SISTA TALK NEWS by Sistalk UK

IN THIS ISSUE MARCH 2012 | VOLUME 1 | ISSUE 1

10 FORWARD 3. THERESA MAY MP The Home Office Minister reveals her thoughts on why International Women’s Day is important for everyone. SPECIAL 5. BARONESS VERMA LEICESTER Keep the Flame Burning.

7. INDIA MARTIN GARY Shares all what’s best in her life.

UNSTOPPABLE 8. 18 impressive women from the world of banking, the church and business share what motivates them and keeps them at the top of their game. FEATURES 37. FIND YOUR FEMININE WHY Dion Johnson on why we dont need balls to suceed.

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38. G OT A MINUTE? Suzanne Simmons Lewis on overwhelmed professional to a peakophile.

39. LEADERS BEWARE Sherry Dixon dishes the dirt on the rise of female bullying in the workplace. 40. WHAT’S HOLDING YOU BACK? Claire Beegan on letting go of the stuff that weighs you down. 41. WHAT’S MONEY GOT TO DO WITH IT? Lisa Parsons on getting the money you need for your business. 41. STRESS FREE WEALTH Margot Toppin explains why stress could prevent you claiming your wealth. SPOTLIGHT 42. Spotlight on 6 emerging business leaders who live, love and thrive in business.

Marverene Cole on why more women are turning to beer.

I ntroduc tion from T H E R E S A M AY M P, Hom e S ecretar y a n d M ini s ter for Wome n a nd Eq ualities.

nternational Women’s Day is a day to celebrate all that women have achieved in business, in public service and in society. Events will be held in countries around the world – from Armenia to Zambia – to mark the occasion. It’s right that we celebrate the progress women have made. We now have many women in politics, in business, in charities, in science and in the arts. Women continue to play a central role in many communities - leading action to sort out run down areas, taking a stand against violence, helping to inspire the next generation. Women are making inroads in every area of society. But despite this dramatic progress, women today still face barriers to success. So in the current tough economic climate many people are asking what we can do to keep improving the position of women. I believe there is action that the Government can take to help women and there is action that women can take to help themselves.

Theresa May, MP Home Secretary and Minister for Women and Equalities

The top issue that women tell us they face is balancing work and family life. So we are helping women to take on that challenge in three key ways: increased support for childcare, greater flexible working and more flexible parental leave. On childcare, we’re providing more support by extending the right to 15 hours free education and childcare each week to 260,000 two year olds. That’s on top of our existing commitment of 15 hours each week for all 3 and 4 year olds. Under our Universal Credit welfare reforms we are also extending childcare support, for the first time, to those working under 16 hours per week and we’re making available an extra £300 million for childcare. As well as helping with the costs of childcare, I also want to challenge the myth that it is only mothers that need to, or benefit from, working flexibly. Research shows that flexible working is good for both business and families. So we will extend the right to request flexible working to everyone. This will help families to balance their work commitments and their caring, and it will allow businesses to benefit from a more modern and flexible workforce. I also want to revolutionise our outdated system of maternity and paternity leave. The current system just reinforces the old stereotype

that when a couple start a family, women should stay at home and look after the children and men should go out to work and earn the money. Under our proposed new system of flexible parental leave, both parents will have the chance to choose what is right for them and what is right for their family. That will make a real difference for working women and it will make a real difference for fathers. There are other ways we can help as well. For those on the lowest incomes, we are taking 1.1 million of the lowest paid workers out of income tax altogether, more than half of whom are women. And to help women reach the top of the ladder, we are working to get more women on to the boards of our top companies. I also want to do more to help those women with the ambition and the ideas to start their own business. That is why I launched a scheme to train and recruit 5,000 business mentors as part of a wider package of support for women who want to launch or grow a new business. The Department for Business subsequently announced that an additional 10,000 mentors would be recruited to support entrepreneurs. The training and support materials for all mentors reflect the specific needs of women, covering issues such as raising confidence, access to finance, and working from home.

“So I believe we have a good story to tell on what we’re doing to support women who want to get into work, get back into work, who want to get on in their careers or who want to start their own business”. But alongside these policies of practical support, I believe we also need to do something less tangible - we need to give women the confidence, the inspiration and the ambition to aspire to success. That means tackling the sexualisation of childhood, where too many young girls now grow up wanting, not to become successful female athletes, politicians or business people, but glamour models or reality TV stars. It means encouraging women to become apprentices, or to study the courses at A-level and university that will allow them to succeed in our globalised economy. And it means celebrating female role models in all walks of life. In that way, we can give all women the belief that they too can go as far as their talent, their hard work and their abilities will take them. I would welcome your help and your views on how we as a government can help all women achieve their true potential.

MARCH 2012 | WWW.SISTATALK.CO.UK |

M E S S A G E F R O M T H E E D I TO R

here’s something intoxicating about an idea that refuses to lay dormant. When I decided to put this magazine together to celebrate International Women’s Day; I am ashamed to confess that I didn’t give it a second thought about production timelines, long standing diary commitments and the stress I was going to put on my dream team to get this published. A few heated emails and words later, we unleashed the samurai spirit within us and set to work to produce this awesome magazine. I am still blown away by the women who

In their own amazing way, each woman featured in this newsletter are helping women smash through the barriers and glass ceilings that try to hold us back - one Jimmy Choo stiletto at a time! Who better to write the forward than Britain’s leading lady the Rt. Hon Theresa May, MP who explains why every woman matters and I thought we’d add the words of the First Lady who are on point explaining the role of women during this worldwide mancession we find ourselves in! Of course, I am blown away by the number of women who agreed to do interviews at short notice and when you read their stories, you cannot help but be inspired as they speak their truth. I recently read that if we continue to wait for perfection, nothing will get done. This is why it’s important that we value our own journey because progress starts with one step.

“You may shoot me with your words, you may cut me with your eyes, you may kill me with your hatefulness but still I care, I’ll rise.” Maya Angelou were prepared to share their stories, breakthroughs, words of wisdom and insights with us. But more importantly, producing this magazine reinforced that belief that when we are on ‘flow’, you cannot keep good women down irrespective of their workloads, pressures and that wretched saying ‘work life balance’.

Baroness Verma of Leicester is a strong advocate for equality and diversity and she has taught me (amongst others) the bigger the dream, the smaller the first step. The race for change is not for the swift, but for those who can endure. Read how she broke traditional norms to express her inner bliss and live life on her terms. Writing this magazine meant I got to hang out with and talk to some amazing Sheroes. Ingenious thinkers, who are unleashing great imagination and vision, as they transform the way women are seen and treated in business, politics and the workplace.

life. These emerging leaders and pioneers got their big idea off the ground and really are teaching us that we can have it all! Each year the challenges to start and grow businesses are greater; but whenever I do a project like this I am more committed to helping women fight systematic discrimination, inequality and rampant sexism in my own small but significant way. But I really have to say a massive thank you to all the people who I have met, worked with and more importantly, who continuously come together in their own unique way to make the world a better place for women. Yes, we have a long way to go especially when we hear of the shocking rise of rape, domestic violence and the struggle for the most basic freedoms but its good to know that more men are joining us to battle inequality in all its ugly forms. As Nick Clegg, the deputy Prime MInister said at the recent IWD Reception at 10 Downing Street “women’s issues are men’s issues!” It was a great honour to catch up with Baroness Scotland of Asthal about the Global Foundation for the Elimination of Domestic Violence, which she founded in 2011. Whatever you are doing today, I don’t think you can just flick through these extraordinary stories. Sit back, turn off the phone and be prepared to be inspired, motivated and empowered.

SISTATALK Sheroes

Celebrating Enterprise, Diversity and Leadership in Action www.sistatalk.com

MANAGING EDITOR

Sonia Brown MBE info@nbwn.org

DESIGN & PRODUCTION

Panache Occasions Ltd info@panacheoccasions.com

WEB DEVELOPER Dwayne Ferguson

www.newmediastar.co.uk

For all those women out there who feel they don’t have a voice and life has not panned out how you expected don’t give up hope, you just have to re-adjust your plans and get to doing what matters to you. I am pleased to include a section showcasing a group of young women who have an exciting and refreshing approach to running the business of their dreams. Many did not start their careers running a business but decided to choose a purpose to decide how they wanted to live life in the now. These women are unhindered by the rules and beliefs that have crippled the confidence of many women who want to feel enthusiastic and motivated by

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Sonia Brown MBE and Baroness Soctland outside No 10 Downing Street

BARONESS VERMA Why a love of histor y and going with life’s t wists and turns helped her find her true c alling and more. Baroness Verma is using her position to create postive and lasting change for women across the world

ach one of us will have someone, that one person that would have been the trigger for why we choose to do what

we do. Whether as a challenge or

choices. That is why it is so important

I have always surrounded myself with

to network, build up friendships, learn

positive thinkers, those that do to make

from others experiences and exchange

things happen rather than those that

contacts.

just talk about it, I also know that whilst I

sheer inspiration, you see in a person

My mentors have been people that I

something you want to emulate or

have met on the way, particularly if I look

completely reject and therefore change.

at my life in politics. I knew that I wasn’t

I am a person that has existed in the world of small business from the age of nineteen, I was a bright cookie and wanted to go to university but culture, tradition call it what you like, limited my choice to an arranged marriage, motherhood

and

supporting

husband. In fact it has turned out that

going to stand back and let the choices that women have, be determined without them and I knew that with women at the heart of decision making, decisions taken would be different, making the world we live in a much more balanced place. The great strength my mother gave

may have certain skills and contacts they will never be enough on their own and therefore I have never been shy to ask others for their networks and of course I have never minded looking stupid because I didn’t know something, better that than not ever having the courage to ask. I grew up with a great love for history because through the layers of history

prepared to go the extra mile. Women are necessary for economies to really flourish and grow, the shift in the numbers of women in paid employment, managing or leading business is on the rise. Globally there is shift taking place and women are at the heart of the shift, success is always achieved when causes and issues become a united mission”

you can find inspirational women have

As a girl born in India to working parents that came to the UK in 1960 with a nine

I have a great supporting husband and

me was in believing in myself and whilst

changed the face of history, Queen Jhansi

have made choices that although at times

I challenged almost everything my

in India, Indira Gandhi, Emily Pankhurst

month baby and three pounds in their

high risk, have resulted in remarkable

father stood for in relation to a females

and the Suffragettes are just a few. My

pockets, my parents taught me never to

opportunities. The same applications

position in the household, he taught

greatest joy is to read about ordinary and

fear the unknown and that failing was

helped me succeed in politics. Different

me to fight for what I saw as right and

extraordinary people that have impacted

when you made your aspirations to low

challenges but similar solutions.

stand up for others. We are surrounded

on the lives of others such as my friend

that you settled for a very low second

by phenomenal figures they may not all

who in her sixties is a great hit amongst

best.

lead multinationals, head companies or

disengaged youngsters just because she

be politicians but they are there.

has the patience to listen and win their

I look at my gender and am always wowed at how good we are at using naturally our soft skills, communicating is easy when we feel confident about our

Whether it is watching the impact

subjects but recoil into uncertainty and

of people like Michelle Obama, Hiliary

insecurity at things that are unfamiliar,

Clinton or Sonia Gandhi or those like

there lies the difference between most

Sonia Brown, Ruby McGregor Smith or

women and men. The thought of failure

Kanya King, all fantastic figures to watch

prevents us from taking the next step,

and listen too. What do they all share is a

the unknown space and therefore we

self belief and confidence to see a vision

find ourselves unconsciously limiting our

through.

trust or my manager whose a single mum and is determined that her daughter will have better life chances than her.

Recognition and awards help confirm that what you are doing is being recognised by others, it is important to receive recognition and equally important to recognise others and

“Careers are built on opportunities, confidence and belief. Those that succeed do so because they are always

celebrate their achievements. I know I have the power to change lives and so do you.

MARCH 2012 | WWW.SISTATALK.CO.UK |

Remarks by the

First Lady at International Wo m e n ’s D a y Reception.

reating new jobs and new opportunities in a fiercely competitive world demands policies that encourage and support American innovation and ingenuity. So I’m pleased that, on a bipartisan basis, the Senate has passed the most significant patent reform in over half a century. This long-overdue reform is vital to our on-going efforts to modernize America’s patent laws and reduce the backlog of 700,000 patent applications – which won’t just increase transparency and certainty for inventors, entrepreneurs and businesses, but help grow our economy and create good jobs. I want to thank Senators Leahy, Grassley and Hatch for their leadership on this issue, and I look forward to working with the House of Representatives to pass patent reform legislation I can sign into law. MRS. OBAMA: Oh, well. I’m done. I don’t have to do anything else. (Laughter.) MRS. OBAMA: Oh, my goodness. I love you all. This is an exciting, exciting day -- exciting. We had a fabulous morning at the State Department. And I hope you all are having just a lot of fun here this evening. We are just honored and delighted to have you here to celebrate International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month here at the White House. Yes. (Applause.) I have to start by thanking Aissatou for that beautiful, beautiful introduction and for all her hard work. C’est très bien. Merci. (Laughter.) We have to give her another round of applause. (Applause.) And also Shannon for her inspiring way of being, and for introducing our choir and for her extraordinary achievements. So let’s give her a round of applause as well. (Applause.) And I got to hear a little bit of that fabulous choir, the Washington

Performing Arts Society. (Applause.) We have to thank them for that inspirational performance as well. And I know that we have so many wonderful people here. We have some members of Congress who are here -- I see some faces scattered around. And I want to thank all of you for all the work that you do, the leadership that you provide, the time that you have taken out in your lives to fight for the issues that mean so much, not just for women and girls here in this country but around the world. We are proud of you. I am proud of you. Thank you so much. And finally, I want to recognize all of the extraordinary women who are gathered here tonight, because there are so many sprinkled about, including our wonderful Women of Courage Award recipients, all of whom I got to spend time with earlier today. (Applause.) These are women who work tirelessly, all of you, every day, to make not just countries more fair, more equal and more free, but often many of these women risk themselves and their families to get this work done. We have young women here like Shannon and Aissatou who are serving as peacemakers and ambassadors and community leaders here in America and around the world. And I see so many activists and advocates, pioneers who have devoted their careers to improving the lives of women. We are celebrating you all today. And tonight, I just want to say to all of you that your journeys, that your achievements and your very presence in this room are a perfect illustration of the progress that we’ve made since this day was first celebrated 100 years ago. We’ve come a long way, ladies! (Applause.) And we are celebrating those accomplishments here in America. Women are now the majority of graduates of colleges and universities. We make up nearly half of America’s workforce. We got to get paid more for it. (Applause.) But we do. Women are thriving in every sector of our society. We are leading businesses. We’re serving

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at the highest levels of government and the armed forces. We’re breaking barriers and succeeding in careers that our mothers and grandmothers never could have imagined. And as more opportunities have become open to women, that hasn’t just enriched our own lives. As we all know, it’s enriched the life of this nation. And that’s one of the reasons why we have to do this, because we need to remind ourselves and our country that we’re here because of us. Because we as a nation benefit from every girl whose potential is fulfilled; from every woman whose talent is tapped. We benefit as a nation. We as a nation benefit from their intelligence, from their hard work, from their creativity, from their leadership. And that’s not just true here in America. Time and again, we have seen that countries across the globe are more prosperous, they’re more peaceful when women are more equal and have the rights and opportunities they deserve. (Applause.) And that is why women and girls are a core focus of America’s engagement with the world, including our diplomatic and development work, and our work to prevent and respond to conflict. And that’s why here at home we continue our work to close the pay gap once and for all, to get that done. That’s why we continue our work here at home to bring women into fields like math and science. Keep studying your math. (Laughter.) We’re still under-represented. So we still have work to do.

“We continue our work to promote entrepreneurship and workplace flexibility so that women can contribute as fully as possible to our economy. And while we’ve made some important strides, all of you in this room know better than anyone else that this work is far from finished. We have so, so much more to do. You all know better than just about anyone that change is hard, and change

is slow. Many of you might not win the battles you’re fighting or see the progress you’re fighting for in your lifetimes. You know that. But I’m thinking tonight of a quote from the author Alice Walker, who once wrote, “So our mothers and grandmothers have more often than not anonymously handed on the creative spark, the seed of the flower they themselves never hoped to see.” And that is why all of you keep on fighting. That’s why all of you keep on leading and working toward a better day for all of us. You do it so that our daughters and granddaughters and, just as importantly, our sons and grandsons can have the opportunities that many of us only dreamed of. You do it because you know that your work could be the spark or that seed for the dreams and aspirations of girls like Aissatou and Shannon generations from now. This is why we do this work. We do it for you. We do it for you. So I want to close tonight by simply saying thank you. This is a small -- very small way for me, for my husband, for this administration to let you know just how proud we are of all that you do for women and girls. Our work is so far from done. But 100 years ago, we would have never imagined that we’d be standing here in the East Room of the White House -- (laughter) -- celebrating this day with this administration. So we have reason to celebrate. (Applause.) So thank you all for your commitment. Thank you for your passion. I am so honoured to have you here tonight. Enjoy. Eat. Drink. Dance. I am only standing on your shoulders. So please enjoy, and God bless. We have more work to do. Thanks so much. (Applause.)

India Martin Gary was listed one of the most influential black women in the UK.

ndia Gary Martin is one of those women who enters a room and immediately takes centre stage. She’s the ‘got to know’ person because when she talks, across the world, people listen to what she has to say. With over 20 years experience in Financial Services spanning over 3 continents working at some of the world’s leading financial services firms including, Deutsche Bank, Lehman Brothers, RBS and JPMorgan; it’s fair to say that India Gary-Martin deserved her place on the PowerList for the past three years as one of the 100 most influential black leaders in the UK. his power player exudes fierce and fabulous confidence in business and this US native is successfully challenging and demystifying the traditional male bastions in her sector with outstanding commitment to championing diversity issues in the workplace. This was demonstrated with great results in her previous roles at the Royal Bank of Scotland Group and Lehman Brothers. In 2007, India received the Women in Banking and Finance award for Outstanding Contribution to Diversity and the European Banking Technology award for Best Female Technologist. As

Let’s Talk Best Life Ever With the Amazing INDIA MARTIN GARY Managing Director at JPMorgan, she is responsible for managing the strategic agenda for the 13,000 person Technology & Operations division of the Investment Bank. She still continues to contribute to diversity initiatives at J.P. Morgan by leveraging both her professional and network experience. In her role as President of the well respected City Women’s Network - the premier network for senior professional women in London; she has spearheaded a number of diversity and leadership programmes that have kept its members at the forefront of the women’s agenda. In addition to these remarkable roles, India has undertaken a number of charitable and mentoring activities that encourage leadership skills in young people. She is the Chair of the Board of Trustees of LEAP, a charity that provides education and employment training for people from disadvantaged communities and also runs a mentoring circle for young people. Last but not least, she is also a member of the Tiffany Circle for the British Red Cross, a group of prominent women in the UK who are focused on philanthropy and who support specific British Red Cross projects.

SO WHAT KEEPS THIS TRAILBLAZER THE BEST? BEST - WAY TO KEEP MOTIVATED WHEN YOUR DIARY IS OVERFLOWING? I break down the work that I need to do into bite sized activities, always keeping the end in sight. It is easier for me to focus on the task at hand. If I try to focus on every thing that I have on my plate all at once, I could easily become overwhelmed!

BEST - CAREER WIN?

BEST - BOOK?

My biggest win is knowing that the people who work for me respect and trust my vision and leadership. It’s easier to build successful teams if people respect and trust you. They will go that extra mile for you often outperforming objectives and expectations.

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou. This is a classic that every person should read. I read it for the first time more than 20 years ago and find that it is still as relevant today. The book explores the complexities of gender and racial prejudice but also the importance and stability of deep family ties.

BEST - ADVICE TO YOUNG WOMEN LOOKING TO GET AHEAD IN THEIR CAREER? Be deliberate about the choices you make and don’t be haphazard about how you shape and plan your career path. That’s not to say that you shouldn’t be flexible but having a clear plan makes a big difference. It’s also really important to be authentic. Being who you are makes you unique and makes defining your ‘career’ identity a lot easier. BEST -HIDDEN TALENT? I love to cook! I make a great oxtail and butterbean stew which is a favourite of family and friends alike. BEST - HOLIDAY TO RECHARGE YOUR BATTERIES? We have a house in France which is in the middle of nowhere – there are no street lights and so the stars are bright. Our nearest neighbours live on a farm where we purchase fresh produce, and meat. Staying there means I get to go on long bike rides; eat healthy, fresh food and take time out from the business of life with my family. It’s great to be still, and cut myself away. BEST-PERSONAL CHARACTERISTIC FOR SUCCESS? Always do what you say you are going to do and be a person who stands by your word.

BEST - WAY TO MAKE YOU LAUGH? I am laughing all the time because I find humour in most things. If you are able to laugh at yourself it’s contagious and everyone around you laughs. BEST - ADVICE YOUR MOTHER GAVE YOU? She said that I can be whatever I want to be and do whatever I want to do. She always challenged me to take action and make it happen…and still does! BEST - ADVICE TO YOUR SON? My best advice is to remember that he has a mother, sister, aunts and grandmothers. Women are an integral part of his life. He should always treat women as he would want the women in is life to be treated. BEST BUSINESS STAPLE?

WARDROBE

A feminine dark suit with LaDiosa statement jewellery! BEST - WAY TO KEEP GROUNDED? To spend quality time with my family and closest friends. It’s important to remember and nurture those closest to you because if you ever lose it all, they will be all you have to support and raise your spirits. MARCH 2012 | WWW.SISTATALK.CO.UK |

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ACHIEVING SUCCESS

ON THEIR OWN TERMS

Sonia Brown MBE, talks to 18 Unstoppable Women who are putting their careers, organisations and businesses in the spotlight.

his edition of Sistatalk gave me the opportunity to interview what I can only describe as an amazing group of sHeroes from a

wide range of backgrounds and sectors. These are no ordinary women. They are the influencers; the doers, the trailblazers and emerging leaders in a wide range of disciplines, sectors and industries and they kindly gave up their time to share their secrets for success.

sponsorship; these powerful women are committed to giving back and helping the next generation of leaders and thought leaders to excel in their field. We must continue to raise their aspirations and ambitions and encourage them to and be inspired by role models, coaching and by each other. Most of our women stressed that it was important to take risks in their career, because for many, it led to opportunities

These savvy, intelligent women are

that if they had remained cautious and

breaking the mould and transforming

fearful, would have prevented them from

the way we work and run businesses.

being where they were today. It’s also

They have defined how they work

about reclaiming your power. Women

and set a powerful course of action to

don’t want to rehash what’s wrong in the

unapologetically get to the top of their

workplace or barriers to business over

profession or sector. They were happy

and over and over again. They are looking

to share their insights, strategies and

to collaborate to find proactive and

thoughts on how women can continue

practical solutions for making changes

to grasp opportunities and success to

quicker and faster without singing the

transform the world we live in.

