Raise The Bar: Recent Episodes
Let's Be Frank
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://raisethebar.world/
Connect with your host, Frankie Cotton
Visit 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://raisethebar.world/
Connect with your host, Frankie Cotton
Visit 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://raisethebar.world/
Connect with your host, Frankie Cotton
Visit 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@raisethebar.world.
- 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://raisethebar.world/
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@raisethebar.world.
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://raisethebar.world/
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
Website: 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@raisethebar.world.
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://raisethebar.world/
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@raisethebar.world.
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://raisethebar.world/
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@raisethebar.world.
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://raisethebar.world/
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@raisethebar.world.
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://raisethebar.world/
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@raisethebar.world.
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://raisethebar.world/
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@raisethebar.world.
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://raisethebar.world/
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@raisethebar.world.
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://raisethebar.world/
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@raisethebar.world.
Celia 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/.
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://raisethebar.world/
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@raisethebar.world.
Guest - Mims Davies
Host - Frankie Cotton
Sound Editor - Beth Davison
Tweet us https://twitter.com/
Join us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/raisehq_
Visit https://raisethebar.world/
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@raisethebar.world.
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://raisethebar.world/
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 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.
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/.
Want to share your view on something we discussed on the podcast? Email us podcast@raisethebar.world
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://raisethebar.world/
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_/
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.
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/.
Want to share your view on something we discussed on the podcast? Email us podcast@raisethebar.world
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://raisethebar.world/
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_/
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.
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/.
Want to share your view on something we discussed on the podcast? Email us podcast@raisethebar.world
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_
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Visit https://raisethebar.world/
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_
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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
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Connect with Frankie Cotton
https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_
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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 influencers. 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.
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/.
Want to share your view on something we discussed on the podcast? Email us podcast@raisethebar.world
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://raisethebar.world/
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_/
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.
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/.
Want to share your view on something we discussed on the podcast?
Email us podcast@raisethebar.world.
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://raisethebar.world/
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_/
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 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.
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/.
Want to share your view on something we discussed on the podcast?
Email us podcast@raisethebar.world.
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://raisethebar.world/
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@raisethebar.world.
Tweet us @raisehq_
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Visit https://raisethebar.world/
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_
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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 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@raisethebar.world
Tweet us @raisehq_
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Visit https://raisethebar.world/
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@raisethebar.world.
Tweet us @raisehq_
Join us on Instagram @raisehq_
Visit https://raisethebar.world/
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@raisethebar.world
Tweet us @raisehq_
Join us on Instagram @raisehq_
Visit https://raisethebar.world/
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@raisethebar.world.
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, 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
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
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
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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
TeamGuest - Emmy Brunner
Host - Frankie Cotton
Production Support - Georgia Buchanan
Sound Editor - Beth Davison
Get in touch
Send your feedback to hello@thewotpod.com
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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.
Get in touch
Send your feedback to hello@thewotpod.com
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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_
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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.
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/
TeamGuests - 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 the 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.
TeamGuest - 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
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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
Fiona Thomas, a freelance writer, author and self-proclaimed introvert, experienced debilitating burnout. After 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, describing 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.
The conversation covers 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. We hope you enjoy listening.
Team
Guest - Fiona Thomas
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
Out of Office: How to ditch the 9-5, be your own boss and become self-employed with a freelance business - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Out-Office-Ditch-Your-Boss/dp/1789561248/
Depression in a Digital Age: The Highs and Lows of Perfectionism - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Depression-Digital-Age-Perfectionism-Inspirational
Connect with Fiona Thomas
https://www.instagram.com/fionalikestoblog/
https://twitter.com/fionalikeshttps://fionalikestoblog.com/
Connect with Frankie Cotton
https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_
https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/
For more information visit https://thewotpod.com
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
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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 that 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 an 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.
Join the conversation:
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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, 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
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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 that 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 shine 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, 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!
