She can. She did.

As series 5 of the podcast draws to a close, I couldn't think of a more inspiring woman to chat to this week...As the Founder of Bridge Models - a Curve agency representing models, influencers and artists internationally - Charlotte Griffiths knows a thing or two about seeing a gap in the market and bridging it by recognising people for their talent, not their size. With offices in both London and New York, it's safe to say that the business has come on leaps and bounds since she launched it aged 25, back in 2014.From the realities of the early days back where she lived off savings and worked silly hours around the clock, to how she's learnt to add more structure to the team and her diary as the business has scaled; what launching the UK's first men's division for bigger, broader models in 2016 involved behind the scenes; to why she wants to see the term 'plus size' abolished from our vocabulary; I have a feeling you're going to enjoy this one. This is Charlotte's story so far...Say hello to our sponsor, Pleo...The She can. She did. podcast is hosted by Fiona Grayson (that's me, hello!) and this series is sponsored by the incredible team at Pleo (aka. the multi-award winning business spending solution built for forward-thinking teams that has revolutionised the business expenses game) who are offering all She can. She did. listeners your first 3 months free! Whether you're a solo Founder with a team of freelancers or have a team of 2 or 200, head to pleo.io and quote the She can. She did. podcast when prompted to see what all the fuss is about! Their team are on standby to set you up with the offer now - I'm pretty confident that you're going to love them! Enjoy!Say hello to this week's ad guest...Not only have Pleo sponsored this series but they've also handed the mic over to members of She can. She did. so that they can promote their businesses in Pleo's ad space... what legends, we know! This week, you'll hear from our amazing member Tyra, Founder of Foss Creative Studio - who just so happens to edit this podcast!The good old social handles should you fancy a further peek...can.did. @meetcandidBridge Models @bridgemodelsPleo @pleo.ioFoss Creative Studio @fosscreativestudio See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Before we start this weeks episode, I am so excited to say that She can. She did. has officially rebranded to can.did. - a new kind of networking for more candid conversations. For more details and to join us in there, visit www.meetcandid.com or come and say hello at @meetcandidThis week, I had the pleasure of chatting to Gemma Whates, the London-based Mum of two, VC Scout, Mentor and Founder of All By Mama - the incredible community and marketplace for mothers in their first few years of business.From how Gemma organised her time in the early days given that she was working full-time during the first year of All By Mama's existence and what led her to eventually focus on the marketplace full-time, what she's learnt from her multiple investment rounds and what she'd do differently if she were to raise money again in hindsight, how she handles the continuous pressure to up-level, not to mention the Mum guilt that reared its head during the pandemic... Gemma has been so supportive to me personally in recent months and I could not have enjoyed chatting to her more. This is Gemma's story so far!Say hello to our sponsor, Pleo...The She can. She did. podcast is hosted by Fiona Grayson (that's me, hello!) and this series is sponsored by the incredible team at Pleo (aka. the multi-award winning business spending solution built for forward-thinking teams that has revolutionised the business expenses game) who are offering all She can. She did. listeners your first 3 months free! Whether you're a solo Founder with a team of freelancers or have a team of 2 or 200, head to pleo.io and quote the She can. She did. podcast when prompted to see what all the fuss is about! Their team are on standby to set you up with the offer now - I'm pretty confident that you're going to love them! Enjoy!The good old social handles should you fancy a further peek...can.did. @meetcandidAll By Mama @allbymama_networkPleo @pleo.io See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Before we start this weeks episode, I am so excited to say that She can. She did. has officially rebranded to can.did. - a new kind of networking for more candid conversations. For more details and to join us in there, visit www.meetcandid.com or come and say hello at @meetcandidThis week I sat down to chat with Sydney Samuels, the 24 year old Founder of Loop not Luck - a diverse talent recruitment platform powered by Artificial Intelligence that helps talented, diverse candidates from low income backgrounds maximise their chances of success by connecting them with employers who want to diversify their early careers talent pool with data-driven recommendations.Driven by her own experience entering the jobs market, I sat down to chat with Sydney about the personal journey she's been on so far and how she's tackling a systemic problem one baby step at a time. Her personal bio reads that she's simply "trying to do some good" . Having spoken to her, I can confirm that she mostly definitely is. This is Sydney's story so far...Say hello to our sponsor, Pleo...The She can. She did. podcast is hosted by Fiona Grayson (that's me, hello!) and this series is sponsored by the incredible team at Pleo (aka. the multi-award winning business spending solution built for forward-thinking teams that has revolutionised the business expenses game) who are offering all She can. She did. listeners your first 3 months free! Whether you're a solo Founder with a team of freelancers or have a team of 2 or 200, head to pleo.io and quote the She can. She did. podcast when prompted to see what all the fuss is about! Their team are on standby to set you up with the offer now - I'm pretty confident that you're going to love them! Enjoy!The good old social handles should you fancy a further peek...can.did. @meetcandidLoop Not Luck @loopnotluckPleo @pleo.io See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Before we start this weeks episode, I am so excited to say that She can. She did. has officially rebranded to can.did. - a new kind of networking for more candid conversations. For more details and to join us in there, visit www.meetcandid.com or come and say hello at @meetcandidThis week I am chatting to Victoria Prew, recent 'Forbes 30 under 30' alumna and Founder of HURR - the platform for fashion rental.Joining me from HURR's fashion closet (which made for the most glamorous makeshift recording studio yet), Victoria opened up to me about her journey in detail so far. From how she used the cynicism around sustainable fashion back in 2017 to spur her on in the early days and how she held her nerve during the platform's year-long build; to how she's embedded sustainability into every facet of the company and what partnering with Selfridges has involved in reality behind the scenes... I have so much admiration for not just what she's created but how she went about doing so. As the HURR website puts it, she "took an idea and made it a movement." This is Victoria's can.did. story so far... Say hello to our new sponsor, Pleo...The She can. She did. podcast is hosted by Fiona Grayson (that's me, hello!) and this series is sponsored by the incredible team at Pleo (aka. the multi-award winning business spending solution built for forward-thinking teams that has revolutionised the business expenses game) who are offering all She can. She did. listeners your first 3 months free! Whether you're a solo Founder with a team of freelancers or have a team of 2 or 200, head to pleo.io and quote the She can. She did. podcast when prompted to see what all the fuss is about! Their team are on standby to set you up with the offer now - I'm pretty confident that you're going to love them! Enjoy!The good old social handles should you fancy a further peek...can.did. @meetcandidHURR @hurrPleo @pleo.io See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Before we start this weeks episode, I am so excited to say that She can. She did. has officially rebranded to can.did. - a new kind of networking for more candid conversations. For more details and to join us in there, visit www.meetcandid.com or come and say hello at @meetcandidTW// We talk about suicide in this week's episode.This week I spoke to a woman whose mission, tenacity and courage inspires me no end. Esther Marshall is the Founder of Sophie Says - an award-winning children's book series that is changing the face of children's literature by featuring diverse characters and combatting stereotypes one page at a time.Having spent 8 years at Unilever in which her last two years there were spent heading up their Global Diversity & Inclusion team, it wasn't until Esther went on maternity leave and found herself surrounded by children's books that only served to reinforce damaging gender and racial stereotypes, that the idea for Sophie Says was born.As I'm sure you'll soon hear, today's episode isn't just a story about how Esther launched, ran and grew the Sophie Says series into what it is today (that of a book series endorsed by everyone from Frankie Bridge and Fearne McCann to none other than Prince Harry and Megan Markle!) It's also a story about bravery, resilience and learning to cope with grief and acts as a poignant reminder to us all, that it's always, always ok not to be ok. This is Esther's story so far...Say hello to our new sponsor, Pleo...The She can. She did. podcast is hosted by Fiona Grayson (that's me, hello!) and this series is sponsored by the incredible team at Pleo (aka. the multi-award winning business spending solution built for forward-thinking teams that has revolutionised the business expenses game) who are offering all She can. She did. listeners your first 3 months free! Whether you're a solo Founder with a team of freelancers or have a team of 2 or 200, head to pleo.io and quote the She can. She did. podcast when prompted to see what all the fuss is about! Their team are on standby to set you up with the offer now - I'm pretty confident that you're going to love them! Enjoy!Say hello to this week's ad guest...Not only have Pleo sponsored this series but they've also handed the mic over to members of She can. She did. so that they can promote their businesses in Pleo's ad space... what legends, we know! This week, you'll hear from our amazing member Tyra, Founder of Foss Creative Studio - who just so happens to edit this podcast!The good old social handles should you fancy a further peek...can.did. @meetcandidSophie Says @sophiesaysofficialPleo @pleo.ioFoss Creative Studio @fosscreativestudio See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

I was introduced to this week's guest by the incredible Gemma Harling who features on the last series of this podcast and knew straight away that if Gemma's saying that today's guest is one to watch, I had to get her on to this podcast to find out more about her story. The woman in question is Latticia Morapedi, the Birmingham-based Founder of Latticia Organics, organic skincare and lifestyle products that were inspired by her own skin troubles and an understanding that there had to be another way to care for her skin without relying on products populated with synthetics. From the early days where she handed out samples to her friends at her own baby shower and how she's grown the brand sustainably ever since, to how she held her nerve for two years when she took time out to rebrand properly and the various challenges that she encountered behind the scenes, she was a complete joy to chat to, I'm in awe of her resilience... This is Latticia's story so far.Say hello to our new sponsor, Pleo...The She can. She did. podcast is hosted by Fiona Grayson (that's me, hello!) and this series is sponsored by the incredible team at Pleo (aka. the multi-award winning business spending solution built for forward-thinking teams that has revolutionised the business expenses game) who are offering all She can. She did. listeners your first 3 months free! Whether you're a solo Founder with a team of freelancers or have a team of 2 or 200, head to pleo.io and quote the She can. She did. podcast when prompted to see what all the fuss is about! Their team are on standby to set you up with the offer now - I'm pretty confident that you're going to love them! Enjoy!Say hello to this week's ad guest...Not only have Pleo sponsored this series but they've also handed the mic over to members of She can. She did. so that they can promote their businesses in Pleo's ad space... what legends, we know! This week, you'll hear from our amazing member Danielle, Founder of Team Hen - hen party accessories for the modern bride.The good old social handles should you fancy a further peek...She can. She did. @shecanshedidLatticia Organics @latticiaorganicsPleo @pleo.ioTeam Hen @teamhen See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It's safe to say that this podcast wouldn't be what it is today without the help and support of today's guest.Her name is Maddy Russell and she's the Founder of Paiv Creative - a design company specialising in brand identity, print and digital design that helps to build brands that have a 'because.'Maddy reached out to me on New Years Day 2018. I was four months into She can. She did. She was a third year graphic design student. We chatted, I saw her portfolio and we've worked together ever since.She's quite simply one of the most talented, supportive and kind women I know. She's been AMAZING doing the rebrand of this business (which by the way is coming your way in exactly 7 days time) and I can't wait for you to hear her story. Enjoy!Say hello to our new sponsor, Pleo...The She can. She did. podcast is hosted by Fiona Grayson (that's me, hello!) and this series is sponsored by the incredible team at Pleo (aka. the multi-award winning business spending solution built for forward-thinking teams that has revolutionised the business expenses game) who are offering all She can. She did. listeners your first 3 months free! Whether you're a solo Founder with a team of freelancers or have a team of 2 or 200, head to pleo.io and quote the She can. She did. podcast when prompted to see what all the fuss is about! Their team are on standby to set you up with the offer now - I'm pretty confident that you're going to love them! Enjoy!Say hello to this week's ad guest...Not only have Pleo sponsored this series but they've also handed the mic over to members of She can. She did. so that they can promote their businesses in Pleo's ad space... what legends, we know! This week, you'll hear from our amazing member Natalia Talkowska, Founder of Natalka Design - a global team of digital visual storytellers that help bring your stories to life.The good old social handles should you fancy a further peek...She can. She did. @shecanshedidPaiv Creative @paivcreativePleo @pleo.ioNatalka Design @natalkadesign See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