‘victim’ anthem.

Where women have made great strides

Resilience is crucial at the moment. It’s

in some areas of politics, business,

not the amount of times that you are

economics and the workplace, this does

knocked down, but having the confidence

not mean we must rest on our laurels.

and tenacity to get back up and start

There is little doubt that we are living

again. This is why it is important for us

in challenging and difficult times; but

to extend our sphere of influence and

we cannot allow this to stop us raising

relationship webs, so we get support

awareness to defy the inequality that

both inside and outside of our company

exists in many homes, communities and

or business.

society at large.

It’s not just about women stepping up

These women openly acknowledge the

and developing more flexible working

big challenges that need to be overcome

conditions in the workplace. With the

but they share with us how they are

hustle and bustle of today’s society, it’s

breaking new grounds and challenging

quite easy to take our very existence for

the obstacles that stand in the way that

granted and forget that around the world,

women do things in the workplace and in

where there has been progress, many

business. They are working on the back

women have not achieved better levels

of the feminists who have demanded

of equality. This is why it is important

further change throughout history to

to raise awareness and tell the stories of

battle sexism If you are serious about

women who are having a profound effect

understanding what it takes to be a

and impact on our lives.

true power player in your sector then you cannot afford to miss one single interview.

Don’t just read about these women, talk them up and make sure you let everyone know about our inspirational,

There is much heated debate about

hardworking leaders. Be proud of them

whether women help each other; I

because they deserve to be honoured.

was delighted to hear so many of the

They are the women we want our

women talk about helping the talented

daughters and other young girls to

women coming up through the pipeline.

emulate as they forge their own path in

Whether it’s through mentoring or

the world. MARCH 2012 | WWW.SISTATALK.CO.UK |

renda Trenowden is the Head of UK & Ireland within the Bank of New York Mellon’s Global Client Management Group with global responsibility for a number of the firm’s Platinum clients. Brenda sits on the European Operating Committee and also on the Steering Group for the internal Women’s Bowstring Network. Brenda joined BNY Mellon in 2011 from Lloyds Banking Group where she was the Managing Director and Global Head of Banks within the Financial Institutions Group. Over the past 22 years, Brenda has established a strong track record in building international businesses and teams, and managing complex client relationships across the globe. She has lived and worked in North America, Europe and Asia and has worked for some of the world’s largest financial institutions. Brenda graduated with an honours Bachelor of Commerce degree from Queen’s University in Canada and has a Chartered Financial Analyst designation. She is a member of the Worshipful Company of International Bankers, a Director of Herstmonceux Castle Enterprises and of the UK Support Foundation for the Asian University for Women. She is also on the Board of the City Women’s Network and on the Global Council of Queen’s University School of Business.

How and why did you choose your career path? When I was in high school, I didn’t set out to have the international career that I have, and I didn’t plan to be in Financial Services or Banking. I grew up in Nova Scotia and had always planned to go to Law School and settle down and have a family there. However, I was very openminded and opportunistic with both my education and my career. I had a series of great mentors and mind-opening experiences that led me to go away to business school in Ontario, to join and later become the President of the International Association for Students in Economics and Commerce (AIESEC) and as a result I took an AIESEC internship in Hong Kong when I graduated. Going away to university opened my mind to the possibilities outside Nova Scotia. Going to Hong Kong whet my appetite for travel and international business, and I think I was just more in tune with the opportunities that came up in the future which led me to a career in Emerging Markets and postings in London, Dhaka, Singapore and Paris.

What was the best piece of career advice you received? The best piece of advice that I’ve had is that in a big organisation, your number 1 job is always to make your boss look good; if you don’t understand this or can’t live with it, your career won’t progress in that role.

What has been your biggest challenge to success in your career?

What do you see as the powerful emerging trend in professional life at the moment?

My biggest challenge to success in my career has been to take more control of things and to proactively push myself forward. For many years I took a job, worked hard and expected to be promoted and suitably rewarded for my efforts. While I have done well, I have often been disappointed when my hard work has not been recognised in the way that I expected or the promotion has not always come as quickly as I would have liked. What I understand now is that no one is going to look out for me, promote me or manage my career other than me.

In my experience, one of the most challenging trends in professional life at the moment is information overload. The huge amount of information available through 24/7 news services, social media, emails, websites and technology in general means that people are becoming overwhelmed and constantly feeling the need to work longer hours to stay on top of it all (or in fact to never turn off). In 2010, Eric Schmitt said ‘Every 2 days we create as much information as we did from the dawn of civilisation up until 2003.’ We need to learn to harness the technology rather than to let it shackle us.

Managing teams and working in large organisations over the past few years, I have observed that women are often a bit slower to realise this than men. I think men are often much more aware of organisational dynamics. They find sponsors more easily and they seem to be more comfortable listing their achievements and promoting themselves to senior management. Women have to learn to do this as well.

What was your career tipping point? My career tipping point was making a major change from equity broking to a senior management role in corporate banking. Up to that point I had spent my whole career on a trading floor which was a very different environment to working for a large corporate bank. I learned a lot about managing people who were unlike me and motivated by different things. I learned about governance, risk, and management best practices. Most importantly, I developed organisational awareness and learned a lot about politics in a large institution. I didn’t have any experience in banking or in managing senior bankers, but I did have a lot of experience managing client relationships with sophisticated investors and also in managing brokers. A senior member of the bank took a chance on me and gave me a lot of responsibility and it was a steep learning curve. It worked out well and my career really developed from there.

What should women be doing more of to succeed in their career? Women should be more confident and learn to promote themselves, women should actively seek out sponsors, and most importantly women should reach down and pull up, encourage, inspire, and support other women.

What should women be doing less of in their career? Women should stop trying to be like men, women should stop being so hard on themselves - they are their own worst critics, and they should stop feeling so guilty about having careers and making sacrifices at home.

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What number one thing should women speak out about regarding careers? Women should speak out about the challenges they have faced in their careers (both personal and professional) and how they have overcome them. They should talk about their successes and how they achieved them, and they should be role models to inspire and encourage other women.

How important is peer networking for women in leadership? Peer networking is absolutely critical for women in leadership. For various reasons, many women do not take the time to build professional networks. Women value relationships and are usually good connectors, but they may take a long time to build a small number of deep relationships. Men often build broader and more shallow relationships which give them a broader pool of people to call upon when needed. Women may also be reluctant to hang around after work for a drink as the burden of getting home for the nanny or to make dinner more often falls on the woman, whereas men realise that it’s part of the job and networks are built through these informal gatherings. These networks will provide information flow, insight, influence, collaboration, and potentially mentoring and sponsorship.

How important is mentoring for women in leadership? Mentoring is important but sponsorship is critical. The difference is that a mentor will give you advice and feedback, but a sponsor will advocate on your behalf. Various studies have been done which show that women tend to have more mentors and men have more sponsors.

Happiness, well being or better childcare provision? Happiness is always a top priority for me. That being said, I couldn’t have one without the other two - if I wasn’t confident that my children were well

cared for or if there were well-being issues, I wouldn’t be happy.

What is important to for achieving greater impact in your career - award ceremonies or mastermind groups? Award ceremonies are important, but for me personally it would be mastermind groups. Once again, the two go hand in hand – one lays the groundwork for success and the other celebrates it.

One to watch ? Richard Branson – he’s created a fantastic brand, as a regular customer of Virgin Atlantic, the service is second to none, and his employees really seem to enjoy working for him.

Your ideal circle of 6 for dinner? Queen Elizabeth I, Winston Churchill, Margaret Thatcher, Warren Buffet, Ayn Rand, W. Somerset Maugham

Must read book? A must-read book that I recommend to everyone is The Four-Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferris. It makes you ask yourself what is it that you want out of work and out of life and why?

Must have career tool? My must-have career tool for me is my iPad. I get all of my newspaper subscriptions on it, I have all of my briefing notes for clients meetings and business trips on it, research and reports, presentations, etc. I also use it for both personal and business emails, for social media, reference books, for my grocery shopping, personal lists, etc.

What is the must do social media activity for greater impact in your career? I have yet to work out what the must do social media activity is for greater impact in my career. I am on LinkedIn and have a lot of contacts, but I don’t really use it other than to keep in touch if I don’t have someone’s email. I use Facebook for my friends and family, and I am just starting to use Twitter. We have implemented an internal version of social media like Facebook in our company which has yet to fully take off, but I think that it will replace email once people start to use it. In the meantime, I still use text and email.

Advice to your 8 year old self? it would be similar to the advice that I give my children - find out what you are really passionate about and follow that passion, don’t try to be something that you are not to please other people, treat others as you would like to be treated, don’t be complacent - you need to work hard to be successful in all that you do, and remember to smile and have fun.

Why is the world a better place because of what you do in your career? Why is the world a better place because of what I do in my career?

Aside from the necessity of financial intermediation, I like to think that I have had an impact on all of the people that I have managed, coached, mentored, sponsored, etc. One of my colleagues describes me as a Harry Redknapp-type manager in that I

work hard to find the strengths in my ‘players’ and to really encourage and support them to bring out the best in them. I get a real buzz out of finding someone who has been overlooked or has suffered a crisis of confidence and then helping them to overcome it and

really succeed. One of my first bosses was a fantastic inspiration to me and he really encouraged me and gave me confidence. I have always wanted to be able to do that for others.

Brenda Trenowden, BNY Mellon Managing Director, has been voted in as the new President for City Women’s Network (CWN), the premier organisation for senior professional women in London.

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It becomes a real challenge to achieve very high levels of morale and motivation in teams of employees who cannot see the connection between their jobs and the role of the organisation. Large public sector organisations can have lots of process “stuff” that feels very divorced from real outcomes. Also, I find it really irritating when people talk about “back office” work as if it isn’t important. All staff - front, back, middle, up/down - need to see the value of their role and its relationship to the work of their colleagues and the aims of the organisation. When I do my team “Coffee Breaks” I spend some time linking our work and the issues that are in the news and public debate to help put things in context.

What was the best piece of career advice you received? The piece of advice that I need to remember most is “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know”.

Barbara Moorhouse, CEO Westminster Council.

arbara Moorhouse is the Chief Operating Officer at Westminster City Council. She joined Westminster in 2009, initially with responsibility for finance and policy. The role was expanded to Chief Operating Officer in July 2011. In addition to managing a range of corporate activities, Barbara is the senior office lead for the Voluntary and Community Sector for Westminster. After leaving Oxford University, she spent 20 years in the private sector in a variety of strategic and commercial roles in the IT, Business Services and Utilities sectors.

How and why did you choose your career path? I didn’t have a fixed career plan; it just came about by accident. When I left university I wanted to be in industry and commerce. I don’t know where the idea came from: my father worked in a telephone exchange, my mother was a self-employed dressmaker and my two elder sisters had gone into teaching. Maybe I just wanted to do something different.

In 2005 Barbara moved to the public sector, joining the Ministry of Justice as Director General in 2005. She was subsequently promoted to become Director General, Corporate Resources at the Department for Transport.

My first job was with TI Group as a trainee accountant. In those days TI Group was a big “blue chip” manufacturing company making all kinds of industrial products. I really did enjoy the early stages of my career getting to understand the different activities and companies in the group. In those days we made steel bars, bicycles, car components and precision engineering parts - a real mix.

She is currently a Non Executive Director at Office for Public Management and a Member of Financial Reporting Review Panel. Previously she has been a Council Member for CIMA and Non Executive Director with Child Support Agency.

I believe that people like to work for companies where they can identify with the products and services that they sell. They are happiest when they can see an end result - the product on the shelves or their service making a difference to the life of someone.

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Like most people who are achievement oriented, I have a tendency to just focus on completing the task at hand and driving to delivery the goals I have set myself. This means that even though you are working hard and doing a good job in your role, there is a danger that you stay “below the radar” as you don’t get time to be involved in wider activities or become known within your sector or profession. I think it’s more common for women to fall into this trap as they don’t always see the importance of, or are uncomfortable with, self promotion. Merit is not always recognised or rewarded in busy organisations, where everyone has their own priorities and agenda. Women need to learn how to fly their own flag more often and get noticed in the wider business community. This focus on “who” not “what” and not getting too sucked in to sorting out all the problem areas is not natural behaviour to me but as I get older and wiser, I understand the importance of getting the balance right between delivering for the organisation and telling my story.

What has been your biggest challenge to success in your career? I like the challenge of starting a new role in a new sector. However, most recruitment tends to focus on people with relevant experience. I have usually found that it is “reading across” from my experience in one environment to another that helps me to see opportunities to do things differently and make significant improvements. However, it’s difficult to change sector and be promoted at the same time. If you want to be a CEO or COO in a new

sector, employers see you as high risk because you don’t have a track record they understand. I have found it incredibly rewarding to have worked in different sectors and organisations with very different cultures. Not only does this satisfy intellectual curiosity, but it creates a different and very flexible skill set. I am often surprised at the poor levels of understanding by the private sector of the public sector and the pressures and constraints it faces. The connection between voting and influencing the world isn’t considered. Many people simply don’t know or care how government works, although that doesn’t stop them criticising everything that is done. Equally, many in the public sector are very suspicious and critical of the private sector. I often hear “its all about profit”. Well, in most of my private sector companies, whilst we did measure financial results, we also cared about customer service, quality and our reputation as a supplier. I remember the excitement of winning a big contract when the team had worked hard to put the customer proposal together - it wasn’t “all about profit” it was also about the pleasure of being part of a winning team.

What was your career tipping point? I have a had a few tipping points - in both directions! My big career low was when I moved to a job that ticked all the career boxes - even though I had bad vibes about the role and the organisation. I should have listened to my intuition. When the parent company reorganised us, my job ceased to exist. At that time, I thought my career had tipped onto a downward curve. However, I spent several months working as an interim manager learned a lot, rebuilt my confidence - and then my “dream job” turned up. That upward shift was becoming CFO of a “rising star” technology company. I spent 5 years in IT, working all over the world, doing lots of mergers/acquisitions, investor relations, big commercial deals and a few financial rescues. It was the period 2000-2004, when the sector was a roller coaster ride from stock market highs to the shock of shrinking sales pipelines. The last tipping point was when we sold the technology company to a competitor. Once the deal was complete, I decided I wanted to do something completely different - and I joined the public sector. I joined the Ministry Of Justice as director general and then moved into Department for Transport spending

4-5 years in central government. A fascinating insight on how government works - there were good and bad bits. I moved to local government in 2010 as Chief Operating Officer at Westminster. Central government has all the big issues on its plate, but as a senior official it can be hard to feel that you have much personal impact. Local government is still working on the mix of economic and social policy, but it is closer to operational delivery. Being at Westminster is great as we are engaged in the big policy questions and we deliver our services in one of the most interesting and dynamic parts of the country.

What should women be doing more of to succeed in their career? I recognise that there is still a long way to go for women to succeed in greater numbers in the modern workplace but we certainly won’t succeed by complaining about not getting a fair deal. Some meetings that I attend seem to descend into a sense of victimhood. We need to focus on defining and pushing for action on solutions rather than getting emotional about all the injustices we are facing. It’s not personal its business. When I started work, I would have rejected the idea of quotas. Now I believe in them given the lack of progress. I see lots of able, impressive, senior women who have common sense, good personal skills and lots to offer. Yet, I am always reading that the problem with quotas is that “there isn’t the supply”. I think there is an interesting problem here: if you only want to appoint women who are CEOs, have board experience already or have worked for a US bank, of course there will be “a supply problem”. The point is that, for women and men, wider skills and experience need to be considered. The Davies approach of waving the stick of quotas to encourage better responses is worth trying, but it needs a strict time limit. If it isn’t working, I would take that as evidence of a lack of willingness to change - unless someone can give me some better justification of the “supply problem”. Quotas matter because increasing women’s representation will only progress when there is a sufficient critical mass of women who have succeeded to change the terms of debate, shift the culture and model new approaches. For lots of reasons, we will never be at 50/50: I think the research shows that women do make different life choices and face different trade-offs. However, a sensible quota level that requires a steady increase will make a difference.

What should women be doing less of in their career? Sometimes, looking for too much. Business organisations have lots of priorities. Whilst I am in favour of a practical agenda that supports women’s progress there will be limits. Businesses can’t be fully family friendly - there are lots of other issues that conflict. We need to get the best fit we can. Nothing can get people - women and men - out of the trap that there are only 24 hours in the day. We all have tradeoffs between work, family, relationships, hobbies, commuting, sleep. These are our choices - government and employers can only do so much.

What do you see as the most powerful emerging trend in professional life at the moment? We are going through a huge transformation in public services. People understand that government finances are going to be under pressure for some time. With an aging population, changing social trends and greater connections in international politics; many of the accepted approaches and institutions will have to change and this will have an impact on the ordinary citizen. This means we need to think in a more creative way about how we keep people out of poverty; provide adequate healthcare services and ensure they have a dignified quality at end of life. You can tell I read politics, philosophy and economics at Oxford - and I still find it fascinating.

What number one thing should women speak out about regarding careers? The Lord Davies Report was an excellent start at looking at increasing female representation on boards. However, we still need quotas because promotion based on merit is not getting us the results we want to see fast enough.

understanding of the world. It enhances your knowledge on how people think and behave.

How important is mentoring for women in leadership? Mentoring helps all of us to learn faster and better. It may be more valuable for women who have a higher cliff to climb in their career. Why spend years making mistakes in the career wilderness when you can benefit from the knowledge, insights and experience of someone who has made it. A good mentor will help you to develop the necessary skills and capabilities required for success quicker and easier than if you had to do this alone.

Happiness, well being or better childcare provision? Male or female, finding happiness is down to us!

What is important for achieving greater impact in your career - award ceremonies or mastermind groups? As I say above, the “right” answer is award ceremony, but I going to be true to my soul - a mastermind group. A great discussion on an interesting and important issue with fine minds is a joy.

One to watch Not a popular choice in the current climate, but I have always thought Emma Harrison (now ex chairman of welfare-towork company A4e and ex Back to Work Tsar) very interesting. Harrison had an interest in tackling unemployment through new methods and commitment to change. She took a massive social issue, helped a number of people to improve their life and turned this into a profitable business. As a private/public sector cross-over, I think this is good model. There are still lessons to be learned - from what was good as well as what went wrong.

Your ideal circle of 6 at dinner?

The old boys’ network continues to flourish and keep women out of key roles, consciously or unconsciously. We need to find more robust and practical strategies underpinned with evidence based research that focuses on the business case. This is the only way we will break down the barriers that stop us reaching our full potential in the workplace.

My circle of 6 would be the “world experts” on things that shape our world. The politics of the Middle East, the development of Islam, the rise of China, managing the worlds forests, how to drive effective international development, reforming the media. It might need a lot more than one dinner!

How important is peer networking for women in leadership?

Recent and relevant is “Freefall: Free Markets and the Sinking of the Global Economy” by Joseph Stiglitz.

Peer networking is vital for leadership because it helps women to build their

Must have career tool and why?

Must read book

A great sense of humour because it keeps you sane and smoothes the wheels!

What is the must do social media activity for greater impact in your career? Do as I say not as I do on this one, because professional demands mean I haven’t committed the time or action to utilise the different social media platforms that helps you to connect and build relationships with people on a global basis. People tell me it’s important to be on all the major sites and keep your profile updated and relevant. I am sure they are right, but I haven’t done it yet.

Advice to your 8 year old self? Become a vet.

Why is the world a better place because of what you do in your career? I feel very strongly that all people working in the public sector should feel that the world is a better place because of the work that we do. We are also thankful to the private sector that is generating the wealth that pays for us to carry out this important role. What frustrates me is the constant ‘slagging’ match between the private and public sector. It is just ignorant and shows how little people understand how a modern economy works. We need thriving and efficient public and private sector organisations - they go together rather than conflict.

Why is celebrating International Womens Day Important? To highlight the accomplishments, journey and achievements of women (known or unknown). Also, whilst those of us in western societies are right to drive our agenda for business success, it is always sobering to remember the realities of how many women live and the problems they face. I travel a lot on holiday to experience different countries. My recent visit to Cambodia - a lovely country - highlighted the many challenges that young girls face in gaining some control over their destiny. I hope the girl my husband and I sponsor through “Plan UK” will have better life choices because of the work they do.

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Woman of Faith and Impact: Minister Joyce Fletcher

Believe in yourself and surround yourself with likeminded women (and men) seeking out a mentor at points in your career that you feel you may need that support.

What should women be doing less of in their career? Women must stop comparing themselves to others and being apologetic about being successful. We need to try not be too inward focussed. It limits your thinking, creativity and ability to innovate. Don’t be so intensive that you neglect yourself, family and personal (outside of work) aspirations are not achieved. But more importantly don’t doubt your ability to achieve…… and be successful

What do you see as the most powerful emerging trend in professional life at the moment?

oyce Fletcher is National Womens Ministry Director within the Church of God of Prophecy since October 2010. She leads this area of ministry with a passion for addressing the real issues faced by women in our communities. She has worked in the National Health Service for nearly 30 years within the Nursing profession. She has worked in various roles and now works as a Deputy Director of Nursing within the NHS. She has a background in Mental Health nursing and has contributed at a National Level within the UK. She engages in working in the voluntary sector as vice chair of a local community organisation in the area of BME mental health and outreach services. She has additional interests and responsibilities within professional regulation and policy development. She is married with 4 children and contributes to school life working as a School Governor.

How and why did you choose your career path? To be completely honest, I entered into the Nursing profession having completed my training as a Dental Nurse by the age of 18. By this time I felt that I needed more of a challenge. Nursing just seemed to be the next step for me. I felt that there would be many opportunities to develop a career within Nursing as there were so many branches of Nursing both within and outside of Hospital. I made the decision of accepting a place as a student nurse after praying and asking God to help me in making the right decision in my next steps

What was the best piece of career advice?

The best piece of Careers advise was to be opportunistic and not be afraid to take risks and rise to the challenges that will present themselves in life.

What has been your biggest challenge to success in your career? I had always grown up with the self confidence and knowledge that I could achieve anything I put my mind to as a child; during my adolescence and the early part of my career . However, events occurred that shook this confidence and I had to re-establish this belief in myself. Now I know that despite setbacks, I have the ability to rise and achieve my ambitions in life.

What was your career tipping point? I have had to face a number of very tough challenges through a range of experiences and exposures both in my NHS role and other roles I have outside of this work. This has helped to develop both new competencies, strength of character, emotional resilience and intelligence whilst developing a wider range of skills. You then begin to feel that if you can swim in the deep end you can cope in a range of settings.

What should women be doing more of to succeed in their career? If you are a woman of faith - trust God and put him first in everything (If not try it)! Define your own success criteria and remember to keep developing yourself. Don’t be afraid of trying new things and going into unknown territories.

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The use of IT; social media; the digital age; use of networks - are powerful trends in professional life that we need to maximise rather than being afraid of. When used to its potential can support and take forward any individuals business, innovate, generate creativity and develop new cutting edge ideas. Developing partnerships around the globe becomes possible through these mediums.