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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, 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
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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, 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
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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-2026-2020-5https://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_/
his 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
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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.
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 for 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, 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
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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 groupthink, 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.
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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.
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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
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Episode ResourcesThe 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
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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 an 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
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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/
Today’s guest is Romina Savova, CEO and founder of PensionBee.
In the six years since Romi founded the company, PensionBee has almost 300,000 customers and £800MIL under investment, demonstrating the extraordinary success of its customer-centric approach.
Romi tells us how she tried to consolidate her own pension and experienced the painful process for consumers, knowing that there had to be a better way.
She explains how PensionBee developed a “minimum loveable product”, raised their first million of investment and the importance of jargon-free language to help people like you and me to manage their money better.
And when it comes to startup advice for entrepreneurs, Romi tells us: “go as far as you can go before you take the jump”.
This conversation was recorded on 14th May 2020.
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Connect with Romina Savova and PensionBee:
https://www.pensionbee.com/
https://twitter.com/pensionbee
https://www.instagram.com/pensionbee/
https://twitter.com/romisavova
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 Scandanavian razor brand offering a modern, vegan shaving product. Hair removal should be optional, but great hair removal should not. encased in cocoa butter, aloe vera & shea butter, the Estrid razor feels great on the skin and provides a close, smooth finish. Estrid doesn’t just feel different though, it makes a difference. For every purchase you make, they donate a portion to The Fawcett Society, the UK’s leading membership charity campaigning for gender equality and women’s rights at work, at home and in public life. Their vision is a society in which women and girls in all their diversity are equal and truly free to fulfill their potential creating a stronger, happier, better future for us all. The startkit from Estrid includes everything you’ll need for a new shaving experience. For £7.95 you’ll receive an Estrid handle, a razor holder and two 5-blades razors.
Visit estrid.com and be sure to use the code ‘WOM’ to donate that 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/
Today’s guest is Davinia Tomlinson, founder and CEO of Rainchq, the membership platform that helps women to take control of their financial futures.
At retirement, a woman’s average pension wealth is roughly a fifth of a man of her age.* Davinia is on a mission to help close that investment gap.
In today’s podcast, Davinia shares with us her path to building Rainchq and the process to identify the real solutions that would help solve this almighty problem. Dav is methodical and grounded in her approach, and takes a holistic view of financial wellbeing that combines practicality with emotional health.
This episode explores the early years from ideation to building a business, and includes valuable insights that can help us all take better control of our money and plan for the future.
Davinia tells us: “getting financial advice is really about creating your life plan” and knowledge is how we can bridge that gap between our life dreams and reality.
This conversation was recorded on 18th June 2020.
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Episode resources
- Pension Gap Report - https://thepeoplespension.co.uk/info/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2019/05/Gender-pension-gap-report_2019.pdf
Connect with Davinia Tomlinson and Rainchq:
https://www.rainchq.com/
https://www.instagram.com/rainchq
https://www.facebook.com/rainchq
https://twitter.com/rainchq
https://www.linkedin.com/company/rainchq/
https://www.instagram.com/daviniaiam/
https://twitter.com/iamdavinia
Connect with your host Frankie Cotton:
https://frankiecotton.com
https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_
https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_
This episode of Women On Top is brought to you by Estrid, the Scandanavian razor brand designed by women for women. Now I’ve been using the Estrid razor for about a month now, and I have to tell you that is a game changer. The razor’s ergonomic design is just brilliant, and the weight of the handle really helps to control your movements and just glide along your skin - something I had never even thought about before. The Estrid razor also just looks fab in your bathroom and you can choose from four gorgeous handle colours, I’m using the Cloud which is a beautiful light grey, and all razors come with a wall holder to keep it tidy and accessible. Estrid is one of the few brands on the market with a lubricating strip that is free from animal ingredients and animal testing; in other words, 100% vegan.
