Modern Woman Issue #4 (Feb/March 2019) by Modern Woman

Modern

WOMAN ISSUE 004: £3.95

BE FEARLESS

THE WAY OUT

The women beating a business path through Brexit turmoil

FIT FOR PURPOSE

Meet the CEO leading the fitness trends

GET SMART

Erica Wolfe-Murray on how to maximise revenue streams

BALANCING the ACT Juggling work-life-love triangle

STAYING POWER

NYC’s Sandi Bass has kept ahead of the fashion curve for five decades O N L I N E

•

P O D C A S T S

•

E V E N T S

A SENSE OF GRACE A POWERFUL VISION FOR WOMEN’S HEALTH, WELLBEING AND LIFESTYLE

Grace Belgravia is an exclusive Members’ Club created to empower and nurture women every step of the way. Our balanced approach to optimal health and ﬁtness is curated for you by a team of world renowned medical experts, therapists and personal trainers. A home away from home, Grace provides a luxurious escape for all women, whether they are professionals, mothers, entrepreneurs or modern voyagers.

11c West Halkin Street, SW1X 8JL www.gracebelgravia.com +44 (0)20 7235 8900 membership@gracebelgravia.com

CONTENTS 8

Modern Woman’s networking events

Erica Wolfe-Murray: golden business guru

Hayley Bystrom: professional matchmaker

Sandi Bass: model, scout, Givenchy muse

Skin deep: vegan- and cruelty-free beauty

Wendy Coulson: CEO and fitness specialist

Be mine: sultry looks for a hot Valentine’s

Marine Tanguy: gallerist and entrepreneur

Meet the women smart planning for Brexit

Capital bunch: London’s best eateries

Why now’s the time to invest in property

Maya Angelous: activist, writer, inspiration

COVER IMAGE: SANDI BASS COURTESY OF JAMES LYON (MOD) PUBLISHER: MODERN WOMAN LTD 13-17 HIGH BEECH ROAD, LOUGHTON, ESSEX, IG10 4BN 020 3011 1194 HELLO@MODERNWOMAN.CO EDITOR: ROSIE COXSHAW

SUB-EDITOR: NANCY LARMAN

BEAUTY & FASHION EDITOR: JO SUGAR DESIGN & PRODUCTION: STEWART HYDE WEBSITE DEVELOPMENT: TOTALDESIGNWORKS.COM CONTRIBUTORS: MAUDE HIRST, JESS BAKER, GABRIELLE PICKARD-WHITEHEAD, POPPY CROSS, RONNIE HEREL, NICOLE BREMNER

www.modernwoman.co

CONTRIBUTORS

MAUDE HIRST

POPPY CROSS

JESS BAKER

Maude is a born-and-bred east Londoner. An actor, writer and yoga teacher, she is best-known for her role as Helga in the hit TV show, Vikings. In her work both on- and offscreen, she is dedicated to creating roles that showcase women’s talents and address gender inequalities in the industry. As a yoga teacher, she focuses her practice on reconnecting breath, body and balance to promote well-being in our busy modern world. @maudehirst

Poppy started her career in journalism at Harper’s Bazaar, which launched her straight into an editor role for three luxury London lifestyle magazines. Concurrently, her passion for health and fitness saw Poppy specialise in these areas for The Mail on Sunday, The Evening Standard, Psychologies and Tatler Spa Guide. Poppy has a health blog and when it comes to what’s hot in wellbeing, she’s the gal in-the-know. @poppycross

Jess is an independent business psychologist and women’s leadership coach (CPsychol, AFBPsS). She feels most fulfilled when running workshops that help women to own their space emotionally and physically. As well as her column in Modern Woman, Jess speaks on stage at wellbeing events, is quoted in magazines and interviewed on podcasts. Check out her body confident #elbowselfie campaign. @therealjessbaker

Issue 4

JO SUGAR

RONNIE HEREL

From fashion to the media, Jo has a client list that reads like a celebrity Who’s Who (Serena Williams, Vanessa Feltz and Lorna Luft). One of the most sought-after make-up artists in the country, she is also an educator, lecturing at events and seminars throughout the year. She is a regular at LFW, heading her own shows each season. Jo says, ‘Every job is different, so you never stop learning.’ @jo_sugar

Ronnie Herel is a true ambassador for urban music after over a decade at the BBC, as one of Radio 1 Xtra’s first DJ signings. He is a champion of new talent and, indeed, was a talent scout for The Voice UK. Today he is Head of Music at Mi-Soul Radio, as well as presenting its drive time show and #TheBigRnBShow on Monday evenings. Check out ronnieherel.co.uk to find out all about his latest gigs. @ronnieherel

EDITOR’S letter The first quarter of the year always presents us with new opportunities. Fresh career decisions, creating the start-up we’ve always dreamt of, or welcoming new clients aboard: it is a time for getting down to business and getting things done. I always find there’s something exhilarating in making such changes in readiness to embrace the year ahead. There’s no denying that economic uncertainty lies ahead with the B-word. For some, Brexit is a source of interesting debate; others, however, are itching to watch it all take whatever shape it will. Whilst negotiations with Brussels are, thankfully perhaps, out of our individual control, what is in our capacity is to steer our own business. Now is a time to stand strong in your work, prove your talents, dig your heels in to and ride the wave – as the inspirational bunch of women we interviewed this edition are doing ahead of our exit from Europe. In this issue, we discuss managing romantic relationships whilst running a hectic work diary; celebrate London Fashion Week; interview one-time Hubert de Givenchy muse, Sandi Bass, who has 40 years experience as a model and scout; plus, we delve into some key industries to predict what the future holds. I believe in channelling energy into productivity, which is sometimes easier said than done. But remember, harnessing your goals and focusing on ambitions reinforces our passion, fire and will to succeed. So keep on keeping on. We’ll see you after the Brexit decision.Hold tight. With love, Rosie

We would love to hear from you! Do get in touch on... hello@modernwoman.co @moderwoman_int Modern Woman International

www.modernwoman.co

WOMEN OF THE WORLD All the must-know news from women in work across the globe

SAUDI ARABIA Twisted tracking device Apple and Google have been accused of helping to ‘enforce gender apartheid’ in Saudi Arabia, by offering a sinister app which allows men to track women and stop them leaving the country. Both Google Play and iTunes host Absher, a government web service which allows men to specify when and how women can cross Saudi borders, and to get close to real-time SMS updates when they travel. The app can provide detailed information for male guardians to say where women can go, how long for, and which airports they can use. Absher also has benign functions, like paying parking fines, but its travel features have been identified by activists and refugees as a major factor in the continued difficulty women have in leaving Saudi Arabia. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have both expressed concern about Google and Apple’s role in hosting the app. According to the Google Play store, Absher has been downloaded on Android devices more than a million times. Apple has not disclosed download figures for apps.

Issue 4

NEWS: GLOBAL ROUND UP

UNITED STATES Social swings vote There’s increasing concern as to how much digital conglomerates, especially social media platforms, are influencing the results of political campaigns worldwide. Donald Trump’s triumph in the US president election in 2016 is one of the largest campaigns to have won a majority via aid of digital manipulation. Two and a half years ago, companies including Google and Facebook gave the thenRepublican nominee the same technical assistance they lend to other candidates, despite widespread distaste among their largely liberal employees for his comments about women, minorities and immigrants. However, Facebook has shown signs it will treat 2020 differently by not providing on-site product support, such as guidance on how to use the platform to reach and influence voters. Such support was critical for the Trump campaign (Brad Parscale, who led Trump’s digital effort, said that Facebook was ‘how he won.’) Hillary Clinton’s campaign declined the offer of embeds.

HUNGARY Tax exemption for mothers The measures announced by Viktor Orban during his ‘state of the nation’ speech are meant to encourage women to have more children and reverse Hungary’s population decline. The benefits include a lifetime personal income-tax exemption for women who give birth and raise at least four children; a subsidy of 2.5 million forints ($8,825) toward the purchase a seven-seat vehicle for families with three or more children; and a low-interest loan of 10 million forints ($35,300) for women under age 40 who are marrying for the first time. Orban, who has made ‘zero tolerance’ for immigration his main theme in the past four years and was elected to a third consecutive term in April, said the initiative is meant to ‘ensure the survival of the Hungarian nation.’

