williams has won awards for the Queen Elizabeth II Award and Emerging Menswear Designer of the Year at the Fashion Awards in 2019. Alongside honorable mentions as a finalist for the LVMH prize, in 2019 and said as an individual that had aided the Global Fashion Industry in the Business of Fashion 500 in 2020.
“I burst out crying when they told me it was amazing”
As a female-owned, independent fashion brand that has been provided a platform for her successful entrepreneurship. She has gained a following from a high-end, gender-neutral consumer base of 18-30 years Her brand is inclusive, as the coverage consists of a wide demographic that incorporates genderneutral and sustainable clothing into her brand.
Creator Freya Davidson describes ‘Bethany Williams as an 80’ s inspired, London-based, hippyish brand due to the bold use of primary colours, the bagginess of clothing, and the eccentric and wacky designs and patterns’
The sustainability rating from the Good on You Directory database covers the sub-sections of planet, people, and animals. This source is deemed as reliable and produces data to allow conscious decisions to be made. The Bethany Williams brand overall was ranked as good. The Planet rating 4 out of 5, evaluates brands based on environmental policies
Bethany Williams uses a medium proportion of lower impact materials, minimal waste, reduction of distance shipping, and no plastic packaging. The people rating assesses the company ’ s policies of practices: child labour, wage, and gender equality. The manufacturers from the UK and Italy are at lower risk for labour abuse and providing opportunities to the disadvantaged. However, the animal section was ranked 3 out of 5. This was because of the no-animal welfare policy in place and the implementation of wool and silk. Despite these scorings, Bethany Williams has successfully highlighted the correlation between environmental and social issues and effectively provided solutions by organically sourced materials from manufacturers. She has shown the importance of change in our society that can be made. This should enable mass-produced labels to follow suit.
The 1st Journal
By Estelle Darcy 24 September, 2014
Written by Angelina Mitchell.
Angelina is a Media Communications and Culture BA student at Nottingham Trent University. She joined us as an intern this 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. Because of this, she is eager to continue a career within PR, specifically for fashion consumption. We wish her the best of luck on her journey! http://linkedin.com/in/angelina-mitchell298756302
Nicky Crowe, Founder of Dorset Dogs CIC, with her own dog Merlin
A SUPPORTING your COMMUNITY through BUSINESS
nimal behaviourist Nicky Crowe created the first-of-its-kind, physical Pet Food Bank. She noticed
a food bank donation box in Bournemouth had no pet food in it, which sparked the idea of a Pet Food Bank. The Cost-of-LivingCrisis happened a year after, and it was the “final push. ”
Nicky worked as an animal behaviourist in Manchester before moving to Bournemouth. She created the Facebook group Dog Friendly Dorset in 2017, as she had a puppy and wanted to socialise in her new town. Coming from humble beginnings, Dorset Dogs was made an official non-profit CIC in October of last year
I met Nicky at Cafe Riva, one of the drop-off locations for the Pet Food Bank. It’ s a cafe in Southbourne located at the end of Fisherman’ s Walk, overlooking the sea. She brought Merlin, her Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, alongside the inspirational story of how she set up this service for
people struggling to feed their pets
She said: “I was always looking for the pulse point in the community for ways we can help humans and dogs. I noticed an influx of pets being rehomed and so I reached out to shelters to understand the issue. ”
Nicky tells me the heart of the issue is the Cost-of-Living-Crisis. According to the Association of Dogs and Cats Homes, 92% of shelters have seen an increase of owners wanting to give up their dog in comparison to pre-pandemic rates. This has affected her emotionally as she said: “Having to give up your animal is just the worst of the worst, it’ s totally heartbreaking and I feel the need to do something. ”
When this idea started out, she wanted it to be accessible and for all pets. “For food banks, you have to go through hoops to get there, we wanted the Pet Food Bank to be open access for everyone with no stigma. ”
Other food banks have also noticed the stigma surrounding seeking assistance for pet necessities, Sarah Lyon the deputy manager at Christchurch Food Bank+ said: “There are always some people who feel a bit embarrassed about coming in, especially if it’ s their first time using it. ”
Canford Heath was the first food bank they set up, launching as a trial to see if there was a demand, and Nicky found there was a “massive need. ”
“We’ ve gone from one to seven food banks since January; it’ s gone crazy and expanded so much, ”
