Women On Top: The Podcast

For this Christmas special there was no one better to join me than my brilliant friend, and returning guest, Upasna Bhadhal!Over the past two and a half years or so, Upi and I have shared offices, kept each other sane and generally picked each other up in the hardest of times, especially as covid rapidly affected our businesses and lives in such unexpected ways.I hope you enjoy listening, and more than that, I hope that you have a really restful and enjoyable Christmas and new year break - whatever that looks like for you. As always, thank you for listening to this podcast and for your support - it means a lot to me that you've stuck with me during some of the toughest times over the past two years.And a huge thank you to Beth, Katie and Anna who have worked hard behind the scenes to bring you this podcast - without you all, it wouldn't be possible. Here's to 2022!You can join us on Twitter and Instagram and if you love listening to us, please rate review and subscribe wherever you're listening. Thanks so much.https://www.raisethe.bar/Connect with your host, Frankie CottonVisit https://www.frankiecotton.com or follow Frankie on Twitter and Instagram.This podcast is a Let's Be Frank production.

Hello! I'm really excited to introduce today's guest to you, Jess Phillips MP.Jess almost needs no introduction. She is the Labour MP for Birmingham Yardley and Shadow Minister for Domestic Violence and Safeguarding. Jess has been an MP since 2015 and joined Keir Starmer's Opposition frontbench in 2020.I've hugely admired Jess's tenacity from afar, but what I saw close up is the tenderness and generosity that makes her a great spokesperson and representative to so many. She was an absolute pleasure to interview. I hope you enjoy listening!You can join us on Twitter and Instagram and if you love listening to us, please rate review and subscribe wherever you're listening. Thanks so much.https://www.raisethe.bar/Connect with your host, Frankie CottonVisit https://www.frankiecotton.com or follow Frankie on Twitter and Instagram.This podcast is a Let's Be Frank production.

Welcome back to Raise The Bar! I'm so excited to be bringing you some new episodes with great guests!Today's episode is with behavioural neuroscientist Katherine Templar.As we near the end of 2021, burnout is at an all-time high and our resilience is at an all-time low. Two years since the first Covid case was reported in China, we are exhausted, and a large contributing factor is our low tolerance for uncertainty.In this episode, Katherine sheds light on how our brains evolved to prefer certainty but the complicated lives we lead today require us to be more open to opportunities and lean into uncertain situations. Whilst we might feel overwhelmed and anxious, the good news is that neuroplasticity means we can change how we respond, create new habits and thought patterns. Change is possible. I hope you enjoy listening!You can join us on Twitter and Instagram and if you love listening to us, please rate review and subscribe wherever you're listening. Thanks so much.https://www.raisethe.bar/Connect with your host, Frankie CottonVisit https://www.frankiecotton.com or follow Frankie on Twitter and Instagram.This podcast is a Let's Be Frank production.

Hello! We're back... and we've decided not just to bring you a new series, but a whole new podcast!That's right; same host, same production team. But this time, focused on green innovation,  uncovering the stories of those who are building our future.Introducing... What Does Green Really Mean?  Climate change and environmental damage is our most pressing global challenge.Right now, greenwashing, eco-anxiety, global politics and misunderstanding are getting in the way of real progress.What Does Green Really Mean? dives into what sustainability really means, separating fact from fiction and exploring how technology and business innovation can solve the climate crisis.Follow our new channel to get episodes as they drop, or subscribe to What Does Green Really Mean? here! 

This week meet Imogen Tazzyman, Executive Creative Director at McCann Manchester, a 370-strong marketing and communications agency. A few months ago, Imogen emailed me about the lack of diversity in the top roles in advertising. Despite the diversity and inclusion initiatives that many companies have rolled out over the past few years, the default leaders still tend to be white, male, straight and able-bodied. The truth is that that profile doesn't represent the broad demographic of consumers in the UK and globally. As a result, both brands and advertisers are risking tone-deaf campaigns and potentially isolating the very audience they are trying to target. Bad PR is bad for business, so fixing the lack of diversity in leadership positions is in everyone's interests. Imogen sheds light on her path to becoming an ECD, where she is one of just 3% of female talent in this role. We discuss examples of great campaigns that have benefitted from diverse experiences and teams, and on the flip side, campaigns that have been bred in echo chambers. We also talk about women's internalised misogyny and that, regardless of gender, we all need to work hard to understand our bias and blind spots. I know from my own experience that just by being a woman, that doesn't make me the oracle of women's experiences. This conversation was recorded on 14th July 2021. Want to share your view on something we discussed on the podcast? Email us podcast@raisethe.bar. Guest - Imogen Tazzyman Host - Frankie Cotton Sound Editor - Beth Davison Tweet us https://twitter.com/raisehq_ Join us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/raisehq_ Visit https://www.raisethe.bar Connect with Imogen Tazzyman and McCann Manchester Website: https://www.mccannmanchester.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mccann_manchester/?hl=en Imogen Tazzyman on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itazzy Connect with Frankie Cotton Website: https://www.frankiecotton.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/

This week meet the founder of Radswan, Freddie Harrel. Freddie's entrepreneurial journey began as a fashion and lifestyle influencer. A proud shapeshifter, hair is Freddie's freest and earliest form of self-expression. But she struggled to find great afro hair products, and the market was both biased and constrained. Seeking to solve this problem for herself, Freddie sought out a supplier in China who could help her to develop a better quality hair product. Not long afterwards, demand was high from Freddie's online community - her followers wanted it too. Freddie launched Big Hair No Care in 2017 and quickly experienced the downsides of high demand. Her supply chain couldn't fulfil orders, and the business needed more resources to deliver the high quality, innovative products that Freddie was determined to bring to the community. In 2019, Big Hair No Care rebranded to RadSwan and secured £1.5m of investment led by BBG Ventures with Female Founders Fund and Pritzker Private Capital, alongside high-profile industry angels. Recently relaunched, RadSawn is on a mission to disrupt and level up the $7bn black hair beauty market. This conversation was recorded on 14th May 2021. Want to share your view on something we discussed on the podcast? Email us podcast@raisethe.bar. Guest - Freddie Harrel Host - Frankie Cotton Sound Editor - Beth Davison Tweet us https://twitter.com/raisehq_ Join us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/raisehq_ Visit https://www.raisethe.bar Connect with Freddie Harrel and Radswan Website: https://radswan.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/radswan/ Freddie Harrel on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freddieharrel/ Connect with Frankie Cotton https://www.frankiecotton.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/

This week meet the founder of Library Of Things, Emma Shaw. Library of Things is a women-led social enterprise on a mission to make borrowing better than buying. Alongside her co-founders Rebecca and Sophia, Emma is building a circular economy business model to provide an affordable alternative to buying occasional-use products, helping people save money and reduce waste. Members can borrow items like drills and sewing machines from self-serve kiosks installed in local libraries, high streets and housing blocks. The concept was first developed in 2014 when the trio was inspired by a tool-sharing movement in Berlin and Toronto. Living in a cramped houseshare in South London, they launched the first Library of Things in their local high street library. The co-founders have since gone on to secure support from Innovate UK's Sustainable Innovation Fund and were awarded the £1 million Contract for Circular Economy Outcomes through the Women In Innovation project. This conversation was recorded on 7th May 2021. Want to share your view on something we discussed on the podcast? Email us podcast@raisethe.bar. Guest - Emma Shaw Host - Frankie Cotton Sound Editor - Beth Davison Tweet us https://twitter.com/raisehq_ Join us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/raisehq_ Visit https://www.raisethe.bar Connect with Emma Shaw and Library Of Things Website: https://www.libraryofthings.co.uk/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/libraryofthings Instagram: http://instagram.com/library.of.things Emma Shaw on Twitter: https://twitter.com/embl_em Connect with Frankie Cotton Website: https://www.frankiecotton.com Twitter: https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/

This week meet the founder and director of the Verve Group, Cathi Harrison. Over twelve years, Cathi has built four businesses under the group, repeatedly launching and scaling service-based businesses that now employ over 50 experts. The group offers a range of services from paraplanning and compliance to training and qualification, united under its mission to shout about the amazing roles in financial services and build career options for those who'd otherwise never consider it. Cathi's approach to business is intentional and repeatable. She is focused on process, operations and culture, rejecting the glorified hustle in favour of a steady but brisk pace. Cathi's unwavering focus and long-term thinking have undoubtedly been the foundation of her enduring success. This conversation was recorded on 6th May 2021. Want to share your view on something we discussed on the podcast? Email us podcast@raisethe.bar. Guest - Cathi Harrison Host - Frankie Cotton Sound Editor - Beth Davison Tweet us https://twitter.com/raisehq_ Join us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/raisehq_ Visit https://www.raisethe.bar Connect with Cathi Harrison and The Verve Group https://twitter.com/CathiTweets https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathiharrison/ https://weareverve.co.uk/ https://twitter.com/GroupVerve https://www.instagram.com/the_verve_group https://www.linkedin.com/company/thevervegroup/ Connect with Frankie Cotton https://www.frankiecotton.com https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_ https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/

This week meet Abbie Morris, the founder helping consumers make ethical and sustainable choices by verifying claims made by brands and retailers. Abbie founded Compare Ethics in 2018 and has since raised a pre-seed round of £441,000 through venture capital funds, led by Ascension Ventures. Abbie is a Woman in Innovation grant winner and was recently featured on BBC's Dragon's Den, where she won over both Peter Jones and Deborah Meaden. Before launching Compare Ethics, Abbie worked as a sustainability consultant for over ten years, helping corporates and governments, including the United Nations and World Economic Forum, to build responsible policies and communicate these globally. But as a consumer, Abbie struggled to see how to purchase products that aligned with her values. She was untrusting of the claims made by brands about their ethics and approaches to sustainability. Finding that no objective sustainable verification platform existed to help shoppers and brands at scale, Compare Ethics was born. This conversation was recorded on 16th May 2021. Want to share your view on something we discussed on the podcast? Email us podcast@raisethe.bar. Abbie is a Women in Innovation Award winner. If you are an aspiring entrepreneur with an innovative idea, see how Innovate UK's Women in Innovation Award could support you: https://ktn-uk.org/programme/women-in-innovation/ Guest - Abbie Morris Host - Frankie Cotton Sound Editor - Beth Davison Tweet us https://twitter.com/raisehq_ Join us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/raisehq_ Visit https://www.raisethe.bar Connect with Abbie Morris and Compare Ethics https://compareethics.com/ https://twitter.com/CompareEthics https://www.instagram.com/compareethics/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/compare-ethics/ Connect with Frankie Cotton https://www.frankiecotton.com https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_ https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/