UNITED KINGDOM Karren Brady Stands Strong Baroness Brady is refusing to quit as chairman of Sir Philip Green’s business empire Taveta Investments, after he was accused of sexual allegations towards women. She declared: ‘Why should I?’ Breaking her silence, Baroness Brady said it would be ‘the easy thing to do’ to walk away from Taveta Investments Ltd, the holding company behind Sir Philip’s fashion brands. She said she preferred to remain in post for the 20,000 employees, among them her daughter, who works for Topshop. It came as MPs called on police to investigate claims Green had subjected former employees to racist language and sexual harassment. Independent MP Frank Field said Prime Minister Theresa May should refer Green to a Commons committee with the power to strip him of his knighthood. Lady Brady told Sky News: ‘I’ve always been an outspoken defender of women’s rights.’ Green, whose reputation nosedived after the collapse of BHS in 2016, has denied the allegations.

www.modernwoman.co

October 2018

December 2018

SOCIAL: OUR EVENTS

The social network Did you know that Modern Woman hosts regular networking and speaker events at locations across London – and soon we’re expanding across the UK! Whatever stage in their career they’re at, we welcome women – and men too – to come and exchange ideas, connect and find inspiration and support in their industry sector. It’s a great space to gain the confidence you need to succeed – all in a friendly and convivial setting. What can you expect from our evening events? Modern Woman chairs an in-conversation panel of wonderful women from diverse industries to discuss issues affecting women in business. Enjoy a drink, do some relaxed networking and even throw shapes to some great tunes courtesy of our resident DJ Ronnie Herel. We can’t wait to see you! For further information and our next dates, subscribe at www.modernwoman.co/sign-up To discuss sponsorship opportunities call 0203 011 1194 or email events@modernwoman.co @modernwoman_int

122 NEWGATE STREET LONDON EC1A 7AA T: 020 7600 0026 W: scottcity.co.uk E: property@scottcity.london

QUEENS QUAY, LONDON, EC4V For Sale £475,000

SHOREDITCH HOUSE, LONDON N1 For Sale £499,500

A riverside block of apartments with fantastic views of the RIVER THAMES and the SOUTH BANK from the roof terrace. This ONE BEDROOM apartment 4th floor , refitted kitchen, re-fitted bathroom, bedroom with fitted wardrobes and reception room. Queens Quay is on the Bank of the River Thames close to MANSION HOUSE and St PAUL’S.

SHOREDITCH HOUSE very well presented and wellproportioned two bedroom apartment set on the 14th floor. Superbly located very close to Old Street, Shoreditch and Hoxton Square. This property offers the most fantastic views over the CITY from the west facing balcony, modern kitchen opening to a generous living/ entertaining space.

BEN JONSON HOUSE, BARBICAN - EC2Y For Sale £765,000

CATHEDRAL COURT, LONDON EC4 For sale £1,225,000

BEN JONSON HOUSE, BARBICAN is this very well presented and well-proportioned ONE BEDROOM DUPLEX APARTMENT set on the 3rd and 4th floors. This property offers a fantastic reception room with fitted pull down double bed and a SOUTH facing balcony, a modern kitchen fitted appliances opening to a dining area.

Located in the historic area of Carter Lane is this superb TWO bedroom duplex apartment at CATHEDRAL COURT situated in this Period Conversion . This property benefits from high ceilings and tall windows that give a wonderful aura of both space and light. This CITY apartment offers generous living/entertaining space.

ART: MAUDE HIRST

HABIT In the

We are what we do day in, day out. Success, says MAUDE HIRST, is all about getting in the habit and keeping disciplined

t’s the start of a new year, a great time to set new intentions and to bring fresh energy into your work. If you’re self-employed in the creative arts, it is up to you to sculpt the career you want. Now is the time to clear out what is no longer useful and find new strategies to help move your career forward. As an actor, it can sometimes be hard to think of ways to instigate advance; it often feels too much as though my career is in the hands of other people. However, over the past year I have realised that there are, of course, lots of things I can do, not only to make progress in my work, but also to make me feel more fulfilled on a daily basis. I spent a lot of 2018 purposefully learning from successful people in different fields and I tried to look for the through-line that linked them. The common thread? I began to notice that, in the end, personal discipline was the unifying factor. To gain ultimate success, you have to be wholly committed to that which you preach. With that lesson stashed under my belt, I began to take stock of my own creative career and I got to work finding ways I could become more disciplined in order to grow. Without ditching any of the fun or playfulness I believe is paramount to feed a fertile creative imagination, I

decided to start a daily routine to get me into a creative flow. Effective people don’t wait for writers’ block to pass, or for creativity to land in their laps; like life’s succeseses, I have started to use tools to open up my creativity daily. I also decided to redefine my definition of success, celebrating every time I do well at my daily practices, rather than putting my potential triumphs wholly at the mercy of others’ decisions. My 2019 daily practice consists of waking up and writing three free-form pages of whatever comes up, followed by a yoga practice and meditation. So far I have felt my creative juices flowing and been noticeably

I began to notice that, in the end, personal discipline was the unifying factor. To gain ultimate success, you have to be wholly committed to that which you preach” more effective. Success is, as Robert Collier once wrote, ‘the sum of small efforts, repeated day-in and day-out.’ I’ll keep you posted on how I go.

www.modernwoman.co

GROWTH Mindset

With a stellar career in business under her belt, ERICA WOLFE-MURRAY now helps other agencies grow to their full potential. She tells Rosie Coxshaw about flying on Concorde in her teens, the importance of creativity and the power of Listen to the Po d c a being yourself in business st at mod ernwo man.c o/ podca sts

Issue 4

What does your work entail today? I help companies, largely across the creative and tech sector, to innovate and grow, making them more resilient. How do you do this? It depends on the business. I do have a set structure that I follow which gives me the information I need and as Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m gleaning insight about the business, I am able to unleash opportunities in different ways and in various markets, which are unique to that company.

BUSINESS: ERICA WOLFE-MURRAY You left home at 16. Tell us about that journey… As a child, I was self-possessed and quite happy to own my own road. I understood who I was quite early on and wasn’t prepared to take any messing about from my parents. They announced on my 16th birthday that everything would be changing and that meant me having my own home. They did pay my rent for the first year, but I had to support myself with absolutely everything else. It made me grow up fast. By the age of 21, I was flying on Concorde, partly because I was working on the BA advertising account. I thought to myself, ‘You ain’t done too bad, girl!’ How far does personal experience influence businesses? I think we always under estimate how much we take from our childhood into our business lives. There are so many things that we learn as children that we take into the board room, but we never settle down to map them out. If we did, we would really get to know our strengths and weaknesses much better. What three skills should an entrepreneur possess? • Self-knowledge. Know who you are! • Ask yourself what your hopes and dreams are and know what you’re aiming for.

• Know your weaknesses. Although we can choose to ignore them, it’s important to know what they are. What is the most challenging situation that new businesses can face? Making the offering completely unique. Amazingly, you yourself are the USP because there is only ever one of you. Do you need funding to get off the ground? It really depends on what your business is. A lot of businesses do need funding, but not necessarily the funding that comes from outside. Funding can be savings; family money; a side-hustle alongside a full time job. There are two sorts of funding: for equity where someone takes a stake for the money, or borrowing from a bank. It’s really for you to decide what your parameters are for running the business. What are the most lucrative industries today? When you’ve been in a business for several years, you have a whole raft of intellectual assets in your business. It’s best to understand those assets and see whether you can launch a digital business with them. You can run a lot of digital businesses that don’t require much funding yet they can grow exponentially. I always ask where a business’

GO DIGITAL With any business, always ask where the digital revenue streams are advises Erica Wolfe-Murray

digital revenues they can exploit are. It’s the interface between the real world, digital and how they collide. You’re a mum to four children. How did you juggle it all? I loved it! I used to work at home as well as go out and work. I remember multi-taking a lot, I’d be at my desk with children climbing up the back of my chair. I might have been nursing a baby in my arm and yet I was still working, I felt that the children loved the fact that I worked. Work and home are both part of your life and there should be a circular model where both parts of life flow into each other. What would you like to see change in terms of female empowerment? I think that women underestimate how their femininity, maternal skills and the things that make them women are absolutely critical in running a business. It’s not about being soft; there is something in the way women communicate. If you understand, it can be used in interesting ways. Erica Wolfe-Murray’s book Simple Tips, Smart Ideas is published by Lola Media Ltd

www.modernwoman.co

@modernwoman_int

Inspiration “Ask for what you want and be prepared to get it”

“You can have it all, just not all at once”

Maya Angelou, writer, activist and performer

Oprah Winfrey

“True leadership stems from individuality that is honest and sometimes imperfectly expressed. Leaders should strive for authenticity over perfection” Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook

“I was asked what I thought about the recession. I thought about it and decided not to take part” Alice Walton, Chair, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art

“Don’t confuse progress with winning” Mary T. Barra, CEO General Motors

“Lean in, speak out, have a voice in your organisation and never use the word, ‘sorry”

Gertrude Stein, author

Anne Sweeney, former co-chair of Disney Media

“Stay true to yourself and your vision. Don’t let any one person’s opinion move you; listen, but be confident”

Trish Bertuzzi, CEO of The Bridge Group INC

“Everybody gets so much information all day long that they lose their common sense”

“Define success on your own terms, achieve it by your own rules, and build a life you’re proud to live”

Amanda Kahlow

“It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live” JK Rowling, author.

