Make It Work

Make it Work
Lessons from
Life in Business
#SheMeansBusiness
Make it Work
Lessons from
Life in Business
#SheMeansBusiness
Contents
06-11 Grace Beverley

Don’t believe that all entrepreneurs have to wear suits
12-17 Karen Blackett OBE

The importance of having a personal brand
in order to take control of your career
18-23 Mel Bound

Finding a sense of purpose
24-29 Julie Brown

Learning to trust yourself
30-35 Dame Jayne-Anne Gadhia DBE

The importance of being yourself
36-41 Ros Heathcote

Turning your passion into a business
42-47 Kelly Hoppen MBE

How a perceived weakness can be a strength
48-53 Dame Vivian Hunt DBE

Tune into your real voice
54-59 Shalini Khemka

Why resilience and relationships matter
60-65 Rosie Mazumder

Being brave
66-71 Dame Carolyn McCall DBE

The art of listening
72-77 Chrissie Rucker OBE

How to stick to a vision
78-83 Sonali De Rycker

The importance of not making business about yourself
84-89 Dame Stephanie Shirley CH

Why you should challenge the conventions of the day
93-96 The Prince’s Trust

Top tips for how to power your own business
Lessons from Life in Business
Foreword
I was lucky to grow up around strong women who ran their own businesses.
My grandma ran a haberdashery business and my mum still runs a catering firm.
Entrepreneurialism surrounded me from an early age and I got to see that being
a founder can be unbelievably rewarding – not just for the people who set up
businesses, but for their families, their employees and their communities too.
One of the best parts of my job as the head of Europe, the Middle East and Africa
at Facebook is getting to meet extraordinary women who are using our platforms
to build and grow their businesses. Women like Mel Bound (featured in this book)
who put out a plea on Facebook in November 2014 to find a running buddy to go
for a short run in her local park. After 75 other mums turned up for that first run in
Bristol, This Mum Runs was born. Now it’s a community of more than 100,000, with
runs at more than 60 parks and a successful e-commerce arm.
I love seeing female entrepreneurs succeed, but I know it requires skill, motivation
and support to do so. Research also tells us that men are still twice as likely
as women to start businesses. That’s why in 2016, we launched Facebook’s
#SheMeansBusiness programme to help women entrepreneurs with training and
mentoring opportunities. The programme goes from strength to strength and
we’ve now trained over 500,000 women in 48 markets around the globe.
All around us, amazing women are building businesses and dreaming up the next
big thing. They are also securing bigger and better positions in companies large
and small. This book brings together inspiring interviews from a selection of women
who have made it in all different kinds of business. They document the highs and
the lows and offer practical advice about how to set up and lead businesses.
They talk about what it’s like to work in different sectors including retail, tech, food,
consultancy and media. They share what lessons they have learnt along the way,
including the importance of finding a sense of purpose, being yourself, listening
and being brave!
This book is for anyone who wants to know what it takes to be successful in
business. It’s designed to show you some of the options that are out there – from
managing a huge corporation to setting up your own business in your living room
using social media. This book shows that there really is no one way to do business
and I hope you’ll read it and get inspired!
Nicola Mendelsohn
Vice President of Facebook for Europe,
the Middle East and Africa
05 #SheMeansBusiness
Make it Work
Grace
Beverley
Entrepreneur, Founder and Director
of B_ND, TALA and Shreddy
“I think, let them have

their preconceptions about me,
I’m just going to get on with my job.
The success of the business
speaks for itself.”
06 Lessons from Life in Business
Make it Work
Grace Beverley began posting photos

on social media during her A-levels
to track her exercise progress and,
as her followers grew, she started her
digital business selling downloadable
workout plans. In 2017, while studying
music at Oxford University, she
started B_ND, a company making
vegan-friendly resistance bands,
which has since expanded into wider
workout equipment.
In May 2019, she founded her sustainable style brand

TALA, selling items including sports bras and leggings
made from 92% reused materials, including plastic
bottles and factory offcuts. Then, in October 2019
she launched her third brand, Shreddy, a workout
app, which has seen 107.7k downloads and 52k monthly
active users.
Last year Grace won ‘Young Entrepreneur of the Year’

and was also named as one of the ‘top 20 most exciting
entrepreneurs to watch’ at the NatWest Great British
Entrepreneur Awards.

Grace’s lesson:
My business started and grew out of I had a slight crisis of confidence.
social media. I had announced to my I thought, now that I had an office and
social media followers that I was going to wasn’t just in my bedroom, I should
do a January fitness challenge, creating present myself in a certain way or people
workout plans and offering email support, wouldn’t take me seriously. Normally, I like
but the response was overwhelming. getting my nails done, or wearing casual
There was no way I could offer that clothes, but I thought perhaps I should buy
level of personal help whilst studying. a wardrobe full of suits to look the part.
So instead I created downloadable guides It was stressing me out and it really didn’t
and sold them for £35 each. My now help with imposter syndrome, which I think
business partner approached me to we all feel at times, because I felt like I had
support the online element and within to play a part rather than be myself.
two days I had sold 1,000 guides,
which was incredible. Because I started off as an influencer,
people in meetings can often think that
Throughout university I kept growing my I am my brand. It can sometimes feel like
business. At Oxford you’re not meant to women are judged because of what they
have a part-time job, so this was my way post online, in ways that I don’t think
to support myself. But it was tough. I had men are. Men seem to be applauded for
a lot of seminars, lots of essays and I had their new expensive car or pair of shoes,
to fit my business around that. I worked but when a woman goes shopping, it’s
all hours of the day and night from my seen as frivolous. But actually, I spend
university bedroom and just before my an awful lot more time thinking about
finals I made the slightly mad decision to the ins and outs of the business, such as
launch two more brands. The guides were investment and my team, than I do about
incredibly profitable, because once you’ve clothes. These prejudices can be really
produced one, the marginal cost (the cost noticeable in external meetings. People
of producing an extra item) is nothing. often assume I’m the face of the brand,
But moving out into physical products – rather than the owner of a business.
gym merchandise and clothing – made I have an older, male business partner
me feel like I had more of a business. and we have been in meetings where he
is addressed by the men in suits across
I graduated in June 2019 and moved into the table, rather than me. He will turn to
an office with my team that September, me pointedly and say, “Let me talk to the
and with that came a big step change. director of the company about this…”
Make it Work
It is hard being a young woman in I’ve really appreciated the support from
business, and learning how to navigate my business partner, and I think it’s really
these moments has been a huge crucial to find people who believe in you
learning curve for me. I used to get and what you’re doing. I’ve met mentors
really, really irritated when I was ignored through social media; when I share
or underestimated in meetings. I would aspects of my business story online,
get caught up in trying to make them see I’ve found that people reach out to me.
me as the serious businesswoman I am. I’ve also changed who I follow on
But actually, it wasn’t helpful for me, Instagram to other female founders,
it was distracting. In my mind the because I think it’s really important to
whole meeting would become about surround yourself with people who have
that issue, rather than what we were the same headspace as you, and the best
there to discuss. Now I just continue way I can do that is through social media.
as normal. I think, ‘let them have their
preconceptions about me, I’m just going As an employer, I see hundreds and
to get on with my job’. The success of the hundreds of CVs and I think there is
business speaks for itself. real merit in trying to stand out and
display your own personality, rather than
Part of that thinking has trickled down conforming to a traditional format.
into the way I dress. Unless I’m going to When you’re trying to attract the attention
a very smart office, I will wear the clothes of an employer, especially in a creative
that I normally wear and not stress about job, I think it’s really important to make
it anymore. I’ve got to the point where your application in line with the job you’re
I think how I look is someone else’s issue, going for. I’ve had people send in their
not mine. If they don’t take me seriously, CVs entirely in my branding, or if you’re
then that’s their problem. applying for a magazine job, they might
make their CV as a mock-up of a magazine
cover. It shows creativity and extra effort.
If I want to turn up The next thing to ensure is that your cover
to work in a fluffy letter has lots of personality. Everyone
has a certain level of education and does
headband or extra-curricular activities, so the cover
letter is the chance to highlight the bits
a tracksuit, then of your experience that are especially
relevant to the role, as well as slip in a bit
it shouldn’t affect of humour. I’ve had people say that they
how seriously make a mean brownie and that samples
can be provided. That’s one way to
I’m taken. get my attention.

Q&A
Early bird or night owl?
I’m naturally a night owl, but it’s really bad for my mental health.
If you work late into the night and then get up late, you’ll never feel
like you’ve accomplished anything.
TV series you can’t get enough of?

Killing Eve, Bodyguard, and Line of Duty.
Who is your biggest inspiration?

My mum because she was always a career-driven woman
who had four daughters and she didn’t take either role lightly.
When I was growing up, I never once thought that it would be
an issue for women to have careers and families.
What do you think makes a good leader?

Self-awareness.
Books or podcasts?
Podcasts.
What was the last thing you posted on social media?

A photo of me and my dog in my office.
Four dream dinner party guests?

Michelle Obama, Mari Copeny, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Jme.
Back to Contents
Make it Work
Karen
Blackett OBECEO MediaCom UK
“Every year I go back to my personal

brand and fine tune it, based on
what I’ve experienced and learned
the previous year. Your personal
brand is constantly evolving, and
I think it’s key to your success.”
The importance of having a personal brand in order to take control of your career
Make it Work
Karen Blackett started her career

in advertising as a planner/buyer
at CIA MediaNetwork in 1993.
She worked her way up through
various companies and roles to join
MediaCom, the largest media agency
in the UK with clients including Sky,
Coca-Cola and Centrepoint in 1999
as a director. She was appointed
chairwoman in 2010.
Karen received an OBE in the 2014 Birthday

Honours for services to media and communications.
The following year she became the first
businesswoman to top the Black Powerlist.

Karen’s lesson:
The importance of having a personal brand
in order to take control of your career
The importance of hard work was make your personal brand hyper-relevant
a lesson that was instilled in my sister to you so you need to put quite a lot of
and me by our parents from an early work into it. Drucker suggested that there
age. They had emigrated from Barbados are four questions that are helpful
and my dad started working as a bus to ask yourself:
conductor in London, before getting an
apprenticeship to retrain as an electrical • What am I good at?
engineer. Working hard at school and • How do I tend to work?
university and then later in work was • What are my values?
expected of us, which I’ve always done. • What is my contribution and how
I still think talent plus hard work is do I plan to be judged?
key to success.
When I was considering what I was
But that’s not all you need. When I started good at, I realised that I had an area
out in my career, I just assumed that of core expertise – media strategy and
if I worked hard then someone would planning and buying – but I had a lot of
magically recognise that and promote supplementary experience too. In my early
me. It was a real awakening when that career, instead of aiming straight for the
didn’t happen. I remember looking around top of a department, I zig-zagged around
in my early twenties and seeing people in roles and areas to help plug areas of
who were just not as good as me getting expertise that I felt I needed and to learn
promotions – people who hadn’t worked more. So, that first question for me is that
their socks off like I had. I’m good at trying out different things.
I was working with brands and coming When you’re thinking about your values,
up with strategies about how to you need to make sure they are not just
communicate them and I realised it was a list of adjectives that could apply to
time to work on my own personal brand anyone. Lots of people say things like
and use it to take control of my career. integrity, and that may well be true, but
When you’re one of few, such as the you need to be more specific. It helps
only woman in a role, or the only ethnic to think about a time at work where
minority, it’s especially important to think something bad happened and it caused
about how you communicate who you are a really emotive reaction in you; the
and what you are capable of. opposite is probably something that you
value. So, for example I had a situation
I came across the work of the late over 15 years ago that still makes the
Peter Drucker, a well-known management hairs on my arms stand up when I think
consultant and author, who wrote about about it. I was in a big meeting about
the importance of what he called a product launch which wasn’t going well.
a personal statement. It’s important to The person leading the meeting started
Make it Work
having a go at someone in the team in I act in meetings and at conferences to

a really horrible way. I could see how what I share online. These are all ways of
they were being publicly humiliated; it demonstrating your personal brand.
felt dreadful to be there. It felt so wrong,
and one of my values is to treat people The final thing you need is cheerleaders:
with respect and coach them to be their a bunch of people who can talk about
best, rather than humiliate them. It can you and your personal brand in rooms
be helpful to discuss this with friends or that you’re not in. How you get those
supportive colleagues. When I talk to cheerleaders is through creating
other women about experiences that connections. You need to make sure that
they’ve had in the workplace that give your network is broad and varied and not
them this kind of reaction, there are limited to one industry, because that’s
a number of overlaps, things like people where you get diversity of thought.
taking credit for other people’s work, or I think networking can sound a bit grubby
talking over others in meetings. and I don’t know anyone who enjoys
walking into a room where they don’t
When you’ve worked through all the know a single person. But it is important
questions, it can lead you towards what to talk to different people at conferences,
we call an ‘endline’ in branding – which is events or dinners and try to find mutual
you in a nutshell. I know that I like to be ground. It’s all about finding a chemistry
the person in charge, that I like to lead with someone and then following up by
large, diverse teams, and that I like to asking them for a coffee. Mentors are
coach people. I also know that I love the important, but you have to go about it in
creative industries and that whatever the same, slow way. I have had strangers
role I choose, as a single mother, I have come up to me and just ask me to be
to have a blend of work and home their mentor, which I’ve found a bit weird.
life in there. So my endline is ‘head You need to start a new relationship with
performance coach.’ a light touch.
Once you’ve got your personal brand The other area I get help from is
clear in your head, it’s important that professional coaches, which links to my
you then communicate it effectively. background. When I was younger, I played
As women, we often find it difficult to talk a lot of sport and so I was used to being
about ourselves. We don’t like to boast coached to get a better performance,
or draw attention to ourselves. But what and I think it’s just as helpful to do this
I know from my day job is that a brand with your life and career. I’ve had a life
without any marketing stays on the shelf coach for over 15 years and it really helps
– something I’d been in danger of when me personally and professionally to have
I was younger. someone else on my team.
You need to get the message out. The work on your personal branding
Obviously, I don’t walk into meetings doesn’t stop. Every year I go back to my
and say, “Hi, my name is Karen, I’m the personal brand and fine tune it, based
head performance coach”, but it’s a way on what I’ve experienced and learned
of framing my brand in my mind and the previous year. Your personal brand
making sure I insert it into every single is constantly evolving, and I think it’s key
touchpoint of my working day, from how to your success.