To start this project, Nicky put a message out to Dog Friendly Dorset Facebook group, asking for people to donate pet food and she found “ our community is so generous we ’ ve got surplus food. ”
She already had relationships with businesses she had worked at, such as cafes, so “asking for donation points was easy and I support them back by putting their name on our group. ” Dog Friendly Dorset has 18,700 members and a reach of 220,000 so Nicky explains it’ s “ an exchange for these businesses to help bring more awareness to them. ”
A member of the group made and sold handmade boxes to Dorset Dogs for pet food
Cafe Riva, one of the drop-off points for the Pet Food Bank
donations to be put in. Nicky tells me she is restructuring the way they collect these donations, where a volunteer will give a day every two weeks, and they will collect and deliver to the businesses’ closest food bank
Most of the pet food banks are part of community fridges - a space where they give out and stop fresh food from being wasted. She said: “We set up a pet food bank alongside their human ones ” Boscombe Pet Food Bank is the closest to Cafe Riva. It works alongside their community fridge. Georgina Godfrey works in their hub and does “social media bits ‘ n ’ bobs, ” she said: “I can tell you it’ s so popular already. I love it when people bring their dogs along so it mixes up the days. ”
Not only do these food banks help anyone struggling to feed their pets, but also help “people’ s need for emotional support. ” Organisers say that when people come in to collect food, they could possibly feel embarrassed, however Nicky has noticed
Merlin in a donation box - Nicky Crowe
The list of donation points in DorsetNicky Crowe
the change in people’ s mindsets when they bring along their pet. “It gives them a spring in their step to show off their dog and helps to connect us to each other with love and common ground ” Nicky works on a laptop and often does 12-hour days. She never has a day off as it’ s an online platform and she “ answers every single post that comes onto our group. ” According to Lenstore’ s 2022 Screentime Study, 83% out of 2,000 UK residents have experienced eye strain from staring at a screen. Nicky was affected by this as she had to get a laser operation to correct her vision This effect on someone ’ s health could cause them to give
up, but Nicky did not, she tells me: “Anyone not as passionate as me would’ ve stopped. ”
Dorset Dogs fundraises for the Pet Food Bank through events such as a Summer fete being organised for this year and Dorset Dogs Day on the 8th of May last year. With her background in animal behaviour, Nicky prioritises dogs’ enrichment with activities
where owners threw a sausage and their Doodle dogs had to bring it back. Nicky tells me: “The funniest aspect was how seriously the humans took it; There was zero chance their dog would come back with a sausage, it made me laugh and laugh and it was chaos as Doodles run in such a fluid way. ”
The “injustice” of people having to give up their pets is heartbreaking for Nicky as she says: “Humans have been using the human food bank to feed their pets instead of themselves. Pets are a lifeline for many people and I want the government to understand and raise its importance ” Dedicated women like Nicky are very important for fostering the community and creating support for issues that aren ’t recognised by official bodies. Dorset Dogs Pet Food Bank is open and running in Bournemouth and surrounding areas such as Dorchester and Weymouth.
For more information visit: dorsetdogs.com
Written by Daisy Pearce.
BOSSY and OVERPOWERING
The above labels are often parasitical to women who dare to speak up, instigate change and assert themselves Tiptoeing around the edges of leadership, we conform to stereotypes that undermine our potential. In this world where assertiveness is often mistaken for aggression, and confidence is misconstrued as arrogance, it is essential to reclaim our narrative and redefine what it means to be a progressive woman in business. Leaping out of the comfortable, taking charge and leading our own journey.
The term ‘Girl Boss’ - coined by Sophia Amoruso (2015) - is a neologism that initially celebrated ambitious and successful women, so why does it now feel so patronising?
Suggesting that female achievements are somehow lesser to those of men. By using the term ‘Girl Boss’ , it subtly suggests that the ultimate level of achievement for women is capped at a certain point, perpetuating the notion that men will always be considered the default or superior Boss. After all, they are simply ‘the boss’ , without any qualifiers.
Throughout my life, I’ ve immersed myself in learning, taken on extra work, and strived for excellence. Yet the feedback I receive is often that I am ‘too much’ , ‘need to relax’ , or I am ‘too serious’ .
Why am I labelled differently compared to my male peers?