So if you’re looking for a whole new razor experience visit www.estrid.com and be sure to use the code ‘WOM’ to donate an extra £1 to the Fawcett society - more about Fawcett to follow next week.
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 Kayleigh Benoit, founder of fashion athleisure brand BIND London, which offers culturally inclusive headwear to make sports and fitness more accessible for Black women and women of colour. According to Sport England, 40% of women say they are put off by exercise altogether because of fear of judgement and 45% of Black women avoid exercise because of their hair. Kayleigh is on a mission to change that. Despite trying to raise money during a global pandemic, Kayleigh’s Natwest Back Her Business crowdfund campaign was successful and she raised £10,500 with 225 supporters in 35 days. Kayleigh tells us: “if you have an idea, don’t sit on it for too long. Bring it to fruition as soon as possible… don’t let dust settle on it.”
This conversation was recorded on 17th June 2020.
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This episode of Women On Top is brought to you by Estrid, the Scandanavian razor brand designed by women for women. Hair removal should be optional, but great hair removal shouldn’t. Estrid’s vegan razor is specifically designed for those of us who believe that the hair removal process should be a pain-free affair on the skin, the wallet and also for the planet. Over the next six weeks, I’ll be sharing with you little nuggets of Estrid’s story, how it is a socially conscious beauty business that doesn’t compromise on design or functionality, but still takes its social responsibility seriously as a modern business. So if you’re looking for an affordable and dare I say it - enjoyable - alternative to your current razor, check out Estrid and be sure to use the code ‘WOM’ to donate an extra £1 to the Fawcett society - more about Fawcett to follow over the next few weeks. Thanks very much to Estrid.
Visit estrid.com https://estrid.com/gb/
Follow Estrid on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/heyestrid/
Follow Estrid on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Estrid-2350793288288464/
Episode resources
Natwest Back Her Business - https://natwestbackherbusiness.co.uk/https://natwestbackherbusiness.co.uk/bindlondon
journorequest - https://twitter.com/search?q=%23journorequest&src=typed_query
Connect with Kayleigh Benoit and BIND London:
https://www.bindlondon.com/
https://www.instagram.com/kayleighbenoit_/
https://www.instagram.com/bindlondon/
https://twitter.com/kayleighbenoit_
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 Jumi Akinfenwa is a music supervisor and freelance journalist and, in this episode, draws our attention to the disproportionate representation of Black people as artists versus commercial decision-makers in the music industry.
We talk about the response of brands to the Black Lives Matter protests and the compounding system changes that need to be addressed to make long-term change.
Jumi tells us about her initiative ‘Make Noise’ which exists to encourage the creative industries to be more vocal about industry wide inequality and create space for creative expression which ultimately requires artists to fail as well as flourish, a privilege that isn't necessarily afforded to all.
Jumi concludes: “we won’t unpack centuries of inequality in a few weeks… we need to know that you still have this at the top of your agenda in 10, 20, 50 years time.”
This conversation was recorded on 9th June 2020.
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Episode resources
https://www.theresnosignal.com/listen
https://twitter.com/theresnosignall
https://www.shesaid.so/
https://www.instagram.com/makenoisecollective
Connect with Jumi Akinfenwa:
https://the-dots.com/users/jumi-akinfenwa-217221
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jumiakinfenwa/
https://twitter.com/jumiaa
https://www.instagram.com/jumiaa/
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.
Over the past fortnight, long-overdue conversations about race, diversity, oppression and discrimination around the world have been ignited following the recent deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery in the US, and the assault and subsequent death of Belly Mujinga in the UK.
These conversations about racism are imperative. I will be hosting some of these conversations right here on the podcast.
Whilst these conversations can be intense and uncomfortable, they are also inspiring, uplifting, unifying and rallying. I am incredibly grateful to the women who have shared (and will be sharing) their stories with us on Women On Top.
When it comes to dismantling systemic racism, today’s guest Liana Fricker, founder of The Inspiration Space, wants us to think critically about social media and where we spend our attention.