Q&A
Who would play you in the film of your life?
Viola Davis.
Favourite book growing up?

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.
Which three people have been the biggest support to you

during your career?
Adrian Green, who is my life coach; Nick Lawson who I’ve
worked with in various roles for over 20 years and who is
currently Worldwide COO at MediaCom, and Sue Unerman
who is Chief Transformation Office at MediaCom.
How do you relax?

Having a lightsabre battle with my son in the garden helps,
because it forces you to become a child again. Or else going
for a walk with the dog is how I think and relax.
Favourite place in the world?

Barbados; it’s good for the soul.
If you could have one superpower, what would it be?

Resilience.

Emotional intelligence.
Guilty pleasure?
Emmerdale.
Back to Contents
Make it Work
Mel
Bound
Founder of This Mum Runs
“My purpose has been key to

keep going even during the many
knockbacks I’ve received.”
Make it Work
When Mel Bound put out a plea

on Facebook in November 2014
to find a running buddy to go for
a short jog around her local park,
she had no idea that it would turn
into a community of hundreds of
thousands. But after 75 other mums
turned up for that first run in Bristol,
This Mum Runs was born. Now it’s
a community of more than 100,000
with runs at more than 60 parks and
a successful e-commerce hustle.
Mel has won a string of awards for her work,

including being acknowledged as one of the top 100
most meaningful community leaders in the world
by Facebook, along with the Women’s Sport Trust’s
#BeAGameChanger Award, and one of the Sunday
Times’ top 100 disruptor brands. “That’s pretty cool,”
Mel admits. “That’s exactly what we’re trying to do:
disrupt an industry that has ignored a bunch
of women – mums – forever.”

Mel’s lesson:
I know what it feels like to not know who their window, which was the overwhelming
you are anymore, to lack a purpose and response. I had no choice, I had to
identity. I was always a sporty person follow through.
who loved running and, before I had kids,
I really relied on the joy that exercising, Some people asked me at the time if I had
and particularly running, gave me. a business plan and all my finance sorted,
Then I had my two children – Lyla and and no I didn’t. I went into this with no real
Rafferty who are now nine and five – and idea how to run a business – but I knew
I was knackered. I suffered post-natal I had to try. Taking This Mum Runs full time
depression and I also slipped a disc in my was the culmination of finding my purpose
back and had to have surgery. I honestly – changing the way women feel about
thought that I’d never run again. Up until exercise and making a difference for them
this point I’d been very defined by my – as well as creating flexibility in my own
work and by exercise, and suddenly, I had life around my childcare needs. It was the
neither. That was the backdrop to my first defining moment of the business.
post on Facebook asking for a running
buddy. When 75 other women turned up to That purpose has been so important to
meet me, I realised that there were loads cling to when times have got tough – and
of other women who felt exactly the same they really have. There have been all the
way as me, but we were obviously all being usual challenges that go with starting
ignored by the fitness industry. I felt such a business; cash flow, people, logistics.
euphoria – I’d found my tribe. More than But there are also things that I could
that, I’d found my purpose, both for my never have predicted when I started.
business and for me personally. For example that my running community
would turn into an e-commerce business.
I returned to work at a marketing and In 2016 we decided to start selling
branding agency in January 2015, but it merchandise – sweatshirts and t-shirts.
was very stressful. I’d been promoted while It has been hugely successful and is
I was on maternity leave and often had to now the main revenue driver for the
travel all over the world for meetings with business, but it didn’t start so well. The first
clients, meaning I was away from the kids. Christmas we started the shop, we had
I couldn’t reconcile doing work that wasn’t taken loads of pre-orders. What was
personally meaningful to me with being exciting was that because we’d advertised
away from my kids. I had to do something on Facebook, it wasn’t just our community
that I felt was making a difference. who were ordering them, although they
Then in the April I was offered a choice were, but totally new clients who just loved
of redundancy or a job in another part the designs and the concept. We were
of the business. I posted two pictures on opening up our audience.
Facebook of my legs – one picture was me
in heels, the other in trainers and asked But the week before Christmas the
the community to help me decide. I had supplier went AWOL. At the time all I got
thousands of people voting online and was a cryptic voicemail message from him
even strangers coming up to me in real life. saying, “Your sweatshirts are being printed
Once, when I was filling up with petrol on by a printer beginning with R inside the
the M4, someone just yelled ‘trainers’ out M25.” I had a total moment of ‘I don’t know
Make it Work
what to do about this, I don’t know how You are mostly presenting your
to solve it.’ I was so worried about letting business to older men, who have no real
everyone down. understanding of the world of a mum or
being a woman who struggles to find
I jumped in the car with my team and we the time and confidence to exercise, and
drove around the M25, googling printers, I often get a lot of patronising comments.
ringing them, and stopping off at ones But I grit my teeth and remind myself of
that might be possibilities. Eventually my purpose and how I want to expand the
we found the right one in Twickenham, business to reach more women and, to do
south London. The sweatshirts were all that, I need investment. The community
printed, but in a pile on the floor – not has been vital for investors to see. They
wrapped or boxed. So, my team and don’t care about social impact but they
I sat on the floor and started folding, do want to see potential for growth.
packing and couriering them out – there A huge part of what I’ve learned is to
wasn’t time by this point for normal post. present what’s important to the person
Any that were in Bristol or Bath, we hand- you’re presenting to.
delivered. What was at the front of my
mind throughout led back to my purpose. Throughout all of the setbacks, I get to
I was thinking about each woman who hear the most amazing stories that come
had potentially taken years to pluck up from the This Mum Runs community, which
the courage to start running and who continually inspire me to keep going,
had ordered a sweatshirt as a reward for especially when I’m back on my laptop at
herself; I had to get it to her. When you’ve 9pm, having finally got the kids to bed.
got a community-driven business, you The women and their stories feed into
can’t let a single person down. my purpose. Such as one woman called
Sarah who was inactive for all of her adult
Finding investors has been another life, but after joining us has gone from
challenge. Less than 1% of UK venture struggling to run for 30 minutes to doing
funding goes to all-female teams1, three triathlons and a 100-mile bike ride.
(according to the Government-led Alison Or another woman whose children were
Rose Review of Female Entrepreneurship, getting bullied at school because she was
published July 2019) and that’s definitely overweight, which is so heartbreaking
been a challenge for me. But again, my and cruel. She decided to do something
purpose has been key to keep going about it, joined This Mum Runs and she’s
even during the many knockbacks I’ve now running marathons and triathlons,
received. I decided to crowdfund the first but more importantly, is doing more active
round, honouring the fact that we are things with her own kids. They’ve also
a community based and driven business. stopped being bullied, thankfully. We hear
I didn’t want the members to feel I was stories like these from our community
selling out, so I gave them the option to every single day, and that continually
buy some of the business. We raised more reminds me that I’m making a difference.
than £100,0002 on Crowdcube and the
community owns 10% of This Mum Runs,
which I love. For the second two rounds
I sought out a private equity investment,
which was tough.
1 Page 9, The Alison Rose Review of Female Entrepreneurship, published July 2019, https://assets.publishing.service.gov.
uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/784324/RoseReview_Digital_FINAL.PDF
2 Crowdcube.com 2016, This Mum Runs, Crowd Cube, viewed January 2020,
https://www.crowdcube.com/companies/this-mum-runs-ltd/pitches/qBwz0l

Q&A
Early bird or night owl?
Night owl.
What’s the best advice you’ve been given?

Not advice really, but a quote I have on a print in my house and
in the office – “Work Hard, Be Nice.” It says it all for me.
Last film you saw?

It’s only ever kids’ films these days.

Reese Witherspoon.
City break or beach holiday?

I’m not good at sitting still so I love holidays where we can explore
or walk for miles or run by the sea. Lisbon is one of my favourites
because it has it all.
Cats or dogs?
We’ve just bought a cockapoo puppy, so I have to say dogs.
Pet peeve?
The constant pile of stuff at the bottom of the stairs ‘waiting to
be taken up’ drives me insane!
Back to Contents
Make it Work
Julie
Brown
Chief Operating and Financial Officer, Burberry
“There is certainly no shame in asking

questions when you don’t know
something and that rule applies
at any time in your career.”
Make it Work
Julie Brown graduated with first class

honours in Social Science at Warwick
University before she trained to be
a Chartered Accountant with KPMG,
one of the ‘Big Four’ accounting firms.
She then moved to the pharmaceutical company

AstraZeneca, where she stayed for 25 years, working
in 11 roles across four countries and three continents,
until she was appointed Interim Chief Finance Officer.
She joined Smith & Nephew as Group CFO in 2013,
leading the Finance Transformation and Group
Optimisation programme. In 2017, she made the switch
to the fashion industry, becoming the Chief Operating
and Financial Officer of Burberry and Audit
Chair of Roche.

Julie’s lesson:
During my university holidays one year, However, there were also times when
I worked in a newspaper office as the I didn’t trust myself. The biggest moment
receptionist and I started helping out I felt doubt was when I moved from
with the accounts. Through this, finance to the role of Country President
I learned that by looking at the accounts, of Portugal at AstraZeneca, which
you could see where the business was contributed around $240m revenue for
gaining or losing money, and I was able the company. At the time, I knew very
to make recommendations based on the little about marketing, sales, medical,
analysis of trends. It was my first lesson and regulatory requirements; all issues
in just how much value a role in finance that the job requires you to know. I would
could add to a business. When I finished be starting a new role, leading a team
my degree, I decided to train with one of where I wouldn’t be the expert, and of
the best accountancy firms, KPMG, and course there was the language barrier
then go on to do the tax qualifications. too! It was also a role that was two levels
below where I was currently operating.
I didn’t have a grand plan from the start My boss in finance said it was an unusual
to get the top job. I interview people now move, and that I would be better staying
who have this ambition from the start, on the more linear path I was currently
and I really admire it, but I just wanted on, but the CEO of the company said
to take on roles that resonated with me. it would be a fantastic opportunity to
When I moved to AstraZeneca in my 20s, lead a commercial organisation. I saw
I ultimately had 11 different roles. With that it was a golden chance, one which
each one I thought, ‘How can I take the would make me a more rounded leader
foundation created by my predecessor who was able to speak with authority
and make this better?’. I have always about a wider range of issues. Sheryl
been very driven by improving outcomes, Sandberg, the COO of Facebook, said in
creating value and leaving a legacy her book Lean In that your career is not
and this approach has supported me a straight ladder, it’s more like a jungle
throughout my career. gym. That has been very true of my
career, and each move has given me the
Trusting yourself is a really important confidence and enthusiasm to take the
skill in business, but it’s something that next challenge.
builds over time; it doesn’t usually come
from one single event. My confidence The move to Portugal appealed to my
started to grow when I passed the sense of adventure, but it was a huge
Chartered Accountancy exams and challenge. My boss recommended that
progressed through the levels at KPMG. I go out with the sales representatives
Make it Work
when they went to talk to doctors If you choose to have a family, there can
about our products, because it would be a moment when you come back to
help me to remain close to the heart work after maternity leave and it feels
of the business. He said I should take like starting from the beginning. I had
a translator, but I only did that once nine months off with my first daughter,
because I didn’t feel I was communicating and when I returned to work, I recall
directly with anyone. So, I decided to preparing for a presentation and it
learn Portuguese. This was tough at the suddenly felt daunting. That first week
beginning, but I had a great teacher who back, it almost broke my heart to leave
got me to a level where I could speak on my daughter at home, but my husband
stage and communicate with others on was a brilliant support. He said, “Give it
highly technical content. The highlight six months and see how you feel,” which
was speaking to over 1,000 psychiatrists was great advice and led to a very
in Portuguese about our latest product fulfilling career.
to treat schizophrenia and bipolar
disease. Not only could I speak directly My latest move to Burberry was a big
to people, but they could see I had put change because I was moving from the
a huge amount of effort into learning healthcare and medical world to fashion.
their language. I think that there’s an Swotting up was the only solution;
important lesson there that’s applicable I really had to do my homework.
in lots of jobs. Before I started, I spent time talking
to industry specialists, analysts and
Show people you advisors, and reading about the sector.
My new team and colleagues were also
care about them, a huge support to me. Having a good
team around you is crucial to feeling
trust yourself confident and being able to trust
and take every yourself. Starting at Burberry was in
many ways like moving countries – I had
opportunity you to ask for help when I needed it. There is
certainly no shame in asking questions
can to learn. when you don’t know something and that
rule applies at any time in your career.
When I later led AstraZeneca Latin
America (a $1.6bn business with over When I joined Burberry, I took over
3,000 employees), I needed to learn from another woman, but generally
Spanish to communicate with the teams. throughout my career, I’ve been in rooms
At the first meeting, apparently I spoke in that were 80% male. But I’ve never felt
a mix of Portuguese and Spanish, and so that I needed to change who I was.
only the Brazilians could understand me! I’ve always just made sure that when
But I started again and learned Spanish I speak, it is a meaningful contribution.
because it had been so important to learn I remember seeing the notes once on an
the local language in my last role. In both assessment when I was at AstraZeneca
cases, moving countries was daunting, but that said I was “quiet but effective”.
it made me realise that I had the strength That has served me well. I have always
I needed to face challenging situations just been true to myself, trusted in myself
and move into the unknown. and not tried to be someone else.