This week, meet the founder who is tackling the enormous problem of harmful content online, Sasha Haco. Along with a First Class Honours in Natural Sciences, Sasha was awarded the Institute of Astronomy Prize and the Queens' College Natural Sciences Prize whilst at Cambridge University. She went on to complete a PhD in Theoretical Physics and spent a year as a visiting fellow at Harvard University. During his time, she worked with and co-authored several papers with Stephen Hawking on the black hole information paradox. Following these remarkable achievements, Sasha took a leap into the realm of entrepreneurship as co-founder and CEO of Unitary. Unitary is making the internet safer by using AI to interpret online content including video, text, images, and audio to identify inappropriate or harmful material. The aim is to help with moderation on platforms and also provide assurance of brand safety to advertisers. They are currently live and actively checking content on a forum with 22 million subscribers. Unitary's latest funding round of £1.35m set a pre-money valuation of £4.34m. This conversation was recorded on 13th April 2021. Want to share your view on something we discussed on the podcast? Email us podcast@raisethe.bar. Sasha is a Women in Innovation Award winner. If you are an aspiring entrepreneur with an innovative idea, see how Innovate UK's Women in Innovation Award could support you: https://ktn-uk.org/programme/women-in-innovation/ Guest - Sasha Haco Host - Frankie Cotton Sound Editor - Beth Davison Tweet us https://twitter.com/raisehq_ Join us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/raisehq_ Visit https://www.raisethe.bar Connect with Sasha Haco and Unitary https://www.unitary.ai/ https://twitter.com/HacoSasha https://twitter.com/UnitaryAI Connect with Frankie Cotton https://www.frankiecotton.com https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_ https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/

This week, how can we divorce better? I talk to family law barrister and founder of The Divorce Surgery, Samantha Woodham, about how they're helping couples to divorce differently. 42% of marriages in the UK end in divorce, but both the stigma and cost of getting a divorce are huge. Sam set up The Divorce Surgery to enable couples to navigate the process without the enormous legal fees. For the first time in the UK, the service allows couples to share one lawyer with one fixed fee through a simplified and faster process, focusing on open communication to avoid mistrust and unnecessary conflict. In this episode, we talk about the mental health impact of divorce and how much of the emotional distress for couples is avoidable if we approach a separation differently. I ask Sam about childcare compensation for parents who pause or give up their careers, and Sam tells us how a focus on ethical workplace cultures can resolve this challenge for many parents. This conversation was recorded on 30th April 2021. Want to share your view on something we discussed on the podcast? Email us podcast@raisethe.bar. Samantha is a Women in Innovation Award winner. If you are an aspiring entrepreneur with an innovative idea, see how Innovate UK's Women in Innovation Award could support you https://ktn-uk.org/programme/women-in-innovation/ Guest - Samantha Woodham Host - Frankie Cotton Sound Editor - Beth Davison Tweet us https://twitter.com/raisehq_ Join us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/raisehq_ Visit https://www.raisethe.bar Connect with Samantha Woodham and The Divorce Surgery https://www.thedivorcesurgery.co.uk/ https://twitter.com/DivorceSurgery https://www.instagram.com/thedivorcesurgery/ https://twitter.com/WoodhamSamantha Connect with Frankie Cotton https://www.frankiecotton.com https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_ https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/

My guest this week is journalist and author Natalie Morris. Natalie is an online Senior Lifestyle Writer at the Metro, covering race, mental health, women in sport and women in the workplace. Her landmark weekly series ‘Mixed Up' spotlighted under-represented narratives and explored the nuanced reality of being mixed-race in the UK today. Natalie's debut book ‘Mixed/Other' was published in April this year, following a milestone year in the global conversation about race since the murder of George Floyd on 25th May 2020. The mixed-race population is the fastest-growing ethnic group in the UK, but the mainstream conversation about mixedness is stilted, repetitive and often problematic. In this episode, I ask Natalie about the experiences she presents in Mixed/Other, and why the concept of a “post-racial utopia”, where a golden generation transcends race, is not a solution to the inequalities racism creates today. We talk about the role of the media in encouraging healthy conversations about race, how most publications' bottom-up approach to diversity isn't creating real change and the challenge for journalists to co-exist with online abuse on social media. This conversation was recorded on 20th April 2021. Want to share your view on something we discussed on the podcast? Email us podcast@raisethe.bar. Guest - Natalie Morris Host - Frankie Cotton Sound Editor - Beth Davison Tweet us https://twitter.com/raisehq_ Join us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/raisehq_ Visit https://www.raisethe.bar Connect with Natalie Morris https://twitter.com/nmozz Connect with Frankie Cotton https://www.frankiecotton.com https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_ https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/

My guest this week is Dr Chen Mao Davies, founder of Latch Aid. In 2002, Chen came to the UK from China with two suitcases, minimal spoken English, and no personal network. But she was armed with the courage and commitment to succeed. Since then, Chen overcame extraordinary challenges and established a celebrated career in Science & Technology. She fulfilled her lifelong dream to create Visual Effects in feature films, including Gravity and Blade Runners 2049, which won Oscar and BAFTA awards for Best Visual Effects. Chen’s life course changed after becoming a mother, and she experienced tremendous breastfeeding challenges, suffering from breast infections, baby weight loss, and postpartum depression. Sadly, Chen’s struggles are common: the UK has the worst breastfeeding rate globally, with 90% of mother’s giving up before they want to due to lack of support, pain or health issues, and isolation and depression. Chen’s experience and technical expertise motivated her to create cutting-edge technology to revolutionise breastfeeding support with personalised and scalable delivery. The result is LatchAid. This conversation was recorded on 9th April 2021. Want to share your view? Email us podcast@raisethe.bar. Guest - Dr Chen Mao Davies Host - Frankie Cotton Sound Editor - Beth Davison Tweet us https://twitter.com/raisehq_ Join us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/raisehq_ Visit https://www.raisethe.bar Connect with Dr Chen Mao Davies and Latch Aid https://latchaid.com/ https://www.instagram.com/_latchaid/ https://twitter.com/LatchAid https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-chen-mao-davies-59a82514/ Connect with Frankie Cotton https://www.frankiecotton.com https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_ https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/

My guest this week is Celia Pool, founder of multi-award winning sustainable period product company DAME. Celia tells us how DAME measures success against its sustainability efforts, standing out as a carbon-negative business in an industry that emits the same carbon as 3 million cars driving for a year. I ask Celia if she feels the pressure or desire to join feminist conversations as a brand and how DAME navigates the complexities and contradictions within. We talk about DAME’s infamous tampon string advert that adorned London buses last year and why it’s crucial to destigmatise periods for girls. And lastly, we talk about impact businesses as a whole, why it’s paramount to Celia to prove that DAME can be impact-driven and operate as a for-profit business, and how consumer demand really does need to ramp up to ensure deep-rooted and effective action against climate change. This conversation was recorded on 8th April 2021. Want to share your view on something we discussed on the podcast? Email us podcast@raisethe.bar. As a special offer for all podcast listeners, our event partner Raindrop is offering a FREE £50 deposit into your pension fund when you set up a Raindrop account. To claim yours, follow this link - https://app.myraindrop.co.uk/sign-up?partner=raisethebar Guest - Celia Pool Host - Frankie Cotton Sound Editor - Beth Davison Tweet us https://twitter.com/raisehq_ Join us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/raisehq_ Visit https://www.raisethe.bar Connect with Celia Pool and DAME https://wearedame.co/ https://twitter.com/DAMEforGood https://www.instagram.com/dameforgood/ Connect with Frankie Cotton https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_ https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/

My guest this week is Mims Davies. Mims is the Employment Minister and Mid Sussex Conservative MP. In this episode, we reflect on the past year for the minister and the impact of the pandemic on the Department for Work and Pensions. Before Covid-19, employment was at a 45 year high, but following the first lockdown announcement on 23rd March, when the Prime Minister instructed us to ‘stay at home’, the employment landscape changed overnight. I ask Mims how she fostered employee wellbeing in her government department following the extraordinary new workload that they faced and, looking back, if she would’ve made any decisions differently with the benefit of hindsight. We talk about those excluded from SEISS, how the government is preparing for the end of the furlough scheme in September, and how small businesses can engage with the kickstart scheme to hire young people with wages subsidised through public funding. Mims also shares her view on the future of jobs, non-linear career paths and the gig economy. To end the episode, Mims tells us about how she overcame presenteeism this past year and her path to entering and progressing in politics. This conversation was recorded on 30th April 2021. Want to share your view on something we discussed on the podcast? Email us podcast@raisethe.bar. Guest - Mims Davies Host - Frankie Cotton Sound Editor - Beth Davison Tweet us https://twitter.com/raisehq_ Join us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/raisehq_ Visit https://www.raisethe.bar Connect with Mims Davies https://www.mimsdavies.org.uk/ https://twitter.com/mimsdavies https://www.instagram.com/mimsdaviesmp/ Connect with Frankie Cotton https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_ https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/ Raise The Bar is a Let’s Be Frank production. https://www.letsbefrank.co/