TW // We speak about suicide in this week's episode.This week I am chatting to a woman who I was first introduced to on a panel that I'd been asked to moderate at a Women's Leadership conference hosted in London back in 2019... when big conferences with lots of people were a thing! She happened to be speaking on the panel, we met, realised that we had a mutual friend in common and I have been in awe of her work and her story ever since. The lady in question is Amber Cowburn, a multi award-winning mental health awareness advisor and trainer who, after nearly a decade working as a strategy manager, policy manager, campaigner, public speaker, and trainer in mental health and wellbeing, founded her own company Working Well (SW) Ltd in 2019.Having been honoured with national accolades including We Are The City 'Rising Star' Entrepeneur award (2020), the Diana Award (2019), the Prime Minister's point of light award (2018), and a Rotary National Community Champion Award (2019), Amber is also a proud founding trustee of the Invictus Trust charity that her and her family set up in early 2011 in memory of her older brother Ben who sadly took his own life in late 2010.From how she navigated the stigma attached to mental health in the early years given that the national conversation around mental health didn't really open up until 2016, 2017 ish; the uncomfortable journey she's been on when it comes to putting a price on her services and what she'd do differently with certain contracts in hindsight; to how she went about marketing Working Well and securing corporate clients without the help of the usual suspects like Instagram; not to mention, the lessons the past 12 months have taught her about both business and life of course; I have so much respect for Amber and think we can all learn so much from her story.With that said, I hope you enjoy it! Say hello to our new sponsor, Pleo...The She can. She did. podcast is hosted by Fiona Grayson (that's me, hello!) and this series is sponsored by the incredible team at Pleo (aka. the multi-award winning business spending solution built for forward-thinking teams that has revolutionised the business expenses game) who are offering all She can. She did. listeners your first 3 months free! Whether you're a solo Founder with a team of freelancers or have a team of 2 or 200, head to pleo.io and quote the She can. She did. podcast when prompted to see what all the fuss is about! Their team are on standby to set you up with the offer now - I'm pretty confident that you're going to love them! Enjoy!Say hello to this week's ad guest...Not only have Pleo sponsored this series but they've also handed the mic over to members of She can. She did. so that they can promote their businesses in Pleo's ad space... what legends, we know! This week, you'll hear from our amazing member Danni, Founder of Greene Creatives - affordable and accessible marketing services for creative business owners ready to level up. The good old social handles should you fancy a further peek...She can. She did. @shecanshedidAmber Cowburn @amber_roseePleo @pleo.ioGreene Creatives @greenecreativesPS. Given that this was recorded in lockdown, there's a few wifi issues where we ran into a few technical hiccups (!) so please do take those with a pinch of salt when they crop up! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Oh my goodness did I enjoy this week's chat!Having launched Spectrum back in 2014 from their garage in Barry, South Wales, Sophie and Hannah have gone on to grow the business into a globally recognised brand that has partnered with the likes of Disney and Paramount Pictures (to name but a few) and is stored in hundreds of stores worldwide...(Use the code SHECAN20 for 20% off all Spectrum products if you're interested in seeing what all the fuss is about! This offer expires on Tuesday 13th April!)Given that they were once told that in order to be successful, they must move to London, I caught up with Sophie and Hannah at the end of last year to find out all the nitty gritty details they've pushed through behind the scenes to build what is now a multi-million pound company!Covering everything from how they dealt with a warehouse fire that destroyed thousands of pounds worth of stock; their advice for how to scale sustainably and why Wales will always be Spectrum's home. Not to mention, how they held their nerve when people doubted their ability to scale, what their first year of sales looked like (I'm so grateful for their honesty here!) and how Covid impacted the business... I loved, loved, loved recording this one, I have so much respect for them both so I really do hope you enjoy it. This is Sophie and Hannah's story so far!Say hello to our new sponsor, Pleo...The She can. She did. podcast is hosted by Fiona Grayson (that's me, hello!) and this series is sponsored by the incredible team at Pleo (aka. the multi-award winning business spending solution built for forward-thinking teams that has revolutionised the business expenses game) who are offering all She can. She did. listeners your first 3 months free! Whether you're a solo Founder with a team of freelancers or have a team of 2 or 200, head to pleo.io and quote the She can. She did. podcast when prompted to see what all the fuss is about! Their team are on standby to set you up with the offer now - I'm pretty confident that you're going to love them! Enjoy!Say hello to this week's ad guest...Not only have Pleo sponsored this series but they've also handed the mic over to members of She can. She did. so that they can promote their businesses in Pleo's ad space... what legends, we know! This week, you'll hear from our amazing member Mako, Founder of Berry & Brie - London's creative grazing co, that'll always brie around! The good old social handles should you fancy a further peek...She can. She did. @shecanshedidSpectrum Collections @spectrumcollectionsHannah Pycroft @spectrumhannahSophie Pycroft @spectrumsophiePleo @pleo.ioBerry & Brie @berryandbriePS. Given that this was recorded in lockdown, there's a few wifi issues where we ran into a few technical hiccups (!) so please do take those with a pinch of salt when they crop up! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

After a three month hiatus, we are back with series 5 of the podcast!Not only do we have a brand new sponsor this series (hello Pleo!), we also have a pretty special line up of guests over the next few weeks so brace yourselves because there are some incredible stories coming your way!I had to start series 5 with today's guest because quite simply, she's a force to be reckoned with. Her name is Seyi Akiwowo and she's the Founder of Glitch or as she goes on to say in this episode, her "oops baby" - a UK based charity recognised internationally for working to make the online space safe for all... who just so happens to be our charity partner too!Recorded back in November - a giant thank you to Seyi for her patience getting this one out - we sat down to chat about everything from the series of events at the hands of both trolls and social media platforms that led Seyi to get Glitch off the ground; how she went about growing a team and learning to lead from a place of love instead of fear; the relationship she's been on with money over the years and why she sees her old debt as a battle scar. Not to mention the power of tuning in to watch Neighbours at lunchtime, and why she's determined to ensure that Glitch is trauma informed but not trauma led... If you haven't checked Glitch out, I couldn't recommend their work more. This is Seyi's story so far!Say hello to our new sponsor, Pleo...The She can. She did. podcast is hosted by Fiona Grayson (that's me, hello!) and this series is sponsored by the incredible team at Pleo (aka. the multi-award winning business spending solution built for forward-thinking teams) who are offering all She can. She did. listeners your first 3 months free! Whether you're a solo Founder with a team of freelancers or have a team of 2 or 200, head to pleo.io and quote the She can. She did. podcast when prompted to see what all the fuss is about! Their team are on standby to set you up with the offer now - I'm pretty confident that you're going to love them! Enjoy!Say hello to this week's ad guest...Not only have Pleo sponsored this series but they've also handed the mic over to members of She can. She did. so that they can promote their businesses in Pleo's ad space... what legends, we know! This week, you'll hear from our amazing member Lauren, Founder of Pilates East - the home of pilates in Norwich, Norfolk and beyond. The good old social handles should you fancy a further peek...She can. She did. @shecanshedidGlitch @glitchuk_Pleo @pleo.ioPilates East @pilateseastPS. Given that this was recorded in lockdown, there's a few wifi issues where we ran into a few technical hiccups (!) so please do take those with a pinch of salt when they crop up! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

If you're thinking about launching your own fashion label and/or any creative product-based business for that matter, this interview with Sarah Birchall, Founder of Cub & Pudding is well worth a listen.Having spent ten years working as a PA for the Head of a bank in the City, a chance encounter with a life coach forced Sarah to revaluate her career and work out what truly brought her joy... As a Mum who took great pleasure in dressing her children, not before long, the idea for Cub & Pudding was born - quirky, gender neutral kids wear that defies seasonal trends and can be worn all year round. Genius.We chat about everything from how she transitioned from her full time role as a PA in the City and made the most of the blank canvas that came hand-in-hand with working on the business full time. The reality of how she funded Cub & Pudding in the early days given that sourcing materials, minimum orders and factory visits all add up as well as the steps she took to ensure that her items are ethically made. Plus of course, the impact Covid and the increased time spent online had on Cub & Pudding, why she actively chooses to invest in those that will hold her to account and how she got over her fear of selling.... There are so many pearls of wisdom in this one. This is Sarah's honest story so far... Enjoy!PS. She can. She did. has just launched the UK's first Benefits Programme for all female business owners in the UK! Join 100s of other female founders and self-employed womxn and start rewarding your resilience today! Join now to get free Vala health cover: www.shecandid.com She can. She did. Resilience, rewarded.The good old social handles should you fancy a further peek!She can. She did. @shecanshedidCub & Pudding @cubandpudding See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

I can safely say that this week's guest is one of the most genuine and kind women that I've had the pleasure of getting to know over the past couple of years. The lady in question is Kat Horrocks, the make-up artist turned life coach that I met for the first time when I took the She can. She did. Midweek Mingles up to Manchester in 2018, who empowers women to achieve their goals and put themselves first.From how she combatted the fear of transitioning from the make-up business that she ran for the four years prior to becoming a coach and how she went about battling off the imposter syndrome and not so supportive opinions of others that came hand-in-hand with that transition; how she held her nerve and continued to show up when the money wasn't always there in the early days; to her thoughts on the integrity of the online coaching space, given that it's not regulated and anyone can claim to be an expert in anything and everything online; this is Kat's very honest story so far... PS. She can. She did. has just launched the UK's first Benefits Programme for all female business owners in the UK! Join 100s of other female founders and self-employed womxn and start rewarding your resilience today! Join now to get free Vala health cover: www.shecandid.com She can. She did. Resilience, rewarded.The good old social handles should you fancy a further peek!She can. She did. @shecanshedidKat Horrocks @kat_horrocks See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