Q&A
What did you want to be when you were little?
A hang-gliding pilot; I even got my licence.

My mum.
How do you relax?

I go spinning with my youngest daughter - it’s great
to do together.
Describe yourself in three words.

Optimistic, friendly and strategic.
Best advice you’ve ever been given?

To immerse yourself in what you’re doing and believe in it.
One thing you’d change about yourself?

Lots, but if I had to select one, I’d sleep more.
TV series you can’t get enough of?

The Handmaid’s Tale; it’s gripping.
Biggest pet peeve?

Cancelled planes and trains, and my best friend always
being late.
Back to Contents
Make it Work
Dame
Jayne-Anne
Gadhia DBE CEO Salesforce UK
“It’s not always easy to be yourself,

especially when you’re younger
and starting out.”
Make it Work
Dame Jayne-Anne Gadhia was the

first person in her family to attend
university. She read history at
Royal Holloway before training as
an accountant, and then switching
to work for the insurance company
Norwich Union (now Aviva).
In 1994, still in her early 30s, she was introduced

to Richard Branson and, a few months later,
became a co-founder of the new personal finance
company Virgin Direct which would go on to become
Virgin Money. Three years later she set up the Virgin
One personal bank account. When that was bought
by Royal Bank of Scotland in 2001, Dame Jayne-Anne
moved to RBS until 2007 when she moved back to
Virgin Money as its CEO. In 2019, she became the
UK and Ireland chief executive of Salesforce, the
$140bn (£108bn) customer relationship management
software provider.
A passionate supporter of women in the workplace,

Dame Jayne-Anne was appointed as the UK
Government’s Women in Finance Champion in
November 2016, and in July 2017 she became a founder
member of its Business Diversity and Inclusion Group.
She has won numerous professional awards along
with being awarded a CBE in 2014 and made a Dame
in the 2019 New Year Honours list for her services to
business and philanthropy.

Dame Jayne-Anne’s lesson:

The first time I realised the importance a bank, and I wasn’t responsible for the
of being yourself was when I was training big problems that the country faced.
to be an accountant. Having studied Yet there I was, sitting at tables which
history at university, I didn’t really have at times included the Prime Minister and
an interest in business or finance, but I’d the Chancellor of the Exchequer. I felt so
just run away with my Indian husband, out of my depth in terms of knowledge.
Ash, who had been destined to have an I needed to grasp what was going on,
arranged marriage, so I needed to find and fast – forcing the conversation was
a job fast! I was excited that my new the only way I could understand the
accountancy job would pay £4,250 a year. answers. As it turned out, no one else
knew what to do either. It was such an
Ahead of our final accountancy exams, all extreme time. We were all trying to work
trainees were sent to college. I remember out the solution together. But as I tell
sitting in class, not having a clue what my 17-year-old daughter now, there’s no
the teacher was saying, and thinking need to worry about looking foolish by
everyone else must be so much cleverer asking questions. If you’re brave enough
than me – they seemed to understand to be open and put what you perceive as
it all perfectly. Nevertheless, I thought your weaknesses out there, it can be
I’d ask a stupid question. When I did, it a very powerful form of leadership.
became very clear that I wasn’t the only
one who didn’t know the answer. That It’s not always easy to be yourself,
brave question opened up a whole new especially when you’re younger and
dialogue, and became the first little starting out. At this early point in your
building block on the journey to being career it’s important to find those who
myself in business – realising you should will support you on your journey, and
never be afraid to ask the stupid question. learn to ignore your detractors.
A similar scenario played out years later I’ve had to learn this along the way.
when I was running Virgin Money. When I was 30, at Norwich Union
As the country was heading towards I was asked to solve a near-impossible
financial crisis and the Northern Rock problem when NU’s entire life insurance
bank was in deep trouble, we thought we sales force was shut down by the
could help by saving – effectively buying regulators. When things got tough,
– it. It’s fair to say that I didn’t know much all the senior men who were responsible
about banking. At the time Virgin Money vanished. I had no option but to lead
was just a small financial business, not a team and sort it out. Working 22-hour
Make it Work
days for a whole month, surviving only didn’t reflect my worldview, nor that of
on take-away pizza, and sleeping under brave colleagues who confided in me
my desk certainly wasn’t glamorous at the time and reminded me ‘Richard
but I did it. Later, when my CEO invited Branson always said we could go back
me out for dinner, I thought he was to Virgin, we think we should do that.’
going to reward me by promoting me to I decided to go back to Virgin. It was
sales director. In fact, he brought back a big risk for me. I was leaving a big blue-
the previous guy – the one who had chip company to go back to a little, tiny
disappeared. When I asked the CEO why, one (at the time). My mother thought
he told me that it was because I lacked I was mad. But my colleagues were
two qualities: a thick skin and the ability absolutely right.
to bullsh*t. I was pretty devastated.
I thought, ‘they were the two qualities Wherever you are on your career
that led to the problem in the first place, journey, the value of mentors cannot be
and I don’t want to be someone who underestimated. I immediately think of Sir
embodies them.’ Brian Pitman, the former CEO of Lloyds
Bank who became my chairman at Virgin,
Still, I stuck it out, encouraged by the and the incredible generosity he showed
CEO’s pledge to support me to take on to me over the years. Anyone who
any job I wanted in future. Six months knew Brian recognised the immense
later, I threw myself into a project demand on his expertise and counsel.
between NU and Virgin, which led me to With gratitude I recall his insistence
be a founder of Virgin Direct in 1995 and that I be included in meetings with him,
enabled me to seize other opportunities even with people I’d only ever read
that followed. I learnt that being myself about in newspapers. It was such an
and not bending to fit a specific role enormous privilege and something that
actually helped me get further in I’ve tried to pass on.
the long run.
Three years into my tenure at Virgin I think the most

Direct, I set up the Virgin One account,
which, before long – in 2001 – was
generous thing we can
acquired by the Royal Bank of Scotland. do for each other is to
This meant that my team and I effectively
joined RBS. I thought the culture was create opportunities
very Alpha male at the time. Behind
RBS’s success during the early 2000s –
for those younger or
at one point it was the biggest bank in less experienced than
the world and its CEO, Fred Goodwin, was
on the cover of Forbes magazine – the us to meet the movers
environment felt arrogant and conceited,
even when things started to go wrong.
and shakers.
Whilst I know it’s a different story at
the company today and things have In turn, the responsibility they ought to
changed a lot, the winning-at-all-costs have is to change the world – in a way
mentality that I experienced back then, that is true to themselves.

Q&A
Describe yourself in three words
Can I have four? Pain in the arse.

Any of the Famous Five books by Enid Blyton.

David Beckham, Christine Lagarde, Barack
and Michelle Obama as a package, and Ben Stokes.
What’s your hidden talent?

Resilience.
Favourite food?
Curry.
One thing you’d do if you were Prime Minister for the day?
I would make equality targets law.
Biggest pet peeve?

People squashing in on the tube.
Who’s your biggest inspiration?

Sir Brian Pitman.
What’s the one thing you wish you’d known when you were 18?
Never, never, never give up.
Back to Contents
Make it Work
Ros
Heathcote
Founder & Managing Director of Borough Broth Co.
“Lots of people come up with business

ideas that they hope there will be
a market for, but I make products that
I’m trying to buy myself. If you’re the
target demographic, then you’ll
always be one step ahead.”
Make it Work
Ros Heathcote spent a decade

developing software, dissecting
data, and designing IT systems
for blue chip companies such
as Coca-Cola.
Struggling with allergies and an inflamed system,

she learnt about the health benefits of bone broth
and started making broth in her flat at the end of 2014.
In May 2015, she turned her passion project into
a business and officially started her company,
Borough Broth Co., selling her products online and in
iconic stores such as Selfridges while continuing to ace
her day job. Ros nurtured her side hustle for two years
until she managed to raise £125,000 in investment and
quit her job in February 2017. Now she has a team of
15 people, 23 products in her range, and contracts with
national suppliers including Ocado and Sainsbury’s.

Ros’ Lesson
I was always very entrepreneurial few things that worked – it was quite
as a kid, always a hustler. I had a car miraculous for me. But at that point you
washing business and did rather well couldn’t buy it anywhere, and it was
selling handbags to my school friends a bit of a faff to make. I thought there
for a while, before I got a part-time job must surely be more people like me
waitressing at 14! I did go to university, who would benefit if it was more
but I always loved hands-on easily available.
work experience.
I think that when you’re starting small,
When I started working for real, in IT, if you want to be really authentic, then
I didn’t find it that fulfilling. In hindsight you need to be your own customer.
I think this is because IT is quite abstract, Which I was. I created a product that
and I get a kick out of doing or making I was obsessed with that didn’t yet exist
something that I can physically see in the UK. Lots of people come up with
people benefitting from. business ideas that they hope there will
be a market for, but I make products
I discovered bone broth when I was that I’m trying to buy myself. If you’re the
reading up about how to help with some target demographic, then you’ll always
issues that I’d had with allergies and be one step ahead.
digestion. My sister has ulcerative colitis
(an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) I had met a butcher who said he had
that causes inflammation in the digestive more bones than I would ever need and
tract), and it was through her that was throwing them away. I thought it
I learnt about nutrition and nourishing can’t be that hard to scale up – I just
your gut. I started making bone broth needed a bigger kitchen! So in May 2015
in my flat and found it was one of the I hired part of a kitchen that belonged
Make it Work
to a catering company, trained the staff Once I had my funding in place, I quit my
how to make my recipe, and ordered all job in February 2017. Lots of people have
the ingredients. I started selling it online a side hustle these days, but as long
and when I posted the first batch on as you have a job, you have a security
Instagram, a buyer from Selfridges’ Food blanket; the risk is low. I always advise
Hall got in touch and asked to stock it. people to try to keep their day job as
It was a life-changing moment for me. long as possible, even if you sacrifice
your personal life for a bit. As soon as you
At the time I was still working full-time leave, it suddenly feels like sh*t got real,
in my day job, so in the evenings I would which is a good and bad thing!
check all my spreadsheets from the
kitchen and process the orders going There are of course downsides to turning
out. I didn’t have much of a life for a while. your passion into a business. I haven’t
From the start I structured the business had a relaxing holiday in the last four
in terms of how scalable it was – my years, for example! If it’s your passion,
background in software helped me then it can be all-consuming and I find
think like that. I started with two simple that there are never enough hours in
products (chicken and beef bone broth) the day. But I’ve learnt to be quite strict
as proof of concept and took it from there. with myself and set limits on my phone
I didn’t want to overcomplicate things. usage and make sure I get enough sleep.
Otherwise I end up running on empty.
The moment that I thought I could take
my passion full-time was when I got There have been challenges. At the start
a big new customer; suddenly it meant I barely knew what an invoice was, so
that I needed to move from producing running a business was a steep learning
one day a week to six days a week. curve. I’ve brought in support where
I was also getting ready to take on I need it now, but I wish, looking back,
Ocado as a stockist, so I needed to that I’d taken more legal advice early
raise funds to upgrade our operation. on. There are people out there who do
I wrote a business plan, valued the try to make a fast buck out of you, and
business and worked out how much I’ve been knocked a few times. But if it
I would need to fund the move to a new happens, you have to accept it, and try
kitchen of our own with full-time staff. not to lose your naivety and optimism.
I raised £125,000 from friends and family. Our customers have been so supportive
I used my personal network to pull in throughout this. Even in those moments
favours, such as an artist friend who when you think it would be easier to
did my illustrations, a friend of a friend throw the towel in, they remind me why
to help with branding, and another I’m doing it. We get some really heart-
mate who built my website. I have other warming emails and comments on our
networks too, such as our customer base social channels from them. There are
which is very supportive on social media, customers who – like me – found this
and various WhatsApp groups with other product has really helped them.
entrepreneurs – including a London It’s shown me that if you create
female food founders group where we something that does good for people
support each other through the common and that you’re really passionate about,
struggles we face. then it really keeps you motivated.