This week, how do you contact emergency services when you can’t make a voice call? 999 was introduced in 1937, 84 years ago, and it’s been voice-based ever since. Not only does this cause challenges for the deaf community, but there are also many situational reasons why making a voice call is unrealistic; from allergies and choking, to domestic violence and terror attacks. Talking to me today is Becca Hume, the founder of Tap SOS. Tap SOS is an emergency services app that enables users to interact with 999 through non-verbal communication. Becca’s journey to accessible design began when she worked with a deaf colleague and learnt sign language in order to communicate with him, fast becoming aware of the day-to-day challenges the deaf community face. In this episode, Becca shares the realities of innovating in the public sector, and how the pandemic highlighted just how important this service is, especially considering the increase in domestic violence. Becca is a recent winner of the Women in Innovation Award. Find out more: https://ktn-uk.org/programme/women-in-innovation/. This conversation was recorded on 6th April 2021. Want to share your view on something we discussed on the podcast? Email us podcast@raisethe.bar. As a special offer for all podcast listeners, our event partner Raindrop is offering a FREE £50 deposit into your pension fund when you set up a Raindrop account. To claim yours, follow this link - https://app.myraindrop.co.uk/sign-up?partner=raisethebar Guest - Becca Hume Host - Frankie Cotton Sound Editor - Beth Davison Tweet us https://twitter.com/raisehq_ Join us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/raisehq_ Visit https://www.raisethe.bar Connect with Becca Hume and Tap SOS https://www.tapsos.com/ https://twitter.com/Tap_SOS https://www.instagram.com/tap_sos/ https://twitter.com/BeccaHume Connect with Frankie Cotton https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_ https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/ Raise The Bar is a Let’s Be Frank production. https://www.letsbefrank.co/

This episode is sponsored by Claro, the digital financial coaching app. Sign up for early access today and protect 25 trees in the Amazon, visit https://claromoney.co.uk/raisethebar/. This week, I’m thrilled to have Chloe Macintosh as my guest. Chloe is the co-founder of made.com, former Chief Creative Officer of Soho House Group, and founder and CEO of Kama, a new sexual wellness app launched in 2020 that was built as a response to the global sex recession. In this episode, Chloe tells us that stress is the number one killer in the world today, but we’re not utilising our bodies’ natural way of combating stress through pleasure. Our culture is overly cerebral and head-focused, we buy into phrases like “no pain, no gain” without examination. But getting into our bodies and becoming present is essential to both our physical and mental health. Chloe tells us about her experience of raising $3 million of investment for Kama, the surprising reaction of European investors, and how Kama is counterbalancing the tech community’s focus on sex with robots. And finally, Chloe tells us what she learned from building made.com, and how she’s consciously incorporating those lessons into Kama. This conversation was recorded on 7th April 2021. Want to share your view on something we discussed on the podcast? Email us podcast@raisethe.bar. Guest - Chloe Macintosh Host - Frankie Cotton Sound Editor - Beth Davison Tweet us https://twitter.com/raisehq_ Join us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/raisehq_ Visit https://www.raisethe.bar Connect with Chloe Macintosh and Kama https://kama.co/ https://www.instagram.com/kama.lab/ https://www.instagram.com/chloe_macintosh/ https://twitter.com/chloemacintosh Connect with Frankie Cotton https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_ https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/

This episode is sponsored by Claro, the digital financial coaching app. Sign up for early access today and protect 25 trees in the Amazon, visit https://claromoney.co.uk/raisethebar/. Maike Currie is an Investment Director at Fidelity International, an investment firm responsible for over £500 billion of client assets under their management. Following on from my recent podcast episode with Laura Farris MP where we explored the effects of the pandemic on women’s progress toward economic equality through a parliamentary lens, I was keen to speak with Maike about the role of financial institutions and how the investment industry itself can better support women to invest in their future. The gender pension gap stands at a stark 40%, despite the gender pay gap hovering around 16%. Maike tells us that the factors contributing to this difference broadly fall into three categories: personal, professional and policy. I ask Maike about the gender pay gap at Fidelity International itself, and how the business is addressing inequality not just through its Women and Money campaign, but by supporting its employees. Maike tells us why now is a great time for women to get into investing and tells us how she made the leap from financial journalism to becoming an Investment Director. This conversation was recorded on 7th April 2021. Want to share your view on something we discussed on the podcast? Email us podcast@raisethe.bar. Guest - Maike Currie Host - Frankie Cotton Sound Editor - Beth Davison Tweet us https://twitter.com/raisehq_ Join us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/raisehq_ Visit https://www.raisethe.bar Connect with Maike Currie and Fidelity International https://www.fidelity.co.uk/ https://www.instagram.com/maikecurrie/ https://www.instagram.com/fidelityinternational/ Connect with Frankie Cotton https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_ https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/

This episode is sponsored by Claro, the digital financial coaching app. Sign up for early access today and protect 25 trees in the Amazon, visit https://claromoney.co.uk/raisethebar/. Zara Ransley is the co-founder of MyPocketSkill, a tech platform connecting young people to money-earning tasks and enabling them to save. In this episode, Zara tells us how financial education is behavioural, and the key to “getting good with money” is practical rather than theoretical - learning what to do with your money as you earn it. This is a gap that is missing in formal education and is one that Zara and her co-founder Matt are aiming to fill with MyPocketSkill. I ask Zara about hustle culture and if young people are under increasing pressure to, not only work but create multiple income streams and cultivate an entrepreneurial spirit. Whilst this may be the case culturally, Zara is clear that employment opportunities for young people have reduced over decades due to increases in regulation and academic pressure, which has been exacerbated by the pandemic. Zara tells us why she’s glad they didn’t pursue investment for MyPocketSkill straight away, choosing instead to bootstrap for the first few years of the business, which gave them the flexibility to experiment with finding the right solution. I also ask Zara the controversial question about whether her MBA from London Business School has tangibly helped her, or not, in building the business. In this episode, Zara quotes a figure that 16 million people in the UK have less than £100 in savings. The 2018 Financial Capability Survey found that 11.5 million people in the UK have less than £100 in savings - this study is linked below. This conversation was recorded on 31st March 2021. Want to share your view on something we discussed on the podcast? Email us podcast@raisethe.bar. Episode resources: 2018 Financial Capability Survey - https://www.fincap.org.uk/en/articles/key-statistics-on-uk-financial-capability Zara Ransley is a winner of Innovate UK’s Women in Innovation awards. Find out more - https://ktn-uk.org/programme/women-in-innovation/ Guest - Zara Ransley Host - Frankie Cotton Sound Editor - Beth Davison Tweet us https://twitter.com/raisehq_ Join us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/raisehq_ Visit https://www.raisethe.bar Connect with Zara Ransley and MyPocketSkill https://www.mypocketskill.com/ https://twitter.com/mypocketskill https://www.linkedin.com/in/zara-ransley-148ab87/ Connect with Frankie Cotton https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_ https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/

This week we’re interrupting our regular schedule to bring you a special live recorded episode all about tax - just in time for the end of the tax year on 5th April. Before you go anywhere, I promise that it’s informative, accessible and not at all boring or overly technical. I have had many messages from attendees who are already saving money, investing in pensions and making informed financial decisions before the end of the tax year - less than one week away. It really is jam packed full of advice, so grab a notebook and pen! “Thanks for a brilliant event tonight, Frankie. Really insightful!” “I have learned so much - thank you! Lots of my questions have even been answered along the way” “I can’t thank you all enough for a fantastic event!” As a special offer for all podcast listeners, our event partner Raindrop is offering a FREE £50 deposit into your pension fund when you set up a Raindrop account. To claim yours, follow this link - https://app.myraindrop.co.uk/sign-up?partner=raisethebar Please note, this event is about tax efficiencies and not tax avoidance - it’s all above board here! Event Resources IR35 checker - https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-employment-status-for-tax Pension calculator - https://www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en/tools/pension-calculator This event was recorded on 24th March 2021. Want to share your view on something we discussed on the podcast? Email us podcast@raisethe.bar. Panelists - Rachel Martin, Andrew Snowball Host - Frankie Cotton Sound Editor - Beth Davison Tweet us https://twitter.com/raisehq_ Join us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/raisehq_ Visit https://www.raisethe.bar Connect with Frankie Cotton https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_ https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/

This episode is sponsored by Claro, the digital financial coaching app. Sign up for early access today and protect 25 trees in the Amazon, visit https://claromoney.co.uk/raisethebar/. Stacey Lowman is a financial coach at Claro, the new digital financial coaching app and partner of ours here at Raise The Bar. Due to the high costs of financial advice which is inaccessible to many of us, the advice gap is a trend that has triggered a surge in demand for financial support and guidance. This demand has seen a myriad of solutions coming into play: financial coaching, robo advisors, challenger banks, and finfluencers. The market is still forming and is still fragmented, with financial coaching currently unregulated, which leaves many wide open to exploitation. Claro is on a mission to change this. In this episode Stacey tells us how, for many of us, our relationship with money has changed over the past year due to the pandemic. I ask her what we should be doing now, as the UK begins to reopen, to balance our long-term financial goals with our short-term needs to socialise, travel and generally rebuild our lives. Stacey demystifies the 95% mortgage offer with practical advice for first time buyers, and we discuss the significance of language when it comes to money matters. This conversation was recorded on 10th March 2021. Want to share your view on something we discussed on the podcast? Email us podcast@raisethe.bar. Guest - Stacey Lowman Host - Frankie Cotton Sound Editor - Beth Davison Tweet us https://twitter.com/raisehq_ Join us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/raisehq_ Visit https://www.raisethe.bar Connect with Stacey Lowman and Claro https://claromoney.co.uk/raisethebar/ https://twitter.com/claro_money https://www.instagram.com/claro_money Connect with Frankie Cotton https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_ https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/