I know I shouldn't have favourites but bloody hell this was a good chat!A few weeks back, I got to sit down and natter (over Zoom of course) with the Brighton-based Queen of Self care that is Donna Hay - a woman that I've known and admired since very early on in She can. She did.'s story who happens to be the Founder of WILDWOMAN, the UK’s first non-fiction, book subscription box for women.From her thoughts on the dangers of the #girlboss overnight success culture and how it led her to set unobtainable goals for Wildwoman's launch; why she's recently made the decision to switch off all paid advertising and how she held her ground when those closest to her challenged her pricing strategy early on; to why she likens her business journey to that of being on a log flume, not a rollercoaster... this chat with Donna came at the right time for me personally and is an interview that I will be referring to, countless times from now on, I'm sure. Enjoy!PS. She can. She did. has just launched the UK's first Benefits Programme for all female business owners in the UK! Join 100s of other female founders and self-employed womxn and start rewarding your resilience today! Join now to get free Vala health cover: www.shecandid.com She can. She did. Resilience, rewarded.The good old social handles should you fancy a further peek!She can. She did. @shecanshedidWILDWOMAN @wearewildwoman See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Blaqbase is the shopping app Founded by Benedicta Banga, that supports black owned businesses in the UK by bringing high quality black owned products together and allowing customers to buy them via Blaqbase directly. Having launched on black pound day in June and gained extensive press coverage from the likes of Stylist, Marie Claire, Sky News and the BBC thereafter, I chatted to Benedicta a few weeks ago to discuss her self-funded business journey so far... and the numerous iterations, tweaks and testing that has gone on behind the scenes!From how she built the app without developers and learnt to embrace the curveballs and opportunities that running a business can throw your way; why she's so passionate about reminding people that the only reality we can truly trust online is our own; to her advice on dealing with online abuse having experienced it herself in the aftermath of an interview on Sky news, Benedicta's story is yet another example of what truly goes on behind the scenes to launch and grow a sustainable business and for that reason, I couldn't have loved recording it more!PS. She can. She did. has just launched the UK's first Benefits Programme for all female business owners in the UK! Join 100s of other female founders and self-employed womxn and start rewarding your resilience today! Join now to get free Vala health cover: www.shecandid.com She can. She did. Resilience, rewarded.The good old social handles should you fancy a further peek!She can. She did. @shecanshedidBlaqbase @blaqbaseapp See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It's hard enough launching a business in your home country as it is but add language and cultural barriers into the mix and as I'm sure you'll soon hear, it becomes a whole lot tougher... I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover but I knew from the moment I saw DAYE's branding that there would be a seriously savvy Founder behind it ... and 26 year old Valentina Milanova didn't disappoint.Having moved to the UK from Bulgaria to launch DAYE - the female health research and development company best known for its organic and CBD infused tampons - Valentina has pushed through an immense number of challenges to bring her vision for DAYE to life.From convincing her friends to test homemade tampons in the early days and the lengthy steps she took to ensure that DAYE exceeds manufacturing standards thereafter; to the painful journey she endured to secure investment - quite literally at one point - to the challenges she's faced navigating British culture, not just on professional level but a personal one too, this is Valentina's (bloody amazing... no pun intended..!) story so far.PS. She can. She did. has just launched the UK's first Benefits Programme for all female business owners in the UK! Join 100s of other female founders and self-employed womxn and start rewarding your resilience today! Join now to get free Vala health cover: www.shecandid.com She can. She did. Resilience, rewarded.The good old social handles should you fancy a further peek!She can. She did. @shecanshedidDAYE @meetdaye See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

A few weeks back, I sat down for a chat with the breathe of fresh air that is Kaew Suppamas, Founder of the (v. cool) terranium company that is Leafage. Via their DIY kits and team building workshops, together with her team, Kaew is on a mission to help us all connect with nature and importantly, live in the moment... which let's face it, sounds like something we all need right about now!Having once upon a time been told that she was "too much of a dreamer" to ever run a business successfully, given the fact that Kaew now counts the likes of Facebook, Nike, Slack and Asos as customers, it's safe to say that she's proved them wrong! This is Kaew's story so far...PS. She can. She did. has just launched the UK's first Benefits Programme for all female business owners in the UK! Join 100s of other female founders and self-employed womxn and start rewarding your resilience today! Join now to get free Vala health cover: www.shecandid.com She can. She did. Resilience, rewarded.The good old social handles should you fancy a further peek!She can. She did. @shecanshedidLeafage @weareleafage See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

TRIGGER WARNING: Please note that we speak about Anna and Co-Founder Billie's shared history of sexual assault at various points throughout this conversation.I'm inspired by every single woman that I've interviewed on this podcast but there are some stories that definitely stand out and this episode with Anna Hushlak is one of them. As the Co-Founder of Ferly - the audio guide to mindful sex that is on a mission to support and empower woman and folx with vulvas to improve their sexual wellbeing - Anna sat down to chat with me a few weeks back about the evolution of hers and Co-Founder Billie's business journey so far.From how they went about really understanding the universal problem at hand and their problem-first approach to all business decisions and research thereafter; how they have handled numerous cynical comments since entering the space and their advice for all of us on how best to hold our nerve in those conversations; to how Billie and Anna's relationship has evolved since day one and why being the Co-Founder of Ferly has provided Anna with a powerful filtering method when dating (LOVED this bit!); she's one incredibly strong woman - they both are in fact - so I hope that you find their story be as empowering as I did. PS. She can. She did. has just launched the UK's first Benefits Programme for self-employed womxn in the UK! Join 100s of other female founders and self-employed womxn and start rewarding your resilience today! Join now: www.shecandid.com She can. She did. Resilience, rewarded.The good old social handles should you fancy a further peek!She can. She did. @shecanshedidFerly @weareferly See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

If you, like me, get abnormal amounts of pleasure from roaming the aisles of Homesense and dreaming about designing your ideal home (just me!?) this week's guests are right up your street! Why? Because they're the incredibly talented duo behind Wells and Maguire - the high end interior design studio covering London, Wales and the South of England that Emily and Danielle set up after becoming frustrated by agency life.Specialising in bespoke interiors for private clients and developers at some seriously swoon worthy town houses and mansions - if you want some dreamy interior inspo FYI, I would highly recommend looking at the Wells and Maguire portfolio - I caught up with Emily and Danielle a few weeks back to discuss what the realities of running an interior design business look and feel like behind the scenes.From how they've dealt with not-so-supportive comments and actions from former acquaintances and their advice should you find yourself in a similar position; how they handle the jobs that don't quite go to plan to ensure that their reputation and high standards are always upheld; to how their partnership really came into its own when Emily suffered a devastating loss in her personal life, their honesty throughout this chat is what She can. She did. is all about and for that reason, I hope it provides you with a whole lot of comfort and inspiration, should you need it, going forward...PS. She can. She did. has just launched the UK's first Benefits Programme for self-employed womxn in the UK! Join 100s of other female founders and self-employed womxn and start rewarding your resilience today! Join now: www.shecandid.com She can. She did. Resilience, rewarded.The good old social handles should you fancy a further peek!She can. She did. @shecanshedidWells and Maguire @wellsandmaguire See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week, the spotlight falls on Sukhi Jutla, Co-Founder of the"uber for the gold and diamond industry" that is MarketOrders - an award-winning B2B platform that she launched four years ago, that enables independent retail jewellers to buy gold and diamond jewellery directly, securely and seamlessly from international suppliers, using blockchain technology. A process, which I of course ask Sukhi to breakdown for me in layman's terms! Having won numerous awards including Asian Women of Achievement, Female Entrepreneur of The Year and named a Top 100 European Digital Pioneer by The Financial Times and Google, not to mention revolutionising a previously old fashioned and often corrupted industry; the former investment banker-turned-entrepreneur sat down to chat with me a few weeks ago about the realities that she's faced behind the scenes in her business journey so far.From how she's learnt en route how to block out unsolicited advice and trust her own judgement when it comes to decision making, why she opted to sell her handbag collection to save money in the early days; to why Ben & Jerry's came in handy when she realised that she needed to walk away from £250k; to this is Sukhi's story so far!PS. She can. She did. has just launched the UK's first Benefits Programme for self-employed womxn in the UK! Join 100s of other female founders and self-employed womxn and start rewarding your resilience today! Join now: www.shecandid.com She can. She did. Resilience, rewarded.The good old social handles should you fancy a further peek!She can. She did. @shecanshedidMarketOrders @market_orders See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It's not everyday that you hear of Great British athletes trading gruelling training regimes in for the world of app design and entrepreneurship but that's what Kike Oniwinde did when she left the world of javelin behind and launched BYP Network in 2016 - A platform that empowers black professionals around the world to connect with each other and global corporations.Often dubbed 'the LinkedIn for black professionals', the platform has gone on to win a whole host of awards over the past four years, Kike has earned herself a place on the prestigious Forbes '30 under 30' list and led the company through a successful crowdfunding raise in the midst of a pandemic that saw the platform successfully secure more than £800,000 from over 1100 investors on Seedrs. Pretty impressive, right!?From how she's learnt to sieve through advice and follow her gut instinct having been easily swayed by others' opinions in the early days; how she successfully infiltrated the right business ecosystems to grow the right network that supported her through the company's various stages of growth; to why she's happy to shine a spotlight on the negative stats about black female entrepreneurs but refuses to let said stats affect her progress; this is Kike's INCREDIBLE story so far...PS. She can. She did. has just launched the UK's first Benefits Programme curated for and by self-employed women in the UK! Providing all self-employed womxn, female founders and freelancers with access to the health and financial benefits that come hand-in-hand with a corporate career like pensions, health insurance, gym memberships, eye care etc... PLUS a whole host of additional fashion, beauty, wellbeing, parenthood, and lifestyle incentives too; She can. She did. is on a mission to bridge the gap between female founders' ambition and what current business infrastructure fails to offer them.With over 60+ brands on board and counting including the likes of Pure Gym, Hiscox, Penfold and Vision Express on the more traditional benefits front to the likes of ESPA, Bloom & Wild, Hello Fresh and Oh Mumma on the ultimate rewards front, for just £5.99 per month you'll gain access to a whole host of exclusive benefits and rewards to support both your business and your life. Plus, all members benefit from weekly online events with industry experts at no extra cost too, along with many more perks of the programme.For more information, feel free to visit www.shecandid.com for more details!She can. She did. Resilience, rewarded.The good old social handles should you fancy a further peek!She can. She did. @shecanshedidKike Oniwinde @kikeoniwindeBYP Network @bypnetwork See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