Q&A
Night out or night in?
Night in.
If you could have one superpower, what would it be?

The ability to fly.
What is the best gift you’ve ever received?

I’m notoriously difficult to buy for as I don’t like having a lot of
possessions, but last year for my birthday my staff bought me
two tickets to a supper club and it was the perfect gift.
What’s your earliest memory?

Being in a pram in my parents’ garden in Purley.
The best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

Fake it till you make it.
Favourite city in the world?

New York.

A rapper.
Which three people have been the biggest help during the
Borough Broth Co. journey?
My dad, who is an accountant and an entrepreneur, who has
given me excellent advice. My friend Eddie, who lent me money
to start the business and is now a shareholder. And an ex-client
from my consulting days at Burberry – Miriam Souissi – who
has always supported this venture and given me fantastic and
sometimes business-saving advice in the past!
Back to Contents
Make it Work
Kelly
Hoppen MBE
Interior Designer, Author & Proprietor
“I always say to young people now,

you can always be copied, but as long
as you own what you’re doing, you’ll
be the best at what you do.”
Make it Work
Kelly Hoppen left school and started

her interior design business at just 16
years old. Her first client was a family
friend who wanted a new kitchen,
but gradually, as word of mouth
spread, she became one of the most
sought-after designers in the world.
She’s worked for a number of celebrities, including

David and Victoria Beckham, and on private homes
and yachts as well as commercial projects including
hotels and cruise ships. Her business has expanded:
she now has her own range of products and has
written no less than nine design books, and was
a dragon on BBC Two’s Dragons’ Den for two years.
Amongst her awards include the prestigious Andrew
Martin Interior Design Award, being nominated for
a BAFTA and being awarded an MBE by the Queen.

Kelly’s lesson:
I am very dyslexic. I didn’t know I was a blank room and visualise what it will
until I saw my daughter Natasha go be like, with furniture in certain places,
through the same struggles that I did changing the colours and picturing it
and was tested, but luckily we were able complete. I’ve learned to follow and trust
to pick up on her difficulties earlier. my gut, which is something I don’t think
I, however, went through school unable we do enough.
to read or spell and I just thought – and
was told – that I was stupid. I was bullied One of the first gut decisions I made
horribly, and school was a nightmare. was starting my business when I was 16.
My father had suddenly died very young,
I have a lot of scars from that period and I decided to leave school and set up
of my life, and still feel them in certain my own business. I didn’t want to be in
situations, but I taught myself to get a situation where people made me feel
through this. Reflecting back, I think that bad anymore. When I look back now,
the experience has shaped me in lots of I realise that I drew on the pain that I was
ways. One of the ways I helped myself feeling at the time of his death and found
study was to practise visualisation: my strength. I work now with the Diana
I would use a story and imagine it in Awards as an anti-bullying ambassador,
my head, then attach it to something and it’s amazing to see the ways in which
I was learning about so that when that young people find their strength and do
came up in a question, I could fire up my amazing things. It just proves that you
imagination and remember what I needed. can do anything you set your mind to
I later found out that it is a technique that with support.
is now taught to people with dyslexia, but
I’d figured it out on my own. After my father’s death, I was left a bit of
money so I bought a small flat and set up
That power of visualisation has been my business from there. My stepfather
essential to my career – I know that for had a friend who wanted his kitchen
me as a designer my visual strengths designed, and so he was my first client.
are way higher than they would be if The question I always ask now is, ‘How did
I had not been dyslexic. I can walk into they know I could have done it?’ and I don’t
Make it Work
have a good answer for it. But I wasn’t I did have confidence issues in lots of
frightened of the job. I really enjoyed it. areas of my life when I was younger –
About a year later I had a friend whose how I looked, how I went about business
boyfriend – who was a famous racing – but one thing I always believed in was
driver – needed his house designing and the vision that I created for my projects.
my friend liked the style that I’d decorated It was a new look at the time – this east
my own place. I got myself headed paper meets west – and I never changed my
and business cards and went out to all the identity, even when other people started
design shops to do my research on foot. to copy me. I always say to young people
Within five minutes of meeting him, I had now, you can always be copied, but as
the job. long as you own what you’re doing, you’ll
be the best at what you do.
I learned everything as I went along. My
mother was a fantastic mentor to me. She For me, the turning point when I started
taught me how to do important business to have confidence in myself was
admin things like invoices and VAT. I put winning the Andrew Martin award,
time into building up relationships with which is like the Oscars of the interior
clients and suppliers – I found a builder design world. Shortly afterwards, Sir
through trial and error and built up Terence Conran wanted to publish my
relationships with fabric houses – and first book, East Meets West. Then I read
I was really good at the people side of something in a magazine that described
things. I think today, now that lots of things a look as “Hoppen style” and that was
are done online and that is an essential a great moment. I really started to
part of building your business. When you believe in myself.
can see someone’s face, it makes such
a difference to your conversation. It is hard to start believing in yourself,
especially as a young woman. I’ve seen
It’s important to my daughter go through confidence
issues too. Her cookery books, Honestly
remember the value Healthy, have come about because of
her own battles with body confidence,
of face-to-face but she’s made a huge success of her
career. It’s another instance where
relationships, even strength and authenticity come from
if that’s on FaceTime. a perceived weakness.
There are some ways in which dyslexia

My business snowballed through word- still creates challenges. I can’t read
of-mouth recommendations. At the time, a spreadsheet or copy down an email
my style hadn’t really been seen before. and my address book is the weirdest in
I didn’t have a big plan, I just embraced the world, because I organise contacts
the successes when they came, and dealt using funny systems that no one else
with the inevitable knockbacks when understands! But it hasn’t held me back
they came too. As long as I was making at all. In fact, it has shaped who I am and
more money than I needed to live on, and what I’ve done with my life.
had a bit to put away, I was pleased.

Q&A
Which three people have been the biggest support
during your career?
My mother, Stephanie Hoppen, my ex-husband, Ed Miller,
and my partner, John Gardiner.
Not to be fearful, ever.
One thing you’d do if you were Prime Minister for a day?

I would ban the banter that goes on in the Houses of
Parliament and say let’s just discuss politics and not go
back to being at school.

Singing.

When I was very little I wanted to be a ballet dancer,
but I knew from about the age of 12 that I wanted to do
what I am doing today.

London.
Good book or good film?

A good film.

Having passion, the ability to listen, to be caring and being
courageous in your decisions.
Back to Contents
Make it Work
Dame Vivian
Hunt DBE
Managing partner, McKinsey & Company in the UK and Ireland
“When an organisation creates an

environment where everyone can
succeed, when women and other
under-represented profiles feel safe
and empowered to show up, turn on
and really contribute – that’s when
the unlock happens. Others in the
room can finally see and hear them.
They’ve arrived at the table.
It’s transformative.”
Make it Work
Ever since she was a kid, Vivian

Hunt wanted a career that improves
lives. The child of a teacher and
a minister, she was taught that
successes are hollow if they only
benefit one person.
So, after earning her BA in Government and Sociology at

Harvard, Vivian spent two years in Senegal, working as
a Peace Corps midwife. As she went from birth to birth,
her attention turned to her clinic’s overall effectiveness.
Already, she was enthralled by healthcare management.
She returned to Harvard, this time to the business school
for her MBA. Now, after many years serving clients in
healthcare, she is the managing partner of the UK and
Ireland offices at renowned consulting firm, McKinsey
& Company. Vivian has successfully led the office and
changed the conversation about equality, diversity, and
inclusive leadership at McKinsey and well beyond.
She commissioned and co-authored studies to show that
keeping in step with society’s values isn’t an option –
it affects profits. “Doing good pays,” she often says, and
for that, and for her advocacy of unconventional voices
in business, she has been named Britain’s most influential
black woman by the Powerlist Foundation and one of
the 30 most influential people in the City of London by
the Financial Times. In 2018 she was appointed Dame
Commander of the Order of the British Empire for
services to the economy and women in business.

Dame Vivian’s lesson:

Eighteen months into my career at So, there was no question of our duty as
McKinsey, I received some sobering their children: we had to have integrity,
feedback. I was on a leadership work hard, speak up against any wrongs
programme for rising managers, and I was we witnessed, and make a positive
given a review with contributions from contribution to the world.
clients, peers, and bosses. I still have the
piece of paper at home. It said I was too We weren’t given pocket money growing
buttoned up, that I didn’t have a sense up, so my siblings and I earned money from
of humour or private interests, and that weeding the driveway, paper rounds, and
I didn’t speak up in meetings. No one would other odd jobs. When I left for Harvard,
believe it now, but back then, that’s where my father said he would pay for my
I was: too scared to speak up. tuition, but nothing social. I needed a job.
I started working for (and eventually
The frustrating part was that this became president of) Harvard Student
description was the opposite of my Agencies, which was like the TaskRabbit
personality at home. I grew up in a warm, of Harvard back then. HSA had about
boisterous family that valued education a dozen businesses, from catering to
and excellence, but also the arts, fun, laundry to moving, to the largest student-
and friendships. My mother was a teacher, run publishing company back then. It was
and my father a military man and minister. a fun way to make money and my first real
They met on the campus of Kent State introduction to business.
University; famous for the National Guard
shootings of unarmed student protestors. After university, I joined the Peace Corps
My parents were a black couple who grew and worked in rural Senegal as a midwife
up in the civil rights movement. and later as a supervisor. It was so
Make it Work
humbling to watch how much these

women knew, and how delicate those first
I brought my real
few moments of life really are. Between self to work. Finding
Senegal and my MBA, I worked in several
corporate jobs. Some I enjoyed but I left my voice was my
two of them. Leaving a job is always
a formative experience. I had to make
reset moment. It felt
uncomfortable choices for the sake of incredible; I wasn’t
my values. Now, if I’m ever asked to do
something wrong, I know I have to speak going to fake it
up or leave. It’s easy, because I don’t worry
about losing my job. I can always get any more.
a new one. But back then, I was young, and
those choices were risky – I’m proud that And here’s something I found out much
I believed in myself enough to walk away. later: I’m not the only one. Our research
shows that one of the many reasons
At McKinsey, I wore a suit and heels to for the gender pay (and title) gap is
work for the first time. It was a huge, formal that women feel they can’t speak up.
company with an intimidating hierarchy The metaphor of the ‘glass ceiling’ paints
and client list. It was also one of the least a false picture that women’s progress is
diverse places I’d ever worked. I felt smooth until they hit one invisible obstacle
like I had to blend in, to play the good, near the top. In reality, it’s more like
hardworking girl. I got really used to that a pipeline that’s narrower and rougher
mask and, for the first time in my career for women all the way through, and that
to that point, I lost my mojo. starts at the beginning of their careers.
The reality is that, if you trip at the first
That performance review changed hurdle and don’t get that first promotion,
everything. I decided that this fake you fall behind.
corporate Vivian was so much less
interesting than the real, chatty, confident In the United States, for example, for
Vivian that my family knew. The Vivian every 100 men promoted to manager,
that went to church, loved art, and was only 79 women receive that same
committed to making a difference in the first-time promotion. If you have two
world. I started speaking up in meetings. underrepresented traits (for example,
I always had three discussion points female and black) that number is 60.
prepared and I’d try to find the right The disparity starts early and continues
moment to share them (rather than sitting to the top – to boards, the CEO, and top
there wondering if I was allowed to speak teams. But recently, I’ve seen something
at all). I spoke more with the partners. encouraging in our data. When an
I wore clothing that reflected my culture organisation creates an environment
and style – I was still smart and corporate, where everyone can succeed, when
but I wore the clothes I wanted to wear. women and other under-represented
I got my suits tailored instead of buying off profiles feel safe and empowered to
the discount rack. I borrowed my mother show up, turn on and really contribute
and grandmother’s bold jewellery. – that’s when the unlock happens.
Others in the room can finally see and
hear them. They’ve arrived at the table.
It’s transformative.