“We must develop a thick skin. With an unshakeable sense of self – and a commitment to being compassionate – nothing will faze you” Mari Smith, social media marketer known as the ‘Facebook Queen’

“Be your own artist, and always be confident in what you’re doing. If you’re not going to be confident, you might as well not be doing it” Aretha Fanklin

www.moderwoman.co

PSYCHOLOGY: EMOTIONS IN BUSINESS

LIFE

TIME

With so many demands on us, time has never been more precious, says business psychologist JESS BAKER. Here she shares her tips for re-connecting with yourself and your focus

‘A

ll we have to decide is how to spend the time that is given to us.’ So pronounced the white-haired wizard Gandalf in Lord of the Rings. If only it were that simple. Most of us struggle to focus on something without interruption or distraction. I don’t believe it is just millennials who suffer from ‘errand paralysis’ (the chronic inability to complete mundane tasks). We’re all likely to defer doing things that are high-effort, lowreward, and our to-do lists just get longer. I’ve been thinking about what it means to be a ‘modern woman’. Chiefly, it requires wearing a multitude of hats, swapped on a daily, if not hourly, basis. You’re (tick as appropriate) a daughter; a friend; a sister; an aunt; a mum; a carer; a colleague; a manager; a start-up CEO; a volunteer. Many of us are all of these things. And then there’s technology and the simultaneous one-click-away convenience with its more intrusive qualities. You feel pressured to respond to urgent emails. You habitually check messaging apps. You’ve sat through several Netflix series because you can’t get to the control in time before the next episode starts because you’re too busy scrolling your Instagram feed. We rarely allow ourselves to dream in those in between moments; now we fill them with pictures of other people’s lives. Today, in this moment, I would like to help you to find your focus.

take a deep breathe and ask yourself what you want to achieve in the next 45 minutes. (When I was a psychology student, 45 minutes was considered the optimal time for study periods.) Don’t work on one thing for hours, but break down your allocated time into manageable chunks, and break for stretches in between.

1. Set the intention to concentrate. If you have ever taken a yoga or meditation class, you’ll have noticed that the teacher always settles you into the session. They ask you to close your eyes and connect with how you feel in that moment.

5. Buddy up. Find a trusted friend to be your Accountability Buddy. You’re likely to stick to goals you’ve told someone about, who can encourage you and hold you to account.

2. Keep it short and sweet. In order to give yourself the best chance of inducing a calm focus,

3. Do not disturb. Not only does it take time to attend to distractions, it can take a whopping 25 minutes to refocus on your task. Try setting your phone to ‘do not disturb’ and block out time in your online calendar so colleagues know you’re unavailable. 4. Show up for yourself. When you arrange a meeting with your manager, you show up. You don’t sit there checking Facebook and you wouldn’t dare cancel. Plan a meeting with yourself, prepare for it and commit to the desired outcome.

6. Know your personal style. As

a business psychologist, I like to encourage people to work to their strengths. What setting do you work best in: a vibrant café, or a quiet room? When are you naturally more focused? Early, mid-afternoon or late at night? 7. Biochemical optimisation. Being aware of your hormonal patterns can explain why you find it easier to concentrate on some days more than others. The rise in progesterone, a sedating hormone, in week three is thought to improve our ability to focus on details. 8. Have compassion. Worrying about not having done something causes more stress than actually getting on and doing that thing. Remember all the things you have achieved rather than flagellating yourself for the stuff you haven’t. 9. Be proactive. Remember to take small steps each day to help you boost your self-belief. 10. Practice meditation. For both short- and longer-term positive impact on your cognitive function, try meditating for 20 minutes a day. As they say, if you think you’re too busy to meditate for 20 minutes, you should meditate for an hour.

www.modernwoman.co

PLAN B(REXIT) Women mean business whatever post-Brexit Britain throws at them, says GABRIELLE PICKARD-WHITEHEAD

emale leadership in business has been steadily growing in Britain, with the socalled ‘enterprise gap’ gradually narrowing. As women make inroads in closing the gender leadership divide, they still face a barrage of obstacles in the pursuit of leading successful, sustainable businesses. One such challenge goes by the name of Brexit. Granted, Brexit presents new challenges to the country’s entire business landscape, but for women in leadership, Britain’s exit from the EU is poised to bring fresh equality encounters, as well as unique opportunities. Meet the women whose determination has seen them defy gender boundaries to emerge as strong business leaders.

Issue 4

ABOVE Since nobody can predict quite what Brexit will bring, the smart entrepreneurs are busy making contingency plans now

Overcoming Brexit uncertainty Brexit uncertainty is a major concern for businesses across the UK, with many admitting to being ill-prepared for our exit from the EU. Businesses of all industries and sizes are being urged to plan for maximum change and disruption. Caroline Joynson, owner of Cheerleader PR, a PR consulting and coaching practice to UKbased SMEs and entrepreneurs, is one such business leader proactively planning for the change and turmoil Brexit is likely to throw up. Caroline is concerned about the uncertainty, believing the adjustment to whatever Brexit is agreed will impact on all businesses, including her own. ‘It’s a ripple effect whereby

consumer confidence will be knocked, larger companies will spend less with suppliers, and suppliers will have less money to spend on promoting themselves through marketing and PR.’ However, showing typical female resilience, Caroline has a plan to counter the negative effects that Brexit may have on her business. ‘I’m looking at expanding my coaching services to work with entrepreneurs worldwide, thus diversifying my offer and client base. Either way, the quicker Brexit is resolved, the better – we need to move on,’ she says decisively. Toni Horsfield shares an admirable conviction to approach Brexit head-on with an actionable plan. Toni runs three distinct businesses in Cheshire

POLITICS: BREXIT and says Brexit is affecting them in very different ways. Being Head of Clean Environments at Moorfield Nanotechnology, which exports rapid-assembly cleanrooms globally, Toni has been working hard to repair relationships with their European market after being taken by surprise, initially, at the European reluctance to do business with British companies in the wake of the 2016 EU Referendum. Toni is also involved in a rapidly-expanding network marketing business that encourages others to start their own business. ‘Here I am seeing that the unknown changes Brexit will entail are pushing successful professionals to consider their ‘plan B’. As we offer a secure alternative to the 60-hour week, this is an area where the uncertainty of Brexit is benefiting us,’ she says. Whilst there is undoubtedly a climate of spirit and innovation within the female entrepreneurialism community, we can’t escape concerns that women will end up bearing the brunt of Brexit pitfalls. As Erica Wolfe-Murray, a leading UK business expert and the founder of Lola-Media.co.uk, perceptively says: ‘There is little doubt that women will be adversely affected by whatever Brexit deal we end up with, as so many of us are employed in relatively insecure roles.’ Chiming with Toni Horsfield’s comments that people are looking at alternatives to help guide them through the unknowns of Brexit, Erica

believes women’s innovative and resilient spirit will shine brighter than ever as we enter an unpredictable Brexit era. ‘Women have an extraordinary capacity to pivot, for resilience and for new thinking – all of which will be needed over the next few months. For those who have not thought about starting their own venture, contracting markets and recession always throw up opportunities, it’s just a matter of spotting the one on the rising trend, having faith in your vision and planning, then going for it,’ says Erica. Sharing Caroline Joynson’s strategy in reaching out to new markets to help overcome Brexit shortfalls, Erica advises women already in business to embrace new opportunities. ‘If you are already running your own show, keep a weather eye on where you might find additional revenues, new audiences, or buyers from a different market than the norm.’

Women’s rights under threat after Brexit Concern that EU protections of women’s rights and workplace equality will be at risk in post-Brexit Britain cannot be ignored. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) recommends that the government makes sure regression of women’s rights and workplace equality does not occur under UK law. Natasha Mudhar, Global CEO of Sterling Media and the global campaigning consultancy World We Want, outlines the critical

role the EU has played thus far in improving available support for female entrepreneurs and business leaders. ‘Many EU laws have proven beneficial to women and have helped to reduce a lot of the obstacles for women in work. Through expanding the right to equal pay, passing laws against sexual discrimination and ensuring the right to fair treatment, the EU has been a vital and active component in the success of many British female entrepreneurs. Departing from the EU is unlikely to entail these laws being scrapped, but there is the risk that their effectiveness will be diminished over time,’ says Natasha

Using Brexit to create greater gender equality Rather than being a stumbling block for gender equality, some are viewing Brexit as an opportunity for women to level the playing field with men as, in times of such uncertainty and confusion, Britain needs women leaders more than ever. One such thinker is Urchana Moudgil, COO and co-founder of the fintech-based loyalty platform Upgrade Pack. ‘A lot of businesses fear that Brexit will make hiring diverse talent even harder, but I actually think the opposite,’ she says. ‘I think Brexit is a great opportunity for women to level the field. It is triggering a sharper look at leadership and, with a higher demand for talent, the best will start to dictate their own rules.’ Here’s hoping.

www.modernwoman.co

Perfect

MATCH

Listen to the Po d c a st at mode rnwom an.co/ podca sts

Issue 4

After getting divorced in her twenties, HAYLEY BYSTRAM founded the Bowes-Lyon Partnership, which specialises in elite matchmaking. Ten years on, she reflects on how the business is changing lives for the better What inspired you to go into matchmaking? I found myself divorced in my late twenties after a 10-year relationship. Meanwhile, all my friends were getting married and that created an issue whereby I wasn’t entirely sure how to meet new people. I was a busy working professional, looking at online dating and there wasn’t really a great deal of matchmaking for my age bracket. Back then, all the algorithms were all about matching you with someone who lived close to you, which left me finding lots my friends – it was rather embarrassing! This inspired me to set-up the Bowes-Lyon Partnership. What were you doing before starting your own business? I was a wedding planner and I loved getting to know people intimately and creating their special day. But after getting divorced, I just didn’t feel I was serving those people to the best of my ability. That’s when I transitioned into matchmaking.