What number one thing should women speak out about regarding careers? No Boundaries, No limits.’ ‘Nothing is out of bounds.’

How important is peer networking for women in leadership? Peer networking is the absolute number one priority. You really need the support of other women in leadership roles. This provides the ability to share ideas, provide critical challenge, run ideas past; benchmarking etc. Why reinvent wheels ( exception being areas commercially sensitive)

How important is mentoring for women in leadership? In my first leadership role I had a mentor. I could not have made the jump into leadership without mentoring. This is a crucial aspect of development for women in leadership. It is also helpful to engage women from other areas and specialities to bring about different perspectives. However, I do understand for some it is often difficult to find a suitable and trustworthy mentor. An area we really need to do some work in.

One to watch?

Nelson Mandela - not a woman but - I love the resilience he displayed; he fought for what he believe in and never looked back.

Your ideal circle of 6 at dinner? •

Friend confidant – you can give them the eye – they know how to read non verbal signs

•

Someone who can talk the talk – I am not always a great talker and it takes the pressure off

•

Someone who is a laugh- this can be myself at times but not always.

•

Good balance, males /females ( depending on the type of event)

•

Someone who tells it as it is – no mincing of words (sorts the waiter out and will tell you the truth if you really look good or not)

Must read book? ‘Our Iceberg Is Melting ‘ By John Kotter

Must have career tool and why? A range of tools are necessary. Mine is the Bible – always seek Gods guidance in your choice of career.

What is the must do social media activity for greater impact in your career? Be clear why; what the purpose is and the desired outcomes for the use of social media. Make your choice based on this.

Advice to your 8 year old self? Explore; try new things; enjoy new experiences – widen your horizon and PLAY MORE!

Why is the world a better place because of what you do in your career? Dedication, passion; determination and drive are not easy to find. This is how I feel about my career. Ensuring patients have good quality services is at the heart of what I do. Working with women, developing women in leadership; mobilising women and seeking to address the real challenges faced by women is also a key; underpinning the development motto I have running through my ministry. We are ‘Women of Faith and Impact!’

arole joined the BBC in 1963 as a copy typist in the Southampton newsroom and moved on to become an assistant producer at the new local radio station in Brighton. After a while, she says “I got the wonderful job of producing Radio 4’s flagship discussion programme Any Questions?” Carole left the BBC in 1990, not quite knowing what to do next, and moved to a small flat in London’s Covent Garden. There she began holding informal salad lunches, inviting many of the people she had met on programmes at the BBC. Soon she found she was being asked to put together lunches on some particular theme for different corporations and organisations and she soon became known as a networker of influence and wrote a book about it. Five years ago the market research company YouGov plc approached Carole to form a joint venture YouGovStone Ltd, and establish a think tank panel of opinion leaders. These events get people to tell us what they think on all sorts of issues and then use that research as a basis for debates and discussions. Three years ago Carole founded TheStoneClub, bringing members together to hear experts on issues of all kinds. In 2010 she sold her stake in YouGovStone but remained as parttime chairman.

How and why did you choose your career path? I didn t. I was lucky to see the job advertised as a copy typist at BBC in Southampton. I was very shy, but eventually became so interested in the job I overcame that shyness. I started to keep a lookout for other interesting things at the BBC and when local radio was set up I applied to be a junior producer.

more of to succeed in their career? Saying ‘yes’ rather than ‘no’ to challenges – they will find they can cope; stretching their potential by getting involved in things outside their immediate work interests and attending debates and discussion groups to learn more of what is going on in the world.

What should women be doing less of in their career? Saying no to challenges/not focusing so hard on some particular job that you cut out other options/ feeling jealous of others: only ever feel curious.

What do you see as the most powerful emerging trend in professional life at the moment? Building a portfolio career rather than working in a full-time staff job and starting-up as an entrepreneur with a new idea.

What number one thing should women speak out about regarding careers? Unfairness in opportunities and pay.

How important is peer networking for women in leadership? It’s an essential to your career, not an add-on. Learn from others whenever you can and ask those on the ladder of success for advice men not just women.

How important is mentoring for women in leadership? This is important but you should be in charge of your own progression through life. Don’t rely on having your hand held all the time.

What was the best piece of career advice you received?

Happiness; well being or better childcare provision?

Tackle whatever is in your inbox that day; it is as easy to do it now as later.

Happiness cannot be directly sought; it s a by-product of doing something where you can take pride in what you are doing. Wellbeing comes from helping others achieve success. Better childcare provision must be a good thing, but how is it to be paid for?

What has been your biggest challenge to success in your career? To set up a limited company at 65 years old and learn how to be a Managing Director in the corporate world.

What was your career tipping point? Moving from a secretary to an assistant producer where I could make production decisions.

What should women be doing

What is important to for achieving greater impact in your career - award ceremonies or mastermind groups? Award ceremonies can be a boost if you win and an achievement if you are shortlisted and experience gained if you don’t achieve either. It wasn’t

Carole Stone: Putting Networking at the heart of business an Oscar I could take home, but I was recently delighted to be named by the Institute of Directors ‘Britain’s best connected business Woman’.

One to watch? Yourself, make sure you are keeping to the beliefs and principles you know are at your core.

Your ideal circle of 6? Michael Palin, everyone s favourite to learn from his travel experiences; Terry Smith, Founder Fundsmith to learn the secret of business success; Baroness (Helena) Kennedy, a politician who can give insight into the law and how it affects women; Kate Robertson, Co-Founder of One Young World, an organisation that gives a platform to young people to have their say on important issues they could be the world s future leaders; the comedienne Sandi Toksvig, to keep us from taking ourselves too seriously and my husband the television journalist Richard Lindley who never ceases to inspire me.

Must read book? Dale Carnegie’s ‘How To Win Friends And Influence People’.

Meeting people and exchanging ideas – as well as gossip!

Advice to your 8 year old self? This was my darling mama s advice to me. She never had the money to go to university but she was the wisest women I have ever known. Forget about yourself, she would say, and always look around the corner for something new and interesting. Take life by the scruff of the neck, and know you will cope whatever the situation. Seize the moment when opportunities come your way to fail is always better than never to have tried.

Why is the world a better place because of what you do in your career? It’s a bit bold to claim that the world is a better place because of something you have done, but that should be your aim. I believe very strongly indeed in networking and I work hard at encouraging people to come together to give each other the benefit of their experience of life: if in my career I have helped people who are perhaps as shy as I used to be to do that then I would feel pleased.

Must have career tool? Pen and paper and a pocket to put them in - to make notes so that you can later remember what you promised to do and do it!

What is the must do social media activity for greater impact in your career?

“The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any. ~ Alice Walker ~”

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arcela is a highly motivated and dynamic senior business banker, with a proven track record of delivering results in a multitude of international environments. She is currently the Executive Business Manager to the Chief Executive Officer at Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), where she has been responsible for identifying and driving new ventures and transformation projects for the Corporate Banking Division, across 39 countries. Over the last 2 years she has developed new business with significant value to the bank, their customers and the communities they serve, leveraging her global perspective and in-depth knowledge and experience in flow business at a local and international level. She plays an active role as part of the CEO ExCo team, in the management and shaping of the Division, to ensure its business plans are delivered. Marcela joined RBS from ABN AMRO Bank, after progressing from local, to regional and to global responsibilities, moving from Colombia to Brazil, Miami and the UK where she is currently based. Marcela has an MBA and completed the Executive Advanced Management Programme at the University of Navarra, Barcelona. Marcela is the Chair for WeConnect Europe and acts as an advisor for the RBS Foundation in India.

How And Why Did You Choose Your Career Path? The path has been one where I have had stepped out of my comfort zone to reach the position I am in today. Realising that you are good at some things is not enough if you want to make a significant impact and gain more knowledge. Happiness, contribution and the ability to make sure that I can maximise progress are key. I started out as a corporate banker in a small, regional bank in Latin America and had a wide range of responsibilities which I really enjoyed. I had an opportunity to meet the CEO of ABN AMRO and I decided that I wanted to work for a larger organisation, where I could leverage my strengths and competencies to contribute to a wider agenda. Persistence was key. ABN AMRO has an FTE freeze at that time. The trade

off was moving from a corporate role to a product role in global transaction banking. Not an easy transition, but I knew I had the ability and the right attitude to be part of a successful team; I just had to transfer key skills and adapt. I believe if you are doing your role well, then opportunities will come your way. But you have to be present to know what is going on in your sector. If you don’t know what is going on, you are not part of the relevant conversations, which means you won’t be able to ask the right questions. This is why networking is so important. You must be able to identify the opportunity; ask the (right) questions and then make sure you move from awareness to execution.

What was the best piece of career advice you received? “Step out of the boxing ring.” My previous boss was a brilliant and successful lady focussed on the big picture. She thought I was very strategic; had the ability to prioritise well and see opportunities. However, when things were not going to plan (when you are losing), it was sifficult to make the right decisions because of a mix of a mix of emotions, competing for attention, Stepping “out of the boxing ring” would bring back clarity and big picture thinking to the issue at hand. You won’t lose traction and you can mobilise more effectively.

What has been your biggest challenge to success in your career? I see myself as resourceful individual; a fighter and an optimistic entrepreneur. I have achieved many successful milestones in my career. I have explored and learned and I have put the bar quite high. Yet, in being accommodative in my progression I may have been complacent in the magnitude of the progress. Just because a role sounded good, does not mean I should not have asked for more…., I should have asked for more! I am a natural high achiever and take great pleasure in exceeding expectations by over delivering. We have to continuously challenge and move from good to extraordinary, making sure we do not leave value on the table, including value for ourselves and our progress. Although I have defined and learnt and over delivered in contribution, I need to redefine what progress I could have

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left on the table.

What was your career tipping point? I have been fortunate to be exposed to many positive and different experiences, especially because I have travelled around the world. So my tipping point is now. I want to maximise my progress during this new phase in my career. It is about being happy, contribute and maximise progress, now.

What should women be doing more of to succeed in their career? In Colombia the focus is not on the gender agenda but on education. If you contribute you will be rewarded. Women have to believe in themselves. We have all achieved a set of skills and abilities that make us who we are. We have to stop comparing ourselves to other people and believing we are not good enough, we just have different transferable skills. We must not put a limit in the way of our progress. We should believe that we can ‘do it’ and ‘what do I need to make it happen?’ e.g. is it knowledge, attitude, preparation, education or practice - but the starting point is to believe you can do it, then find out what you need to do to accomplish your goals. Women must believe, adapt, engage and contribute to the strategic agenda of the organisation they work for.

What should women be doing less of to succeed in their career? Britain has great traditions but we have to ask the question, is it limiting the pace of progress for women. When you look at the pipeline of new talent coming through companies, we must stop over generalising that women lack confidence. It’s about creating the access for women to progress. I believe it is the role of organisations, management and leaders to create access so talent and contribution is recognised and has space to flourish in the organisation. Saying that, women need to be asking and aspiring for more because the best female contributors in your organisation ask for more; believe they deserve more; they know how to adapt, engage and contribute in different environments. Stop listening to negative people. Women can have it all and we must aim for all because it is not unrealistic.

As a mother, I would never tell my child that it’s unrealistic for him to achieve his dreams so let’s remove that disempowering belief. Women should aim for all and clearly define what all and success means to them. The starting point is yes, I can have and then how to. The strongest pressure comes from within ourselves and although we listen to people, we must filter what will help us to get more. We need to stop clipping our wings. We need to remove the culture of victimism and find tools that empower and create practical strategies for change. Attitude is critical to accelerate change. If you feel a victim how can you deserve the best? If you believe it’s difficult, it will be difficult / The seed for success is the right attitude, believing you deserve and you can

What should women speak out about regarding their careers? Their contribution, the skills they can transfer and the value they can create.

What do you see as the most powerful emerging trend in banking at the moment? I believe that banks will be competing against mobile and internet giants in the future. Going back to basics is crucial and redefining they way we interact with customers and the communities we support , is key. We will have to keep asking ourselves what is the value we add; how relevant we are to our customer needs and how we will contribute to make their business sustainable. To improve both the bottom line and corporate social responsibility we will need a new mindset and different set of skills for successful leadership and management. Before the downturn we had a flat environment and we became Masters of the Known. Today we are operating in a more volatile and dynamic environment which requires a different skill set and competencies.. We need to be resourceful, flexible and adaptable; continuously learning and curious; respectful and able to bounce back and stop seeing mistakes as failure. Our success will not be measured by our line managers alone, but by our customers our people and the communities we support. Outcomes will be based on the value we create.

What is the biggest misconception about women in banking?

innovate and create value.

That maternity leave explains the poor progression rates and low number of senior women in leadership roles. It goes back to access. From a leadership perspective, management must not assume that all women will have no more ambition once they have a child.

Education. It gives you the opportunity to choose what you want to do in your career and helps to challenge your beliefs and to find new ways to contribute. Education is crucial because it’s the foundation of understanding people, behaviours and how we contribute to the world. Education will help you to ask the right questions.

How important is peer networking for women in leadership? Peer networking is crucial. It is about conversations and opportunities. Networking is about having the relationships and support systems that help you to engage, adapt and progress. Mentoring should be strategic, defined and tangible. It’s about career path progression, on the job training and coaching.

Must have career tool?

Must do activity?

social

media

Be relevant, be present. You can be vocal but if you cannot make a relevant contribution then your participation is irrelevant.

Advice to yourself?

your

year

Two things - What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail and doing the same thing in the same way and expecting a

different outcome is madness.

Why is International Women’s Day Important? We all need to remember that with all our successes, there is a large segment of women around the world who do not have access to the economic, social and political opportunities that we experience. We have to remember we still have a responsibility to continue to contribute to equality for all. Marcela Navarro is a strong advocate for equality for all.

Women tend to trade off networking with home presence. Men go to the right places, find the right people and network instinctively. We need to translate this behaviour and make it work for us. If women have to be present and be part of conversations that will help them to be successful.

Happiness, wellbeing better childcare?

Happiness is about equity and access. If you are happy, you will find a way to make things happen. I see childcare as a logistic issue.

What is important for achieving greater impact in your career – award ceremonies or mastermind groups? The mastermind and awards approach might be limited . It is about making sure we identify the right channels to ensure contribution is recognised. If you know what you are doing who else should know about it? The question is what do we need to do to to get the result we are looking for? What type of channels do we need to leverage ?

One to watch? I admire people who can break the mould to add value. People who are not afraid to say they don’t know but they can make it happen. It’s the behaviours that I admire; the behaviours that challenge processes, traditions and norms that impede progress. I respect people who have the courage, attitude and abilities to MARCH 2012 | WWW.SISTATALK.CO.UK |

only be listed in 1 to 2 stores and also restricted to ‘black’ areas exclusively.

What should women be doing more of to succeed in their business? To succeed in business, women need to be more confident (i.e. believe in themselves and know that they have the ability to achieve their dreams). A knowledge of finance (money impacts every part of a business. Therefore, it is vital to know how to ‘keep the books’ and ‘control the flow of cash’) and understand your. Target audience (it’s important to know who you plan to sell to i.e. customers).

Dounne Alexander: Joining Hands in Health across the world.

ward winning business pioneer Dounne moved to Britain from the Island of Trinidad

Her career started as a Bacteriological and Chemical Laboratory Technician. In 1986, she took up martial-arts and within 6 months left her violently abusive husband and home; moved into a Council flat with her children and started a new life as a single-parent. With no form of business experience, training, qualifications or finance, she then started GRAMMA’S® Herbal Foods from her tiny kitchen. Within 3 months, Dounne single-handedly negotiated her now famous Herbal Pepper Sauces into prestigious department stores - Harrods, Fortnum and Mason, Selfridges, Harvey Nichols and others. Two years later, they were proudly on the shelves of the UK’s top 7 supermarket chains. A feat never before achieved by any small businessowner; which instantly opened the mainstream doors for other women and minority businesses. Dounne went on to be honoured as a true pioneer: voted one of the 100 greatest and most influential black people in British history for the 2000 millennium archives: She was made a Member of the British Empire for outstanding service to the British Food Industry and her name is recorded in the American Chili Institute (Hall of Fame) for creating international awareness of the health benefits of ‘Hot Peppers and Spicy Foods’: She has received 10 national awards including the 2011 Award for Human Rights: plus 2011 Award for outstanding contribution to Natural and Complementary Medicine.

Why did you set up your business? I initially set up my business to firstly, secure the future of my children and

In business, women should be less fearful as this hinders progress and ultimate success. myself future and secondly, to educate the nation on the health benefits of ‘natural foods and traditional selfhealing practices’; based on the ancient holistic principle that “natural foods are meant to feed and heal!” My products are used as key tools to emphasise the importance of healing the mind, body and spirit through the provisions of nature and home-cooking; and the essential role these play in maintaining overall (whole body) health.

What was the best piece of business advice you received? The best piece of business advice I’ve ever received was from the late Anita Ruddock, who had sold the majority shares in her business ‘The Body Shop’ to raise money for expansion. The shareholders eventually took complete control and bought her out. It was a decision she lived to regret and advised me to never repeat the same mistake.

What has been your biggest challenge to success in your business? My biggest challenge to success is working in a male dominated businessworld where ‘women’ (especially ‘black women’) are never taken seriously and their presence and achievements continue to remain invisible. This creates additional problems when dealing with Financial Institutions such as Banks and Investors.

What was your tipping point?

business

The business tipping point was getting my products into all the Department stores throughout the UK; plus the top 7 Supermarket chains (Tesco, Sainsbury, Waitrose, Asda, Safeway now called Morrison, Wm. Low in Scotland, Co-Op); obtaining the largest national distribution with listings in over 700 stores. In those days, a ‘black’ business (if extremely lucky) would

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What do you see as the most powerful emerging trend in business at the moment? In today’s climate of growing recession and financial crisis, I believe the biggest and most powerful emerging trend in business will be THE SURVIVORS. Put simply, it is no longer about the type of business but the ‘will to succeed’ and ability to remain strong that matters. Any business that adopts this simple principle will stand the test of time.

What number one thing should women speak out about in business? Women should speak out about the culture of ‘financial inequalities’ within the financial establishment.

How important is peer networking for women in leadership? Peer networking for women in leadership is important as it provides cross-over support for each other at all levels.

How important is mentoring for women in leadership? Mentoring is equality important as peer networking. It will help to teach, advise, encourage and share your experiences as a means of helping others overcome obstacles and succeed. I believe in the old adage “The more you give – the more you’ll receive”. So mentoring is mutually beneficial.

Happiness, well being or better childcare provision? ‘Well Being’ encompasses everything (‘the feel good factor’ brings joy, greater happiness which could lead to a more fulfilling life).

What is important to for

achieving greater impact in your business - award ceremonies or mastermind groups? To achieve greater impact in my business, it’s extremely important for me (as its creator) to stay grounded and focussed on the bigger picture and ultimate ‘long term’ vision.

One to watch? The only one who inspires me is GOD; as he/she is the absolute demonstration or mirror image of my limitless creative potential.

Your ideal circle of 6 at dinner? My six ideal dinner guests will be my Grandmother (wisdom on life); Mother Teresa (humility), Mahatma Gandhi (spiritual balance), Sojourner Truth (courage), Mohammed Ali (fearless humour) and Dr. Martin Luther-King (peaceful visionary).

Must read book? ‘A Mission of LOVE’ (my second publication), which reminds us that our ‘life’s story’ is intrinsically linked with our ‘life’s purpose’. This book has been adopted by Coventry University as course study text in leadership, entrepreneurship, personal and spiritual development, natural health and social responsibility. It provides a mind blowing in-depth insight into how you can take steps to reclaim your authentic Divine-self and become the true master of your own destiny.

Must have business tool? My must have business tool is ‘the internet’ because it’s the most cost effective tool to independently promote, market and sell my products to an infinite audience.

What is the must do social media activity for greater impact in your business? As I run both a Herbal Food business and Health campaign, my must have ‘social media’ is ‘Facebook’ to keep supporters up dated and also to help spread the word.

Advice to your 8 year old self? Love and be true to yourself; stay humbly confident in the knowledge that you are blessed with untold ‘natural talents’. The world is your oyster, so go out, live life to the fullest and explore, but always remember to share your gifts with others. Always keep ‘both feet’ on the ground; ‘both hands’ in the air and ‘both eyes’ on the sky. Believe in the universal Creator; understand that you are LOVE and an integral part of this great universe.

oted as one of Britain’s Top 100 Women Entrepreneurs by real business magazine in 2008, Claudine Reid MBE is considered to be one of the most inspirational women of the time. In addition to her role as Director of PJ’s Community Service; a renowned social enterprise specialising in services to enhance and transform communities; Claudine also supports organisations and individuals to develop their social enterprise and develop social impact strategies. As a result of the recognition for her achievements in social enterprise, Claudine has been a former Cabinet Office Social Enterprise Ambassador; appointed to the National Social Enterprise Expert Panel for Government Office of Civil Society; Trustee for the Nurture Foundation, an international Charity working to support and empower parents in Developing countries and sat on the Ethnic Minority Advisory Board for the Department for Works & Pensions In recognition for her commitment to Social Enterprise Claudine received an investiture on the Queen’s Birthday Honours List is 2008. Other awards have include the Croydon Business Champion Award 2008 for commitment to Business in Croydon, Ethnic Minority Business award, PROWESS award nominee for Female Social Entreprenuer of the year 2008.

Women need to stop working and trying to do everything alone. Its not helpful or healthy to try to consistently try to find solutions for your business by yourself.

What do you see as the most powerful emerging trend in business at the moment? Social media

What number one thing should women speak out about in business? Balance and personal management

How important is peer networking for women in leadership? Very important we must learn from each other and those who have gone on before us, learn from their experiences

Happiness, well being or better childcare provision? Happiness for me is about having better childcare provision and well being – that makes me happy

What is important to for achieving greater impact in your

business - award ceremonies or mastermind groups Mastermind groups because I love learning

changed my life and made me think about life in a different way and the legacy that I want to leave.

Advice to your 8 year old self? Make sure you speak up!

One to watch? Sonia Poleon. Through every challenge of life she has pushed past the hurt and made something happen

Your ideal circle of 6? Patrick Reid - My Husband, my inspiration, supporter and motivator and best friend; Tyler Perry – I love his drive, determination and tenacity, I can learn from him; Rev Celia Apeagyi –Collins – My mentor, full of spiritual wisdom helps me remain balanced; Baroness Howells – her knowledge, wisdom , elegance and poise is admirable; Serita Jakes – she is an elegant woman that has stood by her husband and family and not lost her identity, she is a brilliant business woman in her own right; Bishop Noel Jones – the way how he applies knowledge and wisdom is contagious & humour is infectious.