After a brief hiatus as we got the She can. She did. Benefits Programme off the ground, I am so happy to be reunited with my headphones and mic and interviewing some of the UK's most inspiring female founders once again!I have no doubt that a lot of you will already be aware of today's guest and the incredible work that she does to enhance the visibility and confidence of women all over but just in case you haven't, this week's episode is with the inimitable Lauren Currie, OBE and Founder of both UPFRONT - a business committed to elevating and encouraging new voices on and off public stages around the world and Stride - an app that is committed to democratizing leadership development for the workforce of the future.From how she handles the loneliness and imposter syndrome that can often come hand-in-hand with being a business owner; how she navigated the period in her life before she met her partner when she was told that she was "too much" for men; to how sticking a post it note in the ladies bathroom at a conference where she was the only female speaker led her to create what is now UPFRONT; choosing the soundbite for this episode has proved to be very stressful because every other sentence of hers, as you'll soon hear, was filled with SO MUCH GOOD ADVICE!! With that in mind, I hope you enjoy it!PS. She can. She did. has just launched the UK's first Benefits Programme curated for and by self-employed women in the UK! Providing all self-employed womxn, female founders and freelancers with access to the health and financial benefits that come hand-in-hand with a corporate career like pensions, health insurance, gym memberships, eye care etc... PLUS a whole host of additional fashion, beauty, wellbeing, parenthood, and lifestyle incentives too; She can. She did. is on a mission to bridge the gap between female founders' ambition and what current business infrastructure fails to offer them. With over 60+ brands on board and counting including the likes of Pure Gym, Hiscox, Penfold and Vision Express on the more traditional benefits front to the likes of ESPA, Bloom & Wild, Hello Fresh and Oh Mumma on the ultimate rewards front, for just £5.99 per month you'll gain access to a whole host of exclusive benefits and rewards to support both your business and your life. Plus, all members benefit from weekly online events with industry experts at no extra cost too, along with many more perks of the programme.For more information, feel free to visit www.shecandid.com for more details! She can. She did. Resilience, rewarded.The good old social handles should you fancy a further peek!She can. She did. @shecanshedidLauren Currie, OBE @_laurencurrie_UPFRONT @upfrontglobalStride @stride_leadership See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week, I got to chat to a lady that has played a huge part in She can. She did.'s story to date because she happens to have photographed every single one of the twenty She can. She did. - Midweek Mingles since they launched in 2018... and has done a bloody good job doing so too!I first came Chloe in early 2018 when an email popped into my inbox ahead of the very first Midweek Mingle, enquiring about whether I was looking for a photographer for said Mingle and if so, would I be interested in letting her capture the event? We had a chat, I said "yes", she turned up with her tripod and the rest is history!Recorded via Zoom a few weeks back, we covered everything from the early days of Stories By Chloe when she 'fluffed out the truth' somewhat and offered photography for free to build a portfolio that went on to attract her dream clients; her advice for any service-based business owner struggling for work; how she's learnt to combat the loneliness en route by finding her tribe along the way (her Bridesmaids analogy is food for thought here!); why the impact of lockdown was a blessing in disguise for her business; to how she went about navigating the realities of running her brand when the death of her beloved Grandma meant that she was grieving behind the scenes; this is Chloe's honest story to date and how she's gone about creating her dream career since launching her business three years ago.From "tripod girl" who showed up at the first Mingle and barely spoke a word to anyone to a highly skilled photographer who works the room, puts everyone at ease and now has a jam packed diary full of her dream clients, I've loved watching Chloe's story unfold from afar, I loved recording this chat so as always, I hope you enjoy it too!The She can. She did. podcast is hosted by Fiona Grayson (that's me, hello!) and this bonus series is sponsored by Tide Business Current Accounts who happen to be the only place in the UK where you can register a limited company and open a business account in one process, for free! Essentially, for those of you that want to set up as a Limited Company or switch from being a sole trader to a Limited Company like I did, all you do is search the company name you would like, enter your personal and business details and in a matter of minutes, your limited company application will be sent, your Tide business current account will be set up, and you're good to go! For more information if you happen to be interested, please feel free to visit: www.tide.co/start The good old social handles should you fancy a further peek!She can. She did. @shecanshedidStories By Chloe @storiesbychloeTide @tidebanking See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

As the We can. We will. series came to an end in May, I received a personal email from today's guest sharing her story with me and knew straight away that I wanted her to feature on this series. Not just because she launched her business aged 24 nine and a half years ago and together with her two co-founders, has grown a team of over 100 employees since then; partnered with over 800 independent fashion labels; and grown a dedicated customer base of over one million women; but because despite being at the helm of such a huge company juggling the pressures of running an online fashion business during this pandemic, she made the effort to reach out to me personally.Something that is pretty much unheard of for a founder running a company of her size and something that little old me respected no end.The lady in question being 33-year-old Emma Watkinson, Co-Founder of the online fashion platform connecting independent designers with over a million, loyal customers that is SilkFred. From why she's always pushed back against conventional wisdom since day one opting to focus solely on the company's data at hand instead; how she navigated SilkFred's exceptional growth and her honest thoughts on the growing pains that the company endured thereafter; to her thoughts on juggling being the CEO of a 100+ team whilst raising her two-year-old twin girls too; plus of course, how she navigated a 90% drop in sales when the UK went into lockdown in March; Emma's humility and honesty throughout this episode will stay with me for a long time to come. Her story should also provide a handy reference point for those wanting to scale their businesses going forward... I hope you enjoy it!The She can. She did. podcast is hosted by Fiona Grayson (that's me, hello!) and this bonus series is sponsored by Tide Business Current Accounts who happen to be the only place in the UK where you can register a limited company and open a business account in one process, for free! Essentially, for those of you that want to set up as a Limited Company or switch from being a sole trader to a Limited Company like I did, all you do is search the company name you would like, enter your personal and business details and in a matter of minutes, your limited company application will be sent, your Tide business current account will be set up, and you're good to go! For more information if you happen to be interested, please feel free to visit: www.tide.co/start The good old social handles should you fancy a further peek!She can. She did. @shecanshedidSilkFred @silkfredEmma Watkinson @silkfred_emmaTide @tidebanking See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It's not everyday that Hollywood reach out and ask if a certain Hollywood A-lister can drink your product in an upcoming movie but that's what happened a few weeks ago to this week's guest..!*cue the excitement*The lady in question being Ellie Webb; the Bristol-based Founder of Caleño, the non-alcoholic spirit that aims to bring joy to non-drinking that Ellie launched during Dry January 2019 after a particularly boozy Christmas!Three months in, Caleño launched into 500 Sainsburys stores UK-wide, it was recently named Good Housekeeping's top non-alcoholic spirit (out of a panel of 20 that is) and in less than eighteen months, Ellie has gone from a solo Founder wearing every hat, to a fully-fledged boss leading a team of six...From the early days of Caleño when Ellie put her marketing background to good use in order to capitalise on Dry January with specific collaborations, micro influencers and social ads and how her approach to marketing has evolved as the brand has gone from strength to strength; as a solo Founder turned boss of 6, what her advice is for Founders growing a team and why the impact of the coronavirus shaped her as a leader; to the impact of Covid-19 on Caleño itself and how she went about figuring out the role Caleño would play during lockdown (plus of course more about that Hollywood hunk!); the fact that Ellie has "only just scratched the surface" with Caleño says so much about her ambition for the brand and her tenacity as a Founder so it can't come as a surprise to you all that I loved this chat! This is Ellie's story to date...The She can. She did. podcast is hosted by Fiona Grayson (that's me, hello!) and this bonus series is sponsored by Tide Business Current Accounts who happen to be the only place in the UK where you can register a limited company and open a business account in one process, for free! Essentially, for those of you that want to set up as a Limited Company or switch from being a sole trader to a Limited Company like I did, all you do is search the company name you would like, enter your personal and business details and in a matter of minutes, your limited company application will be sent, your Tide business current account will be set up, and you're good to go! For more information if you happen to be interested, please feel free to visit: www.tide.co/start The good old social handles should you fancy a further peek!She can. She did. @shecanshedidCaleño @calenodrinksEllie Webb @caleno_ellieTide @tidebanking See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

I was due to interview this week's guest on the panel at Brighton's Midweek Mingle back in March but the coronavirus came along and we all know what happened thereafter... SO, I asked her to talk to me on here instead because the foodie in me wanted to hear her story in full!The lady in question is Lerato Umah-Shaylor, Founder of the Eastbourne-based foodie brand that is Lerato Foods - a company that she launched after returning to the UK from Nigeria in her early twenties, that is now comprised of a cookery school, supper clubs, a gourmet brownie business and a soon-to-be launched gourmet spice range too!From her experiences launching a catering company in her late teens, how that led her to a career in TV and why she now feels comfortable managing her own PR; why her first event in London didn't quite go to plan, why she'll never shy away from her mistakes as a result and her advice for consoling unhappy customers as well; to how she struggles to manage the loneliness that comes with being your own boss and why she's learnt to surround herself with people that want to see her win... plus a heart to heart on the topic of 'luck' in business and why I personally feel like hard work is normally to blame (!)... I'm so grateful that we ended up chatting on here instead of the panel because as you're about to hear, we covered a whole lot! This is Lerato's story to date...The She can. She did. podcast is hosted by Fiona Grayson (that's me, hello!) and this bonus series is sponsored by Tide Business Current Accounts who happen to be the only place in the UK where you can register a limited company and open a business account in one process, for free! Essentially, for those of you that want to set up as a Limited Company or switch from being a sole trader to a Limited Company like I did, all you do is search the company name you would like, enter your personal and business details and in a matter of minutes, your limited company application will be sent, your Tide business current account will be set up, and you're good to go! For more information if you happen to be interested, please feel free to visit: www.tide.co/start The good old social handles should you fancy a further peek!She can. She did. @shecanshedidLerato Foods @leratofoodsTide @tidebanking See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

A few weeks back, I had the pleasure of chatting to Lauren Armes over Zoom for this week's episode who happens to be the ever so amicable Founder of the industry-leading wellness platform that is Welltodo - a company with global reach that she launched five years ago (with a logo designed in Microsoft Paint by Lauren herself I should add!) that now comfortably turns over six figures each year, through its ever-growing readership, successful event series and career platform.We chat about what Lauren's days prior to launching Welltodo looked like, when she spent months toying with the idea of launching everything from a healthy coffee alternative to London's latest juice bar around a job that she despised and how she stayed motivated before landing on her 'lightbulb' moment. We also discuss why she's stopped treating personal development as a 'nice to have' and instead embraced it wholly as an essential tool for growth - both personally and professionally. Plus how she navigates the fine line between growing and nurturing a really close team whilst juggling the sometimes difficult conversations that are part and parcel of being the boss; and how a declined card forced her to shift her mindset towards money and her advice for female founders who might not feel comfortable dealing with numbers...There were so many parallels between Lauren's experience and my own journey launching She can. She did. - so much so that I found myself nodding to pretty much everything she said - so I really do hope you find what she had to say as inspiring as I did. This is Lauren's story to date...The She can. She did. podcast is hosted by Fiona Grayson (that's me, hello!) and this bonus series is sponsored by Tide Business Current Accounts who happen to be the only place in the UK where you can register a limited company and open a business account in one process, for free! Essentially, for those of you that want to set up as a Limited Company or switch from being a sole trader to a Limited Company like I did, all you do is search the company name you would like, enter your personal and business details and in a matter of minutes, your limited company application will be sent, your Tide business current account will be set up, and you're good to go! For more information if you happen to be interested, please feel free to visit: www.tide.co/start The good old social handles should you fancy a further peek!She can. She did. @shecanshedidWelltodo @welltodoglobalLauren Armes @laurenarmesTide @tidebanking See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