They are praised for their strong will, independence and assiduousness. This disparity in perception is not my narrative; it’ s a reflection of societal biases that need
to be challenged.
In striving for equality, it is crucial to recognise the impact of language on perceptions and attitudes. While English adjectives aren ’t inherently gendered, there are instances where they can reinforce stereotypes or biases It’ s essential to challenge these preconceptions and ensure language reflects diversity and inclusivity. When consciously removing gender suggestive adjectives in our language, we can look towards a more equitable nonbinary environment, judging individuals on their merits rather than societal expectations.
I want to bring awareness to unconscious bias, educate individuals on gendered language, implications, and provide practical strategies for incorporating nongendered adjectives into everyday communication
It is essential for young girls to feel empowered and supported in their efforts to build themselves for the future. Encouraging them to pursue their passions, cultivate skills and strive for excellence lays the foundation for them to be powerful, independent and confident leaders.
Written by Katie Bishop English and Media student, Nottingham Trent University
.
Follow Katie’ s journey and stay updated on her work and insights on LinkedIn: www linkedin com/in/katiebishop602460
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Ekua is an experienced Career Coach and LinkedIn Coach With ten years of experience as an Civil
Servant, Ekua worked as a senior IT and digital transformation and service manager for Central Government. She is also the former Co-Vice Chair for GTA Black Women in Tech
Now, she works with entrepreneurs and female leaders in STEM who want to build their personal brands on LinkedIn, elevate their thought leadership, and create a strategy to attract paid opportunities For Women in STEM, she helps you become a thought leader and support you to consistently show up as the leader and expert that you are.
What's one piece of advice you would give to anyone else wanting to get started in business?
Be prepared to pivot!
What challenges have you faced as a black woman in business?
As a neurodivergent Black Woman, I have faced challenges with stereotypes, and getting access to the right level of business support to scale my business.
What are your dreams for the future of your business?
To scale my business and to employ a team.
BeYourNo.1Cheerleader
How could you be better supported in your business by your white female counterparts?
We are all women and therefore as a group, we all face challenges. I believe what could support more Black women in business is their white female counterparts in considering the nuances of the difficulties that Black women may specifically face which differ from all women in business.
NettyBryan
Power Up Coaching Academy
Netty Bryan is the UK #1 Faith & Money Breakthrough Business Coach, an award winning speaker
and mentor with over 10 years of experience empowering women entrepreneurs and business people. With a focus on faith and money mindset, Netty' s mission through personalised coaching is to help women define their niche, attract soul-aligned clients, and systemise their expertise, all whilst breaking through financial barriers and limiting beliefs
What's one piece of advice you would give to anyone else wanting to get started in business?
Starting a business is like planting a seed; it requires faith, patience, and commitment. My advice to anyone wanting to get started is to first seek clarity on your God-given gifts and the purpose behind your business. Your vision should be rooted in more than just financial gain it should be about the impact you ’ re called to make The journey may not always be easy, but with perseverance, prayer, and purpose, you can create a business that prospers. What challenges have you faced as a woman of colour in business?
Often, I’ ve had to work harder to prove my credibility and competence, especially in spaces where diversity is limited Representation matters, and when you don't see people who look like you in positions of influence, it can be discouraging. However, it has also motivated me to become that
representation for others. Despite these challenges, I’ ve learned to turn obstacles into stepping stones My faith has been my anchor, reminding me that I am called to a purpose greater than the hurdles I face
What are your dreams for the future of your business?
I dream of building a community where women of colour can find the mentorship, resources, and support they need to step boldly into their purpose My dream is for Power Up Coaching Academy to be a catalyst for change, helping women all over the world to step into their God-ordained potential, and leave a legacy of faith and success
How
can women support each other?
Actively listening to the experiences of Black women in business can be very impactful. Another key way to offer support is through mentorship and collaboration It’ s important to challenge any unconscious biases or assumptions within your own circles. Finally, support can come in the form of financial investment whether that’ s through direct funding, supporting Black-owned businesses, or advocating for policies. Ultimately, it’ s about building a sisterhood where we lift each other up, knowing that when one of us succeeds, we all succeed.
Ebony Omolara is a creative, healer and artist. She founded Ebony Omolara Enterprises which provides products and services that provoke social impact within the holistic health & wellbeing industry, the creative industry and the influencer industry. She sets out to ‘make her mark, her way ’ by using her experience and her gifts as a positive light for others to see what can be achieved with self belief.