In this episode we talk about #BlackoutTuesday and how its solidarity was undermined by drowning out grassroots activism that has long used the #BlackLivesMatter hashtag.
Liana shares the eye-opening statistic from 13 Ventures VC that their early-stage consumer startups spent almost 50% of investments on Facebook and Google ads, proving that social media marketing can perpetuate the global wealth distribution problem by making these two US tech giants richer.
Liana concludes: “Every day we have to show up and do the work. We all have varying degrees of privilege and it’s not a competition. But white women and white men have to allow black people around the world to have some space... [to] heal, then together we can work as actual allies.”
This conversation was recorded on 4th June 2020.
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Episode resources
- ‘10 places to network online that aren’t owned by Facebook’ by Liana Fricker: https://theinspirationspace.co/thegoodnews/10-places-to-network-online-that-arent-owned-by-facebook
- https://techstartups.com/2019/10/26/startups-spend-almost-50-percent-investments-facebook-google-ads/
Connect with Liana Fricker and The Inspiration Space
https://theinspirationspace.co/aboutus
https://twitter.com/lianafricker
https://www.instagram.com/theinspirationspace.co/
Connect with your host, Frankie Cotton:
https://frankiecotton.com
https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_
https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/
Women On Top is a Let’s Be Frank production. https://letsbefrank.co
Hello podcast listeners, Frankie here. Just a very quick message from me to say that we’ve changed the production schedule for Women On Top and we will only be broadcasting black women’s voices for the month of June. This means there will be a short delay in getting the next episode to you, as we are parking what we planned to release this week. I created this podcast to offer solidarity and connection for all women in relation to their work, businesses and personal finance. This podcast was born from injustice. This podcast exists to amplify women’s voices. But the fight against sexism cannot distract us from other deep rooted inequalities. It is not enough for us as women to desire and chase what white men have. That is not feminism. It is easy to be lured into thinking that work is feminist, but it’s a disguise. That motivation will continue to exploit and oppress our sisters with black and brown skin, and those from disadvantaged backgrounds. It is not enough to be not-racist. It is not enough to be shocked and horrified by hatred and blatant racism. We have to examine the systemic racist structures that our society is built on and do the work to change them. White women, we need to do the heavy lifting. We need to use our privilege and influence to help eradicate racism. If there was ever a time for us women to overcome the stranglehold of perfectionism and self-censorship, to find our voices and use them loudly and clearly, it is now, in pursuit of progress, equality and a better future for all. Let’s act with integrity and show up for this conversation to learn and encounter our blind spots head on. Thank you and we’ll be back with you soon
.https://thewotpod.com
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https://www.linkedin.com/company/women-on-top-podcast
My guest today is Dr Mandeep Rai, author of the Sunday Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller ‘The Values Compass’.
Endorsed by the Dalai Lama and Deepak Chopra, The Values Compass explores the values of 101 countries around the world, sharing stories of how these values cascade through our global culture and act as guardrails for decision making and action.
In this episode, we discuss the importance of having clear values and how they tangibly impact our lives, both as individuals and in communities. Mandeep tells us about her experience with silent meditation in Thailand, and how profound (and challenging!) moments of stillness can be in “sifting through the mud” of our minds - an experience that some of us may share during lockdown.
Reflecting on the Covid-19 pandemic and life thereafter, Mandeep says: “we can shed the fear of ‘what happens when we go back to normal?’, we won’t let that happen… there is only progression, you can never go back”. Mandeep’s wisdom is introspective and profound, so get comfortable!
This conversation was recorded on 30th April 2020.