BUSINESS: HAYLEY BYSTRAM What are the three crucial ingredients for a successful relationship? My partner and I are busy and navigating the working week can be a challenge, so communication is key. Not letting things build up, talking them through and planning diaries so you know each other’s expectations is really vital. Independence too. Having an interest in one another’s lives is good, but steer clear of treading on each others’ toes. Finally, avoid being ships passing in the night by setting aside special moments together amongst busy schedules. Digital and online dating is huge now. Why do you think people are finding it harder to meet the right person? It’s becoming increasingly hard to meet new people generally. It can feel normal to have relationships over text or WhatsApp. It’s about bringing back that face-to-face interaction. Our clients are timepoor, so we help to meet the right people with a high chance of compatibility. If someone is going through a challenging time in their relationship, how can they curb it impacting their business? Don’t brush it under the carpet. The longer you avoid dealing

with it, the bigger it becomes. Leaving things to fester is not a solution and if it means taking time out of the business to sort things, that is absolutely fine. How did you initially fund your business? As a start-up, I had no preconceptions. I went into it completely cold. Whilst going through a divorce I took the risk, jumping in with both feet. I quit my job, which ultimately was my motivation. At the time, I didn’t have a business plan; it was about identifying the market and just going at it all guns blazing. I had no funding and I started working from my kitchen table, keeping costs incredibly low. How did you find new clients? Networking! I went to social events, spoke to people and had the confidence to casually ask them, ‘Are you single?’ Looking back, I suppose I must have looked quite suspicious! Today 70 per cent of our business comes via personal referral. Word-of-mouth is no quick solution but a long-term gain. Tell us about a challenging time and how you overcome it? There are lots of challenges in business but generally you find a solution, navigating it so it doesn’t reoccur. Initially, some situations used to really unsettle

RECIPE FOR SUCCESS Good relationships are built on quality time, navigating through busy schedules and giving one another space, says Hayley

me, but now it’s water off a duck’s back. That is down to confidence that you only gain through experience. Challenges are very good for personal and business growth. You had your youngest child at 38. Do you feel it’s better for a woman’s career to have children later in life? I’ve got friends who had children in their early twenties who are doing fabulously and friends who are having them at 40. I don’t think there is any right or wrong. I think you adapt to the situation and make it work. How do you define success? Having choice and flexibility. In the early stages, I was working 24/7 because I was so enthusiastic about it. Now I can take a bit of time out to ensure I’m supporting my children too. What drives you? Having a team of truly amazing ladies around me, as well as inspiring clients who have given us heartfelt testimonials about how we have changed their lives for the better. It’s really touching and it drives me forward. Describe yourself in a word... Positive! bowes-lyonpartnership.co.uk

www.modernwoman.co

‘LOVE AND OTHER CRIMES’ 9 MADDOX STREET, MAYFAIR, LONDON 0207 870 7622 | INFO@MADDOXGALLERY.CO.UK MADDOXGALLERY.COM @MADDOXGALLERY

A4-MADDOX-LOVE-ADVERT/MODERN-LUXURY-FINAL.indd 1

EXHIBITION: 8TH - 28TH FEBRUARY 2019 A GROUP EXHIBITION DISPLAYING WORKS BY ‘EMERGING, ESTABLISHED AND BLUE CHIP ARTISTS’

31/01/2019 20:42

ADVERTISING PROMOTION: MADDOX GALLERY

Crime of passion Maddox Gallery is renowned for its carefully curated spaces, its impressive roster of artists and its Instagram-friendly floral displays. Modern Woman look ahead to its first exhibition of 2019: Love and other Crimes

ot content with being hailed as London’s hottest art destination, Maddox Gallery also has two global outposts (and four in London), including at the luxury alpine resort of Gstaad and most recently in Los Angeles, where it opened last year to great acclaim. Led by creative director Jay Rutland, the luxury art powerhouse specialises in contemporary and modern art and has built a reputation for sourcing and exhibiting exclusive, cutting-edge art from both internationally celebrated and emerging artists. The gallery’s team of experts handpicks each artist, and every artwork is carefully curated within the brand’s spaces to showcase the finest artwork by emerging, established and blue chip artists. Works are available from the likes of Warhol, Basquiat, Hambleton, Koons, Murakami and KAWS, as well as from Maddox’ represented roster, which includes talent such as David Yarrow, The Connor Brothers, Mila Alexander, Bradley Theodore, Mr. Brainwash, RETNA, Dan Baldwin and many more besides. Opening on 8 February, Maddox Gallery presents Love and Other Crimes at its flagship Mayfair townhouse on Maddox Street. The exhibition of love-themed works is a nuanced meditation on the theme of love and all it signifies, interpreted by some of the world’s greatest artists. Love and Other Crimes will celebrate the rawness of humanity’s most powerful emotion expressed through a variety of different media, from painting to print to sculpture. It will comprise over forty arresting works, including Banksy’s famous Girl with Balloon, Tracey Emin’s Wanting You and Robert Indiana’s Four Panel Love. Maddox Gallery is also renowned for its floral displays, which have become a social media phenomenon since the gallery’s inception in 2015. Attracting hundred’s of visitors a day, the displays provide an attractive backdrop for those seeking the perfect image for Instagram. Visitors tend not to take a quick shot and leave but rather spend their time crafting the perfect photograph to be shared across social channels. In celebration of its first exhibition of the year, the façade of Maddox Gallery’s Mayfair townhouse will feature a striking floral design, the

biggest to date, befitting the show’s theme. Moreover, it will be the gallery’s first interactive flower wall, enabling visitors to take pictures in which the display will come to life.

Love and Other Crimes runs from 8 – 28 February Maddox Gallery, 9 Maddox Street London, W1S 2QE; maddoxgallery.com

www.moderwoman.co

SCOUTING For Girls Casting director SANDI BASS has a wealth of experience in the fashion industry. Once a model for Givenchy, she currently works as an international model scout for Red Model Management. Interview by Rosie Coxshaw

the Listen to at Podcast / oman.co modernw ts s podca

Issue 4

BUSINESS: SANDI BASS How did you start off in the modelling industry? I was raised in Nashville, Tennessee and at 18, I decided that I wanted to be a model, so I moved to LA. After knocking on a lot of doors, I couldn’t get hired by an agency, but I believed that one day it would manifest as something that I wanted. I then got a break with Hubert de Givenchy, modelling for him in Beverly Hills and later as his muse in Paris. How did you first encounter Givenchy? I approached an agency and the lady said, ‘Darling, why don’t you just go and have lunch, you’re so small, you’re never going to fit these clothes.’ I was very thin, but healthy. I’ve never had an eating disorder, I’m just naturally small. Two years later she called and asked, ‘Are you still thin?’ I said, ‘Yes’, to which she replied, ‘Well, can you go up to the Beverly Hills Hotel because none of my models are fitting the clothes, maybe you could.’ I was so excited because Givenchy was there, and he loved the way I walked, how I presented myself – and I fitted the clothes! I was supposed to stay six months in Paris, but ended up staying six years. From there, all the other designers came: Valentino, Lagerfeld, Dior. Do you think it’s still as difficult to become a model today? I had a great career as a model up until I was 48. I lived in Paris for six years, Rome for six years and Tokyo for five years. I worked all those markets and was very successful in them, especially as a woman of colour. This lead me to become a model scout and I worked with the agency in Tokyo and then came back to America with Red Model Management. It’s different today for many reasons. Firstly, because of social media, information is more accessible. Secondly, there is greater diversity and less ageism.

I’ve just placed two mature models at Red called Debra Shaw and Stacey McKenzie. I’m also looking to include plus-size models; the industry is changing for the better. How do you feel social media has affected the industry? We can’t deny that it’s a great platform, but models today want success quickly. I think we need to be savvy on social media, rather than just flaunting our personal lives. We need to think what else we have to offer and be interesting with it. Clients take this seriously when scouting and they will see if a model has an interesting personality via their social media. What is the secret of your success? I am focused. The connections I have made, I have kept because I am personal. I’ve kept my agency contacts over the years and it’s made it easier for me to pick up the phone and say, ‘Hi, I’m Sandi’, and they remember and want to help. I always say, ‘Be nice to those on the way up – you never know who you’ll meet on the way back down.’ What does a typical day look like? I wake up at 6:30am. The first thing I do is to centre myself, count my blessings, then pick up my phone and check my e-mails from Asia and Europe. I could work 24 hours but obviously I have to sleep! Sometimes I go to the office, others I work more like a butterfly. I get submissions from models via email all the time and I also scout over Instagram. If I’m at the office, I host castings and bring in new clients. I have three grandchildren, who I’m so proud of. I visit them at the weekends as they live in Connecticut with my daughter and her husband. My life is pretty full and I completely love what I do. You’re really well-travelled.