What's one piece of advice you would give to anyone else wanting to get started in business?
Release any ideas about y you 'll find different and n yourself. Be clear on your beliefs
What challenges have y woman of colour in bus
Being undervalued, or co not being given the prope how much I actually cont me feel like I was doing a getting nowhere and ofte burnt out feeling like I ne harder to be seen.
EbonyAdemola
Ebony Omolara Enterprises
How did you get started in business?
I started selling beaded jewellery on Instagram after my first year of university
What are your dreams for the future of your business?
I hope to help other individuals create their own personal brands and encompass the various parts of themselves. It' s rooted in self healing and the gradual healing of others.
How can women support each other?
I think if they speak up about the work we do and celebrate us, as well as speaking up about injustices they may be aware of Also, not just looking for Black women for Black opportunities and offering space to be in rooms where we haven't been heard or considered previously.
SamanthaFernando
Keela Outdoors
Keela Outdoors is a leading manufacturer of high-performance outdoor gear, especially known for
producing kits for outdoor professionals. Keela' s recent launch of their Legacy Program, which focuses on sustainable practices, earned them the prestigious Sustainable Brand of the Year award, further cementing their reputation as an innovative leader in the outdoor industry
What's one piece of advice you would give to anyone else wanting to get started in business?
My best advice for starting a business is simple: you have to go for it and be ready to put in the hard work. My mother always told us, "Just try it if it doesn’t work out, you can always be a taxi driver. " You only have one life, so make the most of it, whether it' s with family, work, or leisure
What challenges have you faced as a woman of colour in business?
The outdoor industry is very welcoming and supportive. The challenges I have faced throughout my career are the same as any other woman You have to work hard and try not to second-guess yourself.
What are your dreams for the future of your business?
The goal is to keep pushing the boundaries, making sure our gear performs when it matters most, and doing it all with a sense of humour and a strong commitment to sustainability.
How can women support each other?
Having a circle of supportive businesswomen means cheering each other on, sharing successes, and lifting each other up. It’ s all about growing together and celebrating every win, which is especially important because so many women deal with imposter syndrome. We’ re stronger when we support each other!
TynahMatembe
Money MatiX
FinTech start-up MoneyMatiX is a purpose-led business that ensures financial inclusion for every segment of society, including the marginalized and underprivileged. MoneyMatix is committed to bridging the financial literacy gap, especially for people of colour and migrants They design and run comprehensive Financial Literacy Programs tailored for students, parents, and business owners alike.
What's one piece of advice you would give to anyone else wanting to get started in business?
The single most important business lesson I have learnt is "No profit, no mission - Cash is King" . Regardless of how noble or impactful a business' s mission may be (which mine is), without financial viability, it cannot continue its operations, serve its customers, or achieve its broader goals This underscores the dual importance of generating profit to sustain a business' s purpose and mission over the long term, while also prioritizing effective cash flow management to ensure its immediate survival and resilience in the face of challenges.
What challenges have you faced as a woman of colour in business?
As a woman of colour in business, I’ ve faced several challenges, many of which stem from systemic barriers. One of the most significant obstacles has been a lack of access to networks and mentorship.
Additionally, access to funding and capital has been more difficult. Despite these challenges, they’ ve driven me to push harder, be more resilient, and create opportunities not just for myself but for others facing similar obstacles This journey inspired me to set up MoneyMatiX, with a focus on empowering underserved communities.
What are your dreams for the future of your business?
I want to empower immigrants and people of colour with essential financial knowledge so they can gain control over their futures I want to serve as a catalyst for wealth creation and economic mobility within these communities. This helps break cycles of poverty and fosters a sense of collective empowerment amongst marginalised groups.
How can women support each other?
Better networking, better mentoring and better education. My research has shown that there is a rising interest in entrepreneurship among women of colour to achieve financial security. I believe by mentorship and sharing success with women of colour, the demand for training and tailored content grows.
Menopause Café supports volunteer hosts worldwide, who host pop-up discussion groups, open to all ages
and genders. People meet to drink tea, eat cake and talk menopause. The aim is to reduce the stigma and silence which still surrounds menopause and make it part of everyday conversations.
What's one piece of advice you would give to anyone else wanting to get started in business?