Must read book? Living Above The Level Of Mediocrity by Charles Swindoll. This book totally

Why is the world a better place because of what you do in your business? We add social and economic value to the country. Since 1992 PJs Community Service has provided over 800 jobs in the community, worked with marginalised families and children at risk of exclusion and failing in the education system helping them re-integrate into the school system and access other support services that will enable them to be part of society. PJs Community Service has empowered individuals and groups and organisations to start businesses and make a valuable contribution to the economy. We have demonstrated the ability to balance head and heart. Heart says we want to impact the community and provide services that impact life. Head says we must balance the systems, strategy and structure, skills and staff that will allow us to fulfil the heart functions.

Why did you set up your business? We wanted to add social and economic value to the community using an entrepreneurial methodology

What was the best piece of business advice you received? Work hard, but don’t neglect your family

What has been your biggest challenge to success in your business? Work life balance

What should women be doing more of to succeed in their business? Networking is critical if people want to succeed in their business. Its important that we are meeting others that may be doing the same or different or operating in a different sphere of influence. This will help develop learning. We need to do more partnership working, in order to build capacity and build robust organisations. Finally we need to take time out from working “in” the business and work “on” the business

What should women be doing less of in their business?

Claudine Reid MBE on enterprise, jobs and wellbeing

MARCH 2012 | WWW.SISTATALK.CO.UK |

Deb Leary OBE putting the feminine back in technology.

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’m Deborah Leary OBE, CEO and Founder of Forensic Pathways Ltd, an international company specialising in data analysis solutions in the area of Due Diligence and Risk, Business and Criminal Intelligence, in addition to the development of forensic products/ services. I also run a consultancy practice supporting businesses in business strategy, developing brand, CSR policies and international trade, in addition to investing in new start-ups and technologies. I am President of the British Association of Women Entrepreneurs, a founder of Commonwealth Businesswomen, Chair of the Midlands World Trade Forum, a Director of the European Network of Women in Leadership, Deputy Director of the United Nations UK Global Compact Network, Development Council Member of the Young Vic theatre, Fellow of the Royal Society for Arts and a Marie-Curie Fellow. I was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by Birmingham City University, March 2012 and in 2009 was voted one of Britain’s top 100 women entrepreneurs by Real Business Magazine. I was awarded an O.B.E. by the Queen in 2008. Other awards have included the Joyce Award 2009, for commitment to the British Association of Women Entrepreneurs, FCEM International Woman Entrepreneur of the Year 2007/8, European Woman of Achievement 2006 and British Female Inventor of the Year 2005.

Why did you set up your business? I wasn’t intending to start a business at all. However, I came up with an idea for a new piece of equipment for crime scene investigation. When I first had the idea I thought I could just licence it to another company and get a retainer and carry on with my plans to become a university lecturer and author. However, it soon became apparent that the only way the product would really get to market was if I took full responsibility for its evolution and so I set up Forensic Pathways. That’s now 12 years ago. I always say to people the ‘eureka moment’ isn’t when you have the idea, it’s about the moment you take responsibility for it.

What was the best piece of business advice you received? Know your figures

What has been your biggest challenge to success in your business? We specialise in disruptive technologies

– innovation. Educating the market has been the biggest challenge. We are often asking people to change the way they work. We have to show them that we are not only saving them money, but also improving their working conditions. The challenge is with the public sector procurement where there is a disconnect between the end user and the procurement departments. New cost saving technologies are not getting through because other companies are on the ‘procurement books’ and so they go to who they know. We have had instances where we can’t sell direct to the client but have to go through a third party because they hold the contract for I.T. They then increase the product price to include their market up and immediately the client is paying more. Not only that but the third party doesn’t have an understanding of the product. It’s all too slow and blocks innovation.

What was your business tipping point? We’ve spent a good number of years in R&D developing new technologies. This has been a major investment which is now being realised. 2011 has seen us bring these technologies the market and go for optimising sales. 2012 is already our best year ever.

What should women be doing more of to succeed in their business? Going global – internationalisation and promoting themselves as a brand. There needs to be a focus on financial understanding from both a business and personal wealth angle. Finally, they need greater understanding about their relationship with money which is essential to understanding your attitude to risk.

What should women be doing less of in their business? Limiting themselves – act big you’ll be big. Also thinking that they have to understand every element of business in order to succeed – if you don’t know something find someone who does or learn.

What do you see as the most powerful emerging trend in business at the moment? Sectors focussing on data, management of and analysis of, whether it’s business or social.

What number one thing should women speak out about in business? Challenges relating to procurement (this isn’t just a women’s issue – it’s an SME issue)

“Peer netbsolutely essential. As our businesses grow, so do we. I call it the ‘Madonna effect’. As our businesses grow we have to change. We have to grow and be ahead of the business so we have the skills, tools and mental agility to give the business what it needs and deserves. Having a peer group that challenges our thinking, provides us access to others who have gone beyond where we are and gives us guidance to that we are all prepared to take the next leap. Also it allows us to invest in others who are coming through.”

How important is mentoring for women in leadership? I believe it’s essential. We should all ensure that we have a mentor that challenges us. Being in business can be a lonely space, even more so when you have a team around you whom you are responsible for. Having someone you can talk to who can offer alternative thinking is important and who most importantly of all will listen. Often having someone to listen to us allows us to work through our challenges.

Happiness, well being or better childcare provision? Happiness, because if you focus on happiness your spirit will be stronger and you have a better chance of maintaining positive health and you’ll be better placed to find solutions to challenges – of which childcare is one!

Stephen Fry – simply funny and intelligent; Eve Arnold who sadly died in January aged 99. Eve was a world travelling photo-journalist. After taking a six week photography course in New York she began her career in the in the 1940s working for publications including the Picture Post, Time and Life. She photographed celebrities such as Joan Crawford, Elizabeth Taylor, Jacqueline Kennedy, Malcolm X and Maggie Thatcher as well as people just going about their daily jobs. The reason for here special place in my list is that this is the job I wanted when I was at school, but limiting beliefs stopped me from doing it. Her work is a celebration of a fantastic life. Freddy Mercury for his outrageousness; Emily Wilding Davison, suffragette – so that I could ask her thoughts on how far we have come; Lizze Leary, Director of Kindred Sole – cause she’s the next big online retail thing; Martha Lane Fox to discuss the challenges and power of digital connectivity and her words of wisdom on building a technology/service company.

Must read book? Mine once I’ve got it to publication ‘Eureka and Beyond’ – keep your eyes open for it. Seriously though – Frankenstein by Mary Shelley. It’s got love, passion, obsession, issues of being different, standing out from society. It’s a metaphor for business!

Must have business tool and why?

What is important to for achieving greater impact in your business - award ceremonies or mastermind groups?

Ipad – I’d be lost without it (thanks Steve Jobs!) It means I’m continually connected both in terms of business and socially. Gives me access to everything I need quickly.

Awards are nice to have, but mastermind groups help you grow and learn.

What is the must do social media activity for greater impact in your business?

One to watch? My daughter is definitely one to watch. Lizze and her business partner have been in business for two years straight from leaving university. Their company Kindred Sole has in that time sold shoes all over the world and was voted the top 10 most influential retail brand on Twitter last year. They have just won Highly Commended Brand of the Year in the Footwear Industry Awards. Building an on-line business is challenging in that you have to build real trust before people will be comfortable with the brand. Their skill at branding, customer care, attention to detail and the way they use social media to its full effect is fantastic. She’s taught me so much! A shameless www.kindredsole. com plug. In addition my son’s partner Kimberley has the most fantastic graphic design company and is already developing her business internationally and working for a number of corporates. www.graphicdesign-birmingham.co.uk. Both young women are only in their early 20’s and are already making a big international splash!

Your ideal circle of 6?

Continuing to develop our Twitter activity and be more disciplined overall with our social media presence.

Advice to your 8 year old self? Don’t be afraid, there’s always a solution.

Why is the world a better place because of what you do in your business? We’re in the business of protecting people and often the most vulnerable in our societies so I think we all contribute to making the world a better, safer place. Also we have a saying that ‘It’s the way you do business, not the business that you do that you will be remembered for’ and so how we do business, how we engage with our people and the global community is important, as is making money so we can continue to invest in our people, our technologies and our communities.

MARCH 2012 | WWW.SISTATALK.CO.UK |

anessa Vallely is the founder of leading women’s network and website ‘We Are the City’ which serves an audience of over 70,000 City Women. She also co-founded the City wide diversity network, The Network of Networks which includes the Diversity heads and heads of women’s networks from 45 FTSE firms. On a professional level, Vanessa has been in Banking and Finance, specialising in IT and Operations for the past 22 years. She has held a number of senior positions across the City, most recently Chief Operating Officer at a leading retail bank. Vanessa recently completed her corporate education at the Chicago Booth University. Vanessa was awarded the Champion for Women award at the 2011 Women in Banking and Finance awards. She was also identified by the Financial News as a Top 100 Rising star under 40 in 2010 and as one of 100 most influential Women in Finance for 2011. Vanessa has also received her first global award from TIAW, where she was named as one of 100 Women making a global difference. Aside from her professional responsibilities, Vanessa is also a Non-Executive Director for the National Youth Music Theatre and The Prostate Cancer Charity. Due to her family heritage, Vanessa is also the Pearly Queen of the City of London

What was the best piece of career advice you received? That your boat doesn’t come in, you have to swim out to it – advice given to me by my Nan and later mandated in a poster I saw at my first job interview. I learnt at a young age that opportunity is there for the taking at every turn, you just need to see it, chase it and make it happen. I am true believer that we are masters of our own destiny – every morning I wake up and say to myself “what shall I achieve today?” I honestly feel like the world is my oyster.

What has been your biggest challenge to success in your career? Early on it was overcoming the prejudices of my social and economic background. I was very aware that I was different, I thought different, I acted different. Nowadays, this is acceptable as we understand the need for diversity, but then everyone was expected to fall in to line, look the same, think the same, act the same. Later on in my career it was more about being a female in very male dominated world. I spent the first 5 years trying to be like a man, acting like a man and showing little emotion. It’s only in the last 5 years that the penny dropped and I realised that actually, its OK being me, being a Women, thinking like I do, wearing what I wear and if I want to display emotion due the fact I am passionate about something, that is OK too.

How and why did you choose your career path?

What was your tipping point?

I didn’t choose my career path, it sort of chose me. I started worked in the City at 16. I used to look out of the window of the 17th floor of the Tower block I lived in and point to, what was then, the Nat West Tower and I told my mum I would work there one day – I did it was my first job! At just 16 I got on the bus with 15p and a bit of ambition and headed in to the City lights to find my fortune and build a better life for me and my mum. When I got to the City, I didn’t fit in at all. I was a Hackney girl with not many qualifications, a broad East end accent and no college or university network to support me. I always wanted to work in a bank, so I worked my way up through a number of jobs till I eventually got to an IT company. The company gave me lots of opportunities to work at different client sites, in particularly banks. My plan was always to get on to a financial services account and get the finance experience I needed. Once I had a good year on my CV, I knew that Banks would consider me, and they did.

Reaching COO at a major retail bank. It didn’t end well as I worked for a bully, and I called it and left 5 months later. Even that was a learning experience, as I didn’t believe such fossils still existed. Securing that role after 16 hours of interviews was a wonderful feeling. I also realised at that point that I didn’t want to go any higher and that if ever I were to become a CEO it would be for a charity and not a bank. I am an individual who gets the job done and who can sit behind someone and make them hugely successful, and I actually enjoy playing that role. I realised that if I was to go for the big office and the big chair, that I would have to severely compromise my family time and some of the things I love doing, like my community and charity work. I think when you hit 40 you look around and you appreciate life a little more. Work is a massively important aspect of my world, and I don’t doubt I will always be in senior roles in the City, however I now appreciate balance, so if a job doesn’t offer me that balance, I don’t take it.

I left the IT Company and went to work directly for an Investment bank. Roll forward, 15 years in banking and finance holding titles such as Head of Business Management and COO.

career

What should women be doing more of to succeed in their career?

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Women need to network (internally and externally); Take themselves out of their comfort zones (regularly) and publicise their successes.

What should women be doing less of in their career? Women need to stop doubting their abilities; hiding the fact they have a life outside of work (e.g. children, other interests etc.) and letting the chaps take the glory.

What do you see as the most powerful emerging trend in business at the moment? “The most powerful emerging trend in professional life at the moment is the whole Women on Boards thing. We have done this one to death. I am a true supporter of getting more Women on boards, however I don’t believe we can fix the problem in the near term. I believe that we, as female role models should focus our energy on helping the generations below us obtain the skills they need to reach senior positions and make a choice as to whether they wish to be on board. I believe If we continue to labour on this point with every event, every article we are losing the generations who don’t see board positions in their immediate future. Let’s focus on our young women and plug the gaps we have in middle and senior management positions as over time this will be the catalyst for more women in senior positions who reach board level.”

What number one thing should women speak out about regarding careers? Their successes. People don’t know what you are truly capable of unless you tell them. Don’t see it as bragging, see it as raising awareness. You are chief marketing officer of your own brand, so go sell.

How important is peer networking for women in leadership? So important. It should be the top line on your career plan. Take the time out to network, not just inside your organisations but outside. A number of people I have met through networking have become significant contacts for me, either in terms of my own success or the success of those around me. When good turns bad, having a good network of contacts is invaluable. Don’t ever be one of these who rests on their laurels thinking that all you need is the immediate circle of colleagues around you. Invest time in meeting new people, helping and connecting them where you can. Above all make sure you maintain those relationships.

How important is mentoring for women in leadership? Extremely important. I have had 12 mentors in my career from various industries and from all parts of the globe. These have been extremely useful to me when I have needed advice, or a place to sound my ideas. I also have a rule that I will not mentor anyone who isn’t mentoring someone else, otherwise, my experience and their learning stops at that point – we need to ensure there is a cascade of skills, advice and support. Everyone has the capacity to mentor, to share experience, to encourage and to open doors for other individuals. It is an extremely rewarding experience, when you see some of your mentees go on to greater things, win awards (Sorry Ronke Lawal, had to mention you here), then you can’t help but be proud that you may have helped in some small way.

Happiness, wellbeing or better childcare provision? Can’t we have them all !!! For the greater good it would have to be Childcare. Having had 2 children and running a virtual 10 year family programme plan of dependencies, constraints and navigating around key milestones and trying to balance a career, I absolutely believe that the government could do more (eg tax breaks on childcare costs) and firms could do more (e.g. flex working). Managing a career with kids is tough, especially if you are a single parent. If the corporates want to retain their women, they have to realise that the old school model of presentism doesn’t work in modern day life.

What is important to for achieving greater impact in your career – award ceremonies or mastermind groups? Awards are good for profile and for recognition of what you have achieved. Mastermind groups are pure gold as they are a chance for you to leverage ideas, collaborate with others. I have seen many small networking groups reap huge successes, as everyone who attends is there to help others.

One to watch? Ronke Lawal – Chief Executive of the Islington Chamber of Commerce – this girl is amazing and I am in awe of her achievements to date. I know that she is going to go on to make a real difference in the world. I am honoured to be on team Ronke as one of her mentors.

Your ideal circle of 6 at dinner and why? Anita Roddick; because she was an inspirational business women who

stood by her own moral compass. Madeline Albright, because I agree with her, that there is a special place in hell for a woman who doesn’t help other women – I would love to tease more of those nuggets from her. Nicola Horlick – because she is a role model in the City and god has she been through it – I would like to know how she has remained to strong and continues to pick herself up after each fall. Carole Stone, because she is the networking queen extraordinaire, a very dear friend and someone who I never fail to learn from. Oprah Winfrey, because I am just in awe of her every word, I don’t think she will ever realise just what an impact she has had on society and finally my mum, because without her I am an empty shell. She taught me how to be stoic and instilled my value set and work ethic. She also makes a mean

dinner so she could cook.

Must read book? Too many to mention, but a book I always give to my mentees is “Oh the Places You’ll Go” by Dr Seuss. It’s a kid’s book that has a lot of meaning if you are embarking on a journey on any sort. Others are, The Tipping Point, by Malcolm Gladwell and “To Big to Fail” which focuses on the Lehman’s crisis.

Must have career tool and why? A good LinkedIn profile, a decent CV, a good headshot, a short bio, your elevator speech, let’s start there.

What is the must do social media activity for greater impact in your career? LinkedIn, I love it, I teach it, I evangelise about it. There is no one you cannot find on LinkedIn or who can’t find you. Invest time in optimising your profile, this isn’t just your CV on line, this is your shop window. Twitter is another great tool for research and to hang out with likeminded individuals. I contribute on Twitter, but rarely share a strong opinion. Facebook is great for family and close friends, but brings nothing to my professional table. I would never have work colleagues connected to my Facebook account, as this is somewhere where I get to truly be me and nothing I say would be misinterpreted.

Advice to your 8 year old self? It’s puppy fat and in a few years it will go.

Why is the world a better place because of what you do in your career? Not at all, the world is a better place through my work in the community and awareness campaigns I run for Charity. For the kids I help and the people I mentor. Last year I travelled to Tanzania with 3 of my mentees and my 10 year old daughter. It was the most rewarding experience of my life, I sincerely hope that I have started my own daughter on the right path to give back in the world where she can.

“If your boat doesn’t come in, you have to swim out to it” says Vanessa Vallely, Founder of www. wearethe City.com

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our mindset from small thinking micro to big business; so stop focussing on minor activities.

Caroline Marsh is using her Concept 2 Cash strategy to help women build bigger businesses.

What do you see as the most powerful emerging trend in business at the moment? Britain has an aging population which the government are having great difficulty supporting at various levels e.g. health, nutrition, housing and medical.

highly successful buyto-let property investor, Caroline is currently making a name for herself in the media as an inspirational speaker and philanthropic entrepreneur. From a rollercoaster childhood in her native Zambia to media limelight in her adopted home England, she combines family life with a rapidly expanding Property and Mentoring businesses. Caroline was featured on P C4’s ‘The Secret Millionaire’ a program where she went to Toxteth, Liverpool. As a direct result of her experience, not only has Caroline given money and ongoing business support to two community projects; she was inspired to help aspiring entrepreneurs take their ideas from Concept to Cash in 90 Days! These programs are designed to equip aspiring entrepreneurs with the necessary skills, tools and strategies to establish a successful business using proven business models. Her workshops bring about immediate changes and long-term results. She also speaks at Business conferences and seminars alongside some of Britain’s top business brains including Dragons’ Den stars Peter Jones and James Caan, and the inventor of the World Wide Web, Tim Berners Lee.

Why did you set up your business? I was tired of not having a choice in my financial life. I wanted a change of lifestyle and to make a difference. I went to a conference hosted by Steve Bolton, the multi-millionaire founder of the fastest growing premium franchise in UK history - Platinum Property Partners and saw a great opportunity to get into business and change my life

Where the government struggles to find quality services to meet the diverse and unique needs of this population, there are great opportunities for entrepreneurs to provide the services and products to meet this gap.

What was the best piece of business advice you received? Love what you do and believe in what you do. Passion is key!

What has been your biggest challenge to success in your business? The property sector is a very male dominated industry and the men at the top of the game were not used to dealing with an African women looking to grow a substantial portfolio. There have been examples where people have tried to undermine me because of my culture, gender and the fact that I had no track record.

What was your tipping point?

business

When I got into property investment the market was easier to borrow money to purchase properties. However, when the market and economy changed we had to put up larger sums of money. In some cases my capital input went up to over £100,000. I then decided to work with investors to help me to grow the portfolio in a more innovate way.

What should women be doing more of to succeed in their business? Women need to be more savvy about finding circles that inspire and empowers them for support. It’s important to learn the skills and understand what competences it takes to build a successful business. We need to better leverage our ability and skills to multi manage tasks

What should women be doing less of in their business? We have to stop networking without a clear strategy. We need to change

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On another note, the world is an information industry and people need other people to support and interpret the information to interpret in their business or organisation, This is great time for people to leverage their skills and expertise to provide information solutions to their customers, suppliers and stakeholders.

What number one thing should women speak out about in business? Women need to speak out about their ability to get into big business not just micro business. We need to change the perception of senior women in engineering, construction and property development – think hotels, conference centres and airports instead of just houses. With greater numbers of women leading these types of industries, it will revolutionise how we are seen in business and will give us more influence which creates a greater platform for other women coming up behind us.

How important is peer networking for women in leadership? I call this precision marketing. This means by being more strategic, it allows you to find the right niche in a community, share, upskill and build relationships to maximiseopportunities..

How important is mentoring for women in leadership? Mentoring is vital for business growth. I am a great believer in standing on the shoulder of giants and being accountable to them. Mentoring allows you to share their wealth of knowledge as well as to learn from their mistakes and success resources.

What is important to you for achieving greater impact in your business - award

ceremonies groups?

mastermind

Without a doubt, its mastermind groups. There is something dynamic that happens when a group of people come together to share ideas and different aspects to look at business issues. A good group will help you to strengthen your business; bring a greater sense of accountability for success whilst tapping into a wealth of range of skills, backgrounds and expertise that will help you to grow both personally and professionally.

One to watch? Dr Pat Francis who is changing lives globally by inspiring, educating and empowering people.

Your ideal circle of 6 at dinner? Mike Marsh, Dr Pat Francis, Gayle Tzemach Lemmon, Richard Branson, Amanda Wells Wendy Simpson (Australian, businesswoman).

Must read book? Micheal Gerber E-Myth. Rich Dad Poor Dad and The Richest man in Babylon by George Samuel Clason

Must have business tool and why? Marketing and Sales Strategy Plan (tool) which enables you to stay focused on effective marketing efforts

What is the must do social media activity for greater impact in your business? Staying relational by giving valuable insights about business and people’s wants needs, desires, value and lifestyles to tailor needs.

Advice to your 8 year old self? Caroline, you can be, do, have, what you want - all things are possible!

Why is the world a better place because of what you do in your business? More and more women are tapping into their potential and creating their world of possibilities. Most people have no confidence for so many reasons and I aim to create a non threatening environment for other women to learn how to start, run and manage a successful business. It’s not just about inspiring women, but equipping and empowering women with all the skills they need by holding their hand as they create and execute all the possibilities to live a more meaningful and fulfilled life through enterprise.

harlotte Vere is the Founder of Women On …, an independent, notfor-profit think tank and campaign group which researches and promotes policy ideas for the economic and social advancement of women. Before setting up Women On …, she was the Finance Director of the successful NO to AV campaign in the 2011 referendum, and she stood for the Conservative Party in the 2010 General Election in Brighton Pavilion. Prior to becoming involved in politics, Charlotte was the CEO of Big White Wall, a socially responsible business spearheading the provision of mental health therapies online, and the Finance Director of a digital recruitment company. Charlotte has an MBA from Kellogg, a leading business school in the US, and a degree in Biochemical Engineering.

Why did you set up your business? Looking at the debate around women, I felt that it was polarised. On one hand you have radical feminists demanding special treatment for women because they have ‘suffered at the hand of patriarchy’ for generations. On the other, you have those who say that the state has no role in families and that women need to just get on with it. Women On … stands between those camps. Our goal is to harness the incredible economic and social potential of women by fighting for targeted support, but never at the expense of men.