Q&A
How do you relax? What’s the best piece of advice you’ve
Exercise or a long bath with good music been given?
and a book – as a busy working mum it’s Every story has value, even the painful
a luxury to have a little time on your own. ones. Also, choose your life partner
carefully – this is the person whose
What’s the last book you read? support will enable a happy life and
I just re-read Long Walk to Freedom a fulfilling career.
by Nelson Mandela with my husband
and our children. And, during my alone Four dream dinner party guests?
time, I read An American Marriage by First, I’d invite Maya Angelou and Toni
Tayari Jones, which is a beautifully Morrison. As a girl, I read I Know Why
crafted work. It centres on an the Caged Bird Sings, and I thought how
incredible miscarriage of justice and brave Angelou was, and how astonishing
the complexities of marriage, but what her words were. And Toni Morrison too
impressed me most was how carefully – did you know that all her best literary
the author draws the characters and accomplishments came after 40? She’s
how well she captures their voices. a lesson to young women that they have
They came alive on the page. so much life left; they can take the time
to find their calling. I was heartbroken
Guilty pleasure? when Morrison died. I’d invite her so she
Shoes… I love a well-crafted, classic and Maya Angelou could tell me about
shoe. Browns and purples in all kinds of the night they cooked together. Then I’d
textures: patent and natural leathers, invite the Queen and my grandmother.
suede. I’m a sucker for heels but I kick My grandmother was a sharecropper
them off in my office and pad around in and the grandchild of slaves. She’s the
my socks. And I’m always switching out same age as the Queen and I think they’d
shoes right before an event. The right learn a lot from each other’s stories. I’d
pair tend to reveal themselves at the last also invite Paul Polman, former CEO of
minute. It can’t be helped – that’s just Unilever, because I admire his work, Larry
how they are. Fink, CEO of BlackRock, for his bold and
brave leadership. And my right-hand man
What’s the thing you wish you’d know and husband, Nick Basden, my all-time
when you were 18? favourite dinner companion.
Find a skill or an area of expertise and
become the best at it. And start talking Are you an early bird or night owl?
to other people about their work and Early bird – I have to wake up early for
passions. Keep meeting new people. my job, but the real reason is kind of
Often, it’s this collision of strengths and embarrassing. I go to bed dreaming about
interests that makes for career leaps the morning’s coffee. Is that silly? I think,
and revolutionary ideas. ‘Five hours till coffee!’ just before I drift off.
Back to Contents
Make it Work
Shalini
Khemka
Founder of E2Exchange
“Another reason you need

supportive people around you is to
get feedback. I always ask people
that I work with for feedback on
how I performed and how I could
do better, and it’s really built my
confidence and knowledge.”
Make it Work
After graduating with a degree in

economics, Shalini Khemka trained
to be an accountant and worked
in various finance-related roles
at companies including Deutsche
Bank and NatWest Bank.
In 2000, when Shalini was 27, she co-founded the

world’s first online ‘bank to bank’ trade finance
company, selling it in 2004. After a spell back in the
corporate world as Investment Director at LDC, the
private equity arm of Lloyds Banking Group, she
founded E2Exchange (E2E) in 2011, which champions
and connects entrepreneurs and has a community
of more than 23,000 members.
Shalini is a member of the Mayor of London’s Business

Advisory Board, a Deal Maker for the UK Government
and a Non-Executive Director of UK Export Finance along
with being a judge for the Great British Entrepreneur
Awards and The National Business Awards.

Shalini’s lesson:
I was born in India and came to the UK and always look for the next challenge,
when I was five years old. My father then you don’t have time to worry too
arrived here with £3 in his pocket but much about the small things in your
trained hard and worked his way up life. That has really helped me build my
to become an orthopaedic consultant. resilience, but it’s been a learning curve.
That work ethic was the background
to my childhood. We lived in hospital I set up my first business in 2000 with
accommodation for most of my youth, three co-founders when I was 27.
as my father moved jobs on rotation. Because of my lack of experience and a
It meant that I moved schools a lot. lack of confidence, I made a number of
Every year or so, I would have to start mistakes. It was the first online bank-to-
again and build new relationships with bank trade finance company that enabled
new classmates. It was tough, but it was banks to transfer risk for the financing of
also an amazing skill to learn at a young international trade between themselves.
age; how to survive and make friends It was quite successful, but really ahead of
quickly, as well as how to cope with its time. At the time, the world of online was
change. I think it was a really early building still taking off, but today all trade finance
block of the resilience that I think is such is done online. The other co-founders were
an essential business skill. older than me, had families and were keen
to sell up and exit the business. I went
Resilience is absolutely key to success. along with it because I was young and
Life is full of challenges and by being inexperienced, but now I see that if we’d
resilient, if there’s some kind of knock back ridden the wave for a few more years,
(which you will experience, everyone does), we would have created something
you can get up and move on. that would have been really big. We
should have gone for a second round of
I was surrounded by people who wanted fundraising and not sold up so soon. It was
to make a difference – my mother was a knock – a failure in some lights – but it
the first Indian-born woman to be made taught me so much. Resilience is about
a Dame for her services to education – taking these setbacks and reframing them
and so from an early age this drive to be as learning experiences so that next time
exceptional was instilled in me. There’s you can do better.
a famous quote by the writer Maya
Angelou, “If you are always trying to be Which also applies when someone says
normal, you will never know how amazing no. It’s easy to be put off when someone
you can be.” I know what it’s like to want says ‘no’ to you – especially if you’re young
to fit in. I felt the same pressures as and they have more experience. But I’ve
everyone does when they’re a teenager, learned to see that as an opening point
about my looks and my academic results. in a negotiation. I think, ‘how can I adapt
But trying to be normal doesn’t push my offering so that I get a yes’. You can’t
you forward. I look back now and think, just ask the same question again and
‘How much time did I spend worrying again in the same way. When I set up my
about that?’ My parents taught me – current business, E2E, which connects
by their example – that if you try to excel entrepreneurs across the UK and the
Make it Work
world, I really wanted Richard Branson put together a backup plan and had
as one of the most famous entrepreneurs people who came in to support me, which
to be the president of the business. is another benefit of building strong
I asked and he said no, I asked again relationships and having a network around
with a different offer and he said no you that you can tap into. You also have to
again. On the third attempt, he said yes. be careful to avoid burnout, when things
are good or bad. I work really hard but
Having the right support is a key factor I also put lots of time in my diary for things
in building your resilience. You can’t do that are just for me, such as swimming four
this alone. It’s the reason why I set up times a week, or regular weekends away.
E2E, because I felt that I hadn’t been
surrounded by the right people with the Networking and building relationships
right advice when I had started out as an for business can sound scary – and it
entrepreneur. Through E2E, if any founder was for me too at the start. But really,
has a problem or needs advice, we help it’s just about finding a connection with
them connect to other entrepreneurs someone. If I’m going to an event, I make
and a suite of corporate services in order sure I research the people there before
to help them grow. I go. It’s so easy to do it with social media
so that I can learn about them and think
Another reason you need supportive about what I might ask them. I don’t open
people around you is to get feedback. with a question about what they do, I like
I always ask people that I work with for to be more creative. One question I like to
feedback on how I performed and how ask is ‘What are the challenges that keep
I could do better, and it’s really built my you awake at night’; it makes them think,
confidence and knowledge. It’s also helped opens up the conversation and makes the
me to build long-lasting friendships and encounter more personal. Then you can
business relationships. About ten years move on to business.
ago my chairman, Darryl Eales, said to
me that I was perhaps too nice or eager For the last ten years, I’ve kept a meeting
to please, which is something I see other register of everyone I’m seeing and every
young women struggle with and was quarter I reflect on who I haven’t seen
a really important piece of learning for and make sure I get in touch. It’s not just
me. I still believe it’s important to be work relationships that are important,
kind and empathetic, but he helped me but personal ones too. It’s easy to get so
adapt my style so that I am now more absorbed in work that you forget to make
careful around what I offer, so that I can time for your personal relationships, but
deliver without over stretching myself. It’s they are really important to maintain.
important to say yes to opportunities, but I really try to force myself to give my
also know your own cut-off point when friends and family a call instead of just
you’re oversaturated. sending messages. Verbal communication
really helps keep the relationship alive.
Resilience is equally important in your The people I met in my 20s are still some of
private life, too. I had a period of time my closest friends, who have been there
when I couldn’t come into the office for for me through some personal challenges
about four weeks. I was able to quickly and helped me bolster my resilience.

Q&A
How do you relax?
I love swimming and go about three or four times per week.

When I was young it was an actress; but more fundamentally
I wanted to be successful enough to look after my parents and
make a positive impact on society.

Penelope Cruz.
What do you wish you had more time for?

Exercise.
Favourite book?
I’d have to choose two: one business and one fun. I love The
Second Bounce of The Ball: Turning Risk Into Opportunity by
Sir Ronald Cohen, which is all about how the world is changing
for investors. But to relax, it would be The Devil Wears Prada by
Lauren Weisberger because I love fashion and clothes!
Best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

My mum always told me “to be focused and assertive”, but I also
really love the quote by Mahatma Gandhi: “Be the change you
want to see in the world.”

Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, Leonardo DiCaprio, will.i.am – and if
I could add a fifth it would be Madonna or Meryl Streep.
Guilty pleasure?
Fashionable clothes and a bit of bling.
Best gift you’ve ever received?

The serious answer is education; I’ve been fortunate to have
had great education; I keep learning every day and true support
from my closest friends when the chips were down. But more
flippantly it would be my beloved bling – I have some beautiful
gifts from my loved ones.
Back to Contents
Make it Work
Rosie
Mazumder
Founder of Cake Masters Magazine
“What makes it easier to be brave is

to have a really strong network.
I’m lucky that I’ve gone through
this business journey with my
husband, but there have been lots
of other people I’ve leaned on
and learned from too.”
Being brave
Make it Work
Rosie Mazumder gave up an

exciting job as a banker in the city
to pursue her business, a cake
decorating magazine, Cake Masters.
The business started life as
a Facebook page, where Rosie
shared content from her monthly
cake decorating classes, as well as
what she and other members were
whipping up at home.
However, after she started publishing her content in

a printed pamphlet, the magazine grew into what is
now the biggest-selling cake decorating magazine
in the world! It’s stocked in over 80 countries with an
annual awards ceremony, dubbed the ‘Cake Oscars’,
and her active Facebook community now has nearly
one million members.