I first met today's guest at the very first She can. She did. - Midweek Mingle back in April 2018 and have followed her story somewhat enthusiastically ever since! (So much so that I hounded her about coming on this podcast at one of the Midweek Mingles last year and she politely asked that I ask again in a few months' time so she could - rightly so - discuss her new brand post-launch!) The lady in question being Gemma Harling, Founder of the high performance, vegan, cruelty-free skincare brand with a conscience that is Luneia - a beauty brand that has quickly become a Sunday evening staple for me because oh my gosh, its debut face mask is genuinely the best face mask I've ever used!(Gemma's kindly offering all She can. She did. listeners 20% off with the code SCSD20 should you wish to try it by the way!)Now the She can. She did. podcast, as you might well know, has been designed to shed light on the honest realities - warts and all - that female founders push through behind the scenes to get to where they are today and, having watched Gemma plug away at building not just one but two businesses in the past two years, it's safe to say that she is a woman who has pushed through a fair bit!Launching her already award-winning beauty brand precisely one month before she became a Mum for the first time and the world went into lockdown a few weeks later, being one of many prime examples of that! From how she rediscovered her sense of self after walking away from a corporate career that in her own words, once defined her (Gemma was, prior to becoming self-employed, a Senior Buyer for Cosmetics at AS Watson Group); why she decided to launch a service-based business before launching Luneia and how she stayed motivated in the face of multiple delays and setbacks with the brand thereafter; to her approach to diversity and inclusion as a beauty brand in light of recent events relating to the Black Lives Matter movement; I was so looking forward to finally interviewing Gemma in full and in no way shape or form did her story disappoint...The She can. She did. podcast is hosted by Fiona Grayson (that's me, hello!) and this bonus series is sponsored by Tide Business Current Accounts who have, in recent weeks set up a Small Business Solidarity series on their website to champion and promote Tide users and showcase the various ways in which Tide members are supporting others as we all navigate the coming weeks and months. From free SEO resources and business coaching sessions from fellow business owners to free online fitness sessions and meditation recordings too, there's so many useful offers to take advantage of so please do feel free to have a look here: www.tide.co/solidarity-initiativesThe good old social handles should you fancy a further peek!She can. She did. @shecanshedidLuneia @luneiaGemma Harling @gems_mTide @tidebanking See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week, I got to chat to the creative genius behind By Chenai that is Chenai Bukutu who I first came across a few weeks ago when she, along with Mako Ndoro of Berry & Brie, created a series on Instagram that went live on Black Out Tuesday that aimed to amplify the voices and experiences of black creatives within the wedding industry.As a UK-based wedding and event planner - the J Lo 'Wedding Planner' fan in me was very much looking forward to this chat by the way - Chenai works with a roster of clients each year who appreciate the finer aesthetics and details in life, and always goes above and beyond to provide the extra special touches that transform events from mundane and ordinary to magical and memorable. From the research that Chenai undertook in the early days to ensure that she promoted integrity and professionalism from day one and how she's approached charging for and promoting her services as her experience has increased thereafter; how she dealt with the coronavirus's colossal impact on the wedding industry along with why she's put flexible boundaries in place for both her clients and her own wellbeing; to why she feels more confident about discussing why the wedding industry needs to be more diverse today than she did a few weeks back and how her confidence in general has evolved since launching By Chenai; this is Chenai's business story in full to date! I hope you enjoy it!The She can. She did. podcast is hosted by Fiona Grayson (that's me, hello!) and this bonus series is sponsored by Tide Business Current Accounts who have, in recent weeks set up a Small Business Solidarity series on their website to champion and promote Tide users and showcase the various ways in which Tide members are supporting others as we all navigate the coming weeks and months. From free SEO resources and business coaching sessions from fellow business owners to free online fitness sessions and meditation recordings too, there's so many useful offers to take advantage of so please do feel free to have a look here: www.tide.co/solidarity-initiativesThe good old social handles should you fancy a further peek!She can. She did. @shecanshedidBy Chenai @bychenaiTide @tidebankingPS. Given that this was recorded in lockdown, there's a few wifi issues where we ran into a few technical hiccups (!) so please do take those with a pinch of salt when they crop up! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Anyone that has been to any of the She can. She did. - Midweek Mingles knows my love for anything gin-related and when the Founders of said gin brands are LOVELY alongside that, my job gets a whole lot more fun! With that in mind, I can safely say that this is one of my favourite interviews to date.Back in January, I paid a visit to Liz's home in Oxfordshire to interview both Liz and Cam about the story behind Collagin - a gin brand that as the name suggests, has added collagen which the two launched after a PR campaign that they worked on together in their old job went viral and they realised that their playful concept had legs... From why they were forced to abandon the gin's original name in the early days and how they navigated launching the brand whilst both holding down full-time jobs; their honest insights into how their lifestyles have been forced to adjust since launching Collagin and why despite getting the backing from two Dragons on Dragons Den, they opted to walk away from both offers; to how they've handled scepticism from peers in the industry (and some former friends too) and how they've navigated struggles with cash flow as the company expands; we had such a fun morning recording this episode so I really do hope, as always that you enjoy it.PS. I just want to say a giant thank you to Liz and Cam for their patience whilst waiting for this episode to air but as you will hopefully be able to tell in a minute, I personally think that it was worth the wait! Enjoy!The She can. She did. podcast is hosted by Fiona Grayson (that's me, hello!) and this bonus series is sponsored by Tide Business Current Accounts who have, in recent weeks set up a Small Business Solidarity series on their website to champion and promote Tide users and showcase the various ways in which Tide members are supporting others as we all navigate the coming weeks and months. From free SEO resources and business coaching sessions from fellow business owners to free online fitness sessions and meditation recordings too, there's so many useful offers to take advantage of so please do feel free to have a look here: www.tide.co/solidarity-initiativesThe good old social handles should you fancy a further peek!She can. She did. @shecanshedidCollagin @collaginTide @tidebanking See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Having met Lucy a number of times at many of the London She can. She did. - Midweek Mingles, it was so good to finally sit down for a proper chat with her last Monday morning and hear her story in full for this episode!Not only is hospitality notorious for its unsociable hours and physically demanding nature (which often gets overlooked when people dream about running a business like Lucy's), in recent months, aside from the travel industry of course, its also the industry that's been hit hardest from the current lockdown.With that in mind, as well as detailing the battles that she fought to simply get the keys to the Micropub throughout 2016, as well as how she navigated burnout in year one, a legal battle in year two and a few not so successful events post-launch too, Lucy also opens up about how 2020 has played out so far and how The Dodo Micropub has evolved in this Covid-dominated world. She's a force to be reckoned with. (As Ealing Council quickly learnt..!)The She can. She did. podcast is hosted by Fiona Grayson (that's me, hello!) and this bonus series is sponsored by Tide Business Current Accounts who have, in recent weeks set up a Small Business Solidarity series on their website to champion and promote Tide users and showcase the various ways in which Tide members are supporting others as we all navigate the coming weeks and months. From free SEO resources and business coaching sessions from fellow business owners to free online fitness sessions and meditation recordings too, there's so many useful offers to take advantage of so please do feel free to have a look here: www.tide.co/solidarity-initiativesThe good old social handles should you fancy a further peek!She can. She did. @shecanshedidThe Dodo Micropub @thedodomicropubTide @tidebanking See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

To set the scene for today's episode, back in January I bulk recorded the last few weekly episodes of series two which were due to go out throughout the course of March but when the coronavirus came along and I launched the We can. We will. series in response, the last few episodes were put on pause for a while. This episode with Amy Rushworth being one of them!Before we get going therefore, I just want to say a giant thank you to Amy for her patience given that this episode has taken nearly six months to go live... and let's face it, the world looks rather different today than it did back then! Thankfully though, having checked in with Amy in recent weeks, bar having to cancel one of her retreats that was due to take place in Bali, her business has continued to thrive this year so this chat still rings true today.As a transformation and healing mentor, spiritual coach and speaker, Amy's work is guiding a generation of women around the world to overcome their inner critic and manifest a reality of love, purpose, prosperity and pleasure. As a newbee in London with zero network when she first launched her business however, it's safe to say that Amy's had to work her socks off to get to where she is today and for that reason, I have a whole lot of respect for her. From why asking the simple question that is "how can I support you?" helped so much in the early days and how her attitude to money has evolved over the years; to her useful advice for handling plagiarism and IP infringement and why she feels more confident in herself than ever before; Amy oozes confidence, she really does walk the talk so it doesn't surprise me in the slightest that she's as successful as she is. This is the behind the scenes story of Amy's journey so far...The She can. She did. podcast is hosted by Fiona Grayson (that's me, hello!) and this bonus series is sponsored by Tide Business Current Accounts who have, in recent weeks set up a Small Business Solidarity series on their website to champion and promote Tide users and showcase the various ways in which Tide members are supporting others as we all navigate the coming weeks and months. From free SEO resources and business coaching sessions from fellow business owners to free online fitness sessions and meditation recordings too, there's so many useful offers to take advantage of so please do feel free to have a look here: www.tide.co/solidarity-initiativesThe good old social handles should you fancy a further peek!She can. She did. @shecanshedidAmy Rushworth @thisisamyrushworthTide @tidebanking See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

If you came to the last Midweek Mingle roadshow of the year in 2019, you will know how good today's guest's hair products are because the BOUCLÈME (pronounced "Boo-clem") hair oil was hiding in the goody bags for us all and it's still one of my favourite goody bag treats that we've been lucky enough to receive to date!If you haven't heard of BOUCLÈME, it's the clean curl care range for curly haired people worldwide that Michelle launched after returning from a career-defining trip to New York for her 40th birthday. Having been inspired by a visit to a hair salon in the Big Apple that made her realise that curly hair is something to be celebrated, not ashamed of - she was, for the majority of her life up until then, a serial hair straightener - Michelle returned to London with the determination to create a product that allowed curly haired people to feel equally as empowered by their hair as she now did.Two years of testing formulations and coming up with a brand identity later - which came with a myriad of hurdles in itself - BOUCLÈME was born. From branding issues and Brexit to Covid-19 and the loneliness that often comes hand in hand with being the boss, not to mention growth pains and how she juggles running a business with managing her team and being a Mum to two teenage daughters too, Michele's honesty in this episode is what She can. She did. is all about. With that in mind, I hope you enjoy it... The She can. She did. podcast is hosted by Fiona Grayson (that's me, hello!) and this bonus series is sponsored by Tide Business Current Accounts who have, in recent weeks set up a Small Business Solidarity series on their website to champion and promote Tide users and showcase the various ways in which Tide members are supporting others as we all navigate the coming weeks and months. From free SEO resources and business coaching sessions from fellow business owners to free online fitness sessions and meditation recordings too, there's so many useful offers to take advantage of so please do feel free to have a look here: www.tide.co/solidarity-initiativesThe good old social handles should you fancy a further peek!She can. She did. @shecanshedidBOUCLÈME @bouclemeTide @tidebanking See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