What was the best piece of business advice you received? Being in politics, information is critical to my daily life. Understanding how to use Google Reader and Twitter effectively has transformed my access to the right information at the right time.

What has been your biggest challenge to success in your business? Women have been portrayed as victims and lesser beings for so long that many people assume that Women On … is more of the same. It is not. It recognises women as the talented, educated and skilled beings that they are and campaigns for change so that we can harness this potential.

What was your tipping point?

business

We conducted a six month pilot to see whether our ideas have any

resonance. The extraordinary interest we had from the media gave us the confidence to continue.

What should women be doing more of to succeed in their business? Women need to try to really understand the power of the digital environment and social media. Different elements ebb and flow. Facebook has probably peaked whilst Twitter and LinkedIn haven’t, - it is important to keep abreast of where the opinion formers are – because every industry and sector has opinion formers, not just politics!

What should women be doing less of in their business? I am not a fan of doing less of anything, unless of course it is something that doesn’t work – but each business will be different in terms of what that ‘thing’ is!

What do you see as the most powerful emerging trend in business at the moment? Changes in the digital environment, without a doubt.

What number one thing should women speak out about in business? Women as talented and capable individuals succeeded on merit. Quotas and special treatment should go against everything a business woman believes in and we need to stand up and say so. Only then will we win back the respect of men, and be able to achieve positive change together.

How important is peer networking for women in leadership? It is very important – it’s good to know what’s going on and who is doing what and why – and it’s good to have a gossip every now and again too.

How important is mentoring for women in leadership? Somewhat. Some women (and men) feel that they need a mentor and all power to them. It is not to my mind essential for everyone.

Happiness, well being or better childcare provision? All three! Sorry. But good childcare is the practical side to happiness and wellbeing for those with children. That doesn’t mean that the Government should provide it, not pay for it, but

Charlotte Vere, founder Women On talks talent, education and skills.

we must recognise that childcare is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, barrier to women succeeding today.

What is important to for achieving greater impact in your business - award ceremonies or mastermind groups A little bit of everything never did anyone any harm.

One to watch? Matthew Hancock MP – bright, open minded and forward thinking. We need more MPs like him.

Your ideal circle of 6 at dinner and why? David Cameron – I would like to bend his ear on a few things; Johnnie Depp – to look at; Ruby Wax – to inject a bit of humour; Dan Hodges – Leftleaning Telegraph blogger for a few fireworks; Louise Mensch MP – for more fireworks; and I guess me, as there are only six chairs!

impact in your business? Twitter is the most remarkable tool and woefully underused by most in business. It is not about Tweeting what you had for breakfast, it is about sharing the best nuggets of information for your industry if you get it right, it connects you to what s going on. I use Tweetdeck which gives me a series of columns which filter Tweets according to my interests I might choose to filter for a particular word I am interested in, for example, this week it is childcare or I might choose to follow a particular hashtag. I follow a small number of very effective tweeters and I have a band of hardy followers who seem to stick around to hear what I have to say. It is also, without doubt, the best source for breaking news.

Advice to your 8 year old self? There might be years when you mess around rather than working hard at school. Try to avoid doing that!

Must read book? The Reader by Bernhard Schlink

Must have business tool and why? Mobile WiFi – gets you connected wherever you are.

What is the must do social media activity for greater

Why is the world a better place because of what you do in your business? If we can harness the potential of women, the world just HAS to be a better place!

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Melanie Bryant OBE, founder of WhyNotChange is helping women to shatter the barriers to success.

ecently described as “inspirational” by the Prime Minister David Cameron, Melanie is a multi-award winning social entrepreneur. Renowned for her ‘stunningly effective’ work as a positive change specialist, public sector tender expert, community champion, high growth mentor; and entrepreneurship ambassador; in just 2 years Melanie has taken WhyNotChange from a fledgling concept to an award winning reality. Her awards include Excellence in Public Sector Procurement 2012/13 Finalist (National Government Opportunities); Big Society Award 2011 (Prime Minister); Britain’s

Top Real Role Model 2011 (Amway UK); Outstanding and High Impact Awards 2011, 2010 and 2009; GEW (Kauffman Foundation) and Best Social Enterprise Partnership Award 2010(West Lancashire CVS). Her accolades include One of just 50 appointed UK Female Entrepreneurship Ambassadors; Member of the Greater Manchester Poverty Commission; High growth programme tutor (Manchester Metropolitan University and Goldman Sachs); Social enterprise mentor (Unltd Connect); Named as one of the Top 300 social enterprise influencers on Twitter globally and named as one

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of the UK’s top 50 change radicals.

Why did you set up your business? I’m the accidental entrepreneur. Over the years I’d built up a reputation as global change specialist and expert bid writer whilst working in senior executive positions. To be a good change specialist you have to be constantly looking for ways to constructively challenge the status quo and finding new innovative ways to engage people to make change happen. To be a good bid writer you have to understand what the client

wants and be able to articulate your differentiators within a constrictive response format. Late in 2008 I was very unexpectedly made redundant (the company I worked for in the UK closed down) and so at the height of the recession at a time when organisations were not recruiting I found myself without a job. Never one to sit still I immediately started looking for another job but also volunteering for local charities. I quickly found that my change skills were much needed by charities,

social enterprises and the SME business community, and within a couple of months WhyNotChange was up and running.

What was the best piece of business advice you received? Be the best you can possibly be at everything you do and always go the extra mile. Plus an African proverb –“If you think you’re too small to make a difference then you’ve never been to bed with a mosquito.” A daily reminder to make it a positive difference!

What has been your biggest challenge to success in your business? As a social enterprise balancing paid work with philanthropic work – I still find it hard to say no – but the more paid work I do the more philanthropic work we can deliver – a virtuous circle.

What was your business tipping point? There have been a number. As an accidental entrepreneur the first was the point at which having spent a few minutes enthusing about the work I’d been doing my well meaning parents asked me how my job hunt was going. I realised that I actually had one – one that I love and that makes a real difference – and mentally from that point onwards I saw myself as a social entrepreneur. The next would be discovering that skills that I take for granted – particularly Public Sector tendering – are actually in high demand. I delivered some training on tendering and much to my surprise found myself inundated with bid work – and more to the point winning substantial and much needed contracts for charities, social enterprises and small businesses. The third would be each time I’ve won an award or been honoured – with each comes a tremendous sense of responsibility to live up to it. As someone who is known for infecting others with enthusiasm to see and deliver sparkling new possibilities, I try to create positive tipping point opportunities for others on a daily basis!

What should women be doing more of to succeed in their business? Have more confidence. Each year I organise the North West Women’s Enterprise Day which is attended by over 250 enterprising women. Each year we ask ‘what’s your biggest barrier to success?’ Each year over 90% of women – including those who are by anyone’s criteria already very successful – put

lack of confidence in their top 3! Women need to take more risks. This isn’t about being foolhardy but about looking for opportunities and instead of asking ‘why?’ thinking ‘why not?’ Some of my greatest success and personal satisfaction have come from doing things that other people considered ‘risky’. And finally, we need to share experiences and ask for help. Collaboration is a strength many women have but don’t leverage.

What should women be doing less of in their business? Women need to stop trying to compete like a man...or anyone else – be you, unique! Don’t ignore your feminine intuition, it’s usually right – and you’ll sleep better at night! Stop judging ourselves by other people’s measures of success. Decide what really matters to you and use these instead.

What do you see as the most powerful emerging trend in business at the moment? I see two - collaboration and customer experience. In a recent survey over 90% of senior executives identified that customer experience is the next big competitive battleground and this means that companies will need to look at everything that makes up a customer’s experience – every interaction they have whether physical or virtual. To get this right they’ll also need to look at everything that makes up their team’s experience too. This can lead to delighted customers and happy staff – win/win. This is where smaller companies can really shine and easily. Collaboration is a trend at many levels whether it’s collaborative consumption (e.g. car share schemes) or collaboration between companies. My business model is built around collaboration and I know how well it works.

What number one thing should women speak out about in business? Depends who they are speaking to, where they are in their business journey and what their business passions are. At the moment I’m talking about why doing good is good for business – and there are many layers to this!

How important is peer networking for women in leadership? It depends on the type of networking. I love meeting new people, learning what they do, sharing experiences and offering useful connections. I detest forced networking with multiple

businesses pushing their 60 second sales pitches. Often my best ideas and contacts have come from sessions that are more around an issue of common interest and with a room of people who probably don’t qualify as ‘peers’ in the conventional sense. It’s always good for leaders to challenge themselves and spend time with many different types of people.

•

Michelle Obama – behind every great woman...plus I hear that she’s tremendous fun

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Terry Pratchett – I absolutely love the quirky slightly off kilter worlds he creates through his books (so clever) and could spend many a happy hour discussing Mort and the witches!

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Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp’s character in Pirates of the Caribbean) – knows how to party even in adversity

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Me – of course!

How important is mentoring for women in leadership? When done well mentoring is a fantastic opportunity for both the mentor and mentee. It’s also important to remember that you need different types of mentors at different times in your life. I have had 3 great mentors over the years, starting with my primary school teacher, and I am grateful to each for the constructive (and often uncomfortable!) challenge they provided. I have been privileged to mentor some amazing people over the years and am currently an UnLtd Connect mentor for social enterprises.

Happiness, wellbeing or better childcare provision? Happiness. When you’re happy you’re better able to be well and to address challenges such as childcare.

What is important to for achieving greater impact in your business - award ceremonies or mastermind groups? Both in different ways. I need my mastermind group to challenge and encourage me. I have a wonderful set of people who do this for me in different combinations. Awards on the other hand are external recognition of achievements which help with credibility when meeting new people.

One to watch? Tessy Britton – check out her Social Spaces projects and Community Lovers Guide to the Universe book series (which I am editing a North West edition for) to find out why.

Your ideal circle of 6 at dinner? •

•

My husband – his gift is an ability to make every single person feel special, plus he always makes me laugh. Oprah Winfrey – a self-made woman who didn’t take ‘no’ for an answer, plus she must have some amazing stories and experiences to share

Must read book? The Wisdom of Teams by Katzenbach and Smith. I read this around 15 years ago and I still refer to it now. The Angel of the Rain – a children’s book – which reminds us what happens when we don’t do the right thing and how to put it right again with some help from our friends.

Must have business tool Equipment: my laptop – I couldn’t manage without it. Technique: stop, start, continue – works in every situation

What is the must do social media activity for greater impact in your business? Linkedin for online business networking and Twitter for thought leadership.

Advice to your 8 year old self? If you think you’re too small to make a difference then you’ve never been to bed with a mosquito! – African Proverb. Life is all about experiences – these, and what you do with what you learn from them, are what make you a richer person - whatever the pharaohs thought (I was mad about Egyptology at 8) you can’t take possessions with you, so don’t let other people distract you with them Grow up to be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the floor each morning the devil says ‘oh crap she’s up!’ Whatever the stylists tell you...you personally can never wear too much colour or too many sparkly things!

Why is the world a better place because of what you do in your business? Our entire business is built around enabling others to make a positive difference in their businesses, communities and lives. If everyone made just 1 small positive difference, imagine how different our world could be.

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Leigh Ashton, CEO the Sales Consultancy lives by this quote from Donald Trump. “If you’re going to be thinking anyway, you might as well think big.”

eigh Ashton is the founder of The Sales Consultancy. She helps sales professionals and business owners sell more, particularly with the psychological aspect of making positive changes in their attitude and approach to boost their sales!

She has been in sales since 1983 and as a young sales manager became increasingly frustrated by the inconsistent performance of her sales team. This really inspired her to go and find out why this happens...and she found that what goes on in a person’s head has the biggest impact on their sales success. Companies turn to her when they’ve tried everything to increase sales productivity...and they’re still not getting the results they want. She is known for increasing sales from 20% to over 100% with sustainable ongoing growth well after the completion of her programmes and leaves people feeling inspired and motivated to take action!

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Why did you set up your business? You can love and be talented at what you do but you need to be good at sales to make your business grow, last and be profitable. Focusing your efforts on talent alone is not enough to make your business successful. All you will create is the world’s best kept secret. I was driven to help small business owners gain greater access to high level corporate expertise and development. I understood that they could never afford to pay me the salary I earned, but if I devised a one day training programme over a set period of time, I could achieve more with them.

What was the best piece of business advice you received? I live by this quote from Donald Trump. “If you’re going to be thinking anyway, you might as well think big”. This piece of advice made me move beyond where I was when I started out in business. In the beginning, I started off focussing on helping small business owners but now I have taken my business philosophy and programme to wider and more diverse audience globally.

What has been your biggest challenge to success in your business? The biggest challenge has always been finance. It’s about managing cash flow and knowing where to make the biggest impact with the money I have. My colleague is a multi millionaire and he said to me “it doesn’t matter how big you get in the business world, you will never have enough money to do all the things that you want to do” so now I worry less about money get on with what I can do with the capital I have.

What was your tipping point?

business

My business tipping point came when I finally got the right team of people around me. Over the years, I have employed a lot of people but they never gave me the results that my current team do. They are an amazing and talented group of people made up of permanent staff, freelances and suppliers who know how to get the job done.

What should women be doing more of to succeed in their business? Women should be speaking out about the fantastic and life changing work that they do and making sure the world hears their message. Too many women play safe and too small.

I know that because I was one of those women. We need to recognise that we have a lot more power and talent than we give ourselves credit for. We need to leverage our skills, expertise and approach to life and create more businesses. Now the government are calling for women to help to jump start and move the economy forward which makes sense. Every woman can play a part because we are best placed to do so. We all run households and running the economy is no different.

What should women be doing less of in their business? They should be doing less of the doing and more of the overseeing. This is because women think that they have to do it all. It’s the superwoman, nurturing martyr syndrome which makes them believe it might be ‘quicker to do it yourself’. This model only works for a short period and not the long term. Women business owners must understand that is OK that the person won’t undertake the task like you; but it won’t be wrong just different. As long as they achieve the goal, step back and relax and understand that it is OK - trust the job will be done. That was a real learning curve for me as a manager of my business. I had to remember to focus on building the business rather than getting the job done if I wanted to succeed.

What do you see as the most powerful emerging trend in business at the moment? In business it’s all about building positive engagement and relationships with your clients, staff, and suppliers. By creating longevity in our relationships we will create a long lasting business and the money will follow it. If you focus on a positive outcome both ways then you don’t get the ‘them and us’ syndrome. You get unity and with unity you get much more power.

What number one thing should women speak out about in business? Women need to speak out about the importance of empowering other women whilst having the courage to do what you are passionate about. It’s about looking forward and taking the long term view about success. The government and a great many businesses are only interested in doing things that bring a quick result. But I believe if you do things more slowly, invest the time and resources with a bit more pain at the beginning, you will get the big win. I remember an experiment where a group of children were placed

in a room with chocolate bars in front of them. They were told, if they didn’t eat the chocolate for 15 minutes they would be given another one (reward). When the researchers returned, the ones who couldn’t wait missed the opportunity of getting twice as much chocolate. Well we seem to be living like that now. . Everyone wants things now. I believe if you wait a bit longer and defer your gratification (a contract for £2,000) and spend more time planning, researching, testing and evaluating your client, you could offer a better solution, thus increasing your order value (£5000+) and getting more repeat orders. Think about the bigger picture and go for the long term gain.

How important is peer networking for women in leadership? Peer networking is vital for achieving opportunities, learning, support and having more fun.

How important is mentoring for women in leadership? I actively promote mentoring. It’s all about learning from others who have already done what you want to do. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel. If i want to do something I find someone to mentor me. If it took them 20 years why would I take 20 years to learn the same thing, when they are prepared to show me how to do this more quickly.

Happiness, well being or better childcare provision? Happiness, because you can only be happy when the dots are lined up and things are in place. With more happiness, it means you will have better childcare. Everyone has a different hierarchy of happiness needs and motivators. We all know when our happiness has been violated or not being met. If honesty is a core value, then you will have great difficulty working with dishonest or deceptive people. The challenge is to understand our values and align our business goals accordingly to ensure we get what we want out of self employment.

What is important to achieving greater impact in your business award ceremonies or mastermind groups? A mastermind group is important because you can learn valuable lessons and strategies from others. If they are good they will hold you to account, point out areas of weakness that

ultimately become opportunities for improvement .

One to watch I have come across 2 women who have inspired me recently. Kemi Lamiyan wants to create a bigger connection with the African Diaspora through fashion and Adele Theron wants to help women overcome trauma. She has just published her first book “The Naked Divorce” which aims to help women overcome the trauma of divorce and she intends to write more.

Your ideal circle of 6 at dinner and why? Anthony Robbins (I love his personal power philosophy); Albert Einstein (wacky but brilliant); Theodora Roosevelt (her wisdom); Malcolm Gladwell (a genius who analyses information and allows it to make sense to the rest of the population. He’s about what, how and why things work); J K Rowling (amazing talent to connect with people of all ages) and Richard Branson (go getting attitude).

Must read book? The Dynamic Laws of Prosperity by Catherine Ponder.

Must have business tool and why? A winning “can do” mind set because no matter what’s in your personal success toolkit, your destined to failure if you are not action orientated.

What is the must do social media activity for greater impact in your business? Be on all of the major social media platforms and update them every day (more if you can)

Advice to your 8 year old self? Dream big and just do it!

Why is the world a better place because of what you do in your business? The people I work with learn how to believe in themselves.

Why is International Women’s Day Important? It’s a fantastic step to recognising the power of what women do. Women need to remember that whatever you think you are; but you are so much more than that. Remember that everything that you want is outside of your comfort zone. So step beyond it often!

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Marcia Lewinson, CEO WAITS on why its important to be the best you can be.

Multi tasking – concentrate on one thing at a time. Also start chasing the money and not opportunities

What number one thing should women speak out about regarding careers? Women have the skills and capacity to do anything they want and should not look at having carers in traditional roles or sectors. We are not all cut out to be in the caring profession.

How important is peer networking for women in leadership?

M Birmingham.

arcia Lewinson is a CEO of a Women Acting in Today’s Society9 WAITS) a Charity based in

During her time at WAITS has developed Active Citizenship programs, Community Organising Courses which support women to become involved in descion making structures, as well as developing community based groups providing services and campaigns on community issues She has developed and manages WAITS women support Development Projects supporting BAME Women affective by Domestic Abuse. Marcia is an Adult Education Tutor, trainer in Community Organising, Soft Skills, leadership development and Domestic Abuse. An effective Public Speaker and social entrepreneur. Marcia has worked in the Voluntary sector for 18 Years as two sons and is a grandmother to seven.

How and why did you choose your career path? I did not set out to have a career in the Voluntary Sector; My background was in administration. When I found myself single after 10 years of marriage, I wanted to do something that enabled me to be at home with my two sons. So I enrolled on an access course as the college was close to home and I could fit it around my children. It was whilst at College I began volunteering at WAITS. At the end of my course my tutor asked if I had thought about going to University and encouraged me to apply. I applied to various courses from Social work to Black History applying to five institutions. I was then accepted by

all five institutions and then decided to do a Youth and Community Degree as the university was near home. The course fitted into my voluntary work and family life and my sense of justice .I felt very fortunate to be able to cover all my priories with something I enjoyed.

What was the best piece of career advice you received? My Tutor at Fircroft College who recognised my ablites and encouraged me to go on to higher education, she was the first professional who encouraged me not to accept my lot in life.

What has been your biggest challenge to success in your career? Enabling WAITS and sustaining WAITS in the ever changing voluntary sector where resources are becoming scarcer and scarcer. This has meant changing my mind set from relying on funding and donations to finding new ways to generate earned income. WAITS has done this by developing WAITS Community Services. Providing training in soft skills development and BAME Domestic Abuse, Research, and consultations to the Public and Private sector. Our latest venture is in providing supported accommodation to BAME women affected by Domestic Abuse and involved in the Criminal Justice System

What should women be doing more of to succeed in their career? Believe in themselves; have a good support network and follow the business Plan

What should women be doing less of in their career?

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Peer networking is important it is encourages learning, gives space to develop ideas and gain confidence in what we do.

How important is mentoring for women in leadership? Mentoring is an efficient way to work through problems and issues that prevent you from being effective.

Happiness, well being or better childcare provision? Having all of the above is important to help women to be effective in what they are doing. Without childcare it is difficult for women to work outside the home. It also restricts women from moving away from traditional roles and work in the same environment as men. A Female MP could not participate in late night sessions that usual happen in the middle of the night if they did not have childcare. A female Lorry driver cannot do her job without childcare.

What is important for achieving greater impact in your career - award ceremonies or mastermind groups? This is a difficult one, awards are good for raising your profile, however mastermind groups are like food for the soul. I think mastermind groups these will lead to awards

One to watch? My Mother who is no longer with me Inspires me even though she is not here. I cannot imagine how hard it was for women to come to a new country, build a life, raise their chidden and have careers my mother was one such women. She did not settle instead she strived all her life for fulfilment. She was the first Black women I knew to drive; she went to college to better her career chances, despite having a young family and a seriously ill husband. She faced extreme racism at work (She

worked in a finance company and was the only black in the workforce). These obstacles did not prevent her from teaching me and my sister to strive for a better way of life.

Your ideal circle of 6? Michelle Obama – She to me symbolises a strong Women, I would like to know how she copes; Sonia Brown MBE – She would keep the party real; Richard Branson- so I could learn more about him and how he reached so far in the business world; Peter Hunnigale - he could sing to me all evening; Maya Angelou- I could sit a listen to her stories all day and Tyler Perry – I would like to know how he built is film empire while still being true to himself

Must read book? A slice of cake by Cup Cake Brown

Must have career tool and why? My Black Berry Torch – it keeps me connected, is my personal diary. I even leave notes to myself on it so things are not running round my head all the time

What is the must do social media activity for greater impact in your career? Keeping the website up dated

Advice to your 8 year old self? Don’t be shy be the best you can be

Why is the world a better place because of what you do in your career? I think my legacy is that I have empowered women to be effective in their family life, communities and carers. A woman stopped me whilst I was giving a presentation. She had experienced Domestic Violence and was at low ebb when she became involved in developing WAITS BAME School Governors Toolkit in 2010 and presented it to the Strategic Director for children and families. Since then she had become a school governor is now working as a Community Organiser in a deprived area of Birmingham - one of only 500 Community Organisers in the country.

arbara Campbell is the founder and director of Barb Wire Enterprises, a publishing house that currently produces Live Listings Magazine – the alternative Time Out, The Official Guide to International Women’s Month magazine, Black Heritage Today – the best black history month magazine on the market, the last two magazines are annuals. Former editor of The Journal (owned by The Voice Group), Barbara began her business 11 years ago by cashing in her life insurance policy. She recently added a training arm to her enterprise that gives aspiring journalist free training to fulfil their ambitions. The recipient of four ‘Excellence in Business Awards’, for her publications and her work in the community, Barbara also does contract publishing for other organisations including councils, churches and government, as well as book editing. She also goes into schools with a Media Enterprise Challenge programme for 14 year-olds plus. This fun/learning initiative is also available to academies, colleges and youth offending teams throughout the UK.