This episode is sponsored by Claro, the digital financial coaching app. Sign up for early access today and protect 25 trees in the Amazon, visit https://claromoney.co.uk/raisethebar/. Laura Farris is the Conservative MP for Newbury and co-chair of The Women and Work All-Party Parliamentary Group. Following the Chancellor’s 2021 budget announcement on Wednesday, I ask Laura how her party’s government plans to support women who have been left behind during the pandemic, particularly those who failed to receive full SEISS support due to periods of maternity leave and working mothers who have been balancing work and homeschooling. I put your feedback about the consequences of requesting furlough to Laura, and ask how we can reverse the gendered impact of the pandemic on women’s economic progress, highlighting just how fragile women’s equality is when faced with a crisis. This conversation was recorded on 4th March 2021. Want to share your view on something we discussed on the podcast? Email us podcast@raisethe.bar. Key data: Approximately 69,200 self-employed women in the UK with reduced income due to SEISS calculations and eligibility noting exempt periods of maternity* 72% of mothers have had to work fewer hours because of childcare issues* 57% of working mothers believed that managing childcare responsibilities alongside their paid work during the pandemic had harmed future career prospects* Women are 47% more likely than fathers to have lost their job or quit, and are 14% more likely to have been furloughed** 36% of young women work in sectors that have been closed, including restaurants, shops and leisure facilities** 69% of low-paid earners are women, 74% of those in part-time employment are women, and 54% of those on zero-hour contracts are women** Sources: *https://pregnantthenscrewed.com/the-covid-crisis-effect-on-working-mums/ **The Women and Work APPG (All Party Parliamentary Group) 2020 report, ‘Women’s Wellbeing at Work’ - https://connectpa.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Women-and-work-Annual-report-2020i.pdf Guest - Laura Farris MP Host - Frankie Cotton Sound Editor - Beth Davison Tweet us @raisehq_ Join us on Instagram @raisehq_ Visit https://www.raisethe.bar Connect with Laura Farris https://twitter.com/Laura__Farris https://www.laurafarris.org.uk/ Connect with Frankie Cotton https://www.frankiecotton.com/ https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_ https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/

This episode is sponsored by Claro, the digital financial coaching app. Sign up for early access today and protect 25 trees in the Amazon, visit https://claromoney.co.uk/raisethebar/. Georgia Stewart is the CEO and co-founder of Tumelo, a startup fintech platform giving everyday investors a transparent view of the companies they own and a shareholder voice on issues they care about. Starting as an activist campaign at Cambridge University, Georgia and her co-founders championed for the sustainable investment of the university’s £6 billion fund. They recognised a global problem: Millions of us contribute to our investment system through ISAs, workplace pensions, and other investments. Yet most of us have no visibility over where our money is going and no voice at the many companies we own through our investments. The result? An investment system that is failing to address critical social, environmental and governance challenges. I ask Georgia how Tumelo is addressing this challenge, if the industry is welcoming this change and what a pandemic recovery means for ethical investing - if a “growth at all costs” attitude is a real concern or if public companies really are looking to build back better. This conversation was recorded on 1st March 2021. Want to share your view on something we discussed on the podcast? Email us podcast@raisethe.bar. Guest - Georgia Stewart Host - Frankie Cotton Sound Editor - Beth Davison Tweet us https://twitter.com/raisehq_ Join us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/raisehq_ Visit https://www.raisethe.bar Connect with Georgia Stewart and Tumelo https://www.tumelo.com/ https://twitter.com/tumeloHQ Connect with Frankie Cotton https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_ https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/

Jess Ratcliffe is an entrepreneur and creator of ‘Unleash Your Extraordinary'. Jess had the idea for her first business, a video game swapping website when she was just 15, which Jess subsequently launched after dropping out of University aged 19. Jess went on to raise £55,000 and was one of the youngest entrepreneurs to pitch on Dragons’ Den. In 2016 Jess was working in Silicon Valley when she was diagnosed with a life-threatening blood disease called PNH. Jess left the startup she was working for to launch a second business of her own, helping ambitious people to overcome fear, get clarity on their goals and build confidence by applying product development principles to the world of personal development. In this episode Jess tells us how facing her own mortality made her realise the role that fear was playing in her life. Jess tells us what it’s really like to pitch on Dragons’ Den, how she got Richard Branson to reply to her cold emails and she shares her view on manipulative coaching practices, pledging to reimagine the self development industry. This conversation was recorded on 18th February 2021. This episode is dedicated to Your Sanctuary. For domestic abuse resources, visit https://www.yoursanctuary.org.uk/. Guest - Jess Ratcliffe Host - Frankie Cotton Sound Editor - Beth Davison Want to share your view on something we discussed on the podcast? Email us podcast@raisethe.bar. Tweet us @raisehq_ Join us on Instagram @raisehq_ Visit https://www.raisethe.bar Connect with Jess Ratcliffe https://www.theideascoach.com/ https://www.instagram.com/theideascoach/ Connect with Frankie Cotton https://www.frankiecotton.com/ https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_ https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/

Sarah Townsend is the author of the bestselling guide to self-employment, Survival Skills for Freelancers. Sarah has been self-employed for over 20 years and since publishing her book has been on a mission to raise awareness of the importance of mindset, mental health and wellbeing for freelancers and the small business community. She is an Enterprise Nation adviser and a FreelanceHER 100 ambassador and mentor. In this episode I ask Sarah how to know if you're really cut out for self-employment and we discuss how the freelance dream is very different to the reality, and what to consider to prepare yourself for this path. We talk about nightmare clients, how to manage your time most productively at home and using social media effectively so it's not a distraction. Sarah tells us how to navigate feeling like a fraud and experiencing imposter syndrome, and how to break long periods of low self esteem. So whether you're a self employed consultant, an early stage startup entrepreneur, a freelancer, company of one or just trying to become more productive working at home, then this episode is jam packed full of great advice for you. This conversation was recorded on 15th February 2021. This episode is sponsored by the British Library’s Innovating for Growth programme, visit https://www.bl.uk/grow. Guest - Sarah Townsend Host - Frankie Cotton Sound Editor - Beth Davison Want to share your view on something we discussed on the podcast? Email us podcast@raisethe.bar. Tweet us @raisehq_ Join us on Instagram @raisehq_ Visit https://www.raisethe.bar Connect with Sarah Townsend https://www.sarahtownsendeditorial.co.uk https://www.instagram.com/thecopywritersday/ https://www.twitter.com/stecopywriting Connect with Frankie Cotton https://www.frankiecotton.com/ https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_ https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/

Tobi Asare is the founder of My Bump Pay, an online platform and community that helps women to overcome the motherhood penalty, navigate maternity leave and achieve their career goals whilst growing their family. In this episode I ask Tobi some of the big questions about what it’s really like to have a baby and manage a career, particularly if you’re self-employed or run your own business. Tobi tells us how to prepare financially and practically, with some great tips on staying visible whilst on maternity leave. We also discuss how women’s economic progress has been reversed as a result of the pandemic, with data from the organisation Pregnant Then Screwed finding that 72% of mothers have had to work fewer hours because of childcare issues. So if you have a baby on the way or are thinking about starting a family, then this episode is for you! This conversation was recorded on 9th February 2021. This episode is dedicated to Your Sanctuary. For domestic abuse resources, visit https://www.yoursanctuary.org.uk/. Guest - Tobi Asare Host - Frankie Cotton Sound Editor - Beth Davison Want to share your view on something we discussed on the podcast? Email us podcast@raisethe.bar. Tweet us @raisehq_ Join us on Instagram @raisehq_ Visit https://www.raisethe.bar Connect with Tobi Asare https://mybumppay.com/ https://www.instagram.com/mybumppay/ Connect with Frankie Cotton https://www.frankiecotton.com/ https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_ https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/

Lotte Jeffs is is an award-winning journalist, author, podcaster and creative consultant. Since leaving her role as Acting Editor in Chief and Deputy Editor of ELLE, Lotte pivoted into advertising and worked for Portas, and Ogilvy as Head of Content and Creative Director, respectively. Lotte is the cohost of a queer parenting podcast called Some Families. Lotte published her first book ‘How to be a Gentlewoman: The Art of Soft Power in Hard Times' a few months before the pandemic, and during our conversation Lotte reflects on how the key themes in the part memoir, part manual have stood the test of time and enormous change in circumstances. In this episode we talk about the importance of empathetic leadership, but also how to differentiate it from emotional labour. Lotte tells us how she became more conscious of the type of leader she wanted to be, with a real focus on communication and compassion in the workplace. We talk about how structure and routine is getting us through this third UK lockdown, how to give yourself a boost and create boundaries with our working lives. And finally, Lotte tells us her approach to managing conflict online, sharing a story that exemplifies soft power in the face of misogyny. This conversation was recorded on 1st February 2021. This episode is sponsored by the British Library’s Innovating for Growth programme. Guest - Lotte Jeffs Host - Frankie Cotton Sound Editor - Beth Davison Want to share your view on something we discussed on the podcast? Email us podcast@raisethe.bar Tweet us @raisehq_ Join us on Instagram @raisehq_ Connect with Lotte Jeffs http://lottejeffs.com/ https://twitter.com/LotteJeffs https://www.instagram.com/lottejeffs/ Connect with Frankie Cotton https://www.frankiecotton.com/ https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_ https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/

We're changing our name to Raise The Bar! Find out more here https://www.thewotpod.com/article/new-beginnings-2021 Tell us what you think, email us podcast@raisethe.bar.

For our last episode of the year, I’m so pleased to be chatting with stand-up comedian and corporate speaker Toni Kent. Having grown up on a council estate, and spent her early teenage years in circumstances described by social services as “chaotic”, Toni set out on a path to create a life different to what had been predicted for her. This involved leaving home and the town Toni grew up in and led to a career in the tech industry and 10 years at Microsoft. Toni is focused on humanising discussions around class structures and social mobility. In this episode, Toni generously shares her personal experience of growing up in a low socioeconomic household with five siblings, and the challenges she faced when leaving her home and social circle to build a rewarding career and financial stability. We also discuss the UK’s current social system and how the Covid pandemic has highlighted the true levels of disparity in our communities, as people require help and support from local services which are already stretched to their limits. And finally, we discuss the media discourse surrounding class, and the blame culture, sensationalism and stigma that comes with it, and how Toni is working to dismantle this with open conversation and humour. This conversation was recorded on 14th December 2020. I hope you enjoy listening, and I also wish you a really restful Christmas break. Take care of yourselves and we’ll be back on the 11th Jan 2021. This episode is brought to you by Ohne. Find out more - https://www.thewotpod.com/ohne Episode Chapters 05:02 Chapter 1: Toni’s story 12:05 Chapter 2: The social mobility narrative 15:23 Chapter 3: Financial stability and money mindset 17:59 Chapter 4: Damned if you do, damned if you don’t 21:39 Chapter 5: Progress in the social system? 23:04 Chapter 6: Blame culture & sensationalism – the media’s discourse on class 27:04 Chapter 7: Humanising the conversation with comedy and stand-up 30:04 Chapter 8: Navigating the past with your children 33:40 Chapter 9: Toni’s Advice Team Guest - Toni Kent Host - Frankie Cotton Production Support - Georgia Buchanan Sound Editor - Beth Davison Get in touch Send your feedback to hello@thewotpod.com Tweet us https://twitter.com/TheWotPod Join us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/ Or hop over to Facebook https://www.facebook.com/thewotpod Connect with Toni Kent: https://tonikent.co.uk/ https://twitter.com/tonijkent https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonijkent/ https://www.instagram.com/toni_j_kent/ Connect with Frankie Cotton https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_ https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/ For more information visit https://thewotpod.com