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Support Compliments of the House:
Donate - https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/CoTH-coronavirus-response
Email - team@complimentsofthehouse.orghttps://complimentsofthehouse.org/
Connect with Mandeep Rai:
http://www.mandeep-rai.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-mandeep-rai-66b69b3/
https://twitter.com/mandeeprai
https://www.instagram.com/mandeeprai/
The Values Compass: What 101 Countries Teach Us About Purpose, Life and Leadership -
https://amzn.to/3bTR1cy
Connect with your host, Frankie Cotton:
https://frankiecotton.com
https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_
https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/
Women On Top is a Let’s Be Frank production. https://letsbefrank.co
My guest this week is entrepreneur and Executive Editor of the Times Money Mentor, Gemma Godfrey.
In this episode, Gemma tells us how she built her fintech business Moola, launching in 2015 and selling in 2018. Those three whirlwind years saw Gemma raise multiple investment rounds, build a strong team and ultimately navigate a divorce and the business sale concurrently.
Reflecting on our personal finances during the Covid-19 pandemic, Gemma says: “the crisis will disproportionately affect women’s finances” as economic challenges layer on top of existing inequalities. Gemma then recommends a series of practical steps to ensure we’re making the best decisions possible right now for our financial health.
This conversation was recorded on 30th April 2020.
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Connect with Gemma Godfrey and get information from the Times Money Mentor:
https://twitter.com/GCGodfrey
https://twitter.com/TTMoneyMentor
https://www.instagram.com/gcgodfrey/
https://www.instagram.com/TimesMoneyMentor/
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/money-mentor/
Connect with your host, Frankie Cotton:
https://frankiecotton.com
https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_
https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/
Women On Top is a Let’s Be Frank production. https://letsbefrank.co
My guest this week is work happiness consultant and author of ‘Love It or Leave It: How To Be Happy At Work’, Samantha Clarke.
Sam helps both companies and individuals to make work happiness a reality. In this episode, Sam tells us that finding work purpose doesn’t mean poverty, and that we can find happiness at work without having to sacrifice financial security and wealth creation - it’s actually the opposite.
We discuss how communication frameworks (i.e. how to use Slack/Zoom) can help cultivate great company culture, especially now many employees are working remotely and communicating online.
We also talk about presenteeism, what it means to be visible at work when working remotely and how to show that you are indispensable to your employer.
And to close, Sam shares great insights on navigating the COVID-19 fallout and probable recession, telling us to “be as agile, flexible and indispensable as possible” and to build our resiliency.
This conversation was recorded on 22nd April 2020.
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Connect with Samantha Clarke:
- https://loveitleaveit.co
- https://samanthaand.co
- Tweet Sam! https://twitter.com/samanthaand_https://www.instagram.com/samanthaand_/https://www.linkedin.com/in/clarkesl/
- Buy Love It or Leave It - https://amzn.to/3fJpEVW
Connect with your host, Frankie Cotton:
https://frankiecotton.com
Tweet me! https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_
DM me! https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/
Women On Top is a Let’s Be Frank production. https://letsbefrank.co
My guests this week are Onloan co-founders Tamsin Chislett and Natalie Hasseck.
Tamsin and Natalie are two friends with a shared mission to reduce waste, curate brilliant independent designers and reignite a love of clothes without the guilt.
In this episode, Tamsin and Nat tell us how they closed Onloan’s angel investment round whilst they were BOTH pregnant, navigating tricky investor questions and flagging energy levels.
We discuss how we all need to change the way we acquire clothes and move to a more thoughtful approach to consumption - something we are hopeful that the Coronavirus pandemic could be a catalyst for.
And for those of us women who are wondering how on earth we can have a family and a business, Tamsin says: “having a baby is exhausting. Starting a business is exhausting. It’s hard to tell if doing them both at the same time is anymore exhausting, so you might as well just go for it!”
This conversation was recorded on 16th April 2020.
Join in the conversation online using #TheWOTPod and tagging us @thewotpod:
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Find out more about Onloan:
https://onloan.co
https://www.instagram.com/onloan.co/
https://twitter.com/OnloanHQ
https://www.facebook.com/onloan.co/
Connect with your host, Frankie Cotton:
https://frankiecotton.com
https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_
https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/
Women On Top is a Let’s Be Frank production. https://letsbefrank.co
My guest this week is Clare Seal aka @myfrugalyear.