Being brave
Rosie’s Lesson:
Being brave
I remember so vividly being on my lunch online community were asking for
break, taking a call from Pyrex – the all my content in one place, I pulled
glass kitchenware company – who told together a five-page downloadable
me they wanted to advertise in my little PDF and printed a few copies to give to
magazine. It was 2013 and I had a really people. This then resulted in a regular
good job in the city that I’d worked so magazine being produced and printed,
hard for, and was on track for a head of that was being noticed by brands like
department role – which was something Pyrex. I’ve never not had Pyrex in my
I desperately wanted to achieve. kitchen cupboard, so when I took that
But I suddenly thought, ‘I don’t think call it felt like a watershed moment.
I should be here anymore.’ It took a while to sink in.
I grew up in a typical Asian family where As I went to hand in my notice, I was

creativity was not something that was terrified. My boss just said, “What are you
really encouraged. Education was really doing? You’re at the peak of your career,”
important and the pressure was on to and this made me stress about whether
achieve! After getting good A-levels, I was making the right decision to quit.
I studied economics at university, trained It made me cry – YES, I cried in front of my
at an accountancy firm and started boss, truly awkward and something I’d
work as a banker. Then one weekend never done at work before! When I told
I took a cake decorating course and other people at work about Cake Masters
loved it. I loved the satisfaction of looking it was so awkward because no one could
at this cake and thinking ‘I made that!’ relate to it and they themselves were on
I took it further, training myself up and a certain career trajectory; none of them
then running my own cake decorating wanted to be an entrepreneur. But when
classes in a village hall once a month. I left the building that day for the very
That’s about the same time that I started last time, I could feel a weight lifting off
a Facebook page, Cake Masters, where me. I knew it was the right thing to do and
I posted bits from the class and what I was ready to be brave and start a brand
I was getting up to at home. Because my new chapter in my life.
Make it Work
The next major time I was terrified was journey with Yawar, but there have been
the following year – 2014 – when we lots of other people I’ve leaned on and
hosted our first Cake Masters Magazine learned from too. I’ve learnt a lot from the
Awards. I had never been to an awards Facebook Boost Leaders Network, which
show before. I’d just seen the Brits and is a community for small to medium-sized
the MTV awards on TV, so I created my businesses. I’ve talked to people with
own version of them, with a big, custom- wildly different businesses to mine and
built stage, nomination videos, spotlights, found out how they approach the kinds
goody bags - you name it. By this point of problems we all have, such as how
my husband, Yawar, had also left his job to grow your business, cash flow, and
to run Cake Masters Magazine with me, people management. It’s so nice to meet
we were putting on this event together. fellow entrepreneurs because all my
We had 250 people coming who had all friends have regular jobs, so they don’t
paid £50 a ticket, as well as sponsors who get that the stress is constant. It can be
had paid thousands. We walked into the quite isolating.
venue the night before, looked around,
and our hearts sank. It was a really bad Setting up your own business full stop is
conference room with weird lighting and brave – the world is uncertain. But each
disgusting chairs. This was not what we time you do something that scares you,
had envisaged and we said to each other, you get a bit braver, and a bit more
“What are we doing?” This was not the confident. Now I’m at the stage where
standard of event we wanted to execute I go, ‘I can do it’, and know whatever it is,
and we were moments away from calling I’ll find a way and find the right people
it off. We didn’t have any confidence to help me.
in ourselves.
I do have a lot of women talk to me and
But Yawar is a problem solver, and he say that they’re not brave enough to take
found a lady online who would come that first step.
and cover all of the chairs. We fixed the
lighting and the next morning when we
walked in – the day of the event – we
I advise trying to
suddenly realised we could do this, and do your business
if it all went wrong, we would take it as
a learning curve. It was actually a huge alongside your day
success and we’ve done them every
year since – they’re now even called the
job as long as is
Cake Oscars by others in the industry! possible – it gives
I remember watching the awards that
first year feeling like a guest at my own you a financial safety
event, watching everything unfold and
feeling so proud. It’s really important net. But when you’re
as an entrepreneur when you’re often ready, it’s about
racing around at 100 miles an hour to take
a step back and really appreciate what taking that leap and
you’re doing.
knowing that it’s OK
What makes it easier to be brave is to
have a really strong network. I’m lucky
to fail, but if you don’t
that I’ve gone through this business try, you’ll never know.

Being brave
Q&A
Favourite breakfast?
Avo on toast.

If you don’t try, you don’t know.
What makes you laugh?

My husband; he’s annoying but I usually end up laughing.

Chandler from Friends, Coco Chanel, Oprah and Bill Gates.
Most helpful thing you’ve gained from joining a business

community or network?
It has been great to learn from all kinds of different business owners
and to learn their take on how they conduct business their way.
Don’t take life so seriously! It is ok to laugh at yourself and
embrace the imperfections you may have.
Tea or coffee?
Coffee.
Three things you’d take to a desert island?

Tom Hanks for conversation (and to help me build a raft),
a good book and a satellite phone (in case the idea of being
on a desert island wears thin!)
Back to Contents
Make it Work
Dame Carolyn
McCall DBEChief Executive of ITV
“I see nowadays that there’s a great

pressure on young people to work out
what you want to do straight away,
but I think only a few of us have a
clear vision from the beginning about
what we want to do; the rest of us
spend a little time while figuring it out
and that’s totally normal.”
Make it Work
Dame Carolyn McCall joined the

Guardian newspaper in 1986 as
a researcher and worked her way
up until she was appointed Chief
Executive of the Guardian Media
Group in 2006. After 24 years at
GMG, she was appointed CEO of the
airline group easyJet in 2010, where
she turned the company around,
achieving record passenger numbers
and profits under her leadership.
In January 2018 she switched back to a role in media

and rewrote TV history when she became the first
female CEO of ITV.
Along with her damehood, which she received in 2016,

she was awarded France’s highest honour, the Légion
d’honneur, in recognition of her contribution to the
support of women, particularly female pilots.

Dame Carolyn’s lesson:

I had no idea what I was going to do when to anyone no matter how senior they were,
I was younger. I thought I would continue and where a person’s background, gender
in academia so, after a history degree, or colour truly didn’t matter. It was a very
I studied for a master’s in politics and then inclusive environment with some role
trained to be a teacher. I see nowadays models further up the chain of command,
that there’s a great pressure on young which was inspiring to see.
people to work out what you want to do
straight away, but I think only a few of us The biggest lesson I learnt at the Guardian
have a clear vision from the beginning was the power of listening, which I found
about what we want to do; the rest of us I was doing instinctively. I always spent
spend a little time while figuring it out and a lot of time being curious, whether I was
that’s totally normal. at work or out socially. I was listening
to people’s views about the brand and
My first job, while I was studying for my the content and I realised that it was so
master’s degree, was as a risk analyst for potent to listen to your customers and gain
a civil engineering company. I enjoyed the insights from them, as well as from people
work, but there were no senior women in working inside the business.
the company and I couldn’t see a future
for me. After university I trained to be Active listening is something that I think is
a teacher and worked at an inner-city really hard to do, but it is a really important
London school, which I loved. But I could skill if you’re a leader. It is really easy to
see that the more experienced, older chip in before someone’s finished what
teachers were being made redundant they’re saying – that is just human nature
because us juniors were so much cheaper sometimes. But you need to try to resist
to employ. Again, I looked ahead and that if you’re truly listening. On the flipside,
wondered if this was really the kind of just being quiet doesn’t necessarily make
place I could see myself working in the you a good listener, that’s a misconception.
long term, and decided that it wasn’t. There’s a delicate balance that you need
to strike, and it takes a bit of practice.
In both instances I listened to my instinct,
something that I think is really important to Some people are better at listening than
do. The worst thing you can do is stick with others. I like interactions and I’m genuinely
something and be unwilling to change your interested in people and their lives, which
course if it’s not working out. I really advise makes it easier. But that doesn’t come
young women to look at the culture of the naturally to everyone, and if you’re not that
company they are in, or hope to be in, and way inclined, you have to find a different
think about whether this is right for them. way of listening that comes more naturally
If it doesn’t feel right and it doesn’t look like to you. People can tell if you’re not
it will change, it’s time to move. being authentic.
In 1986 I got a job at the Guardian as My listening skills really came into their
a researcher and within three months own when I was at easyJet. I had worked
I knew I wanted to stay. I loved how at the Guardian Media Group for over
meritocratic it was, where you could talk 20 years and had no experience in
Make it Work
aviation. When I joined, the company was business journey and I talked to them
in operational meltdown and I quickly about the move to easyJet and listened
needed to learn what to do to fix it. I flew to their advice. It can be transformative
around Europe on easyJet planes talking to find a couple of people who have been
to cabin crew, pilots and engineers and there and done it all, as they always have
I went into airports and wandered through wise advice.
the queues and asked customers what
they liked and what they hated. People in
the business were shocked that I would It is also good to have
pick up the phone if we had a complaint,
of which there were many at the start,
an industry or business
but I really wanted to hear what was network where you
going on from all angles. No matter what
industry you are in, if you’re in a position meet a range of people,
of leadership you can’t be involved with many of whom will be
everything, so you have to listen to the
people who are in different areas of supportive and you
your business.
will stay in touch with
One of the measures I implemented early throughout your career.
on, that helped transform the company,
was allocated seating, which was heresy
at the time for a budget airline. But what When I got to ITV in 2018 I found that
I kept hearing from customers was that everyone who worked there knew why
they really hated the scrum when they they loved working there and believed in
boarded the plane. Younger people the amazing effect the programmes had
perhaps didn’t mind it, but anyone above on people’s lives. But it hadn’t been put
30 found it awful. When I heard that together in a coherent way. Given the
enough times, it gave me the confidence changes in media, we have had to make
to go back to the airline and persuade changes to the company and its strategy,
them that we just had to do it. It put the and at a time of change it’s more important
company in a different league. than ever to listen. I think it’s really difficult
for people to embrace change if they don’t
The beauty of not having worked in the feel listened to. I went around the country
sector before – and this also applies to in the early months and listened to what
young people starting their first jobs – people had to say and the questions they
is that you’re expected to ask questions were asking, both formally in meetings,
at the start. People know you’re in the but also just in the corridor – you often
learning phase and can often be very find out a lot in corridors and canteens -
generous with their time and knowledge. before coming up with the right words to
But you do have to swot up first. You can’t articulate our purpose and strategy. That
just go in and ask basic questions. Before wasn’t the end of the process. We tested it
I started at easyJet I was aware that out and it wasn’t quite working, so we tried
I had a lot to learn so I immersed myself in again until it resonated emotionally with all
reading, met people at different airlines our colleagues.
at various levels and had meetings with
all the aviation consultants. I have always It was a reminder that you shouldn’t be
had a few key mentors throughout my afraid to listen, and then listen again.

Q&A
Biggest pet peeve?
I hate people who are false.
What’s the one thing you wish you had more time for?
Tennis/Family.
What’s the best gift you’ve ever received?

When my family say, “Go away with your mates on a girls’ holiday
and don’t worry about us”; that’s a real gift.
What business network or community has been the biggest

support to you during your career?
I’ve been a member of Women in Advertising and Communications
(WACL) for years and it’s been a great support network.
That you don’t need to have everything planned.
Guilty pleasure?
I would say Love Island but it’s not really guilty because I have to
watch it for work!

Digital photographs, two or three books that I’d never get tired of,
and Apple Music so I could have endless music.
Back to Contents
Make it Work
Chrissie
Rucker OBE
Founder of The White Company
“A key thing I have learnt on my

journey is not to be afraid of asking
for help. You’ll often be surprised at
how generous other people are with
their time and advice, and it can make
a huge difference to your business.”
Make it Work
Chrissie Rucker founded The White

Company in 1994 as a mail-order
business with the mission of selling
all white, stylish and high-quality
homeware at affordable prices.
After her first son was born, she introduced The Little
White Company in 1997, selling baby and children’s
clothing along with nursery furniture. Then, in 2003,
she launched a womenswear collection. The White
Company now has over 60 retail outlets in the UK,
Ireland and the USA.
Chrissie is involved with many charities and women’s

business initiatives and, alongside her husband Nick
Wheeler, received an OBE in 2018 for services to
business. She was also named Private Businesswoman
of the Year by PWC in association with HSBC in 2012.