I'd say series 4 is back with a bang ladies but let's face it, series 3 only wrapped up a month ago... I think we all know that might sound a tad OTT! Instead, I'll say that I love recording these interviews too much to wait months on end for a dramatic return so here we are, primed and ready to go with an episode that will go down as one of my favourites to date!To kick series four off, I had a chat with the vivacious and incredibly talented woman that is Anisha Parmar, Founder of her self-titled jewellery brand, Anisha Parmar London. Personally hand made by Anisha from her studio that is now in Derby, Anisha Parmar London celebrates Anisha's British Asian heritage through a number of bold, intricate and authentic designs.Recorded on Saturday morning, this is the story that Anisha has been on behind the scenes over the past five years and how she's navigated stepping away from a career path that as a first generation British-born Asian, in her own words, "was expected of her", to create a brand and business for herself that she is truly passionate about.From the early days of Anisha Parmar London when Anisha set up shop at Spitalfields Market and how she went about getting the brand in front of key buyers thereafter; why she decided to switch from wholesale to BTC sales in the years that followed and how that business model has played out in lockdown; to what her internal journey as a female founder has looked and felt like in reality as her confidence, self-care routine and effort to juggle running a business with her personal life has evolved along the way too; it's one inspiring story, one that I won't be forgetting anytime soon, and for that reason, as always, I hope you enjoy it!The She can. She did. podcast is hosted by Fiona Grayson (that's me, hello!) and this bonus series is sponsored by Tide Business Current Accounts who have, in recent weeks set up a Small Business Solidarity series on their website to champion and promote Tide users and showcase the various ways in which Tide members are supporting others as we all navigate the coming weeks and months. From free SEO resources and business coaching sessions from fellow business owners to free online fitness sessions and meditation recordings too, there's so many useful offers to take advantage of so please do feel free to have a look here: www.tide.co/solidarity-initiativesThe good old social handles should you fancy a further peek!She can. She did. @shecanshedidAnisha Parmar London @anishaparmarlondonTide @tidebanking See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

As this series draws to a close today, for the first time since launching the She can. She did. podcast, I decided to put myself in the hot seat today and ask my good friend (aka. Natalie Moores, one half of my favourite marketing duo that is Mac + Moore) to interview me (*cue the sweats*) about how the coronavirus has impacted both me and my plans for She can. She did. behind the scenes too.(Because truth be told, I'd feel like I'd be letting the side down somewhat, had I asked everyone to share how Covid-19 has impacted them in detail whilst staying quiet myself, pretending that it's all been plain sailing for me!)Plus, given that She can. She did. might look a little different in the months to come - if all goes to plan, that is - I also wanted to let you know where I will be focusing my energy once this final episode goes live and these daily podcasts that have been provided quite a comforting (albeit marginally stressful!) routine over the past few weeks, come to an end...From the early-March panic and my decision to postpone The Midweek Mingle roadshow; the mounting pressure I felt to respond to the panic I was seeing on Instagram from the She can. She did. audience and why I decided to launch this daily series as a result; to my mid-April Zoom call with a female investor and the kick up the bum that call gave me to take matters into my own hands when it comes to long-term plans for She can. She did. going forward; this is how the past two months have played out for me behind the scenes and where I will be channelling my energy from the moment I push this final episode of this series live...What a turbulent, testing and just downright bonkers few weeks it's been girls! Wherever you are listening to this right now, I really do hope that you enjoy the episode/ find it to be of comfort in some way and thank you all so much for tuning in to this series daily. From the bottom of my heart, it's meant millions. Fi xThe She can. She did. podcast is hosted by Fiona Grayson (that's me, hello!) and this bonus series is sponsored by Tide Business Current Accounts. Read the latest news, updates and help for small businesses during the Coronavirus outbreak on their dedicated hub: www.tide.co/blog/coronavirusThe good old social handles should you fancy a further peek!She can. She did. @shecanshedidTide @tidebankingTerms & Conditions:This offer applies only to the Tide account associated with the email address used at sign up and cannot be transferred. You must upgrade to Tide Plus by 23:49 on 24/05/2020 and include code 'PODCAST' in the support chat. You'll then be charged pro-rata from the date of subscription until the end of the purchase month and in full on the 4th of each following month. To honour the offer of free Tide Plus subscription for 3 months, we'll refund the pro-rata amount you've paid into your account 3 days after the initial purchase. For the following two calendar months, we will also credit your account with £9.99 plus VAT (the subscription price plus VAT) by the 30th of each month. Full terms and conditions can be found here: https://www.tide.co/terms/competition-terms/. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

I've been a huge fan of Grape & Fig for what feels like years now (even though the company was only launched in 2017) so when an email popped through from its Founder, Toria Smith, a few weeks back, I counted my lucky stars and got this episode booked in straight away!Having founded the UK's first grazing catering company with her sister Catherine, after noticing how huge the grazing craze was in Australia whilst travelling around Oz in 2013, Grape & Fig have gone on to cater for the likes of Facebook, Airbnb and Conde Nast along with celebrities like Tom Hardy, Kim Catrall, Paul McCartney, Jesy Nelson and Damien Lewis (!!!!). Yet when the coronavirus came along and put an end to all public gatherings however, as Toria goes on to say in this episode, every single job that the sisters had spent the past year planning and hustling for, got cancelled overnight and the two were forced to revisit their business model and find a new way to work...From content creation, teaching and introducing an entirely different revenue stream into the business (that comes with an entirely different business model to learn and adjust to quickly) this is how Toria has adapted behind the scenes and what the past eight weeks have looked and felt like for her in reality...The She can. She did. podcast is hosted by Fiona Grayson (that's me, hello!) and this bonus series is sponsored by Tide Business Current Accounts. Read the latest news, updates and help for small businesses during the Coronavirus outbreak on their dedicated hub: www.tide.co/blog/coronavirusThe good old social handles should you fancy a further peek!She can. She did. @shecanshedidGrape & Fig @grapeandfigTide @tidebankingTerms & Conditions:This offer applies only to the Tide account associated with the email address used at sign up and cannot be transferred. You must upgrade to Tide Plus by 23:49 on 24/05/2020 and include code 'PODCAST' in the support chat. You'll then be charged pro-rata from the date of subscription until the end of the purchase month and in full on the 4th of each following month. To honour the offer of free Tide Plus subscription for 3 months, we'll refund the pro-rata amount you've paid into your account 3 days after the initial purchase. For the following two calendar months, we will also credit your account with £9.99 plus VAT (the subscription price plus VAT) by the 30th of each month. Full terms and conditions can be found here: https://www.tide.co/terms/competition-terms/. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Gosh, where do I start with how much I love this lady?!You know when you meet someone and you instantly know they're a good person? I had that with June (aka. Junie Poonie!) when we met back at the end of 2017. Always going above and beyond to ensure that her customers feel understood and cared for (via personalised stationery that manages to tap into what we're all really thinking and event styling and production that always goes the extra mile) June instantly came to mind when I was trying to work out who to reach out to for these episodes because every ounce of me know that she would create something special to help throughout all of this.And true to form, that she has!With a large chunk of June's work pre-March spent styling corporate events that came hand in hand with equally big corporate budgets, along with a number of weddings - both at home and abroad - which have been postponed for the foreseeable future as we all know, I caught up with her on Tuesday morning therefore, to find out where she's focusing her energy at present. As a woman who is always going out of her way to help and support those around her, I also wanted to check in and find out how she is looking after herself throughout all of this too.She's genuinely one of the kindest women out there and never fails to provide reassurance when you need to hear it most. This is what June had to say...The She can. She did. podcast is hosted by Fiona Grayson (that's me, hello!) and this bonus series is sponsored by Tide Business Current Accounts. Read the latest news, updates and help for small businesses during the Coronavirus outbreak on their dedicated hub: www.tide.co/blog/coronavirusThe good old social handles should you fancy a further peek!She can. She did. @shecanshedidJunie Poonie @junie_poonieTide @tidebankingTerms & Conditions:This offer applies only to the Tide account associated with the email address used at sign up and cannot be transferred. You must upgrade to Tide Plus by 23:49 on 24/05/2020 and include code 'PODCAST' in the support chat. You'll then be charged pro-rata from the date of subscription until the end of the purchase month and in full on the 4th of each following month. To honour the offer of free Tide Plus subscription for 3 months, we'll refund the pro-rata amount you've paid into your account 3 days after the initial purchase. For the following two calendar months, we will also credit your account with £9.99 plus VAT (the subscription price plus VAT) by the 30th of each month. Full terms and conditions can be found here: https://www.tide.co/terms/competition-terms/. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Today's episode is with someone who I can safely say is one of the strongest women I know.As the Founder of the Milton-Keynes favourite that is Oh My Cakery! - an independent cake business based down the road from me, that has grown an army of loyal, cake loving customers since its launch two years ago owing to Kirsty and her Mum's custom bakes and indulgent designs that essentially say it how it is - I have watched in awe as Kirsty and her Mum have adapted their business model in recent weeks, to not just survive but thrive since the UK went into lockdown.Given that pre-Covid, Oh My Cakery! relied heavily on bespoke orders for events to make money however, along with their forever sold-out 'Cake Fridays' where customers would travel in bulk to their shop and stock up on their favourite Oh My Cakery! treats, I wanted to find out what the recent pivot(s) has meant for both Kirsty and her Mum in reality behind the scenes. As a Mum to two daughters - 16 year old Tiegen who was due to sit her GCSEs this month and her youngest daughter, Neve who also has cerebral palsy, Kirsty also opened up to me about how she's managing family life in lockdown alongside a business that's busier than ever before...The She can. She did. podcast is hosted by Fiona Grayson (that's me, hello!) and this bonus series is sponsored by Tide Business Current Accounts. Read the latest news, updates and help for small businesses during the Coronavirus outbreak on their dedicated hub: www.tide.co/blog/coronavirusThe good old social handles should you fancy a further peek!She can. She did. @shecanshedidOh My Cakery! @oh.my.cakeryTide @tidebankingTerms & Conditions:This offer applies only to the Tide account associated with the email address used at sign up and cannot be transferred. You must upgrade to Tide Plus by 23:49 on 24/05/2020 and include code 'PODCAST' in the support chat. You'll then be charged pro-rata from the date of subscription until the end of the purchase month and in full on the 4th of each following month. To honour the offer of free Tide Plus subscription for 3 months, we'll refund the pro-rata amount you've paid into your account 3 days after the initial purchase. For the following two calendar months, we will also credit your account with £9.99 plus VAT (the subscription price plus VAT) by the 30th of each month. Full terms and conditions can be found here: https://www.tide.co/terms/competition-terms/. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Having known Hannah since the early days of She can. She did. and watched her brand go from strength to strength since then, I caught up with her on Friday morning to find out what impact Covid-19 has had on Cole & Co - the luxury Welsh soaps and candle brand that she launched and runs with her parents - in recent weeks.With a team of 15 under her direct management; both bricks and mortar stores in Cardiff and Beaumaris closed for the foreseeable future; and online sales that have been relentless in recent weeks (overtaking their Christmas orders and then some!); this is how the past two months have played out for Cole & Co, how Hannah's day-to-day priorities have been impacted as a result and why despite the natural fit and numerous recommendations, she hasn't added hand sanitiser to the company's offering...The She can. She did. podcast is hosted by Fiona Grayson (that's me, hello!) and this bonus series is sponsored by Tide Business Current Accounts. Read the latest news, updates and help for small businesses during the Coronavirus outbreak on their dedicated hub: www.tide.co/blog/coronavirusThe good old social handles should you fancy a further peek!She can. She did. @shecanshedidCole & Co @cole_and_coTide @tidebankingTerms & Conditions:This offer applies only to the Tide account associated with the email address used at sign up and cannot be transferred. You must upgrade to Tide Plus by 23:49 on 24/05/2020 and include code 'PODCAST' in the support chat. You'll then be charged pro-rata from the date of subscription until the end of the purchase month and in full on the 4th of each following month. To honour the offer of free Tide Plus subscription for 3 months, we'll refund the pro-rata amount you've paid into your account 3 days after the initial purchase. For the following two calendar months, we will also credit your account with £9.99 plus VAT (the subscription price plus VAT) by the 30th of each month. Full terms and conditions can be found here: https://www.tide.co/terms/competition-terms/. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Over the past few months, I've had a number of messages from some of you suggesting that I interview today's guest so on Friday morning last week, I did exactly that!The lady in question is the incredibly talented designer that is Hayley Scanlan, Founder of H.S - the independent, contemporary womenswear label based in Scotland that has gained much attention in recent months since Hayley starred on the series, 'Next in Fashion' that is currently streaming worldwide on Netflix.Yet, despite the increased attention and surge of orders for her designs in recent months, as the world went into lockdown; we all traded heels and dresses in for leggings and baggy jumpers; and supply chains faced severe disruptions with so many goods held at various customs worldwide; it's safe to say that the past few weeks have been anything but straightforward for Hayley. With that in mind, I wanted to find out how the designer has adapted over the past few weeks, not just from a business perspective but as a single Mum of two eight year old boys too... The She can. She did. podcast is hosted by Fiona Grayson (that's me, hello!) and this bonus series is sponsored by Tide Business Current Accounts. Read the latest news, updates and help for small businesses during the Coronavirus outbreak on their dedicated hub: www.tide.co/blog/coronavirusThe good old social handles should you fancy a further peek!She can. She did. @shecanshedidHayley Scanlan @hayleyscanlanstudioTide @tidebankingTerms & Conditions:This offer applies only to the Tide account associated with the email address used at sign up and cannot be transferred. You must upgrade to Tide Plus by 23:49 on 24/05/2020 and include code 'PODCAST' in the support chat. You'll then be charged pro-rata from the date of subscription until the end of the purchase month and in full on the 4th of each following month. To honour the offer of free Tide Plus subscription for 3 months, we'll refund the pro-rata amount you've paid into your account 3 days after the initial purchase. For the following two calendar months, we will also credit your account with £9.99 plus VAT (the subscription price plus VAT) by the 30th of each month. Full terms and conditions can be found here: https://www.tide.co/terms/competition-terms/. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Yesterday afternoon, I had the pleasure of chatting to the fitness powerhouse that is Krissy Cela, Founder of the incredibly successful brand that is Tone + Sculpt - the fitness app that provides home and gym workouts for users that Krissy launched at the start of 2019. Given that gym goers worldwide have scrambled to find decent home workouts in recent weeks and the pivotal role of exercise when it comes to managing not just our physical heath but mental health too is more obvious than ever before since the UK went into lockdown, I wanted to find out how Krissy and her team have responded to the increased demand for apps like Tone + Scuplt since early March and how she plans to retain new customers when the gyms re-open... With so many eyes and ears looking to her for answers on a daily basis, I was also interested to find out how she handled the responsibility of responding to the crisis and figuring out what to say to her two million plus followers. This is what she had to say...The She can. She did. podcast is hosted by Fiona Grayson (that's me, hello!) and this bonus series is sponsored by Tide Business Current Accounts. Read the latest news, updates and help for small businesses during the Coronavirus outbreak on their dedicated hub: www.tide.co/blog/coronavirusThe good old social handles should you fancy a further peek!She can. She did. @shecanshedidKrissy Cela @krissycelaTone + Sculpt @toneandscupltappTide @tidebankingTerms & Conditions:This offer applies only to the Tide account associated with the email address used at sign up and cannot be transferred. You must upgrade to Tide Plus by 23:49 on 24/05/2020 and include code 'PODCAST' in the support chat. You'll then be charged pro-rata from the date of subscription until the end of the purchase month and in full on the 4th of each following month. To honour the offer of free Tide Plus subscription for 3 months, we'll refund the pro-rata amount you've paid into your account 3 days after the initial purchase. For the following two calendar months, we will also credit your account with £9.99 plus VAT (the subscription price plus VAT) by the 30th of each month. Full terms and conditions can be found here: https://www.tide.co/terms/competition-terms/. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