Why did you set up your business? At the time there was a gap for a publisher to produce magazines needed in the community, such as a multicultural listings guide that included ALL races www. livelistingsmag.com; a national Black History Month magazine that highlighted Grass-roots as well as successful people from the Corporate world. www.blackheritagetodayUK. com then there’s The Official Guide to International Women’s Month magazine. I wanted to create a mag that celebrated inspirational women www.iwmm.co.uk… and did.

What was the best piece of business advice you received? Failure is not in falling down, it’s in STAYING down!

What has been your biggest challenge to success in your business? Keeping the ‘haters’ at bay – who tried their best to destroy me - and praying for them (to bless them) when told to by my pastor!

What was your tipping point?

business

A well-known museum in Liverpool

phoned and asked for more of the Heritage magazines. I politely reminded him that he also receives the magazine and also the one set up in competition with me. He replied ‘Oh, I have loads of those one’s but everyone is coming in, ignoring those and asking for yours!’ The following year I sold out of copies. That’s when I knew I was really producing a publication wanted by its readers.

“Failure is not in falling down, it’s in STAYING down!” says Barabara Campbell: CEO Barb Wire Publishing

What should women be doing more of to succeed in their business? Women need to be sure about their Priorities, be selective and strategic when it comes to choosing where, when and how to network and continuously keep learning, studying and developing themselves.

What should women be doing less of in their business? Business women should be doing less administration and getting someone else to do it. They need to stop attending meetings that are not designed to bring something into their business and running after male business partners to remind them to keep THEIR side of the bargain and meet their deadlines!

What do you see as a powerful emerging trend in business at the moment Having started out as a one-woman band I’m glad to see that although once derided (one-band men, not me) for not being serious ventures technology is helping them to cast far longer shadows to extend their reach and influence.

What number one thing should women speak out about in business?

you can deal with any issue, including childcare provisions. Health IS wealth.

What is important to for achieving greater impact in your business - award ceremonies or mastermind groups? Both are as one helps to direct you and the other celebrate you, but if I HAVE to choose I’d go for mastermind groups as this one can lead to your being ‘awarded’.

One to watch? My mum was the ONLY woman who has ever inspired me. When I think of what she went through (work and home) and still remained sane and a great mother, I am humbled and realise I can manage anything that the world throws at me, if I have only a ‘smidgen’ of her strength.

Your ideal circle of 6 at dinner?

We need to be our own voice, speaking out about the Issues that matter to them and which affects them the most from a business perspective. We also have to challenge representation in Society and in the Media.

The dragons on Dragon’s Den - for obvious reasons.

How important is mentoring for women in leadership?

Must have business tool and why?

Mentoring and peer mentoring is very important because. I believe those who have -been there’ can help those coming up to avoid or at least be prepared for the pitfalls of business.

Computer and phone - most of my work interest tends to be online.

Happiness, well being or better childcare provision? Well-being. When you feel well and good you are happy and when happy

Must read book? 48 Laws of Power, by Robert Greene. It’s an eye-opener!

What is the must do social media activity for greater impact in your business?

Advice to your 8 year old self? Stop crying – this is life and you’ll get used to it.

Why is the world a better place because of what you do in your business? People are constantly telling me (via email, phone or in person) how much the magazines (particularly the one about black history and present-day achievers) has impacted and continues to have a positive and empowering impact on them.

“The key to realizing a dream is to focus not on success but significance - and then even the small steps and little victories along your path will take on greater meaning.” Oprah

Getting the message across to everyone inviting them to log onto the sites and forwarding the url link.

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that business is unpredictable, full of surprises and incredibly dynamic. When you can understand and accept that and not be derailed by it when things don’t go by the numbers – you’ve cracked it!

What has been your biggest challenge to success in your business? Developing the rules of engagement for myself!

Karen Mercer West believes in paying it forward in business.

aren Mercer-West started her career in the women’s royal air force and then followed this with a diverse and successful journey in the corporate world in the learning and development sector; culminating in her final post of business director for operations for a national training organisation. Throughout her experience, the skills Karen has honed over her career has moulded and driven the portfolio she now offers within her own business consultancy the main product being catalyst – a “success planning” process for entrepreneurs. Through Dunelm Consultancy Karen also runs and manages the Midland World Trade Forum working with a diverse business board comprising of experienced global traders as well as an advisory panel including ukti. Karen manages the network’s activity to provide information, signposting and events to members so that they are able to develop their international trade strategies.

Why did you set up your business? I saw the light! The corporate world offers great experience, opportunity and obviously exposure and security. I came to a point where that was not enough and the skills that I had developed were guiding me into a place where my approach, beliefs and culture became strong enough to stand up on their own. When you get to that place professionally and you don’t feel that the people or organisation you represent (or can find another) can offer a platform for you to offer what you know you can in the way that you just have to – it’s time to go it alone!

After working for so long in the corporate world with a backup and infrastructure of people, resources and systems, it takes time to develop something that not only works for you, but does not stifle the creativity and excitement that you deliver that was the driver to do it in the first place.

What was your business tipping point? Without a question of a doubt it was when I worked out across the myriad of things that I could do/offer, I discovered and worked out what it really was I wanted to do, was best at so ultimately of course SHOULD do!

What should women be doing more of to succeed in their business? Work on their self-belief strategies – actively and not feel bad or guilty about it. Give back to other women/young entrepreneurs/new businesses (anyone who needs it that they find really) Why? I believe it is our responsibility as entrepreneurs to help develop other entrepreneurs. This has an active and positive effect on the wider business community, feeds into our own wellbeing and even sometimes is a catalyst commercially.

What should women be doing less of in their business? Worrying about criticism, disbelief or negativity towards them or their business that they know in their heart of hearts is absolute rubbish! The “nuts and bolts” when they know they have the ability to delegate – releasing them to be at the creative/ sharp end of the business where they belong and are at their best

What do you see as the most powerful emerging trend in business at the moment?

What was the best piece of business advice you received?

The answer to this is definitely that in this time of austerity, people are seeing the value of great people. Organisations can afford fewer, lower resourced people to manage their businesses and employees are therefore much more visible as viable (or not) individuals.

“Things don’t go wrong – they just go different”! (Deb Leary OBE). This is about understanding and accepting

Women employees especially can capitalise on this. It is accepted that women find it easier to be more

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outward facing, responsive, proactive and flexible. When managed properly, they are incredibly hard working and loyal. That’s a list of skills and attributes I would want in the workforce of any organisation I was at the helm of!7

What number one thing should women speak out about in business? It has got to be about how credible, successful and formidable women business owners are commercially. Just look at the stats at how many women business owners there are – how successful they are and how many women are (in this difficult commercial time) the ones who are making it happen out there. Against all the odds

How important is peer networking for women in leadership? It’s not important. It’s CRUCIAL! Was I aware of this in the commercial world before I set up my business? NO! Did I miss out on years of connections; personal development; opportunities; information on my sector/ political angles relating to the business; A platform to heighten the profile of my offering and myself. Oh yes! That’s what great, effective networking delivers to you.

How important is mentoring for women in leadership? CRUCIAL! If we really believe that as female entrepreneurs that we: don’t need to me mentored to be even better at what we do. We don’t have a responsibility to others who are on their journey….. ….we don’t know what it is!

Happiness, well being or better childcare provision? Wellbeing. If you have this – generally you can sort out the rest!

What is important to for achieving greater impact in your business - award ceremonies or mastermind groups? Definitely the mastermind Groups. What better place to absorb the wisdom of the minds around you and just as importantly – impart your knowledge and skills to help others as well

One to watch ? I am not just saying this – I am inspired so much by the other women I meet in business (some clients) every day. Their capacity to deal with things positively and with grace and humility whilst focusing on making money to me is a sight to behold

Your ideal circle of 6

Deb Leary OBE (My mentor and friend) – Why? She’s my mentor and friend!; Mrs Margaret Thatcher – I’d like to hear how a woman believed she could and then went on to penetrate, lead and end up with a main statue in the mother of all parliaments; Hilary Clinton – I’d like to hear the story of how a woman survives living in the most powerful institution in the world whilst every blink is up for everyone to see. All this and then returns as not the wife but the second in command of the same institution; Coco Chanel – I’d like to hear this remarkable rags to riches story of someone who totally understood what women and of course women really want – and then provide it to them; eryl Streep – I’d like to hear the secrets of how in your craft you appear timeless and increasingly more fabulous at what you do; Hugh Laurie – He’s funny, intelligent, incredibly open and actually – gorgeous!

Must read book? Any Autobiography of someone that inspires you! Must have business tool and why? The ipad! How else with one tool can you keep in touch with clients and contacts, find new contacts, communicate and market your business, find out information on anything and anyone, catch up on politics and news, speak to people and even shop for your next pair of shoes!!!!

What is the must do social media activity for greater impact in your business? LinkedIn – It does everything doesn’t it? I could not do without it and use it to my advantage every day

Advice to your 8 year old self? Oh! My father gave me that and I ignored it then so it would be to listen this time. He said – “Karen – you SO underestimate yourself” I can hear him and see him now. It was a confidence thing you see. I just don’t believe I had the right business role models that had enough impact so I could believe that an ordinary girl from a working class background could get to the top. He told me time and time again but – alas – at that time it was not enough to develop that lack of confidence in me. My advice would be to focus on what you want long term and believe that you can achieve your aspirations to a high level - believe in your abilities!

Why is the world a better place because of what you do in your business? Hopefully because my main focus is on developing passion, believe and excellence in others. This impacts not only on them but also us and of course the business world in general

am in my early 60’s and have been active within my various communities for nearly 50 yearschallenging racism, sexism and homophobia. I now work in developing strategies and actions to confront all forms of unlawful discrimination. I am a proud mother and grandmother.

How and why did you choose your career path? Like many women I have a nonlinear career path, children and university have affected and helped my development. As a working –class Black girl in the 1950’s and 60’s very little was expected of us or me, but many of us refused to be defined my other people’s expectation. In summary my career path has been very much a zig-zag driven by my desire to work ethically and to do the right thing.

What was the best piece of career advice you received? I am not sure I ever received direct career advice but I do remember friends and colleagues encouraging me to go to University soon after the birth of my second child. I might have stayed in the Inland Revenue ,but I am glad that I did not.

What has been your biggest challenge to success in your career? In 1987 I was Leader of Lambeth

Council and we were forced to make huge cuts to our budget for the forthcoming financial year, I worked with a small number of colleagues to find a way of delivering a lawful budget whilst protecting the most vulnerable service users. Despite hostility from many within my own Party we devised a methodology which looked critically at all services and who used them and came up with a formula which enabled us to set a legal budget. I took a great deal of strength to consult with community groups, service users ,Trade Unions and staff and persuade them of the need for the strategy; but finally it was agreed. The budget was set on the day I said it would be set. Not one compulsory redundancy was made despite a 25% cut in the budget; however I resigned as Leader couple of month later.

What was your career tipping point? I am not sure I have had a career tipping point, but I did need to make a number of changes to my life when my parents became ill so that I could provide care to each of them.

What should women be doing more of to succeed in their career? I am not sure that there are any specific things I would recommend since each woman’s life and circumstances are different. But issues of integrity are important. Success in

ones career should be seen in terms of the good one is able to do for others aside from oneself.

What should women be doing less of in their career? We should do less of accepting rude, aggressive or abuse conduct from bosses and colleagues.

What do you see as the most powerful emerging trend in professional life at the moment? The biggest trend in professional life is to see the cost of everything and the value of nothing. A large salary or big car may not last.

What number one thing should women speak out about regarding careers? Fairness for self and others.

How important is peer networking for women in leadership? Quite important but I am not good at it myself.

Happiness, well being or better childcare provision? Better childcare would create greater happiness for many women- I still do not understand this word wellbeing (another American import)? What is important to for achieving greater impact in your career - award ceremonies or mastermind groups? Neither

One to watch? I am not a fan of personality cults.

Must have career tool and why? Mobile phone and filofax for important contacts as paper backup.

What is the must do social media activity for greater impact in your career? Say yes to radio and TV interviews.

Advice to your 8 year old self? By true to yourself.

How important is mentoring for women in leadership?

Why is the world a better place because of what you do in your career?

I have never been a fan of the American notion of mentoring which only seems to be applied to those of us who are not White men.

I am not sure I would distinguish between my career and my life- I hope that I have remained true to by mottoBe Bold!

Linda Bellos OBE has built a highly acclaimed career based on her refusal to be defined by other people’s expectations.

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ndrea Campbell MBA, MA (Hons) founded ACT Training Services in 2006 where she trains individuals from disadvantaged communities to develop skills and competencies for employment. She is a prominent figure in management and motivational training as well as performance coaching. She is the Author of ’Practical Business ABC’ and ‘Jamaican Proverbs, People and Places’ and is a Linguist and member of the Institute of Translators and Interpreters.

Why did you set up your business? I had been working in the regeneration sector for just over 5 years and had acquired a great understanding of the unique dynamics, requirements, issues, the key players and the needs of the stakeholders. It was not long before I spotted a gap in the market and decided to take a leap of faith and set up my business to address these unmet needs.

What was the best of business advice received?

piece you

I would say the best advice I received was from a very unassuming gentleman who had been running his successful business for over 20 years. He said, “do what you love to do”. Over the years I have come to realise that by doing what I love to do I am inspired, encouraged and motivated to succeed. Because of the passion I have for my chosen fields, work does not feel ardous, but rather a continuous exploration into who I really am. Doing what I love to do allows me to live my dream and make the contribution I have always wanted to make in society without the added stress.

What has been your biggest challenge to success in your business? My biggest challenge is growing my business in a shrinking market. As a social enterprise my organisation relies largely on public funds to run programmes and as the economic reality becomes more restrictive it is increasingly difficult to keep our programmes going. 80% of our end users are individuals with limited purchasing power and we exist to improve their opportunities by enabling them to develop skills and competencies that are marketable or that can position them in the market as self employed people.

We therefore endeavour to explore other areas and develop our markets and products in order to continue to serve our client groups.

What was your tipping point?

business

In 2009 the regeneration industry was experiencing far-reaching changes. Government funding programmes were being cut dramatically and opportunities were disappearing fast. Our contracts had terminated and our contractors went out of business, downsized or changed focus. From one month to the other we were not sure how we would keep our doors open. There was a defining moment at the beginning of 2010 when I was thinking that we wouldn’t renew our business insurance for the year as I just couldn’t see how we would survive in our present form. There were no contracts, service level agreements or grants available and every door seemed closed, actually locked... tightly! In July of that year we relocated to a smaller site, occupying around 1/3 the space we rented previously. Now we have to hire our training rooms but there is no wasted capacity and our premises costs reduced by approximately 60%. This major change enabled us to keep going without adversely affecting our services.

What should women be doing more of to succeed in their business? Business has no regard for gender as I see it. If women wish to succeed in their business they have to widen their horizons, set no personal limits and study the success of others who have operated within and outside of their industry. They should seek to build relationships, network more and develop presentation skills. I have learnt that you are your business; people buy from people so presentation and image is vital. Another area to concentrate on is the nurturing of their existing customers; too often we forget that happy customers turn into repeat customers who will spread the word on our behalf. Women must position their companies in a place where their service quality sells their business.

What should women be doing less of in their business? Business women should see themselves as business people and focus less on the fact that they are women. Too much emphasis on gender can lead to the establishment of mental barriers that serve no purpose other than to stifle creativity. Social media is a popular phenomenon nowadays but

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too many people are using it to hard sell. This can be quite unattractive and annoying. Using social media to advertise is good when relationships are built with potential buyers. We need to get the balance right.

that you attend personal development seminars and workshops. Often there is a lot of knowledge in the room and you can tap into a range of experience and select useful advice for you in your business.

What do you see as the most powerful emerging trend in business at the moment?

I don’t believe that we have to have a formal mentor/mentee relationship but we have the discipline to work hard, ask for help when we need it and endeavour to continuously learn. The absence of a mentor should not prevent women who aspire to higher from reaching out and exploring their creativity and latent talents. There is a lot of help around and there is a lot to be learnt online. When we make mistakes we learn from them, pick ourselves up and keep going.

The current most powerful emerging trend in business is the dominance and growth of technology. It is unlikely that the conventional workforce will be replaced but it is important to explore how technology can complement a business venture, enhance its operations and make it more competitive. Contemporary business owners have to recognise that competition is now on a global scale and those who fail to embrace IT or lack access to technology will soon have no choice but to join in the revolution if they are serious about remaining in business.

What number one thing should women speak out about in business? Money. We are in business and should not be afraid to talk about money. For social entrepreneurs like myself there is less focus on making money but we must not forget that if we want to make an impact we have to fund it. So whether you call it capital, cash, finance income, revenue, funds, it doesn’t matter; we should inspire other women to grow their business and make profits, so that they can be the change they want to see in the world. Money does not bring happiness however, so when it comes we should ensure that we are the master and not the slave of it.

How important is peer networking for women in leadership? Peer networking is quite an important phenomenon for women in leadership. It opens up new possibilities, widens choice, educates, enlightens and builds mutually beneficial relationships. It allows individuals to take advantage of large-scale opportunities which are often out of reach for smaller individual companies. If the synergy is right it can act as a catalyst for business development and expansion.

How important is mentoring for women in leadership? Lifelong learning is to be embraced in all areas. Being mentored by someone who has walked this road before is very useful though not vital. There is no one person with all the knowledge so if you are unable to find a mentor just ensure

Happiness, well being or better childcare provision? Wellbeing for me includes happiness. Wellbeing includes good health in mind and body, the basis for all activity, including economic activity which will help to satisfy other needs. I recognise that childcare provision is an issue in Western societies where the extended family is often unavailable to assist. However in other societies help is available and is often not an issue. If you are well, chances are you will be able to work and pay for child care or make other arrangements. Ultimately we all want to be well and happy, and those of us with children want to know that they are safe. You achieve wellbeing only when other key areas have been addressed.

What is important for achieving greater impact in your business - award ceremonies or mastermind groups? The mind is arguably the most important part of a human being. It conceives, creates, directs, aspires, imagines and is inspired and motivated. Harnessing the minds of people in open and collaborative fora can move mountains. Working with people who have the ability to think creatively and contribute ideas can be a catalyst for change, actions, growth and satisfaction. Fostering a participative culture will unleash creativity and find new ways for problem solving in the workplace. It also improves morale and creates a feeling of ownership for decisions and actions.

One to watch? In December last year I had the pleasure of meeting a lady called Ms P Wiltshire. She is a Jamaican born woman living in the UK. She has multiple disabilities - Cerebral palsy resulting in a host of physical mobility challenges with her arms and legs;

Timeline of international women’s

Andrea Campbell on the benefits of taking a leap of faith in business

rights agreements Some landmarks in the recent history of women’s human rights, at the global level, include: •

• • • • epilepsy, asthma, vision and speech impairment, arthritis, pain in the hips, back and hands.

What is the must do social media activity for greater impact in your business?

Despite these challenges Ms Wiltshire leads a full life, she singlehandedly brought up her only child, a son who is educated to university level; she writes books and motivates others through her public speeches, she volunteers for community activities; she cooks for herself and copes with all the adversities society deliberately or inadvertently throws at her. Ms Wiltshire may not be popular but she surely inspires me.

Link with others in your industry to build partnerships and keep abreast of developments. In this regard it is important to maintain a business profile separate from your personal profile. Offering support and advice where possible will raise your profile and make your business more attractive to those who are scouting for partners or suppliers.

Your ideal circle of 6? Les Brown – to motivate me; Oprah Winfrey – to inspire me; Duncan Bannatyne – to analyse to my business ideas; Louis Armstrong – to lighten up the moment; My Aunt Barbara - who has a high level of intuition and is particularly good at assessing situations and people and who will fill me in afterwards. I, the host will be present, of course.

Must read book? Maverick by Ricardo Semler which shows how investment in people and allowing them to decide their own destiny can bring benefits to business. Mr Semler proposes and implements a totally new way of leadership in business and in so doing empowers people to be the best they can be, bringing mutual benefits to individuals and to the company.

Must have business tool? Broadband internet – It provides an affordable access to many parts of the world, for business and pleasure. I didn’t grow up with the internet but now I would be like a fish out of water without it.

Advice to your 8 year old self? Read more and consider running your own business as a viable option. It’s not all about getting a good job. You can be a provider of jobs too. When I was a child my parents encouraged us to get a good education and find a good job. We were never told that we too could be successful in business. This is quite ironic because both of my parents, my grandparents, aunts and uncles ran their own small businesses.

Why is the world a better place because of what you do in your business? I worked for many years in the diplomatic service and although I was serving my country in foreign lands I did not feel that I was making a difference to people’s lives. Running ACT Training Services fills that void. I can see the growth in people, I get good feedback; I see the impact we make on people’s future and the effect on their families. We instil confidence, encourage, support and motivate. Over the last 10 years or so my team and I have trained thousands of people and helped many to get into employment. The world is a better place.

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1946 – the UN Commission on the Status of Women established with mandate to set standards of women’s rights, encourage governments to bring their laws into line with international conventions and to encourage global awareness of women’s rights 1948 – adoption of Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which forms the basis for action for promoting equal rights and freedoms 1975 – first International Women’s Year, first global United Nations’ Women’s Conference held in Mexico City and beginning of the UN Decade for Women 1979 – adoption of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), the only international treaty on women’s human rights 1993 – adoption of the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women; women successfully promote the message that women’s rights are human rights at the World Conference on Human Rights in Vienna 1994 – women secure another major step forward for women’s and girl’s right to control their own lives and bodies at International Conference on Population & Development in Cairo 1995 – women mobilise again at the World Summit for Social Development in Copenhagen to ensure that the problems they face are central to the global agenda; women achieve massive success both in terms of results and turn-out, at the Beijing Fourth World Conference on Women, resulting in global Platform for Action for women’s equality, empowerment and justice 2000 – UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security adopted 2005 – women defend their gains at the ten year review of implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action and successfully defeat a proposal led by the U.S government for an anti-abortion amendment to the declaration 2008 – UN Security Council Resolution 1820 adopted, recognizing that sexual violence can be categorized as a war crime, crime against humanity, and act of genocide and demanding protection and prevention measures from parties of armed conflict; protection from violence in refugee and displaced person camps; and affirming the need for women’s full participation in peace-building processes. 2009 – the UN commits to completely overhauling the systems and structures through which it supports women’s rights 2010 - 15-year review of the Beijing Platform for Action 2011 – UN Women, the new UN agency focussing on women and bringing together the previously fragmented ‘gender machinery’ starts work on 1st January.