Chrissie’s lesson:
When my boyfriend Nick (now my I’d left school at 16 with just O levels
husband) moved into his first home, (my generation’s equivalent of GCSEs)
he asked me to help him decorate it. and went to fashion college where
He had a bed, four kitchen chairs, old I studied couture. My first job was as the
green towels and burgundy bed linen. receptionist at media company Condé
I was a magazine journalist so I thought it Nast (home to magazine brands like
would be easy. But when I went shopping, Vogue, GQ, and Glamour), after which
I was completely overwhelmed by the I worked my way up the journalism
choice of colour and manic patterns. ranks, learning how to plan and organise
I’d learnt over the years from working on a shoot, how to write copy, and watching
magazines and going to shoots that the how the art department designed pages.
most beautiful images were simple and I would really recommend to anyone else
that less was so often more. So I decided starting out that time working in a job is
to keep it simple and look for all the really valuable before you start your own
basics in lovely, peaceful white. business. You gain so much experience
that I think helped me get going in
This wasn’t easy. At the time, the choice business faster.
was between high-street stores selling
cotton bedding that was affordable I was 26 when I started the business and
but poor quality and lacked design, or I had this clear vision from the outset.
high-end stores with beautiful designer At the time Nick was busy with his own
ranges that were great quality and business, the men’s clothing company
beautifully designed, but very expensive. Charles Tyrwhitt, and watching him start
I even experienced my own Pretty it from scratch gave me the confidence
Woman moment when I walked into to do it as well. I started the company
a designer store and one of the sales as a small 12-page mail-order brochure
assistants took a look at me and directed selling white essentials: high-quality bed
me to the cheaper ranges, which wasn’t linen, bedspreads, pillows and duvets,
a great shopping experience! luxury towels, bathrobes, china, and
table linen. It was all quite conceptual
My lightbulb moment happened one until I found my first factories who also
weekend when we met up with Nick’s supplied many of the designer brands
sister, who had also recently moved I loved. To my joy, I found that by selling
house and wanted a similar look. directly to the customer, I could supply
We all agreed it would be great if there the same high quality and design at
was a company that specialised in much more affordable prices. That was
lovely white items for the home, that when I started to think I could really do it.
were simple, beautifully designed,
great quality and affordable. I suddenly That’s not to say it wasn’t hard. I had
realised there was a huge gap in the lots of early challenges: from getting to
market, and that was something grips with technology, having enough
I needed to do. space to hold the stock, and learning
Make it Work
how to try and keep track of the finances Something that has helped me stick to
– I was terrible at maths! My first real my vision is that we constantly test and
challenge was when I ran out of money. learn, and I look at failure as something
But two things helped me hugely at the to learn from and build on – and that can
time. Firstly, I entered a small business help you make bold choices. As a child
competition and won it, and was I rode competitively and my teacher
awarded £5,000. Secondly, I got myself taught me that, to compete, you have to
organised enough to go and see my train incredibly hard and that falling was
bank manager, who was very supportive simply an essential part of getting there.
and gave me my first loan. Lots of things When I fell off, it was always ‘just get
went wrong in the first year and I learned back on and let’s try again’. I think it gave
a huge amount very quickly on how not me great resilience and I learnt that if the
to do things; finding someone to help first attempt didn’t work, try another way.
me on the financial side of things was so
important. A key thing I have learnt on Rob, my teacher, was an early mentor
my journey is not to be afraid of asking and I’ve needed others along the way,
for help. You’ll often be surprised at how people I really admire and whose
generous other people are with their opinion I value.
time and advice, and it can make a huge
difference to your business.
Sharing experiences
Thankfully my company took off from the
start. From day one, our customers loved can also be really
the product, and the business just quietly
grew. I kept putting one foot in front of
valuable. Whether
another and was incredibly focused on through networking
growing our customer base and sticking
to my original vision. groups, young
Which is a key reason, I think, that the
businesspeople
company has done so well. The world of groups, or even just
retail is a crowded market, so it’s vital
to be very clear about what your brand through reading
is – and what it isn’t. It can be really
challenging at times to keep your brand
or hearing other
on track and sometimes you have to make people’s stories in
decisions that might feel commercially
crazy. For example, we have had times autobiographies, on
when we sold a blouse in both white and
blue and sometimes the blue will sell more TED talks, lectures
than the white, so our commercial teams
will want to sell more blue and add more
or podcasts.
colour to different lines. It’s at these times
you have to be strong and put the brand There will always be great ideas or wise
before sales. You have to think ‘we are words out there that will spark a relevant
known and loved for white, not blue’. idea for you.

Q&A
How do you relax?
A lovely long bath always works wonders.
Describe yourself in three words.

Passionate, loyal and a perfectionist.

Estée Lauder, I so admire how she built her family business
all those years ago from one lipstick upwards; Coco Chanel,
who created the most beautiful brand that never dates; Harry
Selfridge of Selfridges, because I love how he had such a passion
for finding all the latest must haves, creating theatre and a great
experience in his store; Robert Redford, because he was so
fantastic in The Horse Whisperer!
Best advice you’ve ever been given?

Visualise what you want your brand to be in 10 years’ time with
your team, then build a five-year plan and pick five things every
year to truly conquer to get you there.
One thing you’d change about yourself?

My husband often says I repeat myself.

I rode competitively as a child – I used to be able to ride a very
tidy dressage test and see a good stride!
Biggest pet peeve?

An uncomfortable bed, and hotels that don’t invest in really good
mattresses and linen. For me, sleeping well is crucial to coping with
a busy life. When I am travelling for work, I often pack my own pillow.

My husband, Nick. Seeing him start his business showed me there
was a different world out there and then gave me the confidence
that I could do it too.
Back to Contents
Make it Work
Sonali
De RyckerPartner at Accel
“Every business I’ve worked

with is unique, every leader
of a company has a different
approach and personality, and the
business environment and market
dynamics are constantly changing,
especially with the speed of
change in technology. Being open
and adaptable while still being
impactful is one of the best tools
for future success.”
Make it Work
Originally from Bombay, India,

Sonali De Rycker studied at Bryn
Mawr College and Harvard Business
School before working for Goldman
Sachs (the global investment bank
and financial services company)
and Atlas Ventures (an early-stage
venture capital firm).
She joined venture capital firm Accel in 2008, where

she is one of the key partners focusing on consumer,
software and fintech. She has led many of Accel’s
European investments, including in companies like
Spotify, Avito, and Monzo for which she co-led
a $108 million funding round.

Sonali’s lesson:
When I was growing up in a middle-class Life at Bryn Maw was quite a shock. The
family in India, the only career options school, a small liberal arts school, is located
presented to me were either to be an in a beautiful part of leafy, suburban
accountant or a doctor. I thought an America and I’d grown up in a massive
accountant sounded beyond dreary third world metropolis. I had to learn to fit
and being a doctor incredibly scary – so into this very different world, which wasn’t
I knew I had to find an alternative. So, at easy! But the huge takeaway from that
a very young age I took a great interest experience was that it made me incredibly
in my father’s business. He was a CEO of adaptable. It was a very early lesson in the
a company that sold barrels and drums importance of not making a situation about
and industrial packaging, and I would go yourself and instead learning to understand
with him to the office and the factory, ask and immerse yourself in another world. That
questions, and listen in on conversations. has served me very well in my investment
The products weren’t particularly career. Every business I’ve worked with
of interest but the issues around is unique, every leader of a company has
pricing, competition and management a different approach and personality, and
certainly were. the business environment and market
dynamics are constantly changing,
This was before the transformation of the especially with the speed of change in
Indian economy and it wasn’t particularly technology. Being open and adaptable
vibrant, so I knew I had to get out in while still being impactful is one of the
order to create options for myself. In fact, best tools for future success.
I’ve always had a plan – having a plan
has become a bit of a comfort blanket It is, I think, an especially important
over the years. I like to know what I need lesson for entrepreneurs. I meet a lot
to be doing to get where I want to go. of entrepreneurs and have to decide
I decided to apply to college in the US whether or not to invest. The decision is
but I couldn’t even afford the flight over, always incredibly multi-dimensional and
never mind the college fees or boarding. so much depends upon the founders’
So, I went to the US Library [in Bombay] commitment, persistence, resilience and
and looked up every college in America, adaptability. But unfortunately some of the
typed up my applications and asked each same core strengths go hand in hand with
of them for a full scholarship and waited. other attributes. Inevitably there can be
I was accepted into Bryn Mawr College a lot of narcissism as it is hard to separate
in Pennsylvania. the person from the business
Make it Work
and the success. That said, I think some If you’ve managed to hire and attract
of the most admired CEOs are the ones really stellar candidates against the
who have stayed incredibly grounded odds, it proves that you’re a persuasive
and haven’t let the journey take away storyteller and can be a magnet for
some of those core skills of adaptability talent – which is a distinct advantage.
and humility. Female entrepreneurs undoubtedly still,
unfortunately, face some challenges when
it comes to raising money, but building
The ultimate goal a great team from the get-go would be
of business is, I think, one of the first areas I would focus on in
order to stack the odds higher.
to leave a legacy
Having trust in your team is vital when you
in some way. hit challenging times. I remember a specific
investment that I made which was
With customers, products, the team successful for a while. A few years into the
and shareholders. To do that, it needs journey, things went very wrong and given
to be about the broader mission, the the company was well known, it came
team, and the culture, and less about the with a lot of scrutiny. As a board member,
person. It’s about serving the organisation I worked closely with the other investors to
first and last. ensure that we did the right thing by the
employees and the customers, but I could
We have worked with some incredibly only do this by having partners in my firm
successful CEOs, such as the CEO of that trusted and supported me. If I’d made
Supercell (a mobile game development decisions based primarily on personal
company), who do this with ease. What motivations it might have gone differently.
can happen in a business is that all the I needed my team around me to help me
decisions bottle neck around a CEO or not make it about myself as that level
leader, but if you can put trust in your team of pressure would have thwarted good
and be comfortable with the fact that decision-making. So having a good team
you’re not the only person who can make can help you focus on what matters, can
the decision, it frees up a lot of resources allow you to be authentic, and ultimately
that are better allocated elsewhere. be the best version of yourself.
The best leaders tend to hire people
who are better than them in different Finally, a key part of not making business
ways, and when you do that, you can about you is to try to employ empathy.
have confidence that they will genuinely I’ve been involved in lots of difficult
make a good decision for the company. business discussions and very often it’s
I’ve noticed especially amongst the Nordic clear that people come to the table with
CEOs that I work with that this kind of entrenched views. It means that there’s no
attitude is deeply ingrained in their culture. room to move and getting to agreement
The CEO serves the team and is fully is frustrating. There is a lot of ‘how can
accountable. It’s a fundamentally different I win here,’ as opposed to ‘what’s the right
way of looking at the idea of leadership, thing to do here in terms of the bigger
and often it creates stronger and more picture?’ What I try to do is think, ‘what is
robust teams and businesses. this person thinking and feeling?’ I’ve found
that often when I do that, it can change
Attracting a great team is a very positive the tone of the discussion and sometimes
signal especially at the early stages. can get everyone so much further.

Q&A
Don’t put off for tomorrow what you could do today.
What was the last thing you posted on social media?

One of my companies just raised a big funding round
and I’m especially proud of their mission in healthcare,
so I posted about them.
Favourite breakfast?
Smoothie and porridge.

The first two things would be my Kindle and Spotify, because
I couldn’t do without reading and music, and the third thing
would be something practical like a sleeping bag as I actually
hate getting sandy!

Rome, because it has everything from history to incredible
architecture to food mixed with some crazy driving.

My childhood ambition was focused on not being a doctor
or an accountant. It didn’t go further than that!
How do you rely on networks?

I rely on relationships that I’ve built slowly and carefully over years
that are based on a genuine interest in each other. In general,
I think less is more if you need relationships you can count on.
Back to Contents
Make it Work
Dame
Stephanie
Shirley CH
IT entrepreneur, Founder OF Xansa
“If you look back 50 years and see

what’s changed, it’s amazing, but that
doesn’t mean we stop calling things
out and fighting conventions. If in
doubt, speak out.”
Make it Work
Stephanie ‘Steve’ Shirley arrived

at Liverpool Street Station in
1939 as a five-year-old refugee
from Nazi-controlled Austria.
Having been separated from her
parents, she came over on The
Kindertransport, the name given
to the mission which helped 10,000
children escape from parts of
Europe controlled by the Nazis.
A keen mathematician, she worked at the Post Office

Research Station in Dollis Hill in the 1950s, building
computers. Frustrated by the restrictions she faced as
a woman, in 1962, aged 29, Dame Stephanie founded
her own software company, Freelance Programmers,
from her dining room table. What started with just a £6
investment went on to become a multi-billion-dollar
company called Xansa. When she floated the company
on the stock exchange, she made a £150m fortune and,
because of the way she had structured her company,
it also made 70 members of her staff millionaires. Dame
Stephanie has since donated most of her wealth to
her charity, the Shirley Foundation, which supports
a range of causes, including autism research.
Dame Stephanie has received multiple awards.

Along with her many civic awards, not least being
appointed Companion of Honour in 2017, the Science
Council named Dame Stephanie as one of the ‘Top 100
practising scientists’ in the UK. Her TED talk, Why do
ambitious women have flat heads, has been viewed
more than two million times and a film about her life
is currently in production.