My guest today is Rosie Ferguson, CEO of The House of St Barnabas, a private members’ club which works to end the cycle of homelessness. The House of St Barnabas offers a three-month employment preparation programme where people can learn hospitality, catering and office skills to help them get their lives back on track. The conversation explores the future and patriarchal history of private members’ clubs, and how The House of St Barnabas is an innovative club rooted in social change, inclusivity and community. We discuss how the pandemic has affected The House and the ways they have adapted to continue providing support for those that need it most. Rosie also tells us the impact that Covid has had on the third sector and how the pandemic has accelerated digital and technological change within charitable organisations. And finally, Rosie leaves us with her advice on working in social impact and says, “If you think something needs to be changed, you're probably the best person to change it.” This conversation was recorded on 2nd December 2020. I hope you enjoy listening. This episode is brought to you by Ohne. Find out more - https://www.thewotpod.com/ohne Episode Chapters 03:30 - The House of St Barnabas 08:40 - The future and history of private members’ clubs 11:15 - The Employment Academy 14:17 - 2020’s Impact on homelessness and The House of St Barnabas 21:54 - The pandemic’s impact on the third sector 25:18 - Optimising social impact 28:12 - Advice for working in social impact Team Guest - Rosie Ferguson Host - Frankie Cotton Production Support - Georgia Buchanan Sound Editor - Beth Davison Get in touch Send your feedback to hello@thewotpod.com Tweet us https://twitter.com/TheWotPod Join us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/ Or hop over to Facebook https://www.facebook.com/thewotpod Connect with Rosie Ferguson and The House of St Barnabas https://twitter.com/rosie_ferg https://www.linkedin.com/in/rosie-ferguson-376baa5/ https://hosb.org.uk/ https://www.instagram.com/hostbarnabas/ https://twitter.com/hostbarnabas https://www.facebook.com/HouseofStB Connect with Frankie Cotton https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_ https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/ For more information visit https://thewotpod.com

Emmy Brunner is a psychotherapist and founder of The Recover Clinic. During her 20 years in the field, Emmy has discovered patterns in the ways women are conditioned to respond to trauma and life challenges. She believes that we’ve all experienced trauma in our lives and that ‘mental illness’ is our response to trauma. In this episode, Emmy tells us that our patriarchal society and advertising culture bullies women, and we have to find ways to build inner strength and resilience, so as not to accept unachievable beauty standards as the norm. These messages are created to tap into our vulnerabilities and foster feelings of shame, and our healing is to separate from them and find our own voice. We also discuss the impact of moving online this year, and the impact of the pandemic and social isolation on our mental wellbeing. And finally, Emmy calls for us all to look for joy and embrace life, and to challenge ingrained beliefs within us that say that’s not possible. This conversation was recorded on 27th November 2020. I hope you enjoy listening. This episode is brought to you by Ohne. Find out more - https://www.thewotpod.com/ohne Team Guest - Emmy Brunner Host - Frankie Cotton Production Support - Georgia Buchanan Sound Editor - Beth Davison Get in touch Send your feedback to hello@thewotpod.com Tweet us https://twitter.com/TheWotPod Join us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/ Or hop over to Facebook https://www.facebook.com/thewotpod Connect with Emmy Brunner https://emmybrunner.com/ https://www.therecoverclinic.co.uk/ https://www.instagram.com/emmybrunnerofficial/ https://twitter.com/emmybrunner Connect with Frankie Cotton https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_ https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/ For more information visit https://thewotpod.com

Tiwalola Ogunlesi is a confidence coach, self-love activist and founder of Confident and Killing It, a purpose-driven organisation on a mission to make self-love and confidence the norm for women, not the exception. In this episode, Tiwa tells us that we are living through a self-worth pandemic, evidenced by the rising suicide rates in young women. We discuss why women struggle with their confidence and how to break the cycle of negative thoughts. I ask Tiwa about the difference between self-love and ego, and if self-love really is possible for us all. We also discuss the ethics of the coaching industry and Tiwa tells us how she felt a moral obligation to use her voice and platform in the campaign to #EndSARs in Nigeria. And finally, Tiwa tells us that “women who want to make positive change need to be loud”. This conversation was recorded on 11th November 2020. I hope you enjoy listening. Episode Chapters 03:26 Chapter 1 - Where it began 07:34 Chapter 2 - The self-worth pandemic 11:53 Chapter 3 - Stepping into your power 14:54 Chapter 4 - Self-love vs. Ego 18:16 Chapter 5 - Your life is your responsibility 20:49 Chapter 6 - Imposter syndrome 26:12 Chapter 7 - Ethics, authenticity and integrity in coaching 35:28 Chapter 8 - Using your voice and platform for positive change 41:17 Chapter 9 - Utilising your confidence toolkit 44:54 Chapter 10 - Final words of wisdom Get in touch Send your feedback to hello@thewotpod.com Tweet us https://twitter.com/TheWotPod Join us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/ Or hop over to Facebook https://www.facebook.com/thewotpod Connect with Tiwalola & Confident and Killing It https://www.confidentandkillingit.com/ https://www.instagram.com/tiwalowla/ https://twitter.com/tiwalowla https://www.facebook.com/confidentandkillingit/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/tiwalolaogunlesi111/ Connect with Frankie Cotton https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_ https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/ For more information visit https://thewotpod.com

This podcast is the third and final part of our series ‘How Instagram Fostered Recession-Ready Scams, Dressed as Female Empowerment’. Read Part One: https://www.thewotpod.com/article/scams-dressed-female-empowerment Read Part Two: https://www.thewotpod.com/article/scams-dressed-female-empowerment-part-2 This summer, influencer Sarah Akwisombe claimed to have made £1 million in a matter of months by selling business courses and coaching to fellow women via Instagram. Now, dozens are demanding refunds and questioning her sales tactics. We have been exploring claims that faux-feminist spaces are exploiting women using tactics derived from problematic MLM schemes. For this bonus podcast, Frankie Cotton is joined by Grace Holliday, Davinia Tomlinson and Egbe Manton. This episode is brought to you by Ohne. Find out more - https://www.thewotpod.com/ohne If you have been affected by the topics discussed in the podcast and need support, here are some free organisations you can get in touch with: Citizen’s Advice - https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/ StepChange - https://www.stepchange.org/ Samaritans - https://www.samaritans.org/ Women’s Aid - https://www.womensaid.org.uk/ Episode Chapters 01:41 Chapter 1 - The debrief with Grace Holliday 11:15 Chapter 2 - The defining features of MLM schemes 19:03 Chapter 4 - The differences between financial advisers and financial coaching 21:11 Chapter 5 - At what point should you seek financial advice? 24:18 Chapter 6 - ‘Money manifestation’ 31:19 Chapter 7 - Consumer Rights with Egbe Manton 38:18 Chapter 8 - The lessons to be learned Team Guests - Grace Holliday, Davinia Tomlinson, Egbe Manton Host - Frankie Cotton Production Support - Georgia Buchanan Sound Editor - Beth Davison Get in touch Send your feedback to hello@thewotpod.com Tweet us https://twitter.com/TheWotPod Join us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/ Or hop over to Facebook https://www.facebook.com/thewotpod Connect with Grace Holliday http://www.graceholliday.co.uk/ https://www.instagram.com/gracehollidayfreelancer/ https://twitter.com/graceholliday Connect with Davinia Tomlinson and Rainchq https://twitter.com/iamdavinia https://www.rainchq.com/ https://www.instagram.com/rainchq/ https://twitter.com/rainchq https://www.facebook.com/rainchq Connect with Egbe Manton https://www.instagram.com/egbemanton/ https://www.mantonlegal.co.uk/ Connect with Frankie Cotton https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_ https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/ For more information visit https://thewotpod.com

Sisters Gracie and Sophie Tyrrell are the founders of award-winning snacking brand Squirrel Sisters. The business was launched in 2015 after Sophie was diagnosed with a life-threatening condition and became sensitive to gluten and sugar. Gracie made it her mission to create deliciously indulgent snacks that are 100% natural and free from gluten and added sugar for her sister to enjoy. In this episode, we talk about all things food startups and how to get from home kitchen to retail shelf. Gracie and Sophie share how they found a suitable manufacturer, upscaled their business and used innovative methods to get their products stocked in the UK's best-loved retailers. We follow the sisters' journey to finding the right investment and Sophie reveals the discrimination she faced after becoming pregnant in the early stages of a private investment deal, a moment that completely changed their growth path. This conversation was recorded on 22nd October 2020. I hope you enjoy listening. Chapters 03:18 Chapter 1 - Introduction 05:38 Chapter 2 - Where it all started 10:16 Chapter 3 - Good Food, Good Mood 13:54 Chapter 4 - Scaling your food startup 21:02 Chapter 5 - Maintaining brand values 24:16 Chapter 6 - Finding the right investment 27:22 Chapter 7 - Pregnancy discrimination 33:05 Chapter 8 - Trusting your gut 39:07 Chapter 9 - The Future of Squirrel Sisters 40:48 Chapter 10 - Final words of wisdom Team Guest - Gracie Tyrrell and Sophie Tyrrell Host - Frankie Cotton Production Support - Georgia Buchanan Sound Editor - Beth Davison Get in touch Send your feedback to hello@thewotpod.com Tweet us https://twitter.com/TheWotPod Join us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/ Or hop over to Facebook https://www.facebook.com/thewotpod Episode resources https://squirrelsisters.com/products/ Connect with Squirrel Sisters https://squirrelsisters.com/ https://www.facebook.com/squirrelsisters https://www.instagram.com/squirrelsisters/ https://twitter.com/squirrelsisters https://www.linkedin.com/company/squirrel-sisters-ltd/ Connect with Frankie Cotton https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_ https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/ For more information visit https://thewotpod.com