ABOVE As a child, Sandi Bass grew up in the shadow of segregation. She went on to become a muse for the great Hubert de Givenchy and live a life of international superstardom

Where is the best place to live? I lived in Rome for five years and it was amazing. The other place I’d enjoy – perhaps when I’m older and want to relax – would be Cannes. I currently live in NYC. I love it but the pulse of city is busy and I often wonder how long I can keep it up for! What changes have you seen in women’s rights? Being a young women from Nashvillle, I felt segregation. I used to have to drink out of the fountains that said ‘coloured only’. When I went to the theatre, I used to have to go to the back where it said ‘coloured only’. I was brought up in the 1960s with Martin Luther King and John F Kennedy. I saw men and women of colour being sprayed with fire hoses. I lived through women of colour being suppressed and not even being able to vote. But I am proud of who I am today and I truly think women are awesome. We have the children, we are the ones who have the back bone. How do you define success? Sleeping well at night. Calm, peaceful. It’s about a feeling of comfort. You can have that with more or less money. If you could do it all again, what would you change? Absolutely nothing!

www.modernwoman.co

Heart of

DARKNESS Be still our beating hearts. Sultry overtones for a sizzling Valentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day. Ever mine, ever thine, ever ours Photography by Silvester Ray Styling by Melina Frangos

Top and trousers, both Milo Maria milomaria.com Shoes, Topshop topshop.com

Dress, Whistles whistles.com Shoes, Mango mango.com

Jumper and skirt, Mango mango.com Shoes, Jimmy Choo jimmychoo.com

Roll neck, Cos cosstores.com Dress, Joseph joseph.com Shoes, Dune London dunelondon.com

Dress, Joseph joseph.com Shoes, Aquazzura aquazzura.com

Blouse, Mango mango.com Dress, Milo Maria milomaria.com

Top, Milo Maria milomaria.com Trousers, Zara zara.com Necklace, Alighieri alighieri.co.uk

Dress, Topshop topshop.com Shoes, Aquazzura aquazzura.com Bracelet, Mikaela Lyons mikaelalyons.com

CREDITS Photography: Silvester Ray Fashion Stylist: Melina Frangos @melinafrangos Hair: Tim Furssedonn using R&Co  @tfurssedonn Make-up Artist: Jo Sugar @ Agency 105 using One Skin Skincare and Too Faced Cosmetics @jo_sugar @agency105world Model: Kriss Barupa @ First Models  @firstlondon @krissrupa Photographer Assistant: Richard Dowker @richarddowker Make-up Assistant: Binti Katelia @binti.k.makeup Hair Assistant: Donna Oliveiro @dboliveiro Shoot Location: Georgian House Hotel 35-39 George’s Drive London SW1V 4DG @georgianhouseldn www.georgianhousehotel.co.uk

Jacket and trousers, both Joseph joseph.com Body suit, Maison Lejaby maisonlejaby.com Shoes, Jimmy Choo jimmychoo.com

ORDER YOUR COPY OF MODERN WOMAN Issue 4 SAVE 50%

Subscribe today – Save 50% 6 issues from just £11.97 Modern Woman magazine publishes 6 issues per year and you can decide to have it delivered direct to your inbox or receive a printed copy on your desk or home address. PLUS you’ll have access to our daily news content and latest event happenings. Be part of the Modern Woman experience and be fearless.

To subscribe visit www.modernwoman.co/subscription @modernwoman_int

HEALTH & BEAUTY: PRODUCTS

2IS0CO% UNT

ISED RSONAL ON A PE TION FACIAL IP R C S ION PRE U MENT WHEN YO N WOMAN R MODE E MAGAZIN

INGENIOUS BEAUTY

*100% natural Ultimate Collagen+ Capsules; £42.99 for 90 Capsules (30-day supply); £23.99 for 15-day supply (travel pack); £109.99 for 270 capsules (triple jar mermaid gift pack); www.ingeniousbeauty.com Instagram: @ingenbeauty

ONE SKIN BEAUTY PRODUCTS *Vegan and Cruelty Free £7 – £52; 5ml, 30ml and 100ml www.oneskinproducts.com Instagram: @oneskinproducts

R&CO

Like a

NATURAL Woman

*Vegan- and cruelty-free Waterfall Moisture and Shine Lotion £25; 5 FL OZ; www.innersenses.co.uk Instagram: @rebelbeautybrands

Vegan- and cruelty-free are the hottest buzzwords in the beauty industry. Products that are kinder to the environment, ethical and better for your skin are going mainstream. High time too, says Jo Sugar For product reviews visit moderwoman.co

NUDESTIX

*Vegan- and cruelty-free Tinted Blur £28; www.cultbeauty.com Instagram: @nudestix

TOO FACED

IGK HAIR

*Vegan- and cruelty-free Crybaby Anti-Frizz Smoothing Serum; £25; 1.5 FL OZ www.SpaceNK.com Instagram: @igkhair

INNER SENSES

*Vegan- and cruelty-free Organic beauty and wellbeing face and body oils; £7 – £52; 5ml, 30ml and 100ml www.innersenses.co.uk Instagram: @inner_senses_organics

*Vegan- and cruelty-free Better Than Sex and Diamonds Mascara, Limited Edition; £28; 8ml Available at: John Lewis, Debenhams and Selfridge’s Instagram: @toofaced

www.modernwoman.co

Listen to the Po d c a st at mode rnwom an.co/ podca sts

MARINE life MARINE TANGUY is the founder of MTArt agency and an advocate for more realistic messages across social media. She tells Nancy Larman why she’s wary of advice, and how growing up on an island with more birds than people tuned her into the art world

Issue 4

uck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. So the saying goes, and I’m reminded of it as Marine Tanguy, founder of MTArt agency and one of Forbes’ ‘30 under 30’ talks of having set up her first gallery at just 21. She reflects, ‘I guess it’s constant luck in meeting the right people. I was lucky to be the General Manger of the Outsiders Gallery which worked with street artists such as Banksy.’ After that, she professes herself fortunate to have been approached by an investor from LA to open her own gallery by dint of the fact that ‘he liked the way I was managing the gallery

at the time.’ From there, the ‘luck’ kept on coming, as she describes how, ‘from running my own gallery in LA, I was exposed to the top Hollywood agencies. I was intrigued by the way they operated, which gave me the inspiration to set up MTArt and bring the model back to London.’ Luck alone has little to do with it. It helps of course, but Marine Tanguy is one of those people whose tenacity and acumen seem to consistently combine to create stellar results. The MTArt agency was founded in 2015 and focuses exclusively on up-andcoming contemporary artists. ‘We are a visual arts agency,’ she explains. ‘We have in excess

BUSINESS: MARINE TANGUY of 200 artists apply monthly and our selection committee chooses the best each month. Those who are successful sign with us and our team works with them to build their reputation.’ It is a fascinating concept, borrowed, she explains, from the business approach towards music agency. As a scout, how has she attuned her eye to zero in on what qualities are a reliable indicator of future success? The approach, she says, is both methodical and instinctive. ‘Our committee will look at how innovative they are, the content of the art, their vision, as well as the individual as a person: how driven and passionate they are. It’s about talent married with someone who is hungry for it.’ It’s all a far cry from her early years spent on an island called Ile de Ré in France with a population of 6,000 people, where there are more birds than people. ‘It’s very small,’ she says. ‘There are no high school or hospitals, it is very rural. I was always on my bicycle. I have fond memories but it couldn’t be further from how I live today.’ It was, however, instrumental in informing her early love of art. As she says, ‘When you come from a small place, the conversations are very few. To give you an idea, when I was six, there were only six people the same age near me and I started reading. Books, art, movie or dance were a way for me to escape and get exposed to world that was much bigger and transport myself there.’ Despite identifying her destination early, her trajectory was nonetheless chequered. She laughs, ‘I’m a double drop-out student! I did my first degree in Classics and Philosophy.. I dropped out because I didn’t want to be a professor.’ Next up was a move to London, aged 19, to become an au pair and reapply to university. ‘I got into Warwick to study History of Art but also got into the BBC for the Culture Show, with Andrew GrahamDickson. When I was on the

show, I thought it was amazing that people get paid to work on something that is so interesting. It was the BBC that inspired me further into arts.’ Marine’s career has been steeped in the eschewal of advice from well-meaning would-be mentors, preferring to pick her own path and, when she needs to, learn from her own mistakes. ‘At times I should have listened,’ she considers ‘But we’ve gone in such a different direction to the industry. Everyone at the time thought it was a terrible idea but it works.