If you've been following She can. She did. for a while now, you'll know how much I love my gin! It only seemed right that I speak to the Founder of a gin brand in this series therefore, given that so many distilleries have pivoted away from making the drink in recent weeks and have turned their attention to making hand sanitiser instead... A product which, let's face it, ingredients aside for a sec, couldn't be more opposite to gin! With that in mind, over my first coffee of the day yesterday morning, I hopped on to Zoom to chat to the wonderful Emily Robertson, Co-Founder of Roundwood Gin (SUCH good gin if you haven't tried it by the way!) to find out what that pivot has involved in reality for her behind the scenes. Given that product development for new products would typically take months and Emily is and always has been a planner at heart, this is how Emily has adapted to the sudden change and need for speed in recent weeks and where her priorities for the distillery lie going forward...The She can. She did. podcast is hosted by Fiona Grayson (that's me, hello!) and this bonus series is sponsored by Tide Business Current Accounts. Read the latest news, updates and help for small businesses during the Coronavirus outbreak on their dedicated hub: www.tide.co/blog/coronavirusThe good old social handles should you fancy a further peek!She can. She did. @shecanshedidRoundwood Gin @roundwoodginTide @tidebankingTerms & Conditions:This offer applies only to the Tide account associated with the email address used at sign up and cannot be transferred. You must upgrade to Tide Plus by 23:49 on 24/05/2020 and include code 'PODCAST' in the support chat. You'll then be charged pro-rata from the date of subscription until the end of the purchase month and in full on the 4th of each following month. To honour the offer of free Tide Plus subscription for 3 months, we'll refund the pro-rata amount you've paid into your account 3 days after the initial purchase. For the following two calendar months, we will also credit your account with £9.99 plus VAT (the subscription price plus VAT) by the 30th of each month. Full terms and conditions can be found here: https://www.tide.co/terms/competition-terms/. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Yesterday afternoon, I had the pleasure of chatting to Deepali Nangia - an angel investor and investment advisor whose work I have been following for a while now because her focus lies primarily on investing in and supporting female founders...Having invested in the likes of PensionBee, Live Better With and Adia Health in recent years, Deepali sits on numerous investment boards and committees and more recently, was selected to invest on behalf of Atomico's Angel Program this year - the programme set up by the European VC fund in 2018 that gives 15 angel investors across Europe $100,000 each to invest in early-stage startups.With that in mind, given that Covid-19 has disrupted so many businesses to date and created so much uncertainty for founders looking to raise investment - myself included - I wanted to chat to Deepali to find out what impact the virus has had on her plans for investing in the coming months and what advice she has for those of us who had been gearing up to raise funds...The She can. She did. podcast is hosted by Fiona Grayson (that's me, hello!) and this bonus series is sponsored by Tide Business Current Accounts. Read the latest news, updates and help for small businesses during the Coronavirus outbreak on their dedicated hub: www.tide.co/blog/coronavirusThe good old social handles should you fancy a further peek!She can. She did. @shecanshedidDeepali Nangia @d_nangiaTide @tidebankingTerms & Conditions:This offer applies only to the Tide account associated with the email address used at sign up and cannot be transferred. You must upgrade to Tide Plus by 23:49 on 24/05/2020 and include code 'PODCAST' in the support chat. You'll then be charged pro-rata from the date of subscription until the end of the purchase month and in full on the 4th of each following month. To honour the offer of free Tide Plus subscription for 3 months, we'll refund the pro-rata amount you've paid into your account 3 days after the initial purchase. For the following two calendar months, we will also credit your account with £9.99 plus VAT (the subscription price plus VAT) by the 30th of each month. Full terms and conditions can be found here: https://www.tide.co/terms/competition-terms/. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Having caught up with Amanda on Zoom on Monday, I think I can safely say that when news of the coronavirus started gaining momentum here in the UK, it threw quite a spanner into the day-to-day runnings of her business and the I Can Make Shoes revenue stream came to an abrupt halt. Given that students had flown in from the likes of Hong Kong and Chile for one of her sold out shoemaking workshops in London when the news broke and she was due to launch further workshops in New York this July too, the Founder of the shoemaking school was forced to postpone every class and in the space of few weeks, has shifted to an entirely different business model.From staying more connected with her team remotely than ever before, launching the I Can Make Shoes online shoemaking course that had been in the pipeline for months, and managing to juggle a schedule that has definitely not slowed down in recent weeks, this is how the past six weeks have played out for Amanda and how she's responded to the Covid-19 storm... The She can. She did. podcast is hosted by Fiona Grayson (that's me, hello!) and this bonus series is sponsored by Tide Business Current Accounts. Read the latest news, updates and help for small businesses during the Coronavirus outbreak on their dedicated hub: www.tide.co/blog/coronavirusThe good old social handles should you fancy a further peek!She can. She did. @shecanshedidI Can Make Shoes @icanmake_shoesTide @tidebankingTerms & Conditions:This offer applies only to the Tide account associated with the email address used at sign up and cannot be transferred. You must upgrade to Tide Plus by 23:49 on 24/05/2020 and include code 'PODCAST' in the support chat. You'll then be charged pro-rata from the date of subscription until the end of the purchase month and in full on the 4th of each following month. To honour the offer of free Tide Plus subscription for 3 months, we'll refund the pro-rata amount you've paid into your account 3 days after the initial purchase. For the following two calendar months, we will also credit your account with £9.99 plus VAT (the subscription price plus VAT) by the 30th of each month. Full terms and conditions can be found here: https://www.tide.co/terms/competition-terms/. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