My guest today is Fiona Thomas, a freelance writer, author, and self-proclaimed introvert. After experiencing debilitating burnout and receiving a diagnosis of depression in her mid-twenties, Fiona quit her job in hospitality leaving behind a career she had built for over a decade. In this episode, Fiona candidly shares her experience of depression and anxiety, the moment it came to a head and how she was able to seek help and support. Fiona tells us how writing her first book; Depression In A Digital Age: The Highs and Lows of Perfectionism, was a cathartic experience – revealing how she overcame pressure to keep up appearances when confronting her mental health. We talk about the highs and lows of being a freelancer and Fiona shares how she deals with social isolation and loneliness as a self-employed introvert. And finally, Fiona tells us how she is managing her mental health during Covid-19, and the strategies she is using during lockdown to keep well. We would like to remind you that this episode contains frank discussions about mental health and depression so please listen with caution. This conversation was recorded on 22nd September 2020. I hope you enjoy listening. Episode Chapters 00:00 Chapter 1: Fiona’s story 07:45 Chapter 2: Experiencing burnout & breakdowns 15:02 Chapter 3: Being diagnosed with depression 18:29 Chapter 4: A journey to self-acceptance 24:42 Chapter 5: Becoming a freelancer 28:50 Chapter 6: Lockdown and loneliness 31:06 Chapter 7: Investing in yourself 32:09 Chapter 8: Finding support online 34:04 Chapter 9: ‘Girl Boss’? 38:36 Chapter 10: Final words of wisdom Tweet us! https://twitter.com/TheWotPod DM us! https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/ Or hop over to Facebook https://www.facebook.com/thewotpod Connect with Fiona Thomas https://www.instagram.com/fionalikestoblog/ https://twitter.com/fionalikes https://fionalikestoblog.com/ https://amzn.to/3cR14Qa (Fiona’s latest book!) Connect with your host Frankie Cotton: https://frankiecotton.com https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_ https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/ This episode was sound edited by Beth Davison https://www.bethdavison.com/. Women On Top is a Let’s Be Frank production. https://letsbefrank.co

Episode Chapters 00:00 Chapter 1: Humble beginnings 03:45 Chapter 2: Growing with no outside investment 08:30 Chapter 3: Authenticity online 10:47 Chapter 4: NFD’s design & brand evolution 12:57 Chapter 5: Perseverance, change and the impact of Covid 18:51 Chapter 6: The future of fashion, sustainability and ethics 24:26 Chapter 7: The social impact 27:50 Chapter 8: Listen to your gut My guest today is Lucy Aylen, founder and CEO of Never Fully Dressed. Starting life as a market stall, then a modest store in Essex, Never Fully Dressed has grown to become an Instagram sensation, with celebrity fans Beyonce, Kendall Jenner and Chrissy Teigen wearing Lucy’s designs. In this episode, Lucy tells us how she’s built Never Fully Dressed without outside investment, reinvesting profits from sales to grow organically. Lucy explains how her growing brand now has a public responsibility, and how she wants to use its voice to influence positive change. We talk about sustainability and ethics within the fashion industry and the Never Fully Dressed pre-loved project, where you can send items you no longer wear back to NFD in exchange for loyalty points. And finally, Lucy shares her insights on balancing idealism with a sharp commercial focus and reminds us to nurture every relationship within our organisations. This conversation was recorded on 22nd October 2020. I hope you enjoy listening. -- Join the conversation: Tweet us! https://twitter.com/TheWotPod DM us! https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/ Or hop over to Facebook https://www.facebook.com/thewotpod Connect with Lucy & Never Fully Dressed https://www.neverfullydressed.co.uk/ https://twitter.com/nfdhoneys https://www.instagram.com/neverfullydressed/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucy-aylen-a717381a9 Connect with your host Frankie Cotton: https://frankiecotton.com https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_ https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/ This episode was sound edited by Beth Davison https://www.bethdavison.com/. Women On Top is a Let’s Be Frank production. https://letsbefrank.co

My guest today is Yvonne Bajela, a founding member and principal at Impact X, an investment fund which unlocks capital for underrepresented entrepreneurs across Europe. Recognised by Forbes 30 under 30 in 2020, Yvonne was the youngest investment manager at Mitsui & Co. and led over $200 million in investments. In this episode, Yvonne tells us how she began her career in venture capital, networking consistently for two years to land a senior position, and how she managed imposter syndrome to work to her advantage. We talk about the systemic bias within the venture capital ecosystem and how Impact X challenges that by bridging the gap between capital and diverse talent. Yvonne tells us the differences between raising venture capital and angel investment, and shares her advice on how to find an angel investor that suits your business through online networking. Despite the pandemic, there is still opportunity for your business to get invested. And finally, Yvonne shares her 2020 mantra – to feel the fear and do it anyway. This conversation was recorded on 22nd October 2020. I hope you enjoy listening. Episode Chapters 00:00 Chapter 1: Breaking into the industry 02:43 Chapter 2: Overcoming imposter syndrome 05:33 Chapter 3: Impact X’s mission & bias in the venture capital ecosystem 10:30 Chapter 4: What makes a good start-up founder? 13:28 Chapter 5: Market timing and unit economics – why things can go wrong 16:24 Chapter 6: The Covid impact, innovation and e-Commerce 21:13 Chapter 7: Venture capital vs. Angel investment 23:14 Chapter 8: How to seek out angel investors 25:11 Chapter 9: WFH Networking 28:03 Chapter 10: Providing value and taking risks – what have you got to lose? Join the conversation: Tweet us! https://twitter.com/TheWotPod DM us! https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/ Or hop over to Facebook https://www.facebook.com/thewotpod Connect with Yvonne Bajela & Impact X: https://twitter.com/yvonnebajela https://www.instagram.com/yvonnebajela/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/yvonnebajela/ https://www.impactxcapital.com/ https://twitter.com/impactxcapital https://www.instagram.com/impactxcapital/ Connect with your host Frankie Cotton: https://frankiecotton.com https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_ https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/ This episode was sound edited by Beth Davison https://www.bethdavison.com/. Women On Top is a Let’s Be Frank production. https://letsbefrank.co

My guest today is Isabela Chick, Managing Director for Retail and Beauty at Founders Factory. Founders Factory is an investment fund, startup incubator and accelerator focused on delivering hands-on specialist support for founders. Isabela tells us what she looks for in founders and what makes a business a strong investment for Founders Factory. She shares her insights on co-founding teams and structuring equity and team composition to create a strong foundation for your business. Isabela also talks about the changes in consumer behaviour and arising retail trends that are emerging as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. And finally Isabela tells us why now is a great time to be building a business. This conversation was recorded on 24th September 2020. I hope you enjoy listening! -- Thank you to Tide business current account for sponsoring this episode of Women On Top. If you’re ready to start your own business journey, visti tide.co/start to register your limited company and get set up with your Tide business current account in one simple process, for free. And who knows, perhaps one day you’ll be sharing your business story with me on this very podcast! Tweet us! https://twitter.com/TheWotPod DM us! https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/ Or hop over to Facebook https://www.facebook.com/thewotpod Connect with Isabela Chick and Founders Factory: https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabela-chick-547a6614/ https://foundersfactory.com/ https://www.instagram.com/foundersfactory/ https://twitter.com/foundersfactory Connect with your host Frankie Cotton: https://frankiecotton.com https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_ https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/ This episode was sound edited by Beth Davison https://www.bethdavison.com/. Women On Top is a Let’s Be Frank production. https://letsbefrank.co

My guest today is Miriam Emele, a woman who fights financial crime by day and runs her baking business Camie and Lily’s by night. I was introduced to Miriam by this week’s podcast sponsor Tide, and you can spot Miriam in their new TV campaign ‘Rise Entrepreneur’. Miriam launched Camie and Lily’s during the UK’s Covid-19 lockdown earlier this year having sat on her idea for almost a year beforehand. Miriam’s fear of failing manifested itself as procrastination, an experience which I know many entrepreneurs can relate to. In this episode, Miriam talks really openly about this period, how she moved through that fear and what she’s learnt about control, comparison and risk-taking in the months since. I hope you love Miriam as much as I do, her positivity and generosity really shines through in our conversation. Her message throughout is strong: “don’t let fear drive you”. This conversation was recorded on 1st October 2020. I hope you enjoy listening. -- Thank you to Tide business current account for sponsoring this episode of Women On Top. If you’re ready to start your own business journey, visti tide.co/start to register your limited company and get set up with your Tide business current account in one simple process, for free. And who knows, perhaps one day you’ll be sharing your business story with me on this very podcast! Tweet us! https://twitter.com/TheWotPod DM us! https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/ Or hop over to Facebook https://www.facebook.com/thewotpod Connect with Miriam Emele: https://www.instagram.com/camieandlilys/ Connect with your host Frankie Cotton: https://frankiecotton.com https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_ https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/ This episode was sound edited by Beth Davison https://www.bethdavison.com/. Women On Top is a Let’s Be Frank production. https://letsbefrank.co