You learn to surround yourself with those who give you the right advice for your business. Sometimes when people tell you it’s the worst idea, it can turn out to be the best!’ Cutting her teeth as a young entrepreneur, she experienced digital bullying. ‘When you’re young and inexperienced it’s really hard and I didn’t know how to respond. It felt very personal but a few years down the line, I realise it’s what can happen when you’re in the public eye.’ Today she works with M&C Saatchi on a partnership called

ABOVE Marine Tanguy sources new artists and supports them to build portfolios and reputations

Visual diets. She expands, ‘In LA, I was shocked by the influence of certain types of online celebrities, such as Kim Kardashian. MTArt is working with artists that talk about environmental changes, culture integration, gender issues, motherhood and things aimed to help you grow. In comparison, some online influencers with more narcissistic lifestyle content can make girls feel insecure.’ The idea is to use marketing and PR to create better content. ‘When I researched, I realised the mental health impact, especially on young women being exposed to influencers’ content, which is then reinforced with adverts on the high street. It can lead to terrible insecurity. TED asked me to do a talk on it and we started working with M&C Saatchi. As an advertising company they want to produce creative, cultural content without taking part in adverts that can do harm.’ What then, in the Instagram culture, would constitute better content? ‘Anything that is too ego-centred should not be consumed too much,’ she says. ‘For example, girls with incredible lifestyles can make you feel you need to compete. Instead, stories can be inspiring and authentic, with visuals that are appealing to different cultures and lives. This is where Visual Diets wants to change things.’ Marine feels positive about the strides taken towards equality, professing herself ‘definitely freer than, say, my mum and my granny in terms of my rights and opportunities’, but, she says, there’s a way to go. ‘I have already had a few comments about the company being challenged because I’m currently pregnant, yet my boyfriend has a company and no one seems to be worried about whether his company will survive when the baby arrives!’ No doubt, this ‘lucky’ lady will manage the two roles admirably, away from the glare of polished social media. www.mtart.agency

www.modernwoman.co

MUSIC: LEADING LADIES

Lil Baby feat Lil Bebe DANILEIGH Discovered by Prince, DaniLeigh signing to the legendary Hip Hop label Def Jam in 2017 means there’s a lot of heat around this 23-yearold future star. Her wonderful 2018 track, All I Know, used elements from Aretha Franklin’s One Step Ahead and Deniece Williams’ Free; the momentum has been free flowing ever since. This track captures the zeitgeist immaculately. The Miamiborn singer/rapper has unloaded possibly her biggest number yet, collaborating with ATL rapper Lil’ Baby on this club banger. She pops this groove with a bold and sassy delivery and I think she has the potential to surpass the likes of Nicki Minaj and Cardi B in the Hip Hop/R&B charts.

MUSIC Box RONNIE HEREL tunes into the hottest tracks of the new year

Imagine ARIANA GRANDE Pop songstress Ariana returns in 2019 with a heartfelt bass line ballad. While fans are speculating that it’s about her ex, U.S rapper Mac Miller, who tragically passed away at his California home last year, the Florida-born singer hasn’t commented on that, but its delivery certainly packs an emotionally-charged punch. As ever, her raw R&B influences shine through, even with the polished production at the poppier end of her music hitting mainstream radio. She always proves that she’s got soul and that soul is magnified on this one.

Issue 4

MUSIC: LEADING LADIES

Shot Clock ELLA MAI This 19-year-old UK singer/ songwriter and actress is putting the fun and sass back into pop R&B music right now. Her recently released Seasons EP showcases five original songs and there continues to be a lot of heat on this Leicester-born talent, who was signed to a major label (Atlantic Records) at the tender age of 13. The acoustically bouncy Honeymoon is a standout track, delivered with a British quirkiness that is refreshing in contemporary R&B.

Blurred Lines JOYCE WRICE Blurred Lines marks a welcome return from the Cali-born lady who delivered the killer – and immensely popular – track, Good Morning, in early 2017. The 24-year-old has kept that refreshing, soothing style of R&B coming and she doesn’t disappoint with this track. Blurred Lines has a 90s cool vibe about it and yet sounds superfresh. It’s a tune of two parts, switching up from a warm sweet tone before transposing into a darker-edged section some three minutes in. I can’t wait to see what else Wrice has in store for us in 2019 and beyond.

Feel MYNA Everything Myna does has a luscious smooth, quirky jazz feel to it and as catchy as you like too. This 19-year-old singer/songwriter is making a serious name for herself as an indie artist; since the release of her debut EP, ROY G BIV, she has garnered an impressively dedicated following. If you’re enjoying the likes of Jhene Aiko and SZA as young breakout artists de jour, Myna’s latest is absolutely unmissable.

www.modernwoman.co

FOOD & DRINK: EATING OUT

Food for

THOUGHT Out to lunch: Rosie Coxshaw gobbles her way around the capital, around the clock

Issue 4

CAFÉ FORTY ONE La Suite West, Hyde Park, 41-51 Inverness Terrace, W2 3JN: www.lasuitewest.com/cafe-forty-one London’s only vegan French pâtisserie can be found in the sleek surroundings of La Suite West Hotel, a two-minute walk from Bayswater. The café offers the plethora of vegan delights, whether you’re here for breakfast, lunch or afternoon tea. We plump for the latter, intrigued to tuck into this alternative take on that most quintessential English meal. There’s no clotted cream or jamlayered scones or feeling full before you’ve begun here. Rather, expect all the indulgence without the calorie-laden fatty content. A three-tiered stand proffers mini quiches and sandwiches bursting with hand-made vegan ingredients, including the likes of smoked carrot ‘salmon’; BLT with aubergine ‘bacon’ and mayonnaise on sourdough; and a mediterranean hummus and cucumber on farmhouse loaf. We wash it down with a delicate brew of Earl Grey, which also proves the perfect accompaniment to a stunning selection of desserts. Pistachio and milk chocolate brioche, shortbread with chocolate cube, and caramel creme pâtisserie minus the standard dairy, eggs and other animalderived products are just some of the insanely good treats on offer that threaten to turn even the most disciplined amongst us into gluttons. The brainchild of head chef Clarisse Flon, who is working wonders to achieve the hotel’s ambition to develop the first fully vegan hotel in London, Café Forty One takes inspiration from across the globe and then spins it with a vegan – and thus environmentally friendly – twist.

FOOD & DRINK: EATING OUT

THE WALLACE COLLECTION Peyton and Byrne at The Wallace Collection, Manchester Square, W1U 3BN www.peytonandbyrne.co.uk The Wallace Collection’s courtyard is the exquisite location for Peyton and Byrne’s French-style brasserie. Its high ceilings, smattering of trees and – of course – sculptures, ensure that this Manchester Square stalwart, a stone’s throw from Selfridge’s, is every bit as elegant as the sublime collections its gallery houses. Refined to its core, it is an ideal spot to catch up with a friend over lunch. Greeted with a glass of prosecco upon arrival, we swiftly order a chicken and lentil salad accompanied by homemade sourdough bread still warm from the oven with lashings of butter. We could eat it all day, but instead we are strict enough to leave room for another healthy choice: a charred cod with white bean and garlic puree, rosemary-roasted tomatoes, fine beans, niçois olive crumb and a roasted supreme of chicken, creamed baby leeks, wild mushrooms, cèpe velouté with vegetables as a side. Both dishes are light, perfectly cooked yet wholesomely filling. We resist dessert, but the chef insists and delivers a selection of delightful petit-fours (what could we do?). Sated, we spend a happy hour exploring The Wallace Collection, an outstanding collection which contains masterpieces amassed by the Marquesses of Hertford and Sir Richard Wallace. Fine food and fine art; was there ever a more winning combination?

MAC & WILD Mac & Wild, 9A Devonshire Square, EC2M 4YN; macandwild.com Mac & Wild is one of a growing number of seriously good restaurants on Devonshire Square, a short bustle from Liverpool Street station. Exposed brick work, earthily rustic great slabs of wooden tables and artfully battered long banquettes constitute the casual-yet-trendy dining requisite hallmarks de rigueur in Shoreditch; nowhere to be seen is the slickness so often associated with city establishments. No sooner have we installed ourselves at our rough-hewn table than a suitably robust bottle of Valcheta Malbec arrives to warm us from the big chill raging outside. This is the kind of place where sharing truly is caring, so together we devour two delicious plates of ‘fish bites’ and ‘tattie tots’ to limber up for the main events: venison chateaubriand and the Macduff’s rib-eye steak. Both are the kinds of cuts so succulent and well-sourced that it would be a crime to over-embellish them which, thankfully, this confident kitchen has not. To contextualise, the last time we scoffed a carnivorous feast this good, it was at the Hawksmoor, much-beloved of those Londoners yet to subscribe to veganism. The side dishes of extra chips and the truffle mac and cheese were great, but one would have sufficed; these flavours pack a serious punch. We squeeze in desserts, naturally; a sticky toffee pudding with whisky caramel sauce and milk ice cream should win all the awards going. Great for a casual night with exceptional food, the latter of which rarely comes cheap in the capital, but you do get value here.