Get a business partner who will support and challenge you. Choose the level of risk that is slightly out of your comfort zone.
What challenges have you faced as a woman of colour in business?
None that I am aware of. I think sometimes people are surprised when they meet me and realise that I am a woman of colour, since my voice and name don't make that obvious
What are your dreams for the future of your business?
RachelWeiss
Menopause Cafe
Menopause Cafe charity is still young and growing. My medium-term dream is to find funding for a full-time administrator, and to support more hosts My long-term dream is that our charity will no longer be needed because menopause will have become part of everyday conversation, not requiring special discussion group spaces for women to feel free to share stories, exchange tips and ask questions
How can women support each other?
By not pretending to be men! We can speak freely of the challenges we face, of the sexism or our periods, or our miscarriages, of our endometriosis, infertility and menopause. All these issues affect us, but we often keep silent, which encourages shame. Let' s have the confidence to be successful businesswomen: good at business and also women
Join the Clubhouse!
Did you know that ALL are welcome to join Women's Business Club on Clubhouse? There is no fee to pay and you can start networking right away.
Are you a woman with big dreams and aspirations? Are you seeking a supportive community where you can connect with likeminded individuals, access tailored resources, and discover exciting opportunities? Look no further! The Women's Business Club on Clubhouse is the place for you. By registering for Women's Business Club, you'll unlock a world of unlimited connections, tailored resources, and exciting opportunities. Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, a seasoned business owner, or simply someone with a passion for success, our Clubhouse community is here to support you every step of the way.
What are you waiting for?
Register today at womensbusiness.club/register
Join us on Clubhouse to connect, learn, and grow with other inspiring women. Together, let's empower each other and elevate our ambitions to new heights!
All this and so much more... what are you waiting for?
The ART of WELLNESS: Wonderful Escapes
Laura Tenison MBE is a British entrepreneur best known as the founder of JoJo Maman Bébé, the
mother & baby brand. She established the company in 1993 and grew it into the UK and Ireland' s leading independent brand in the sector. JoJo became known not just for its products but also for its ethical business practices, including using recycled materials, employing disadvantaged groups, and achieving B Corporation certification as an early follower of the movement. In 2022, she sold the company to NEXT Plc but left its core leadership team intact to preserve its ethos as a stand alone business
Since stepping back from JoJo, Tenison has turned her attention to new ventures, including Wonderful Escapes, which focuses on creating team-building experiences
through immersion in nature, wellness and relaxation in luxury accommodation. She is also passionate about promoting low carbon family holidays. There is so much to do on the farm that the children (and parents) will forget about their addiction to screens.
What inspired your shift from retail to creating luxury team-building escapes?
My success was always a team effort. We worked hard but we played hard too I' m a strong believer that meeting in person forms life long relationships. With many companies opting for remote or hybrid working, I worry about their staff retention rates. We have created the perfect place to meet, bond and form long lasting friendships and memories. Running business retreats for your remote workforce offers the balance of practicality and team engagement.
What sets Wonderful Escapes apart from other luxury retreats?
Every inch of the farm is a creative project. The challenge was to deliver luxury accommodation using upcycled junk or by finding inspiration from the converted farm buildings. It' s a constantly changing work of art. I' ve so enjoyed being creative and handson again
What’s been the toughest part of launching Wonderful Escapes?
As JoJo was a relatively big business, I had an extensive team who were professionals in their field. As Founder/CEO I was the Jack of All Trades. Starting a new small business I have to remember how to do everything myself again Thankfully I have a great assistant and we can Google these days!
How does Wonderful Escapes foster creativity and collaboration for teams?
Our website offers lots of ideas from Immersion in Nature to Gong Baths. A simple hike up the mountain with views over eight counties and dip in the Natural Swimming
Pool releases the endorphins and gets people bonding
How do you maintain balance between business innovation and personal wellbeing?
Oh, that' s easy now. I was always hopeless at work-life balance in my last job but now my work is totally stress free and I love every moment of it, so I can work round the clock without causing any harm!
What personal values have guided your success across your business endeavours?
Honesty and integrity I believe strongly in Karma. Give and you will receive.
What advice would you give to women looking to launch their own ventures?
Never start your own business for an easy life. You need to be passionate or even obsessed with the business. Enjoying the job is a huge bonus.