My guest today is the author of ‘Iconic Women of Colour’ and ‘How to Be Perfectly Imperfect’, Candi Williams. Candi and I connected back in June of this year amidst the height of the Black Lives Matter protests in the US and around the world. On that day Candi said to me “empathy is overwhelming and doesn’t help us to move forward. We need to move with our heads and our hearts”. By unfortunate coincidence, we recorded this podcast episode two months later and the day after the news of Jacob Blake’s shooting in Wisconsin, USA. In this episode, Candi reflects on the past few months and the response of businesses and their leaders beyond the anti-racism statements. Tackling the macro, the systemic racism, means tackling the micro, the small daily interactions between colleagues, supply chains and customers. Candi generously shares her insights on racist microaggressions and how we can tackle them in our workplaces and beyond, and begin to untangle and bring into the light the systemic racism that is woven into the fabric of our industries, workplaces and everyday lives. This conversation was recorded on 24th August 2020. I hope you enjoy listening! -- Thank you to Tide business current account for sponsoring this episode of Women On Top. If you’re ready to start your own business journey, visti tide.co/start to register your limited company and get set up with your Tide business current account in one simple process, for free. And who knows, perhaps one day you’ll be sharing your business story with me on this very podcast! Tweet us! https://twitter.com/TheWotPod DM us! https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/ Or hop over to Facebook https://www.facebook.com/thewotpod Episode Resources: Iconic Women of Colour - https://summersdale.com/sd-book/iconic-women-of-colour/ How to Be Perfectly Imperfect - https://www.waterstones.com/book/how-to-be-perfectly-imperfect/candi-williams/9781787832343 Connect with Candi Williams: https://twitter.com/candiwrites https://www.linkedin.com/in/candiwilliamswriter/ https://www.instagram.com/candiwrites/ Connect with your host Frankie Cotton: https://frankiecotton.com https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_ https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/ This episode was sound edited by Beth Davison https://www.bethdavison.com/. Women On Top is a Let’s Be Frank production. https://letsbefrank.co

My guest today is Eleanor O’Leary, founder of The Better Brand Consultant. Eleanor works with brands and business leaders to develop and execute conscious PR and communication strategies with purpose and integrity at their core. In this episode, Eleanor tells us the difference between sustainability, ethics and purpose, and what that means for those of us who are driving positive change and want to engage in meaningful and progressive conversations. We discuss the prevalence of eco-anxiety and how to make a difference without being overwhelmed by the size of global environmental damage. We also talk about making ethical media choices, the role of Facebook in our lives and businesses and that a thriving society needs nuanced conversation beyond the headlines. Eleanor reminds us that we are not defined by our productivity and that bringing moments of joy into our everyday lives is essential. This conversation was recorded on 4th September 2020. I hope you enjoy listening! -- Thank you to Tide business current account for sponsoring this episode of Women On Top. If you’re ready to start your own business journey, visti tide.co/start to register your limited company and get set up with your Tide business current account in one simple process, for free. And who knows, perhaps one day you’ll be sharing your business story with me on this very podcast! Tweet us! https://twitter.com/TheWotPod DM us! https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/ Or hop over to Facebook https://www.facebook.com/thewotpod Episode Resources: Jeff Bezos is on track to become a trillionaire by 2026 - https://www.businessinsider.com/jeff-bezos-on-track-to-become-trillionaire-by-2026-2020-5 https://www.fashionrevolution.org/ Fashion Transparency Index 2020 - https://www.fashionrevolution.org/about/transparency/ Doughnut Economics by Kate Raworth - https://www.kateraworth.com/doughnut/ The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron - https://juliacameronlive.com/ Connect with Eleanor O’Leary: https://www.thebetterbrandconsultant.com/ https://www.instagram.com/thebetterbrandconsultant/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/eleanor-o-leary-45825a45/ Connect with your host Frankie Cotton: https://frankiecotton.com https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_ https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/ This episode was sound edited by Beth Davison https://www.bethdavison.com/. Women On Top is a Let’s Be Frank production. https://letsbefrank.co

Today’s guest is Nancy Evbuomwan, business strategist and founder of Unikable. Nancy began her journey into entrepreneurship back in 2012, when she launched media startup Whisper London, a venture which subsequently had to close a few years later. In this episode, Nancy tells us about that experience, how they hadn’t developed a commercialisation strategy and ultimately had no end goal. There was a loyal readership and clear demand, but it was unsustainable financially. Nancy tells us how this experience, and a clear understanding of the failures, has now led her to help other entrepreneurs to define a clear strategy, break even and improve their operations. We also discuss the importance of balancing your quality of life and stability with financial risk when building your business. Nancy tells us how to be savvy when consuming business advice, not to believe false promises from gurus to 10X your revenue and that instagram success really doesn’t equal business success. This conversation was recorded on 25th August 2020. I hope you enjoy listening! -- Thank you to Tide business current account for sponsoring this episode of Women On Top. If you’re ready to start your own business journey, vist tide.co/start to register your limited company and get set up with your Tide business current account in one simple process, for free. And who knows, perhaps one day you’ll be sharing your business story with me on this very podcast! Tweet us! https://twitter.com/TheWotPod DM us! https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/ Or hop over to Facebook https://www.facebook.com/thewotpod Connect with Nancy Evbuomwan: https://www.instagram.com/nancyevbuomwan/ https://www.instagram.com/unikable/ https://twitter.com/nancy_evbuomwan Connect with your host Frankie Cotton: https://frankiecotton.com https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_ https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/ This episode was sound edited by Beth Davison https://www.bethdavison.com/. Women On Top is a Let’s Be Frank production. https://letsbefrank.co

Today’s guest is Jasmine Douglas, the founder of entrepreneurs club Babes on Waves (https://babesonwaves.club/). Jasmine grew up in an entrepreneurial family that travelled the world, an experience that led her to constantly adapt and change who she was to fast fit in with those around her. This instability and cycle of toxic relationships caused Jazz to suffer from low confidence and self-esteem, which led to a radical self-development and healing practice which she now shares through the Babes on Waves platform. In this episode, Jazz tells us how to cultivate inner confidence through practice, taking consistent and manageable action outside of our comfort zones. When we ask ourselves the question “what can I do tomorrow to make my life 1% better?” and are accountable to those actions, we can make big changes in our lives that are both sustainable and fulfilling. We also discuss the challenges of running a community, why everyone likes boundaries (even your customers!) and that fast growth isn’t the be-all and end-all of your business. And when things don’t go according to plan, Jazz tells us to “ask yourself: where is the lesson in this and what can I learn?” This conversation was recorded on 5th August 2020. I hope you enjoy listening! -- Thank you to Tide business current account for sponsoring this episode of Women On Top. If you’re ready to start your own business journey, visti tide.co/start to register your limited company and get set up with your Tide business current account in one simple process, for free. And who knows, perhaps one day you’ll be sharing your business story with me on this very podcast! Tweet us! https://twitter.com/TheWotPod DM us! https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/ Or hop over to Facebook https://www.facebook.com/thewotpod Connect with Jasmine Douglas and Babes on Waves: https://babesonwaves.club/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/jasmineedouglas Instagram @babesonwavesclub - https://www.instagram.com/babesonwavesclub/ Instagram @transatlanticbabe - https://www.instagram.com/transatlanticbabe/ Connect with your host Frankie Cotton: https://frankiecotton.com https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_ https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/ This episode was sound edited by Beth Davison https://www.bethdavison.com/. Women On Top is a Let’s Be Frank production. https://letsbefrank.co

Today’s guest is investment headhunter and diversity and inclusion strategist, Upasna Bhadhal. Upasna has worked with the biggest names in financial services including Credit Suisse, Goldman Sachs, Blackrock, Aviva and Coutts. In this episode, Upi tells us that, reassuringly, she has seen an uptick in demand for Diversity and Inclusion Training since the international Black Lives Matter protests in May of this year. She tells us what diverse recruitment really looks like and how to nurture a culture where all people feel valued, represented and respected. We discuss why people feel confronted by the term ‘privilege’, if diversity quotas really work and the importance of psychological safety at work, especially in a recession. We also examine conformity bias, where employees conform to leaders’ ideology which in turn creates group think, the question being: “how do you challenge the person or people who control your promotions and salary?” This conversation was recorded on 18th August 2020. I hope you enjoy listening! Thank you to Tide business current account for sponsoring this episode of Women On Top. If you’re ready to start your own business journey, visit tide.co/start to register your limited company and get set up with your Tide business current account in one simple process, for free. And who knows, perhaps one day you’ll be sharing your business story with me on this very podcast. Tweet us! https://twitter.com/TheWotPod DM us! https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/ Or hop over to Facebook https://www.facebook.com/thewotpod Connect with Upasna Bhadhal: Twitter - https://twitter.com/upasnabhadhal Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/xupasnax/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/upasnabhadhal/ Connect with your host Frankie Cotton: https://frankiecotton.com https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_ https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/ This episode was sound edited by Beth Davison https://www.bethdavison.com/. Women On Top is a Let’s Be Frank production. https://letsbefrank.co

Today’s guests are the incredibly talented duo and co-founders of The Hood, Amone Gbedemah and Maria Purcell. Amone and Maria met as colleagues at Facebook, before founding The Hood earlier this year, and are on a mission to ‘redesign the world with women in mind’. The first of their ventures has been to create a new pathway for girls to navigate and celebrate their periods. Part journal, part guide, Girlhood invites girls to capture their unique story of growing up while providing information and insights about the changes their bodies go through during puberty. In this episode, we talk about how Amone and Maria prepared for and ran a successful kickstarter campaign, despite launching just a week before the UK Covid-19 lockdown. And though Amone is the adrenaline lover of the two, Maria raised the stakes by doubling the kickstarter target just before launch. Was this a crazy idea? Perhaps, but motivated by young girls not having peer support at school, the period journal was more important than ever. Amone ends by telling us her perspective on launching a new business or project: “Just say yes and lean in. You never know where an opportunity is going to take you.” This conversation was recorded on 5th August 2020. I hope you enjoy listening! Tweet us! https://twitter.com/TheWotPod DM us! https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/ Or hop over to Facebook https://www.facebook.com/thewotpod Episode Resources: https://wearethehood.com/ We are the Hood Journals - https://wearethehood.com/shop We are the Hood Downloadables - https://wearethehood.com/free-period-tracker Bloody Good Period - https://www.bloodygoodperiod.com/ Red Box Project: http://redboxproject.org/ Connect with Amone Gbedemah: LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/amonegbedemah/ Connect with Maria Purcell: Twitter - https://twitter.com/mariayesufu?lang=en Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mariapurcell/ LinkedIn - https://uk.linkedin.com/in/mariapurcell Connect with your host Frankie Cotton: https://frankiecotton.com https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_ https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/ This episode was sound edited by Beth Davison https://www.bethdavison.com/. Women On Top is a Let’s Be Frank production. https://letsbefrank.co