These are remarkable achievements, and even more so given the lack of resources and access to power structures at the disposal of most ordinary women. However, the gap between governments’ commitments and the reality of women’s lives, particularly those of women in the South, has not reduced and, if anything has widened in some parts of the world. This is largely due to the backlash against women’s human rights that is taking place on every continent and in many different forms today, including: • •

religious or cultural fundamentalisms of different kinds power of ultra-conservative forces within governments and their influence on foreign and domestic policies • backlashes in the media, judiciary, public opinion • an increase in violence, conflict and war The current global economic crisis and climate change are also responsible for current erosions of women’s rights. These are huge threats to the work of Womankind and our partners. It is very important that we confront these challenges, both old and new, and continue to push for change at all levels. This means continuing to ensure that the concerns, interests and aspirations of the women we work with are foremost in the solutions we advocate .Source: http://www.womankind.org.uk

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Work, Wealth &

Enteprise

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How not to Lose Your Power Work Engagment Specialist Dion Johnson suggests women should tap into their feminine ‘why’ and stop acting like a man to break through the glass ceiling.

omen of all ages have been campaigning for equal access and rights in the marketplace for many years and there is no doubt that progress has been made. The term ‘house husband’ doesn’t evoke the kind of reaction it did even, say, five years ago, as more men agree to stay at home to take care of the children allowing their partner to continue her work life pursuits. The evidence backs up the fact that the boundaries around traditional gender roles are at least being explored and somewhat expanded. This isn’t just about equity either, there is a strong business case and increasing acknowledgement that women do in fact, have a valuable, even crucial contribution to offer the highest level leadership arena: and following the report by Lord Davies, businesses and organisations have been formally urged to develop strategies to help their female talent to step into higher leadership positions. Despite this, and even though women account for 47% of the UK workforce, there continues to be a distinct and even worrying lack of high level female representation across sectors in our marketplace. So the question has to be why won’t more women take their rightful place in business and organisational leadership? As a work engagement Specialist and as a woman in business myself here’s what I see as the most common barriers to entry.

Commitments Despite the legislative changes that make paternity leave an option, it is still largely the responsibility of women to stay at home and manage the demands of home. And even though there are significant numbers of mothers still holding down jobs after becoming mothers, ‘doing it all’ means that they often need to take part time, and perhaps less demanding roles just to manage their load.

Culture Historically, the world of work has always been a male domain. The spirit of old boy networks and institutions like the masons still, regrettably, exclude women and actively perpetuates the masculine marketplace culture. And even though women are in many cases outperforming men educationally, the raising and socialisation of girls still has a tendency to stereotype women as less well suited than men for leadership roles and there is a lot of evidence to show that people still perceive successful leaders and managerial characteristics to be more typically associated with men. Trouble is, this culture, for many women is viewed as totally off putting and more trouble than its worth. Women, I’ve found, don’t want to be men and view the pressure to conform and perform like men as draining, demoralising and for many, too hard to pull off on a consistent basis.

what you want your life to be about, who you are passionate about impacting and why that impact is important to you and them. If your ‘WHY’ is clear and heartfelt enough it will become the fuel that enables you to press forward despite resistance

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Get Help

Tap into the growing support available for aspiring marketplace women. FedUpAtWork.com, I Am Woman, Aspire, Black Women’s Aspiration Network and The Women’s Leadership Network, are organisations working to ensure you don’t have to go it alone. Support, mentoring and specialist guidance is a crucial part of our journey to success as feminine leaders.

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Find ways to share your process and journey with others women. I’ve found this to be an invaluable source of mutual inspiration and the catalyst for creativity and often a door to all sorts of new opportunities

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Take Advantage Of Global Advances

There has never in history been a better time to consider the entrepreneurial route. Economic decline, together with technological and social advances has given rise to The Global Small Business Movement. Women now have very great opportunities to set up feminine, heart based businesses on their own terms.

Confidence Sadly, studies are still showing that women are more likely to under-estimate their capability and capacity for higher level roles. They don’t go for roles if they can’t meet every requirement on the job description and person specification. In addition to this women often find it counter intuitive to really ‘sell’ themselves as vehemently and overtly as men will, generally speaking, of course.

So, what needs to change? Here are my top tips for aspiring feminine leaders looking to smash the glass ceiling.

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Find Your Feminine ‘WHY’

Resist the pressure to get sucked into playing power games. Instead, keep mindful of how climbing the career ladder is associated with the difference you want to make in your world. Get clear on

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Do You Need A Productivity Breakthrough?

hree months in, and well ensconced into the New Year, how many of your best intentions to turn over a new leaf and perform better at work have you honoured? Is there a disconnect between your ambition and your performance? One of the most common obstacles to peak performance is lack of clarity about your role, putting your energy into low-value activities because you are unclear of where your work can have a real impact. If you are interested in working smarter and not harder at achieving peak performance, read on and discover four action points that will make a significant difference if you apply them.

1. Clarify your role; what do you need to deliver? “The things that matter most, must never be at the mercy of the things that matter least.” Goethe Most of us who have a job description, have a respectable few pages of tasks and responsibilities that is viewed at the beginning of the role and then dusted off again just before an appraisal. There will never be enough time to focus on everything outlined in your job description – let’s face it, most of these are ‘catch all’ documents that place no emphasis on priority areas for any given time. But often, key areas where performance is essential above other designated tasks on your job description are not obvious. This is a classic ’deal breaker’ in reaching peak performance levels at work.

2. Capitalise on high-value tasks Pareto’s well known 80-20 rule applied to work performance means just 20 percent of our tasks (job description) is responsible for 80 percent of our results. So 20 percent of your tasks will account for 80 percent of the value of what you do. To improve performance, focus on the 20 percent that of tasks that are most important and will give you the highest return. If you are not sure about which parts are more important, discuss this with your boss

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and your colleagues. Find out the key result areas; they are usually tasks that feed into the wider company vision and targets, so make sure you know what they are and how they apply to your role. “Our work is the presentation of our capabilities. Spend your time on trivial tasks, and you’ll produce trivial results.” Simmons-Lewis Resist the temptation to clear up small things first, or busy yourself with low value trivial tasks that contribute very little results and can normally be delegated. You won’t get noticed or promoted for the things nobody recognises. Putting your best efforts into these can sap your energy because you’ll spend the day with a deep sense of foreboding about the big tasks that you haven’t got started.

3. Set clear goals “A wise man will make more opportunities than he finds.” Francis Bacon The next step is to develop clear goals around your 20 percent high value tasks, and align them as closely as possible with your personal career goals. As you make plans to be more discriminating in your quest to improve your performance and benefit the company’s bottom line; make these improvements work harder for you on an individual level. Think about the personal goals you hope to achieve in your current role and career path. What will you contribute and learn? What do you want to experience? What will give you energy? What results are you looking for? Use these answers to help you create win-win solutions for how to approach your choice of high value projects and activities. Then ask yourself: What one career accomplishment would have the greatest impact on my work life? How can this benefit my current high value tasks?

4. Get out of your comfort zone find a challenge To stay motivated and productive, focus on putting your energy into high-value tasks that you enjoy and are effective in. Find more opportunities to get out of your comfort zone; put yourself forward for activities that stretch you and get your head above the parapet. For example, volunteer to work on project that will achieve significant results for the company while developing your desired skills and experience. There are rich learning and networking opportunities to be gained from working in a project team of new people

from different professional backgrounds. And remember: “The man who does not take pride in his own performance performs nothing in which to take pride.” Thomas J. Watson

RECAP: ACTION POINTS •

Look at your job description and work out your 20 percent high-value tasks

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Make a list of key goals, activities and projects which are in the top 20 percent of tasks that could represent 80 percent of results

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Set clear goals to spend more time working in these few areas, and less time on lower value tasks.

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Ask yourself:

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What are my highest value activities? What will make the biggest contribution to my company?

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What can I and only I do, that if do well will make a real difference? (something that you can’t delegate that would make a real difference)

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What is the most valuable use of my time right now?

Suzanne Simmons-Lewis helps her clients clarify and achieve their true purpose and ambitions in their careers and businesses, drawing out their unique talents. She inspires supports and challenges clients in their journey to making their long-held dreams an exciting reality. www.suzannesimmonslewis.com

Bully! Yes I am talking about YOU! Sherry Dixon lifts the lid on the unspoken rise of female bullying in the workplace.

emember the uproar when Gordon Brown was accused of bullying that even the “National Bullying Hotline” felt obliged to reveal that there had been a number of complaints of bullying in Number 10. But guess what? Our dirty secret is out ladies! We are at the top of the bullying list! I went to a conference recently and in every lecture, the words “Adult Bullying” came up. It was interesting to learn that 90% of bullies were promoted despite their inappropriate behaviour and I can tell you that in my 30-year-old career in media I have seen quite a few women bullies. The Workplace Bullying Institute claims that women are

71% more likely to be bullied by another woman. Whereas, the chances of a woman being bullied by a man is at a much lower 46%. One would assume that bullies looked and appeared stern and fierce, but that’s not the case. The passive/aggressive bully is on the rise. She is very talented, often independent and well liked outside of work. She looks and acts very girly but can cut you down with the twist of an eyebrow and the twitch of her top lip in a single heartbeat. Most of us wont admit to knowing a female aggressor and many wont blow the whistle on a female boss who is subtle but relentless in her pursuit of taking another woman down with her snide remarks on a daily basis. Many are afraid of her, after all who would want to be the next target in line for her natural abuse. We prefer to use words to describe her like “she needs a man in her life” to explain her bad behaviour.

This might all be great in our quest to climb the ladder but the question most of us have to ask ourselves is, are you willing to allow adult bullying to escalate just like domestic and schoolyard bullying ... waiting until it gets out of control to then stand with placards outside of Parliament, asking for a law to be implemented in order to stop the abuse in the work place? Ask yourself if you are willing to carrying on as a bystander to this new and growing abuse! Sherry Ann Dixon is a Journalist, Broadcaster and Life skills and Confidence Building Lecturer. Visit her

So why are we witnessing this rise of adult bullying, yet turning a blind eye to the demise of our colleagues on a daily basis? The answer is most people don’t know how to react to be quite honest. They are frightened of losing their jobs or worried that they could be next in line, yet at the same time they are sickened by their lack of interference and usually move positions or jobs in order to get away from the bully. It’s certainly not surprising that these adult bullies are on the rise and with such few senior positions for women in the workplace, some women will resort to drastic measures to secure them! Men have controlled the workplace market for hundreds of years and have competed with each other and it would seem that women are adopting/mimicking this behaviour with vigor and no longer find the experience so masculine. It’s survival of the fittest!

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needs of others, then remember the airplane safety instructions – put your own mask on first!

Girls, I know you’ve read that title and you won’t be able to believe it. Well it’s true! Why? Because

2. Do something you have never done before

I LOVE the range of tastes and flavours in a beer – there are over 3,500 of them produced in the UK by the thousands of passionate, hardworking people employed at the 850 or so microbreweries based in Britain. There are sooooooooo many beers to explore!

When we’re busy we can often get stuck in the same old routines. Perhaps there’s an activity or hobby or that you’ve always wanted to try but you never seem to get round it. There is always so much other stuff going on. When we break out of our usual routine and take the initiative to do something new, we experience greater energy and aliveness! So try a dance class, bungee jump, or wear that amazing dress that you bought for a special occasion when you go out shopping!

3.Develop an attitude of gratitude Expressing gratitude is much more than a polite “thank you”. Gratitude completely shifts our energy from a negative perspective (what we don’t have) to a positive one (on what is going well for us).

EFFORTLESSLEY LIVING Most of us wish we could live life less like we were on a conveyor belt! Claire Beegan shares 3 simple steps to boost your mood and energy.

o you wish you had more energy so that you could enjoy life more? Do you have good intentions to look after yourself but get caught up in the busy-ness of life? It’s easy to be constantly rushing around doing things. Our work life is busy, our social life is busy, even our relaxation time can get full of things we think we “should” be doing. The consequence of this is that we can find ourselves “running on empty”. You wouldn’t expect your body to survive without food, so why do we expect our energy resources to survive without being recharged? It’s when we take a pause to nourish and restore ourselves, that we find the resources we need to be of our best in the world. Here are my top three tips for getting in touch with your energy effortlessly:

1. Take time out for yourself Find some time in your day that is just for you. It may be as little as 5 minutes, the important thing is that you devote that time just to yourself. You could read a favourite magazine, drink a lovely cuppa, meditate or sit in the warmth of a sunbeam. Anything that restores you and makes you feel good. If you find it hard to put your own needs before the

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Try keeping a Gratitude Diary. Each evening as you go to bed, write a minimum of 3 things that you are grateful for that day. The simple act of noticing the “good stuff” in our lives can make a powerful impact on our feelings and state of mind. Each of these activities encourages energy to flow. Believe it, do it and you will see it! Previously a “work hard/play hard” professional, today Claire Beegan is an advocate of effortless living. Having earned her stripes in the competitive corporate world - and nearly burning herself out in the process - Claire believes that there is another way to creating happiness and fulfillment. She is passionate about helping people squeeze the juice of life! Join Claire’s community at www.effortlessenergy. co.uk to receive weekly inspirations and tips to making life more effortless and enjoyable!

SUMMER LOVING

Forget Olympics 2012, Marverine Cole talks weight loss, beer and Goddesses.

Over 1.6 million women in the UK agree with me too. They say they regularly enjoy heading to their favourite pub and drinking real ale* (or to use the official term ‘cask ale’). Why? Cos it’s fresh and tasty. If you haven’t found a beer you like it’s because you haven’t tried enough. I throw parties for ladies – elegant, educational and fun events to introduce women to beer and help them unleash their love of beer. Not all beers are bitter, and beer certainly isn’t just a warm, brown liquid that old men up North who wear flat caps drinks. It’s vibrant and exciting and if you don’t believe me you’d better get with the programme because there are beers out there which smell and taste of peaches, grapefruit, melon, strawberry, raspberry and honey. ‘But what about the curse of the beer belly?’ I hear you cry. Well the beer belly is a myth. Men get a beer belly after downing 10 pints and gobbling down kebabs and burgers after a big night out. Now I’m not the sort of girl who likes to swill down pints of beer. I stick to halves. Beer isn’t fattening, Repeat. Beer isn’t fattening. It doesn’t contain cholesterol either. It’s a healthy natural product made of malted barley, hops, water and yeast. Some beers have wheat, spices, rice and sugar added too. The reality’s in the figures and you just need to keep an eye on what you’re drinking. For example An Alco-pop around 4% (Smirnoff ice) is 193 calories, a large (250ml) glass of 12% strength white wine is 185 calories, the same size & strength of a red wine is 170 calories, whereas half a pint of 5% beer or cider is around 125 calories. (Source: www.drinkaware.co.uk) I rest my case. And didn’t you know that history indicates to the fact that women invented beer? Back around 2,000 years BC in Mesopotamia, tablets of stone were found carved with hymns and prayers to Ninkasi, the Goddess of Beer. Back in England’s Middle Ages women were the main brewers of beer, it was a foodstuff and something the whole family drank! Beer is seen as the bad guy – lager louts, beer bellies and there’s always a picture of a pint in the news when the subject of binge-drinking comes up. But thankfully things seem to be changing. The world is changing and waking up to a renaissance about beer. In the last 6 months I’ve been asked on TV 3 times to do fun beer-tastings – check out Beer Beauty TV to see them all. (http://www.youtube.com/user/ BeerBeauty?feature=watch) If you’re not then go and support your local pub which serves cask ale, check out your brewery (there’s bound to be one near you). Pubs and breweries organise events helping you to get to know beer. You could search the CAMRA website for your next local beer festivals which have hundreds of beers to try (drag some willing girlfriends with you!) Or you could subscribe to www.beerbeauty.co.uk for more knowledge, fun and useful hints & tips about which beers to try and what they taste like. Go on – make sure you’re ahead of the game! There is beauty in beer and that’s why beer is the ultimate girls BFF!* Cask Ale report

‘Lloyds TSB Commercial has also been one of the largest participants in the Government’s Enterprise Finance Guarantee (EFG) scheme. This allows viable and eligible businesses with a turnover of up to £25 million which lack lending security to apply for term lending for a number of purposes, including the improvement of working capital and partial consolidation of overdrafts. By the end of December 2011, we had offered more than 4,850 EFG loans, worth £362 million – nearly 29 per cent of all loans granted through the scheme so far.’ We also participate in the European Investment Bank (EIB) loan scheme, which offers viable businesses up to a 0.8 per cent reduction on interest rates on loans. We recently secured an extra tranche of funding worth £150 million to continue to support businesses under this scheme.

GET THE CASH How does she do it, business inspiration Lisa Parsons explains why Lloyds TSB is still helping entrepreneurs fund their dreams.

f you are looking to take advantage of new opportunities and grow your company, funding is often the key. But many business owners may be unsure as to how best prepare their organisation to secure the finance they need.

One of the best places to start is with your business plan. It is important to spend some time creating a clear, strong plan with financial forecasts, clearly thought out for the next three to five years. You will also need to anticipate issues which may require additional finance going forward. This is an important first step that will give both you and your bank a clear view of which options will meet your business’ needs in the short, medium and long-term. Beyond a good business plan, the bank will also want to see that your previous accounts are in order and fully illustrate the past performance of your business. You will also need to be able to demonstrate what the funding will be used for and a clear outline of how you will pay the money back, and over how long. Transparency is a vital part of this process. A good banking partner will then be able to offer guidance on which funding solutions will work best for your business and allow you to achieve your ambitions. At Lloyds TSB Commercial, we can offer a range of products to help you, no matter what your requirements. Term loans are a structured borrowing method, based on lending against a security - such as your company’s assets or another form of guarantee. Overdraft facilities can also provide a boost to your working capital if you are embarking on a project that may impact your cash flow. If you are looking to purchase new business premises, a commercial mortgage can also prove suitable.

We are committed to supporting small businesses across the UK, approving eight out of ten loan and overdraft requests, and in 2011 Lloyds Banking Group lent a total of £12.5 billion to SMEs, and has made a unilateral commitment to lend at least £12 billion in 2012. It is important for business owners to never just assume they will be unable to secure finance from their bank. By creating a strong business plan and clearly demonstrating how the funding will be used, businesses will be in the best possible position to access the lending they need. Lisa is the only female Area Director across 23 roles within Commercial Banking and is a strong advocate for diversity in business and actively promotes the benefits of having a flexible approach to balancing work and home life. Lisa lives in a village just outside Cambridge, she has a 4 hour round trip commute to her office in the West End and she successfully juggles a demanding career alongside being a single parent to two children aged 13 and 8

THINK AND STRESS LESS

Margot Toppin on why we need to change our approach to life in order to stress less and grow rich.

temperature, enzyme and hormone production among many others. Scientists tell us that the growth hormone is produced at night – melatonin (dark skin) in the night while testosterone production peaks in the morning. Our modern day life style, especially globetrotting leading to jet lags; excess caffeine intake; shift work and social events counteract the functions of our internal body clock and that over a sustained period lands us in health troubles. You know you have not been sleeping well when you begin to have fuzzy-head, become irritable and experience higher levels of fatigue. Research has shown that short term sleep deprivation (4 hour for 6 days) increases the risk of high blood pressure; increases the levels of cortisol in your blood, stress hormone, and increases resistance to insulin, a precursor to type 2 diabetes. Chronic sleep deprivation increases the risk of obesity, heart disease, stroke and diabetes. The findings highlighted the fact that people’s cognitive abilities and memory is significantly impaired after a few days of sleep deprivation. Help is at hand in case you have not been sleeping well and worried about the effects that it will have on your health. The good news is there is no normal amount of sleep that any individual should have, what matters is how well you sleep. Having said that, most adults need between 7 – 9 hours sleep. Our sleep requirements change as we grow older, adults needing less than children. Here are some simple tips to help you improve your sleep pattern: - eat well; exercise; avoid coffee late in the day and if you must have a nap, make it short 20 minutes. Wind down late in the day, have warm bath; get yourself a comfortable bed; have a fixed time for going to bed and rising up; sleep in a quiet and dark environment and lastly do not lie in bed worrying. If you cannot sleep for any reason, get out of bed, read till you feel sleepy then return to your bed. Your bed should be for only two things sleeping and I let you work out the other. If you really have a problem with sleeping – that is called insomnia, so please see a health professional. Whether you are an early bird, a lark who does not listen to the 10 o’clock news or a night owl who does not go to bed before midnight, just make sure you have a good sleep when you do and watch how depression and irritability start to disappear. Your concentration and judgement throughout the day improves and your performance and creativity rise to a new levels. This is where you increase your earning power. For a healthy you, with mind and body performing at their best, giving you a fulfilled life, have a good night. Shirley Mensah is a Nurse and Life Coach and you can contact her about sleep or on any other life issues at www.NoMoreLimits.co.uk

he clock is ticking away fast; days are running into weeks and into months. We are already at the end of the 2nd month of the year. I know everyone is getting on well with their resolutions; eating well, we are not going to call it dieting, exercising more and performing well in their jobs and businesses. Did you know that after food and water, one of our basic human needs is Sleep? We humans cannot do without Sleep and sleep deprivation affects both the mind and the body adversely. Sleep is vital to our health and well being. The body and mind need that restful time to recharge ready for the next day’s complex life issues we would throw at it. Our internal body clock regulates our bodily functions, i.e. the sleep and wake cycle, body

MARCH 2012 | WWW.SISTATALK.CO.UK |

Stepping into the Spotlight!

We hear from a new generation of rising stars who are breaking the rules and following their intuition to start and grow businesses from the soul!

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eah Charles-King began her career in television in 2001, as the first black female TV presenter on Children’s ITV, following 10 years in the music industry as a member of chart selling girl-band, Kleshay.

Since then Leah has presented shows for BBC, The Disney Channel and also major American network BET as their main on screen host, all watched by millions of viewers every week. Leah is also a winner of the prestigious Screen Nation Award for Best Youth and Children’s Presenter.

The Style Guru Leah Charles King

In 2005, Leah became a born again Christian, and as member of Kensington Temple in London, has dedicated her faith and talent to be a role model to people through the media. She is also a mentor for young children in the foster care in Westminster. In 2011, Leah launched Kookie LaLa Boutique, a quirky vintage and designer e-commerce store as a way of offering young people interested in fashion and media an internship - where they can learn how to run a business and be mentored by Leah herself. Now also a TV Producer, Leah hopes to use her work in media to inspire young people and has a particular interest in empowering young women.

What does your business do?

I run a media production company alongside my e-commerce boutique. Everything I do in my businesses is to encourage, educate and enlighten young people to go after their dreams no matter how many people tell you your dream is not possible or realistic. Whether that be in my personable approach when hosting TV; producing programmes or mentoring young women within my online boutique at www.KookieLaLa.com and Kookie LaLa TV.

What was your biggest challenge in setting up/running your business?

My biggest challenge in running my business is time management!! As a wife, friend, sister, aunty, daughter and business woman, time is of the essence and finding time to manage all these roles to the highest standard whilst still maintaining a daily relationship with God is always my biggest and daily challenge!