Dame Stephanie’s lesson:

When I started my first job in 1951, the ships. That was the way the world
women were really second-class citizens. was, but it got me very fired up, and
At the time there were all sorts of things I became quite aggressive in my
women couldn’t do legally, such as open commitment to making a difference.
a bank account without their husband’s I experienced discrimination against me
permission or take out a hire purchase as a Jew when my family lived in Vienna
agreement for a television or a car. before World War II. I wasn’t going to let
In the world of work there were also myself be discriminated against now
jobs we weren’t allowed to do, such as because of my gender.
drive a bus or fly a plane, or work on the
stock exchange. In public service – which
was where I worked, at the Post Office
When I reached
Research Station – there was a formal the glass ceiling in
pay scale which went up by age, with
one pay scale for men and another lower my job, I tried to go
one for women, even if they were doing
exactly the same job. through it, round
I was quite serious about progressing
it, and ignore it.
my career, but I was held back. Some But I couldn’t, so
of it was personal. My boss wouldn’t
put me forward for promotion, saying eventually I decided
that I wasn’t ready. When I applied from
outside of the organisation, not saying
to go my own way.
that I already worked there, it proved
that I was ready! Other ways I was held So in 1962, I set up my own software
back were systematic. For example part company that put working women’s
of the job that I was going for would have needs at its heart. We pioneered all kinds
involved working on the Monarch cable of working arrangements that are only
ship, but women weren’t allowed on just becoming mainstream today,
Make it Work
such as job sharing and co-working, so course I ultimately proved it was). I would
that those women with children, including either ignore them or use humour to
myself, could keep working. I didn’t ever diffuse the situation. You have to try
have childcare – in those days, the to gain respect, because once you do,
prevailing view in society was that if you people are less likely to patronise you.
didn’t bring up your own children then
you would basically be raising juvenile There were other really very bad
delinquents. I’m not sure we could have moments, too, that would be classed as
afforded childcare, but that wasn’t the sexual harassment nowadays, such as
point, I wanted to do it myself. Work fitted when I was selling a major contract to
in around my son. I would have little the government and a junior minister
tricks like having a cassette tape with was pinching my bottom. There weren’t
the sound of typing playing on it when the same laws that protect women now
I took a call, to disguise the sound of in those days, so I just had to ignore it
my baby in the background. It was and manoeuvre myself so that my back
all about maintaining a high level of was against a wall whilst continuing with
professionalism and show of strength. my pitch. These days I would protest
publicly. In fact I have complained to
When I started Freelance Programmers a chairman about racist and sexist
it was a very amateur little company. misbehaviour that I’ve seen recently
I would send off about 12 letters a week to happen in a workplace. The #MeToo
prospective clients offering to help them movement shows that this kind of
with programming. But I wasn’t getting behaviour does still happen, that women
any response. It was then that my dear are still having to struggle, but the
husband suggested that I sign them off positive thing now is that, collectively,
with the family nickname, ‘Steve’. When we’re calling it out.
I sent the same letters to the same sort
of clients, but with a male name at the The world is different in some ways
bottom of my piece of paper, I got a reply. today, and in others still the same.
Women of my generation were fighting
When I walked into the meeting as legal issues and we won lots of those
a woman, of course there was a frisson of battles. The law now gives equal
excitement at the start. But I was always protection to women in so many areas,
super professional, with a good story including equal pay. But there are
to tell and very prepared. I found being deeply ingrained cultural issues that
charming helped too: it gets you a lot of still exist, and which are covert and
places and is a much better tactic than hidden, which can make the struggle
being aggressive. harder. Overall, I think we’re winning
the battle. If you look back 50 years
That’s not to say it was plain sailing from and see what’s changed, it’s amazing,
there. I experienced lots of patronising but that doesn’t mean we stop calling
comments – such as that my company things out and fighting conventions.
wasn’t sizeable or scalable (which of If in doubt, speak out.

Q&A
Describe yourself in three words
Dutiful, professional, and honest.

Black Beauty by Anna Sewell.
To have some confidence in myself and in the world; I used to
creep around like a little mouse.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?

To think, ‘what’s the worst thing that can happen’. As soon as you
consider that – maybe you’ll lose a client, or have an unpleasant
conversation, but it’s not that terrible – it gets you through
a whole host of situations.

An ethical and professional approach to leadership. It’s not about
the skills you’ve got but what drives you, morally.
Biggest pet peeve?

When my iPad fails.
One thing you’d do if you were Prime Minister for the day?
I would reverse Brexit. I love this country with a passion that
perhaps only someone who knows what it’s like to lose their human
rights feels like, and so I’m terribly worried about leaving Europe.

I greatly admire Nelson Mandela for his forgiveness, and Mother
Teresa for her ability to really love.
Back to Contents
Make it Work
Acknowledgments
First and foremost, a special thank you to all of the amazing women featured in
this book who gave their time to share their personal stories and learnings from
the world of business, in order to inspire the next generation.
Thanks also go to our very talented interviewer Jessica Salter, illustrators

Mercedes deBellard and Anne Sharp, and design agency Deep who helped
bring our book to life.
This book wouldn’t have been possible without our wonderful #SheMeansBusiness
alumni; a community of more than 500,000 female entrepreneurs that Facebook
has helped with training and mentoring opportunities in 48 markets across the
globe. Their entrepreneurial spirit not only inspired this book, but continues to show
us just how much can be achieved when we support and raise awareness of the
good work women do. To find out more about the programme, please visit
www.facebook.com/SheMeansBusinessUK
Last but certainly not least, a huge thank you to you, our readers. We hope you find
this book a useful and insightful resource to empower you on your own career path.
This edition first published in 2020
Facebook
10 Brock Street
London
NW1 3FG
Copyright (c) 2020 by Facebook Inc
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any
means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage or
retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publishers.
Facebook Inc does not have any control over, or responsibility for, any third-party websites referred to
or in this book. All internet addresses given in this book were correct at the time of going to press. The
publisher can accept no responsibility for any changes to addresses that occurred after publication.
Book design by Deep London.

Prince’s Trust
Feeling inspired to start your own

business? Take your ideas to the
next level with top tips from the
Enterprise team at the
Prince’s Trust.
Make it Work
Power Up
Take your business plan and/or ideas to the next level with
top tips from the Enterprise team at The Prince’s Trust.
The Prince’s Trust is the UK’s leading youth charity. Since it

was founded in 1976, the Trust has been supporting young
people every day on the road to employment, education
or training, and helping to build both the confi-dence and
skills needed to live, learn and earn.
Through its Enterprise programme, The Prince’s Trust has

given more than 86,000 young people the opportunity to
start their own business; offering grants, guidance and
ongoing mentor support to budding entrepreneurs with
a vision for a brighter future.
“The Prince’s Trust helped me see the bigger picture and

make a business out of my passion,” says Jazmin Lee, who
won the 2019 NatWest Enterprise Award after launch-ing
her online retail business Plus Equals.
Here are ten tips from the Prince’s Trust Enterprise team
to help you power up your business…

Prince’s Trust
1. Start with a passion 4. Get organised and be specific

Many successful enterprises start with A business plan doesn’t need to be super
a desire to change something, solve long, wordy or full of confusing busi-ness
a problem, improve people’s lives in some jargon, but it does need to be specific
way – a BIG idea or opinion that puts fire about your sources of income and likely
in the belly of its owner and contains an expenditure for your business.
end goal to keep them focused.
Creating a concise and specific plan that’s
Having passion for your idea, customers or easy to understand will bring you one step
industry will give you the motivation and the closer to your dream becoming a reality.
purpose to drive your idea forward, even Investors and banks will ex-pect you to
when the going gets tough. Because nobody have thought through answers to key
said starting a business would be easy, but questions such as: ‘What is your pricing
if you care about what you’re doing there’s strategy?’, ‘Where are you going to market
little that can stand in your way! your product or ser-vice?’ and ‘What are the
costs needed to create your product?’
2. Know your customer
When people buy something it’s usually to 5. Start small
solve a real-world problem. Try talking to Testing your idea will help you to find out
your ideal customers to find out more how relevant and viable your busi-ness idea
about the problem they’re facing and really is. Think about how you can trial your
ask them what they want from a product idea in the real world with the lowest costs
or service like yours. The aim is to offer and in the small amount of time as possible.
a solution so useful to them they can’t
help but buy into it. This could be a pop-up stall at a market or
a small-scale pilot. Through testing, you will
You can also find out valuable information learn so much more about your customers
from your potential customers when and what it will take to run your business.
speaking to them, such as spending habits It could also help to establish your business
or times they are most willing to make in the market. Also, don’t be afraid to make
a purchase; this can really steer your changes that are based on learning and
marketing approach. feedback. Refining your business will be key
to its success!
3. Know your competition
Equally important is understanding your 6. Consider your finances
competition. Go full Sherlock Holmes and Financial support on a smaller scale tends to
take the time to investigate the market to be more achievable, practical and could be
understand similar products or services that a far better match with your business idea,
will rival yours, including their business and when compared to that big hairy one-off
pricing model. investment you’ve been dreaming about.
By looking at your competitors’ strengths Small start-up grants and loans are
and weaknesses you can refine your available, including some sector-based
business idea, be realistic about what you schemes. The Prince’s Trust also offers
can offer within the market, and iden-tify financial support to young people look-ing
gaps and opportunities that will help you to start a business, including support to test
stand out from the crowd! your idea. Be sure to research your options
and consider them carefully before you
make a decision.
Make it Work
7. Do your homework 9. What’s the impact?

Know your net profit from your fixed Your responsibility as a future business
assets. Make sure you put in the hours to owner goes beyond ensuring financial
understand the ins and outs of running success. In today’s market, the impact
a business and get stuck into everything your product or service has on society
from market research and industry guides and the environment will prove crucial in
to intellectual property databases. The trick a changing world.
is to stay curious never stop learning.
Customers are tuned into what they’re
The British Library’s Business & IP Centre buying and are now actively seek prod-ucts
provides free access to thousands of that benefit the planet. New legislation
resources to help you build your knowledge. can also create issues if you don’t address
Wannabe business owners can access them head on. Ask yourself questions like:
information across the UK at centres ‘What resources does it re-quire to set up
in London, Manchester, Birming-ham, and what is the sustainability of these?’,
Liverpool, Leeds, Newcastle and Sheffield. ‘Which eco-friendly ide-as can I incorporate
to be more sustainable?’
8. Earn while you develop your idea
Very few people can start a business without 10. Don’t go it alone
needing an additional source of income Seek support from others and don’t feel
while they are starting out. You can also turn that just because it is your business idea
this into a positive by gain-ing transferable you have to do everything on your own.
experiences, knowledge and expertise. Are there any meetups or events you could
go to that are relevant to your business
An entry level job or work experience idea? Collaborations also prove beneficial
in an industry related to the one your and don’t be afraid to contact other
business idea will operate in can be really businesses or individuals you admire; they
valuable. Taking this route will give you may well have bags of useful advice they
priceless insight into your market, your can give you.
customer needs, and important product
or service requirements that you may
have otherwise missed.
The Prince’s Trust provides a free business start-up course, and

a business mentoring scheme that connects young people to mentors.
Reaching out for support can really help to get your business off
the ground.
Got a business in mind or want to explore an idea?
From training and mentoring support to funding and resources,

The Prince’s Trust is here to help you become the best entrepreneur
you can be. If you’d like to find out more about the Enterprise
programme and how it can work for you, visit:
https://www.princes-trust.org.uk/enterprise
Back to Contents

#SheMeansBusiness
Make it Work: Lessons from Life in Business

is a collection of inspiring, insightful and real stories
from women who mean business.
Providing inspiration, tips and practical advice to

aspiring entrepreneurs and future business leaders,
this #SheMeansBusiness anthology features fourteen
women from a diverse range of backgrounds.
These incredible women have navigated their path
to success across industries including retail,
beauty, finance, tech and fitness.
So, whether you are a budding entrepreneur, an aspiring

CEO of the future, or still thinking about how you’ll make
your mark on the world, this book will show you
there is no one way to do business!

Make It Work

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Make It Work

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Make it Work

06-11 Grace Beverley

12-17 Karen Blackett OBE

18-23 Mel Bound

24-29 Julie Brown

30-35 Dame Jayne-Anne Gadhia DBE

36-41 Ros Heathcote

42-47 Kelly Hoppen MBE

48-53 Dame Vivian Hunt DBE

54-59 Shalini Khemka

60-65 Rosie Mazumder

66-71 Dame Carolyn McCall DBE

72-77 Chrissie Rucker OBE

78-83 Sonali De Rycker

84-89 Dame Stephanie Shirley CH

93-96 The Prince’s Trust

“I think, let them have

Grace Beverley began posting photos

In May 2019, she founded her sustainable style brand

Last year Grace won ‘Young Entrepreneur of the Year’

08 Lessons from Life in Business

10 Lessons from Life in Business

TV series you can’t get enough of?

Who is your biggest inspiration?

What do you think makes a good leader?

What was the last thing you posted on social media?

Four dream dinner party guests?

“Every year I go back to my personal

Karen Blackett started her career

Karen received an OBE in the 2014 Birthday

14 Lessons from Life in Business

having a go at someone in the team in I act in meetings and at conferences to

16 Lessons from Life in Business

Favourite book growing up?

Which three people have been the biggest support to you

How do you relax?

Favourite place in the world?

If you could have one superpower, what would it be?

What do you think makes a good leader?

“My purpose has been key to

When Mel Bound put out a plea

Mel has won a string of awards for her work,

20 Lessons from Life in Business

22 Lessons from Life in Business

What’s the best advice you’ve been given?

Last film you saw?

Who would play you in the film of your life?

City break or beach holiday?

“There is certainly no shame in asking

Julie Brown graduated with first class

She then moved to the pharmaceutical company

26 Lessons from Life in Business

28 Lessons from Life in Business

Who is your biggest inspiration?

How do you relax?

Describe yourself in three words.

Best advice you’ve ever been given?

One thing you’d change about yourself?

TV series you can’t get enough of?

Biggest pet peeve?

“It’s not always easy to be yourself,

Dame Jayne-Anne Gadhia was the

In 1994, still in her early 30s, she was introduced