www.modernwoman.co

Survival of the

FITTEST

WENDY COULSON is CEO of Les Mills for the UK and Ireland. She tells Rosie Coxshaw why she swapped banking for keeping the nation fit, and how resilience is key to scaling the business heights

‘C

hoose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life’, goes the old adage. For Wendy Coulson, CEO of Les Mills, which delivers researchedbased fitness programmes and coaches personal trainers the world over, it could scarcely be more apt. As she says, ‘I don’t ever have the Sunday night blues and even when I have a challenging day, because it’s my passion and I believe in it, it

Issue 4

doesn’t feel like work.’ For Coulson, the process began at grass roots on the gym floor. ‘I actually started in banking back in the 1980s,’ she explains. ‘I worked there for 10 years but in my spare time I loved fitness, so I started teaching classes and decided to follow my passion and make a career change.’ There are, she says, three things in life that truly excite her: people, fitness and business. Happily, over the past 20 years at Les Mills, founded 50 years

BUSINESS: WENDY COULSON

Listen to the Po d c a st at mode rnwom an.co/ podca sts

ago in New Zealand, she has been able to satisfy all three of the elements of working life that make her tick. ‘I feel like I have a perfect job here at Les Mills,’ she eulogises. ‘It goes back to your why – why you do things. What makes me get up in the morning is to make a difference, whether that’s to my team, to our business or to someone else’s business. It’s about having a real sense of purpose.’ It’s a long road from teaching fitness classes to the top of the corporate tree. Today, she is CEO for Les Mills UK and Ireland, though the company is actually in 100 countries globally, with an instructor base globally of 140,000 people and 20,000 clubs. The brand’s founding ethos is to measure the trends in the industry and then deliver what is most relevant into health and fitness clubs to optimise members’ experience. ‘Gosh, I’m resilient,’ she laughs. ‘I do believe you can be anything you want to be. Did I ever think I’d become CEO of Les Mills UK? No. But did I aspire to making a

difference and dig in, work hard? Yes. I’ve failed many times, but I think you fail fast and move on. When I was younger, I used to aspire to a better role, but in retrospect I’ve enjoyed all the roles I’ve had regardless of the job title.’ Resilience is indeed crucial in business, and for Coulson it has been imperative. Winningly, she is as happy to share past failures and she is to trumpet successes. She recalls, ‘When my husband and I set up our business, my daughter was 18 months old. After a Sunday afternoon walk, we decided we could do this. Along the way, there have been massive learning curves. When it’s your own business you get up every day and if you don’t make it happen, it doesn’t happen and as it grows, you’ve got to trust in others to push the brand forward. This was one of my biggest challenges, both personally and professionally. There were times we didn’t pay ourselves because we had a team to pay, or we had to reinvest. They were tough times, we’d pay our mortgage, food bill and that was it!’ What, then, are the biggest challenges in the fitness industry? ‘The hurdle is always getting people into the habit of fitness and enjoying it. If you can crack that, then you can crack retention and this has always been an industry challenge. Only 14 per cent of the population

RESULTS ONLY Millennials want measurable results, says Wendy Coulson. She also predicts a big rise in digital immersive fitness experiences

belongs to a health club, so there is plenty of opportunity but it is competitive and always has been. It’s fast growing and people adopt quite quickly.’ It is vital, too, that she stays ahead of the fitness curve, as well as keeping personally active (she exercises six times a week, so as not to feel as though she’s missing out). ‘Digital innovation and immersive fitness are the next big things to look out for. We have a 3D immersive experience, but I think the industry still needs to help beginners and encourage more people to get into fitness. Millennials want an experience but they want results too, so this means lots of tracking – whether that’s how many steps you’ve done or how many calories you’ve burnt.’ Whilst being on top of trends translates to a more lucrative business, Coulson never loses sight of why she moved from banking to fitness in the first place. ‘If we go back to the purpose of what we do, which is to create a fitter planet, it’s about how we can impact peoples’ lives more than the bottom line. Whether that means bringing live classes to members, or at-home solutions for those who don’t want a live environment, it comes back to the members’ needs – every single time.’ As they say, the customer is king, and amen to that.

www.modernwoman.co

MW1_MAY18_A4V1_LDN:Layout 1

8/5/18

16:16

Page 1

stretch, grow + restore with unlimited yoga, pilates + barre at triyoga try 30 days for ÂŁ54* at triyoga camden / chelsea / covent garden ealing / shoreditch / soho book online at www.triyoga.co.uk *new visitors only. t+cs apply.

FITNESS: POPPY CROSS

Reframe the

PICTURE POPPY CROSS embraces winter with help from David Goggins’ tale of inspiration

ow is winter treating you? Are you feeling pumped, smashing goals and growing with the lessons that come with each new day? If not, worry not: perhaps it’s just time to reframe those negative thoughts. To get yourself into the correct mindset, I recommend you read bestseller, Can’t Hurt Me, by David Goggins. This book gave me a sharp reminder of the power of using the tough hands life deals you and transforming dud cards into winning aces. It also reminded me of what real adversity looks like. Goggins tells the horrors of his hellish childhood in chilling detail. At just six, he was enduring daily beatings from his father and spending hours doing the most gruesome work alongside his mother and older brother. ‘I went to work, fishing bloody tampons out of shit-filled toilets, airing the lingering cannabis haze out of bathrooms, scraping bacterialoaded gum off the rink floor,’ he writes. When his mother finally presses the panic button during one such brutal beating in a desperate plea for help, the police don’t take her seriously. Yet Goggins uses this seemingly immovable mountain of adversity to transform himself ‘from the weakest piece of shit on the planet into the hardest man God ever created’. From a scared, beat-up little boy who struggled at school to a U.S.

Armed Forces hero and one of the world’s top endurance athletes, he is the only man in history to complete elite training as a Navy SEAL, Army Ranger, and Air Force Tactical Air Controller. If you’re thinking that this story would be impossible to relate to, think again. Goggins’ story – albeit extreme – is surprisingly universal. His theory is that most of us tap into only 40 per cent of our capabilities. He calls this ‘the 40

Goggins signed himself up for excruciating physical pain in order to find peace. He imagined the end goal. He imagined feeling fulfilled, strong and at ease. And isn’t that what we all do to varying degrees? per cent rule’, illuminating a path that anyone can follow to push past pain, demolish fear, and reach their full potential. Goggins signed up for excruciating physical pain in order to find peace. He imagined the end goal. He imagined feeling fulfilled, strong and at ease. And isn’t that what we all do to varying degrees? Aren’t we all searching for peace, happiness and fulfilment? To leave the earth feeling like we have made an

impact. Goggins wasn’t born feeling strong or capable, but life put him in a position that showed him that the only way through hell was to rise up stronger. Goggins’ tenacity and power lies in reframing negative self talk. His words encourage us all to transform our battles into opportunities to learn, to grow and to come out victorious. If you’ve been thinking winter is a hard and bleak month, stop! It’s a great chance to focus on your goals and start acting in ways which will allow you to meet them. As Goggins says, ‘It’s time to go to war with yourself.’ To start, he suggests writing down anything that is limiting your growth and success, without sparing any detail. Next, share your list with close friends, family or even on social media using his hashtags #badhand #canthurtme. From here I suggest creating Specific Measurable Achievable Realistic Time-specific goals. If he can do it, the majority of us can sure as hell get through winter feeling damn fortunate. If you are on a health kick, then also keep in mind that Goggins started his fitness journey when he was more than 100 pounds overweight but he went on to set records in numerous endurance events, inspiring Outside magazine to name him ‘The Fittest (Real) Man in America’. His story is for everyone who wishes to reach way beyond that 40 per cent capability limit.

www.modernwoman.co

KEEPKeeping ON On The London property market is stable despite Brexit turmoil. Might it just be the time for savvy wouldbe developers to invest, asks NICOLE BREMNER, who gets the word on the street from property professionals on the frontline. The consensus? Roll with the punches and keep moving 48

Issue 4

f there is a silver lining to recent political wrangles, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s that theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve shifted attention away from the perceived woes of the property market. Without the daily focus on the ups and downs of the various indicators, UK property prices quietly edged upward during 2018, albeit at a slower pace than in recent years. Is trend your friend, as the saying goes, and therefore time to consider buying?