How would you describe your leadership style?

I would describe my leadership style as friendly, approachable and open to the needs, thoughts and ideas of other people. It is important to be a good listener as well as talker. I believe you get the best out of people when you show respect to others and are keen to value their ideas and inspirations.

Who inspires you in business?

My husband, Anthony David King inspires me most in business, because he teaches me many things on a daily basis. He has inspired me to create a business model which is not just about myself and what I can gain out of life, but on how to help others instead, by utilising my God given skills and extensive experience. He is a great example and I most admire his determination to help children and young people in education. This inspires me the most and sets an example for me to learn in creating and implement these values within my own businesses.

What do you believe is the biggest misconception about being in business?

One of the biggest misconceptions about being in business is that it’s easy and anyone can do it! In theory, yes anyone can start a business however if you are hoping for longevity you must be willing and hard working enough to go that extra mile – even when you don’t feel like it! Also im a stickler for professionalism, good service and positive rapport, so I would say that this is also key.

What keeps you upbeat in a down economy? What keeps me upbeat is “hope”! I hope and I pray and I have faith. Without faith, fear would kick in and then just getting out of bed becomes a hard thing to do!!

How are you breaking the business mould? I am hoping to break the business mould by staying true to my beliefs and never relenting on my vision and inspiration to help others. I am not sure if this is breaking the mould in a traditional sense, but I am clear that in a materialist, get rich now reality culture, I think it’s important to show young women from all backgrounds, but most particularly the under-privileged that there is more to life than over sexualising yourself and demeaning yourself to get ahead.

What are you saying yes to in business? •

• • •

I am saying yes to being a voice and advocate for young women and to be a face of inspiration for them as a role model and mentor. I am saying yes to speaking at more events and networking with like-minded individuals worldwide. I am saying yes to more collaborations with other businesses and individuals. I am saying yes to pushing myself further to gain closer impact to my vision and purpose over the next 12 months and beyond.

What advice would you give to ensure women remain in love with their business?

The advice I would give to women is make sure you choose the right business! Think long and hard. Don’t just go out on a whim or to make a fast buck. Business is like a marriage, you have to love it when times are good and bad, and put a lot of effort in. In the down-times you cant just walk away if you don’t like it anymore because you already made a commitment to it and so you have to try everything in your power to make it work. So my advice is to ensure your business choice is the right one for you. You can achieve this by plenty of research, research, research (almost like dating!), before you make a full life long commitment to it.

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What keeps you upbeat in a down economy? Focus. Knowing that people still require my services and looking for areas where my business can meet a need. Celebrating and appreciating the small milestones in business and the fact that I am still running my business

How are you breaking the business mould? Networking, networking and more networking. It is important to keep building all types of relationships that will benefit your business.

What advice would you give to ensure women remain in love with their business? The Connector: Sharon Mclean

haron Mclean is a qualified counsellor and director of a family therapy centre which offers professional counselling to individuals, couples and families. But what she is most passionate about is helping people fulfil their potential. Through her training consultancy Business With Excellence she offers courses, seminars and networking opportunities to individuals and organisations who want to develop their ideas and grow their business and social enterprise. With her love for networking, she established the BWE Networking exhibitions which enable businesses to come and promote their products and services and RAIN which is a referral and introducers networks.

Do what you love and love what you do. Use every available gift/resource you have in your business. Look for an audience of people who will be interested in your products or services. Treat your customers exceptionally well. Focus on helping others in business. They will return the favour back in different ways and get as much support as possible. No one is an island.

What are you saying yes to in business?

Partnership working; joint ventures and innovative ways of providing the same products or service. I am definitely looking to use social media more in my business and be willing to take on new opportunities. For more informaiton about Business With Excellence visit: www.businesswithexcellence.com

Business With Excellence focuses on training, mentoring and networking events. I undertake public speaking and consultancy for start up businesses and those wanting to grow.

I am inspired by many business people, my clients who I work with who have overcome challenges but are still passionate and focused about what they are doing inspire me the most. But my main inspiration is my dad. I call him the business opportunist as he has taken opportunities at the right time without hesitation such as investments, properties and joint ventures with other business people and done very well.

What do you believe is the biggest misconception about being in business?

That you can run any business you want. In some ways that statement may be true in terms of confidence and passion but if you do not have an audience who want your products and services then your business will not be a business.

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Are Polish women are making great breakthroughs in business? Women hold senior positions in a number of fields. Having said this more women are visible in influential positions and have also made great strides in recent years. Examples of successes in Britain include creator of BIBA: Barbara Hulanicki who was recently awarded an OBE; the portrait artist Basia Hamilton the designer: Basia Zarzycka.

What is the biggest misconception about Polish women in business?

Marie Skłodowska-Curie, the Polish Physicist and chemist honoured with two Nobel Prizes, and the poet, Wisława Szymborska, honoured with one Nobel Prize - their belief, determination and tenacity.

My biggest challenge in setting up and running my business was the lack of business support available for women in business. At the time I was getting advice from ex bank managers who did not really understand the challenges I faced. This partly influenced me to set up BWE.

Who inspires you in business and why?

Our membership is diverse and the issues vary broadly from sector to sector. Due to our countrywide reach, it is possible to communicate on a number of issues in Britain that relate to growth, enterprise, and social change and also to explore these across border.

Who inspires you?

What was your biggest challenge in setting up/running your business?

My leadership style is that of a facilitator role, allowing people to explore and learn in different ways.

What unmet value does your organisation provide to its target audience?

Generally, there is a misunderstanding regarding the effort it takes for women in business to succeed in their respective fields. More support is needed across the board.

What does your business do?

How would you describe your leadership style?

communications, Teresa applied her entrepreneurial experience to set up Conservative Friends of Poland as a cross-border platform four years ago. She continues to lead the organisation with the aim of fostering better links between the UK and Poland as a part of the Big Society initiative. Her roles include strategic direction, communications, operations management, fundraising, and the formation of partnerships.

What do you want to see more of for Polish Women?

TERESA POTOCKA on why working with fempreneurs across cultures makes sense.

eresa Potocka is a futurist; founder of Potocki Communications and founding chairman of Conservative Friends of Poland. With over ten years’ experience in marketing, business development and

A rebalancing of the values in commerce and industry is well overdue. I quote Joseph Nye: “Women’s non-hierarchical style and relational skills fit a leadership need in the new world of knowledgebased organizations and groups that men, on average, are less well prepared to meet.”

Do you work with other Polish women internationally and how? I collaborate on a number of projects with both men and women of differing cultural backgrounds change and transformation to happen at all levels, culturally and socially.

What have been some of the greatest challenges facing Polish women in business? In Poland women have historically been put on a pedestal therefore the challenges have been different and related more to their chosen field and the environment the find themselves in the future.

choice for both men and women, so the roles of child rearing and bringing in an income can be divided in ways that suit each family.

What working woman inspires you and why? I am inspired by real working mums who are not in the limelight. Nadine Lewis runs Medical ID Bracelets and Sarah Sadler the brains behind Organised Mum. They run successful businesses, persist when times are difficult and do this all while still being really committed to their families. They are supportive of others and happy to share their business knowledge. I think that sort of openness pays dividends in that you will learn as you share. I think this is a style of working that women are particularly strong in: cooperating and sharing business knowledge can only help us all grow.

Is there a synergy between mumpreneurs and the Big Society agenda?

The Visionary Antonia Chitty

ntonia Chitty is an award winning entrepreneur and author. Together with business partner Erica Douglas, Antonia works to help small business owners succeed with training in business strategy, PR, marketing and social media. She has a passion for supporting mums who want to succeed in business, and blogs on working parent issues and flexible work at www.familyfriendlyworking.co.uk.

Why put the ‘Mum’ into Entrepreneur? Like it or hate it, is a great way to explain succinctly that ‘mum’ and ‘business owner’ can fit together perfectly. I started working myself because once I became a mum being employed didn’t fit – I was spending all my salary on childcare and never seeing my daughter. Becoming a mum and an entrepreneur were enmeshed from the start. I became passionate about spreading the word about the opportunities for mums in business as I wrote the book Family Friendly Working and developed the blog. The rise of the mumpreneur has enabled thousands of women to see that there is an alternative to being trapped in jobs the hate or trapped at home and unable to find flexible work. Every time I hear of a woman following her passion and inspiring her children I’m thrilled.

What are some of the reasons why mums dismiss the idea of running their own businesses? We’ve looked into this in some depth and we discovered the main reasons are fear of failure, lack of time and lack of confidence

Do you believe the corporate culture is designed against mothers and why? The corporate culture was created back in a time when women stayed at home and men went out to work and it has not adapted to modern reality, where women like to work and men want to be more involved with the family. True equality isn’t always about doing the same jobs, there needs to be a real

Definitely, and it is interesting to see a small but significant number of people in my network setting up social enterprises. Many women (not just mums) go into business because they have a passion to help people and working as a social enterprise can combine the drive to help with the need to run a business and make a living.

What super hero powers should mumpreneurs have and why it would benefit their business? Mumpreneurs already have superhero powers! The multitasking mumpreneur has the ability to make the most of every moment, to focus intently and complete the task in hand before moving on to the next job, which may be completely different. These super-skills make mums ideal small business owners. The mumpreneurs’ equivalent of kryptonite is over-stretch – when you find yourself saying yes to everything, having no time for yourself, and neither completing tasks to the standard you want nor keeping up with deadlines.

KAREN BIRCH on why international womens day needs to be more than commercialism

think that International Women’s Day is too often used to raise the profile of companies and organizations rather than to raise real issues that affect women. I believe it is far better to get involved in projects that can support women every day than to rely on annual one off spectaculars that may not deliver lasting benefits

Who is your inspirational Shereo and why? I don’t have a hero or shero - every person has good bits and bad bits so I prefer to look to influential action rather than lionise any individual man or woman. Karen co-founded the3rdimagazine to inform, inspire and involve women in all areas of work. She is a serial entrepreneur; one of the UK’s 50 entrepreneur ambassadors. I also work to support young women and women escaping domestic violence.

What is the biggest misconception about mumpreneurs? The biggest misconception is that mumpreneurs are homogenous. There are mums who want to bring in a few quid to fund a hobby or a few treats, and mumpreneurs who have plans for a global business. There are mums who run their business from home with the children present, and those who run office based businesses and operate 9-5. Some ‘mumpreneurs’ are dads, some are grandparents. What brings mumpreneurs together, though, is the desire to make a better life for their families through running their own business. Never underestimate a mumpreneur: becoming a parent and running a business to improve life for your children is one of the biggest motivators there is.

What next for Antonia Chitty and the mumpreneur agenda? It’s all about growing our business, so we can offer more to business owners who want flexible and affordable training. We have ambitious plans for the business and right now are really pleased with the way things are developing, so keeping on the same path is going to be key. I think the logical next step for many mumpreneurs is to have a business that doesn’t simply offer products or services for other mums, but which is respected as a leading business within its industry. That’s certainly true for ACEInspire: we don’t want to simply supply training and business growth support to mums with businesses, but to any microbusiness or SME that needs flexible and affordable training. MARCH 2012 | WWW.SISTATALK.CO.UK |

The Innovator Sharon Warmington

aving spent the last decade supporting my business partner in bringing ideas to life, Sharon Warmington created Suite of Services Ltd (SoS) to fully utilise my unique skills of turning chaos into calm. I help clients in various aspects of their business from building strong infrastructures to project/change management. SoS is a well-known distress service and my clients contact me when they are in distress and need someone who can position themselves in any situation and turn it around. Within SoS there are several companies including; PA SoS which is a secretarial service; Training SoS which focuses on personal development primarily motivational mindset shifting; Cleaning SoS where we have a small team who provide excellent private and industrial cleaning services and Handy SoS which provides an ‘odd job man’ service. SoS is a one stop shop - make the call and we will source the solution in-house or out. I am still involved in Leaf Log which is a biomass fuel made from naturally fallen tree leaves which would otherwise go into landfill. Having secured high volume customers, we became a victim of our own success and decided to relocate the factory overseas to reduce overheads.

the world and possibilities to my children who now think outside the box and that their life is limitless.

downturn?

Why is it important for business owners to have a mentor?

If you were a bank manager for the day what would you do to help businesses?

I’ve had various role models and mentors and I think that they can change according to where you are in your life. My role models included Oprah and Iyanla Vanzant for obvious reasons. My business mentor was and still is [although he live in America], Ben Way who caught my eye when he appeared on Secret Millionaire. I also recently met Dorothy Cook who is a multi-millionaire Ardyss Distributor who moved me to action at a recent seminar so much so that I cried.

Remove the bureaucracy and allow decisions to be made more quickly. Not all businesses are good ideas or can work but those that are, need immediate support rather than endless form filling and jumping through hoops.

Is it important for women to play the game in business or should they be breaking the rules more? My motto has always been, I will play the game so long as I know the rules. I’ve worked with and around men for a long time now and I think I do understand the rules of the game which is similar to marriage – let them think they have the upper hand – know what you know and don’t beat them up about it!! I do like working with men because in business they are more straight-forward but women too have a large contribution to make and drive everything forward regardless of who is at the forefront.

What does the government need to do less of in order to get women starting up and growing more businesses in the downturn? Personally I don’t think the government should fit into the equation. I started in business having recently come through a divorce and found myself on my own with two young children [6 and 3]. It didn’t stop me – yes it’s hard but life is hard, it was hard for our parents and it will be heard for our children too. Sometimes we will run, sometimes we will walk and sometimes we will crawl – so long as we are moving forward at all times, then we will succeed. Standing still is not an option.

What do women need to do more in order to start and grow more businesses in the

What were some of the major challenges when starting up the business? The major challenges include sourcing finance and convincing those who had the money that you’d done the research and knew/understood the market.

What are some of the major challenges of growing an eco-friendly business? Some things are just ahead of its time. Getting the local authority to re-direct the leaves to the factory caused major challenges and in the end just did not happen despite them having to stop land filling. Renewable energy is still very much an unknown entity and unless you have access to endless pots of money, it is hard to get things off the ground.

Highlight of business career? Winning the Shell Springboard Award for innovation and beating Birmingham University! The highlight is also realising that being in business has opened up

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Sharon with eco friendly leaf log

Believe in themselves and not listen to doubters.

What bounce back advice would you give to women in business? It is not how many times you fall but how you rise after falling. Failure is part of success, you cannot have the mountains without the valleys – it’s the valley’s that make the mountains.

Share 3 time management tips which will help women to run their business more efficiently? • Involve your family as much as possible –that way they [and you] won’t feel like you are cheating them of your time. • Mix business with pleasure, i.e. if you are away on business, tag a few extra days onto it because holidays are rare. • Diary and colour code EVERYTHING – you don’t stop being a wife/mum so this will help keep track. I even diary when I need to put my recycling bins out.

Intuition or facts in business?

Both; but try to listen to your ‘gut’ because it’s usually right.

Share a lesson from your mother that has served you well in business? When you have the knowledge, people have to pay to get it out of your head.

“Why I wouldn’t be doing anything else but this is because” I am not limited to where I work, who I work for and how much I earn. I can do anything, go anywhere and live my life to the full.

lead by example type of leadership where I do well and ensure that we all are working towards the same goals.

Who inspires you in business and why? There are many people that inspire me in business; I have been honoured to have great mentors such as Sonia Brown MBE and other leading ladies. However Bev James is very inspiring to me as she has taken a lead role in bringing the Coaching Academy to the forefront of the World and has published an amazing book to empower others to achieve their dreams also.

What do you believe is the biggest misconception about being in business? The Inspirer Careeta Robert Green

areeta Robert-Green is one of the UK’s youngest certified Life Coaches. After training as a Life coach she realised that a lot of young people were not achieving because they were crippled with a lack of confidence or motivation to realise their dreams. Careeta wanted to spread a positive message that we all have special skills, talents and GIFTS that we can use to help us to be successful. She went on to launch Award winning Born with a GIFT, a coaching company set up to empower, motivate and inspire young adults (18-30years). Born with a GIFT recently won Personal Development Organisation of the Year 2011 at the BY Achievement Awards. In 2010 Careeta was a finalist for Young Entrepreneur and Best Start up Business of the year for the Precious Awards. She also won an Achievement Award from Descendants Youth Group and a Kingston University Graduate Award. A seasoned Vlogger, Careeta is a Virgin Media Pioneer a scheme set up by Sir Richard Branson and has attracted a strong following for her video blogs. Having worked alongside some of the top entrepreneurs in the UK she has managed to gain inspiration from the highest levels. She lives by the philosophy “Who said I can’t?” and works to spread a message that we are all Born with a GIFT through her event company.

What does your business do? Born with a Gift aims to empower, motivate and inspire 18-30 year old young professionals, entrepreneurs, students and graduates to “unwrap their inner GIFTs” through innovative coaching events.

What was your biggest challenge in setting up/running your business? Being one of the UK’s youngest certified Life Coaches it was challenging in the beginning for people to take me seriously as a coach. The average coach ranged from 40+ years and there I was telling people I’m a Coach that can empower them to achieve their goals! I got the funny looks, the rude comments, the thrown business cards on the floor but all of this inspired me to keep striving and motivated me to pursue.

How would you describe your leadership style? I believe everyone has a voice; I listen to team members and ask for their feedback from our events. I value everyone that helps out and understand that we are all different and have to work together. I have a

For more information visit www.bornwithagiftevents. com

LISA NEWTON on why International Women’s Day Matters

I believe people sometimes get business mixed up with a fairytale story. They think that one day you wake up and all of your problems are solved because you have a business. You can wake up when you want, you have unlimited money pouring from a tap and every ill in the world is solved! Reality is that most entrepreneurs work VERY hard for the first few years with little or no budget. They make sacrifices, budget and crack a smile for sanity sake whilst they get the business off the ground and ensure that they are adding value to people’s lives.

What keeps you upbeat in a down economy? I know that what I do has impact and positive results are occurring from the workshops I have created; motivational talks I have done and coaching I have done. People are taking control of their lives and being happy in what they do. When you realise it is not about me it is about what you can do for others; then you have little time to focus on the down economy. You find ways to make business work so that you can be of service and still pay the bills.

How are you breaking the business mould? I am providing a positive environment for young professionals, entrepreneurs, students and graduates to come together, learn, share and grow through powerful coaching tools. This target group traditionally meet up for social events but now they connect and are inspired and motivated to succeed in life. Since launching in November 2011 we have had 2 sold out events, 5 amazing guest speakers and nearly 200 young people attend! There have been business relationships formed, people have bounced back from redundancy and some have regained their confidence. There is no quick fix that is why we provide events that occur throughout the year to enable people to refresh and renew what they have learnt.

What advice would you give to ensure women remain in love with their business? Find your GIFT, what is it that you are naturally good at? Do you have a skill that people will pay you for? Most successful businesses are formed from people who are doing what they love. It may not pay at first but eventually when you find a business model that works best for you then you can potential form a business from your GIFT.

What are you saying yes to in business? I say yes to believing in myself when others told me I would fail, I say yes to continual personal development, I say yes to always finding ways to add value to the workshops and creating useful content to empower others to say yes in their lives to. Remember as Henry Ford says “Whether you think you can or you can’t you are right”

I think International Women’s Day is a great way to draw attention to and celebrate the contribution which women make to the world, yet rarely get acknowledgement for. Women may make up roughly half the world’s population, but their financial status and social standing is far from equal to their male counterparts. So I think one day, once a year to recognise mums, grandmothers, sisters, aunts, cousins, women generally for the positive value that they add is very good. And much needed.

Who is your inspirational Shereo and why? Oprah Winfrey. I have to rate Oprah for hundreds of reasons - she was born into abject poverty, the survivor of child abuse, started from NOTHING, has very publicly shared her story and personal battle with weight-loss issues and has created a multimillion dollar network; existed on top of her game and created HARPO studios and her own network with her own inspirational shows from the past 25 years and has her own magazine which she is on the front cover of each issue. I think she’s amazing. She’s touched millions of lives and she’s given back. She built a school in South Africa for girls and she understands that to start to change a nation, to get somewhere - you start with the women and girls. Oprah is amazing. The richest black woman in the world - self-made billionaire, and still has the title MISS Oprah Winfrey. She’s built others careers e.g. Dr Phil, Suze Orman and others. And it was on her show in the late 1990s - where I first saw the author Robert Kiyosaki discussing his book ‘Rich Dad Poor Dad’ that inspired me to adapt certain philosophies and to start my own business. 3 tips I got from that show: 1. Pay yourself first 2. The rich don’t work for money and 3. Be a business owner and/or investor. It changed my life. Lisa Newton is founder of award-winning Boogles Ltd - a company providing bookkeeping services, bookkeeping books and bookkeeping franchises in the UK. Lisa is an entrepreneur, author and networker. She’s never had a full time 9 to 5 in her life, and founded Boogles with £150 (£100 from the overdraft, £50 from her mum), in the same month of graduating from university www.LisaNewton.co.uk.

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ONE TO WATCH IN WESTMINSTER

urly Humphries is the CEO of Circle Sport which uses its sports shop as a vehicle to get long-term unemployed youngsters into permanent employment by training them in customer service and using life coaches to get their minds into work mode. As soon as they have selected the new interns they are placed on a 13 week training programme where they are taught new business and employability skills; as well as trying to develop their entrepreneurial skills as they are trained on all aspects of business set-up. Circle Sports was recently rolled out by Westminster as the ideal Big Society project and have been accepted as an outcome for Marks & Spencer’s corporate and social responsibility project. Circle Sport has been so successful in getting local youngsters in jobs that they are piloting a training program for Job Centre Plus which will get ten Westminster youngsters into permanent work or an apprenticeship every thirteen weeks. “As a single parent and the mother of a good sportsman, I have been running around from cricket to football to rugby fields and I understand how important team sports are to young people”says Turly. “I wanted to use the company to help young people to get into sports and get into permanent jobs. I felt that Circle Sport was a great way to bring benefits for youngsters and the way that everyone becomes equal is when they play in a team, which are skills they need in the work place. There were no other companies offering this social conscious to business and I wanted to help the local community more.” “Running a charity is very difficult and you are relying on funding while trying to be sustainable. The funding has to be allocated and used very carefully and responsibly. There is little room for flexibility if other opportunities come up because the money has been so rigidly enforced by the Trustees” continues Hurley. “The Job Centre Plus contracted us to train 15 youngsters and then this moved to 4 times per year. This has enabled us to achieve stronger sustainability and allows us to plan for the long term with the business.” “For Circle Sport, by working in joint ventures, it makes a stronger social impact if we partner with complimentary companies. We are working with Bike Works which means we can provide their clients with customer service training and they will train our young people to NVQ level on bike maintenance.” “We change the lives of young people and the end result will give them financial independence and make them good community citizens” she concludes. “We allow people who have never had the opportunity to realise their potential to get on the first rungs of the ladder for independence by getting them a job or if they demonstrate entrepreneurial skills we will set them up in business.”

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Turley Humphries CEO

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