When I went to visit Eloise in January for the regular podcast interviews, the Co-Founder of The Big Bakes (aka. the popular Great British Bake Off-style pop-up experiences for friends and families) had just launched The Big Bakes in Birmingham after the ongoing success of the The Big London Bake; had grown her team to 25; and was gearing up to launch more Big Bakes throughout 2020 in more of the UK's largest cities...Given that The Big Bakes rely on public bookings to make money though, when news of Covid-19's severity started to gain momentum and the nation started mentally preparing for lockdown, The Big Bakes team were inundated with enquiries from members of the public about their bookings and Eloise and her Co-Founder Adam were forced to close both tents. With that in mind, I caught up with Eloise on Friday afternoon via Zoom to find out what she has prioritised over the past couple of months to ensure that The Big Bakes survives... From growing their social presence with recipes, interactive bake alongs and some pretty amazing giveaways; furloughing staff to ensure that the whole team still gets paid (and how she's gone about making sure that the team stay connected throughout this time); to how Eloise is spending her days now and ensuring that she's looking after herself throughout this surreal time as well; every time I interview Eloise I always admire her perspective - she has a unique ability to articulate complex business decisions in a really down to earth way which I'm always grateful for - and for that reason, I'm hoping that you will find her observations as useful as I did...The She can. She did. podcast is hosted by Fiona Grayson (that's me, hello!) and this bonus series is sponsored by Tide Business Current Accounts. Read the latest news, updates and help for small businesses during the Coronavirus outbreak on their dedicated hub: www.tide.co/blog/coronavirusThe good old social handles should you fancy a further peek!She can. She did. @shecanshedidThe Big Bakes @thebig_bakesTide @tidebankingTerms & Conditions:This offer applies only to the Tide account associated with the email address used at sign up and cannot be transferred. You must upgrade to Tide Plus by 23:49 on 24/05/2020 and include code 'PODCAST' in the support chat. You'll then be charged pro-rata from the date of subscription until the end of the purchase month and in full on the 4th of each following month. To honour the offer of free Tide Plus subscription for 3 months, we'll refund the pro-rata amount you've paid into your account 3 days after the initial purchase. For the following two calendar months, we will also credit your account with £9.99 plus VAT (the subscription price plus VAT) by the 30th of each month. Full terms and conditions can be found here: https://www.tide.co/terms/competition-terms/. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Earlier this year, I met the lovely lady that is Natalie Raven in a random meeting room somewhere in London (sounds very ominous, I know!) to record one of the usual hour-long interviews for this podcast.When the UK went into lockdown however and I launched this bonus series in response to that, said regular interviews went on pause for a bit (because posting hour long episodes each day would drive me a little loopy!) so I reached out to Natalie to see if she fancied chatting to me on one of these bonus episodes in the meantime!Given that Parcel - the London-based gifting brand that Natalie launched in 2017 - was born from the simple notion that it's nice to be nice, it's safe to say that as the UK went into lockdown and the nation scrambled to find ways to show loved ones that we're thinking of them, even if we're not there, Natalie has been busier than ever before... Yesterday afternoon therefore, the two of us caught up via trusty old Zoom so that I could find out what the realities of that increased demand at Parcel HQ (aka. Natalie's house!) has looked and felt like behind the scenes. As a first-time Mum to be who is due in a matter of weeks too, I also wanted to find out how she is preparing for the little ones arrival whilst juggling the logistics of running a business that's more in demand than ever.If you're a regular listener, you'll know my feelings about any woman that juggles motherhood/impending motherhood with running a business too. To me, they are superwomen incarnate and Natalie only helped to cement that thought in this chat! She's pretty incredible. This is what she had to say...The She can. She did. podcast is hosted by Fiona Grayson (that's me, hello!) and this bonus series is sponsored by Tide Business Current Accounts. Read the latest news, updates and help for small businesses during the Coronavirus outbreak on their dedicated hub: www.tide.co/blog/coronavirusThe good old social handles should you fancy a further peek!She can. She did. @shecanshedidParcel @parcellondonTide @tidebanking See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

I've had a number of messages since the UK went into lockdown from make-up artists, salon owners and hair stylists alike who have found themselves out of work and unsure of their next steps when they have no access to clients in person in recent weeks; and today's guest, having earned the majority of her income through wedding make-up prior to the Covid-19 outbreak, is a business owner who can wholeheartedly relate.The lady in question being Sasha Louise Pallari - a make-up artist, curve model and the Founder of the BEST YOU movement that is gaining well-deserved momentum since its launch in 2017, by encouraging women to feel beautiful and confident with and without make-up on.Over my first coffee of the day yesterday morning therefore, I had a Zoom call with Sasha to find out what impact the coronavirus has had, not just on her work but her mindset towards both her make-up career and BEST YOU in recent weeks and where her priorities lie for both going forward... The She can. She did. podcast is hosted by Fiona Grayson (that's me, hello!) and this bonus series is sponsored by Tide Business Current Accounts. Read the latest news, updates and help for small businesses during the Coronavirus outbreak on their dedicated hub: www.tide.co/blog/coronavirusThe good old social handles should you fancy a further peek!She can. She did. @shecanshedidSasha Louise Pallari @sashalouisepallariTide @tidebanking See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Yesterday morning, I had the pleasure of starting my day chatting to one of the most joyful women I know! The lady in question being Heidi May, the ray of sunshine behind the ethical business that is Aesthetic Laundry - the casual women's clothing brand that is best known for its rainbow tassled jumpers that are loved by the likes of Stacey Solomon and Nadiya Hussein along with a whole host of loyal customers that she has amassed since launching the brand in 2014. Given that the whole nation is on lockdown with nowhere but the fridge to go at the moment however (!) and Heidi was due to launch the Aesthetic Laundry spring/summer collection of dresses any day now, I caught up with Heidi over Zoom (and coffees) to find out how the coronavirus has impacted her and her team so far...With one of her full-time employees stuck in Australia because of the travel restrictions; suppliers closing shop whilst the demand for jogging bottoms and sweats to work from home in soared; and mounting pressure from some of those around her to drop everything and start producing face masks instead; here's how the past few weeks have played out for Heidi and why I wholeheartedly believe that she can and she will find a way to get through this thing... The She can. She did. podcast is hosted by Fiona Grayson (that's me, hello!) and this bonus series is sponsored by Tide Business Current Accounts. Read the latest news, updates and help for small businesses during the Coronavirus outbreak on their dedicated hub: www.tide.co/blog/coronavirusThe good old social handles should you fancy a further peek!She can. She did. @shecanshedidAesthetic Laundry @aesthetic_laundryTide @tidebanking See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

If you're a regular listener, you'll recognise the wonderful woman that is Rachel Burgess from series one of the She can. She did. podcast! As the Founder of the Rachel Burgess Bridal Boutique in Penarth, Wales, Rachel is the Queen of championing Welsh designers and allowing brides from all over the UK to do bridal their way.(As it happens, she's actually just married her long-term partner Jon after the two threw a surprise wedding for friends and family in what said friend and family believed was a party to celebrate the fact that the two had been together for fifteen years! A story, which the hopeless romantic in me can't get enough of!)Anyway, when I caught up with Rachel on Friday afternoon via Zoom last week, it was the fourth Friday in a row that she was preparing for a weekend away from the boutique for the first time since launching her business eight years ago... With the boutique closed until further notice and her brides that were due to wed in the coming weeks forced to postpone, I caught up with Rachel to find out how she's coping behind the scenes so far and of course how she's adapted her plans for the boutique going forward... The She can. She did. podcast is hosted by Fiona Grayson (that's me, hello!) and this bonus series is sponsored by Tide Business Current Accounts. Read the latest news, updates and help for small businesses during the Coronavirus outbreak on their dedicated hub: www.tide.co/blog/coronavirusThe good old social handles should you fancy a further peek!She can. She did. @shecanshedidRachel Burgess Bridal Boutique @rachel_burgess_bridal_boutiqueTide @tidebanking See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

On Friday afternoon last week, I got to chat to the powerhouse that is Lydia Millen, aka. one of the UK's leading fashion, beauty and lifestyle creators who has amassed an audience of over 1.5 million followers since launching her blog nine years ago.Working on a regular basis with brands like Armani, L'Oreal, By Terry, GHD and Givenchy to name but a few, having grown her audience organically and got to understand their motives inside out because of that, when Lydia finds a product that her audience will love, said product sells out within minutes...For that reason, given that in times of crisis, many turn to their favourite influencers for escapism; others turn to them for answers and reassurance; and then there's the pesky little trolls that pipe up and cease the opportunity to be more vicious and condemning than ever before; I wanted to find out how the coronavirus outbreak has impacted Lydia's day-to-day runnings of the business, the partnership deals that she has with brands and her longer-term strategy for her brand moving forward.With a team of four to manage directly, her first product-launch brewing and various brand partnerships on pause whilst we're in lockdown, this is what she had to say...The She can. She did. podcast is hosted by Fiona Grayson (that's me, hello!) and this bonus series is sponsored by Tide Business Current Accounts. Read the latest news, updates and help for small businesses during the Coronavirus outbreak on their dedicated hub: www.tide.co/blog/coronavirusThe good old social handles should you fancy a further peek!She can. She did. @shecanshedidLydia Millen @lydiamillenTide @tidebanking See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

To round off week four of this bonus series, I spoke to my good friend and one of the most creative women I know, Natalia Talkowska - the Founder of the London-based creative design agency focused on visual storytelling that is Natalka Design and Doodleledo - the interactive experiences that take place all over the world, for anyone that thinks they can't draw.With a client list that includes YouTube, Google, Microsoft, LinkedIn, Twitter, Sony, Samsung and Disney... (this list goes on...!) prior to the coronavirus outbreak, Nat's days would be spent travelling to conferences and events all over the world with her team in order to turn key messages from presentations and speeches into visual drawings that could be digested quickly.As the Natalka Design slogan says, she 'draw(s) peoples attention for you!'Given that events all over the world have come to a standstill though, this is how the past few weeks have played out for Nat and how she's adapted both business models to ensure that both companies stay relevant in the weeks to come... We were a tad giddy recording this last week because we were both signing off for Easter... I hope you enjoy it!The She can. She did. podcast is hosted by Fiona Grayson (that's me, hello!) and this bonus series is sponsored by Tide Business Current Accounts. Read the latest news, updates and help for small businesses during the Coronavirus outbreak on their dedicated hub: www.tide.co/blog/coronavirusThe good old social handles should you fancy a further peek!She can. She did. @shecanshedidNatalka Design @natalkadesignDoodleledo @doodleledoTide @tidebanking See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Today's episode features the story of a lady that I've had the pleasure of getting to know at a good few of The Midweek Mingles now (plus a fair few coffee catch ups since launching She can. She did. too), who has in recent weeks, since the UK went into lockdown, launched a now sold-out course for anyone looking to launch the fashion brand that they've been dreaming about but never felt like they had the time.The lady in question, of course, being Elizabeth Stiles - the Bedfordshire-based, fashion brand consultant with over 12 years experience in fashion buying and design management who helps purpose-driven designers and fashion brands become financially sustainable fashion businesses.From how she responded quickly to the lockdown and launched the course in a timely manner given that her target audience were sat at home with new-found time on their hands; how she approached selling and marketing sensitively during this time (given that there's so much conflicting noise about what's "right" and "wrong" behaviour as business owners at present); to why I've personally been loving Elizabeth's new found skill for making GIFs in recent weeks; this is how Covid-19 has impacted Elizabeth's approach to running her business in recent weeks and her timely advice for each and every one of us...The She can. She did. podcast is hosted by Fiona Grayson (that's me, hello!) and this bonus series is sponsored by Tide Business Current Accounts. Read the latest news, updates and help for small businesses during the Coronavirus outbreak on their dedicated hub: www.tide.co/blog/coronavirusThe good old social handles should you fancy a further peek!She can. She did. @shecanshedidElizabeth Stiles @elizabethstilesukTide @tidebanking See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.