PROPERTY: NICOLE BREMNER

Dan McPeake of Nest Seekers believes the time to buy is right now, ahead of the Brexit decision in March. ‘The last quarter of 2018 saw an uplift of 13 per cent in central London sales, mirroring its resilience to the crash in 2007. Why? Because London has history. And, crucially, developers have become realistic about their pricing. With the US dollar so strong against the pound, a newly established American Embassy and a predicted increase of 20 per cent in the pound after Brexit, there has never been a better time to invest in the world’s blue chip location: London.’ While it’s easy to discount this as estate agent rhetoric, senior property professionals indicate that they’re starting to see more activity. Alex HarringtonGriffin, founder of Developers Boardroom, surveyed a number

of his members and came to the same conclusion, that last year vendor expectations were the biggest obstacle to growth in property development. After such rapid growth in property markets, many vendors were unrealistic about the value of their properties. As a result, developers and potential buyers struggled to find value. East London developer, Zuzie Poskitt, director or NestEast, agrees. ‘If only owners were more realistic about pricing and agents more transparent,’ Zuzie says with a smile. She has a good reason; many of her boutique developments in Hackney have sold well thanks to the Help to Buy scheme, despite a challenging market. Victoria Taylor, founder of eponymous development company, believes it is time to go against the tide. ‘The market

The last quarter of 2018 saw an uplift of 13 per cent in central London sales, mirroring its resilience to the crash in 2007. Why? Because London has history. Businesses want to be here. And, crucially, developers have become realistic about their pricing.’ CAPITAL GAINS Most pundits predict a rise of 15 per cent in properties across the capital, making this tricky market a great time for new investors

is always changing and so are mindsets. The biggest skill to have lies in knowing how to roll with these changing times and keep moving forward. In buoyant markets, everyone is active but when it gets tough, most people prefer to wait it out. Only those with the right skills will trust their instincts and find the right opportunities.’ This all sounds positive but what about those considering starting out as developers? I believe it is. With pundits predicting house price growth of around 15 per cent across the capital over the next five years, now could be the time to buy at the bottom of the market. While we can’t predict the next big strategy or by how much property prices will, if at all, increase over 2019, we can be sure that the property cycle is just that: a cycle. For those interested in investing, the current Brexit turmoil could just offer up the perfect buying opportunity because, let’s face it, you need to start some time.

www.modernwoman.co

Total Design Works is a print and web design agency that gives you the opportunity to market your business across a wide range of platforms through visual creation in both print and digital design.

Responsive Website Design

Print Design

powering the world of recruitment

Branding

Print Management

Call one of our team for an informal chat and a no-obligation quote on 0330 223 0550 or email info@totaldesignworks.com

TOTALDESIGNWORKS Creative Agency 34-36 High Road, London E18 2QL www.totaldesignworks.com

ADVERTISING PROMOTION: THE CURTAIN HOTEL

Members only The Curtain is east London’s hottest new members’ club, where women are front and centre

idden away within a five-star hotel sits The Curtain Members’ Club, an exclusive haunt in the heart of vibrant Shoreditch. At barely 18 months old, it is already making its mark. Forget the smoky gentlemen’s clubs of yore; this bright and bold space is all about women. The Curtain team’s mission? To create a community of female leaders from all industries. It provides a packed programme of events that spans panel discussions with entrepreneurs and coding workshops; yoga classes set to R&B tunes; and masterclasses in making your own all-natural beauty products. Expect weekly club nights and show-stopping live music performances also in the mix; we’re sworn to secrecy on upcoming acts but past stars include Courtney Love, Idris Elba, Miguel and Leon Bridges. Its stellar credentials run throughout the operation. Members have access to a rooftop restaurant and pool, a lido whose roof comes off when temperatures rise; a bright and airy co-working space where you can get down to business; a tattoo studio (yes, really); a private cinema; a fairy-lit restaurant; a wood-panelled cocktail bar; and a Studio 54-inspired nightclub, named LP. There is also a state-of-the-art gym, open 24/7, which features, amongst

its cutting edge equipment, two Peloton spinning bikes. There are fitness classes six days a week, personal trainers on staff and discounts on sessions in neighbouring workout studios such as BLOK and Frame. And if you’re in the mood for some pampering? Then check out the wellness centre with its wide array of massage therapies, plus celebrity favourite, Imarni Nails, renowned for its spectacular nail art. Members also enjoy discounts in The Curtain’s restaurants and bars, including Red Rooster, which serves up soul food accompanied by live music seven days a week, as well as getting discounts on its 120 spectacular bedrooms and suites. If you’re interested in learning more, email the team on women@thecurtain.com, and quote ‘Modern Woman’ to receive an exclusive membership rate. The Curtain, 45 Curtain Road, London EC2A 3PT 020 3146 4545; thecurtain.com; @thecurtainLDN

www.moderwoman.co

LAST WORD: HISTORICAL HEROINES

‘M

y mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humour, and some style.’ That Maya Angelou, the American poet, memoirist, singer and civil rights activist achieved that mission with some dash and bravery is incontestable; her execution of that passionate life little short of remarkable. Born Marguerite Annie Johnson in 1928 in St Louis to Bailey Johnson, a doorman and naval dietician, and Vivian, a nurse, professional gambler and bar owner, she and her brother – also Bailey – were sent to live with their religious paternal mother after their parents’ separation, in the segregated town of Stamps, Arkansas. Here, formatively, Bertha Flowers, an educated black citizen, encouraged Maya to read Austen, Dickens and Shakespeare and via Flowers’ influence she developed an abiding love of the spoken word. But five years later, aged eight, she would suffer a trauma so terrible it would silence her: she was raped by her mother’s boyfriend. When she confided the abuse to her brother, he told the rest of the family. After her abuser’s release from a very brief spell in prison, he was murdered, most likely by Angelou’s uncles. This horror, followed by the terrifying power of having spoken the truth, rendered Angelou mute for five years. Yet she found her voice. A move to San Francisco, that liberated city, gave her the impetus to take dance lessons, at which she excelled; she earned herself an audition for professional theatre. But the arrival of her son when she was just 16 put paid to her ambitions; she moved to San Diego, slid into drugs, prostitution and dancing in a strip club. This may have

Issue 4

Still I

RISE

MAYA ANGELOU: activist, author, poet, performer

stemmed them forever, as she wrote of in Gather Together in My Name (1974), the second volume in her autobiographical sequence. But still she rose. Life is rarely linear in its trajectory of triumphs and adversity and, true to its mysterious workings, it was the strip club that would prove her salvation. It was there that she was discovered by a theatre group, who cast her in Porgy and Bess, and with whom she toured 22 countries from 1954 to 1955. After that shaping year, Angelou moved to New York, where she would befriend seminal Harlem writers, John Oliver Killens and James Baldwin, who encouraged her to take her creative work seriously. It is also when she became involved in the civil rights movement. Soon after, Angelous moved to Africa, along with her son, following her new love, the South African civil rights activist,

ABOVE Maya Angelou fought for civil rights with both Malcolm X and Martin Luther King

Vusumzi Make. There she worked as a journalist for the Arab Observer, taught at the University of Ghana and met Malcolm X, whom she returned to the US to work alongside. After his assassination, she collaborated with Martin Luther King, whose own murder on 4 April 1968 – Angelou’s 40th birthday – ripped her world apart. The following year, she wrote I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, describing her childhood amidst the tensions between the races in the south during the Depression. Over the next four decades, she published six follow-up memoirs, detailing her life, through which she encouraged what she called ‘womanism’, as opposed to the Anglo-American feminism, which she felt lacked love and warmth. Womanism, by contrast, celebrated black women’s strength and understanding of their absolute equality with men. Angelou went on to deliver a poem for Bill Clinton’s inauguration in 1993 and later, when Obama was elected, she said: ‘We are growing up beyond the idiocies of racism and sexism.’ Later, he quoted her sage words: ‘History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again.’ Her kindness, too, is encapsulated in this heartstoppingly wise sentiment: ‘The thing to do... is to prepare yourself so you can be a rainbow in somebody else’s cloud. Somebody who may not look like you. May not call God the same name you call God - if they call God at all. I may not dance your dances or speak your language. But be a blessing to somebody.’

Patinated Bowl: Adi Toch / Image: Val Toch

Creative Short Courses t: 00 44 (0)20 7320 1842 w: londonmet.ac.uk/thecassshortcourses e: thecass.shortcourses@londonmet.ac.uk

You You can can You can now hail from now hail from You can now hail from kerb or app kerb or app

now hail from kerb or app kerb or app

Most Black Cabs now have…

Most Black Cabs now have…  Free USB charging  Many black cabs

 Hail from the Kerb or App

will be electric soon!

 Free WiFi  Free Free powercharging socket have…  Hail from the Kerb orBlack App  USB  Many black cabs Most Cabs now will be electric soon!  FreeALL WiFitaxis now accept  Free power socket contactless and Credit cards! Most Cabs now have…  Hail from the Kerb orBlack App  Free USB charging  Many black cabs will be electric soon!  Free WiFi  Free power socket ALL taxis now accept contactless and Credit cards!  Hail from the Kerb or App  Free USB charging  Many black cabs will be electric soon!  Free WiFi  Free power socket ALL taxis now accept contactless and Credit cards!

Download one of the FREE Apps and start travelling in style

Download one of the FREE Apps and start travelling in style ALLone taxisof now and Credit cards! in style Download theaccept FREEcontactless Apps and start travelling Download one of the FREE Apps and start travelling in style 15379-LTDA_ E1ife_Ad_4.indd 1

19/12/2017 14:22

15379-LTDA_ E1ife_Ad_4.indd 1

19/12/2017 14:22

15379-LTDA_ E1ife_Ad_4.indd 1

19/12/2017 14:22

15379-LTDA_ E1ife_Ad_4.indd 1

19/12/2017 14:22