Today’s guest is the wonderful and incredibly busy Mary Agbesanwa. How do I describe Mary? Well, she’s a management consultant currently leading the Fintech Scale Programme at PWC. Mary co-leads PwC’s Multicultural Business Network and was recently named EMpower’s Future Leader 2020 and awarded the title of McKinsey Inspire Next Generation Women Leader 2020. Mary also writes ‘A Millennial’s Diary’ blog on Medium and founded Now You’re Talking Network, a female millennial community which connects ambitious future leaders to opportunities and resources. In this episode, Mary and I discuss what it means to take up space in a professional environment and how to stand out and get exposure for the work that you do. Mary tells us how she fosters self-confidence, puts herself forward for opportunities and protects herself from negative media influences. We debate the fine line between personal branding and oversharing, if social media can damage or enhance our professional reputations and the explosion of faux feminism which focuses on image rather than action. Mary shares some great practical takeaways and leaves us with this quote from Michelle Obama “failure is a feeling long before it’s an actual result”. This conversation was recorded on 20th August 2020. I hope you enjoy listening! Tweet us! https://twitter.com/TheWotPod DM us! https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/ Or hop over to Facebook https://www.facebook.com/thewotpod Episode Resources: Empowering Yourself: The Organizational Game Revealed by Harvey Coleman - https://amzn.to/3lxsr7A Becoming by Michelle Obama - https://amzn.to/2G3hXMX Connect with Mary Agbesanwa: https://www.maryagbesanwa.com/ A Millennial's Diary - https://medium.com/@mary_agbesanwa Follow Mary on Twitter - https://twitter.com/MillennialMaryA Now You’re Talking events - https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/now-youre-talking-team-18622205292 Follow Now You’re Talking on Twitter - https://twitter.com/NYTNetwork Connect with your host Frankie Cotton: https://frankiecotton.com https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_ https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/ This episode was sound edited by Beth Davison https://www.bethdavison.com/. Women On Top is a Let’s Be Frank production. https://letsbefrank.co

Today’s guest is Egbe Manton, lawyer and founder of Manton Legal Consultancy. In this episode Egbe tells us how she has built a successful law career, securing promotions by eliminating unconscious bias variables wherever possible, like the time she took off her wedding ring for a job interview. Egbe tells us how contracts are fundamental to protect your business and create healthy boundaries with clients, ensuring everyone is on the same page and helping avoid scope creep. And despite the fact that Egbe’s work is to deromanticise business by grounding it in its practicalities, Egbe tells us that shareholder agreements really do bring people together! This conversation was recorded on 29th July 2020. Tweet us! https://twitter.com/TheWotPod DM us! https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/ Or hop over to Facebook https://www.facebook.com/thewotpod Connect with Egbe Manton: https://www.mantonlegal.co.uk/ https://www.instagram.com/egbemanton/ Connect with your host Frankie Cotton: https://frankiecotton.com https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_ https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/ This episode was sound edited by Beth Davison https://www.bethdavison.com/. Women On Top is a Let’s Be Frank production. https://letsbefrank.co

Today’s guest is Kelly Mackenzie, founder of award-winning creative agency White Bear. In this episode we talk about what it takes to start and build an agency, and how to cultivate a culture of creativity remotely. Kelly tells us how her and the team have devised ways to find new ideas and get inspired when creativity has been lacking during lockdown. We discuss how to manage client expectations, the importance of upfront payment schedules and how to listen with curiosity to decipher your clients’ needs and ultimately serve them better. Kelly tells us how she transforms anxious energy into excitement, reframes selling as helping and tells us: “if you don’t ask, you don’t get”. This conversation was recorded on 23rd July 2020. Tweet us! https://twitter.com/TheWotPod DM us! https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/ Or hop over to Facebook https://www.facebook.com/thewotpod Connect with Kelly Mackenzie and White Bear: https://whitebearstudio.com/ Connect with your host Frankie Cotton: https://frankiecotton.com https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_ https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/ This episode was sound edited by Beth Davison https://www.bethdavison.com/. Women On Top is a Let’s Be Frank production. https://letsbefrank.co

Today’s guest is Teach First ambassador and founder of education charity Seed Malawi, Rebecca Warner. Before I share more about our conversation, I must tell you that this episode comes with a trigger warning - we tackle the topic of child sexual abuse and rape, so please do listen with caution. In this episode, Rebecca tells us about how she founded international charity SEED Malawi and how they are challenging neocolonialist development. Neocolonialism is an extension and progression of control over other countries, and is fundamentally patriarchal and racist, rooted in slavery and exploitation. In the context of charities, this means fighting the “white saviour” approach and to give power back to local communities. Rebecca is also a survivor of child sexual abuse and rape, and this drives a large part of her work at SEED. The charity is running a data collection project on the prevalence of child sexual abuse in Malawi - the last report of this kind found that more than 60% of Malawian’s were violated during their childhood. Rebecca speaks openly and powerfully about her own experience and tells us: “It is ok to feel anger and rage. Anger is not a sign of weakness.” If you’ve been affected by the topics raised in this episode, you can find a list of support organisations below. This conversation was recorded on 21st July 2020. Tweet us! https://twitter.com/TheWotPod DM us! https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/ Or hop over to Facebook https://www.facebook.com/thewotpod Episode Resources The Survivors Trust - https://www.thesurvivorstrust.org/ Rape Crisis England & Wales - https://rapecrisis.org.uk/ Safeline - https://www.safeline.org.uk/ Connect with Rebecca Warner and Seed Malawi: https://twitter.com/SeedMalawi https://www.seedmalawi.com/ https://www.instagram.com/seedmalawi/ Connect with your host Frankie Cotton: https://frankiecotton.com https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_ https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/ This episode was sound edited by Beth Davison https://www.bethdavison.com/. Women On Top is a Let’s Be Frank production. https://letsbefrank.co This episode of Women On Top is brought to you by Estrid, the Swedish razor brand offering a modern, vegan shaving product. If you’re ready for a whole new shaving experience, visit estrid.com and be sure to use the code ‘WOM’ to donate an extra £1 to The Fawcett Society. Thanks very much to Estrid. Visit estrid.com https://estrid.com/gb/ use code WOM Follow Estrid on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/heyestrid/

Today’s guest is Bami Kuteyi, award Winning Entrepreneur, Princes Trust Young Ambassador and founder of fitness brand Bam Bam Boogie. Bami founded Bam Bam Boogie when she was just 22 years old and since then, has launched her own app and partnered with top global brands such as Facebook, Google, and Stripe. In this episode, Bami tells us about how and why she founded Bam Bam Boogie after experiencing imposter syndrome and anxiety at work. Bami was working for Google and wanted to introduce a new way of networking to the company that didn’t involve drinking and encouraged a more healthy way of connecting. Bami tells us how she cultivates resilience, the importance of understanding your finances and cash flow, and tells those of us with our own business ideas to “start now and start small”. This conversation was recorded on 24th June 2020. Tweet us! https://twitter.com/TheWotPod DM us! https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/ Or hop over to Facebook https://www.facebook.com/thewotpod Connect with Bami Kuteyi and Bam Bam Boogie: https://www.bambamboogie.com/ https://www.instagram.com/twerkafterwork/ https://www.instagram.com/bamikuteyi/ Connect with your host Frankie Cotton: https://frankiecotton.com https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_ https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/ This episode was sound edited by Beth Davison https://www.bethdavison.com/. Women On Top is a Let’s Be Frank production. https://letsbefrank.co This episode of Women On Top is brought to you by Estrid, the Swedish razor brand offering a modern, vegan shaving product. If you’re ready for a whole new shaving experience, visit estrid.com and be sure to use the code ‘WOM’ to donate an extra £1 to The Fawcett Society. Thanks very much to Estrid. Visit estrid.com https://estrid.com/gb/ use code WOM Follow Estrid on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/heyestrid/

Today’s guest is activist, refugee rights campaigner and co-founder of The Worldwide Tribe charity, Jaz O’Hara. In 2015, Jaz visited the so-called Calais Jungle refugee camp in France. Shocked and emotional about what she found, Jaz wrote a Facebook post that gathered over 65,000 shares overnight, reaching millions of people and raising £150,000 in a matter of weeks. Shortly afterwards, Jaz and her brother Nils set up the Worldwide Tribe charity, producing creative content to bring a personal, human perspective to the biggest humanitarian crisis of our time; the Refugee Crisis. In this episode Jaz talks about the misconceptions that surround refugees, specifically the stereotype of “the economic migrant” that is perpetuated by the tabloid press and she shares the challenges and emotional toll that comes with running a grassroots charity. Jaz asks of us: “keep asking questions, dig below the surface and don’t believe everything you read.” This conversation was recorded on 25th June 2020. I hope you enjoy listening. Tweet us! https://twitter.com/TheWotPod DM us! https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/ Or hop over to Facebook https://www.facebook.com/thewotpod Connect with Jaz O’Hara and The Worldwide Tribe: https://theworldwidetribe.com/ https://www.instagram.com/theworldwidetribe/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMC1MRa6CEjlSzpFK5BKLQg https://www.facebook.com/theworldwidetribe https://www.instagram.com/peopleofthepandemic/ Connect with your host Frankie Cotton: https://frankiecotton.com https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_ https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/ This episode was sound edited by Beth Davison https://www.bethdavison.com/. Women On Top is a Let’s Be Frank production. https://letsbefrank.co This episode of Women On Top is brought to you by Estrid, the Swedish razor brand that is making shaving more convenient, enjoyable and affordable. Traditionally, razor brands have been infamous for showing already hairless women shaving already hairless legs and driving home a message of unachievable body ideals. What I love about Estrid is that its unafraid to show women with body hair and through its imagery Estrid pays tribute to smooth, fuzz, fur and everything in-between, celebrating what reality actually looks like. The startkit from Estrid is just £7.95 and you’ll receive a handle, a razor holder and two 5-blades razors. Visit estrid.com and be sure to use the code ‘WOM’ to donate an extra £1 to The Fawcett Society. Thanks very much to Estrid. Visit estrid.com https://estrid.com/gb/ use code WOM Follow Estrid on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/heyestrid/ Follow Estrid on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Estrid-2350793288288464/