Clare started the Instagram account @myfrugalyear in response to confronting credit card debt totalling £25K and a £2K overdraft – she wanted to be held accountable and to share her journey anonymously to help others.
Fast forward twelve months and Clare has paid off £8K of debt, grown her Instagram account to 46.4K followers and has secured a book deal.
In this episode, Clare tells us what it was like to confront the debt and describes the journey she has been on to disconnect from feelings of shame to find empowerment and happiness along the way.
Clare tells us about her decision to reveal her identity and how it became the final frontier of not being ashamed. We discuss the impact of money on our mental health, becoming financially educated and how everyone deserves happiness regardless of how many mistakes you’ve made.
This conversation was recorded on 9th April 2020. I hope you enjoy this episode.
Join in the conversation online using #TheWOTPod and tagging us @thewotpod:
https://twitter.com/TheWotPod
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https://www.facebook.com/thewotpod
Epsiode resources:
https://www.stepchange.org
https://capuk.org
https://www.instagram.com/vicky.spratt/
Find out more about Clare Seal and @myfrugalyear
https://www.instagram.com/myfrugalyear/
Real Life Money by Clare Seal - https://amzn.to/2VwDp26
Connect with your host, Frankie Cotton:
https://frankiecotton.com
https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_
https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/
Women On Top is a Let’s Be Frank production. https://letsbefrank.co
My guest this week is Kim Palmer, founder of Clementine.
Clementine is an app that uses hypnotherapy to improve women’s mental health.
In this episode, Kim tells us about the time she had a panic attack during a presentation at work whilst she was pregnant, which led to her discovering hypnotherapy and its mental health benefits.
This planted the seed for Clementine app, which aims to support women in key moments by offering sessions on confidence, de-stress, sleep and body image.
We discuss the challenges of bootstrapping a tech business whilst also being the breadwinner, how women can be apologetic about their ambition (but mustn't!) and that we all need to give ourselves a break from perfectionism.
This conversation was recorded on 9th April 2020. I hope you enjoy this episode.
Join in the conversation online using #TheWOTPod and tagging us @thewotpod:
https://twitter.com/TheWotPod
https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/
https://www.facebook.com/thewotpod
Find out more about Kim Palmer and Clementine
https://clementineapp.co.uk
https://twitter.com/Clementineappuk
https://www.instagram.com/Clementineappuk/
Connect with your host, Frankie Cotton:
https://frankiecotton.com
https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_
https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/
Women On Top is a Let’s Be Frank production. https://letsbefrank.co
My inspirational guest this week is Mel Berry, co-founder of Her Spirit. The Her Spirit app provides daily workouts and activities, mediation, community and recipes. Her Spirit is FREE for EVERY Woman until 30th June to support women’s health and wellbeing during this period of national uncertainty. In this episode, Mel and Frankie discuss the Her Spirit mission to challenge a diet and fitness industry that is failing most women and instead focus on “the whole self, rather than a fragmented part of a woman”. Mel shares her insights on creating a brand and message that really resonates with your audience and how important it is to engage emotionally with your customers. Mel tells us how she stays resilient, present and positive both as an entrepreneur and as a human being during this pandemic.
Her Spirit has recently launched the #EveryMinuteCounts campaign, encouraging you to share how many minutes of activity you have done every week. For every 500 minutes of activity logged, Her Spirit will gift a free subscription to a woman who can’t afford it on the 1st July 2020.
Join in the conversation online using #TheWOTPod and tagging us @thewotpod on Twitter and instagram, or chat to us on Facebook.
Episode Resources:
Start With Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone To Take Action by Simon Sinek
Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead by Brené Brown
Sport England - Funding Grants
Deborah James - @bowelbabe
The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckhart Tolle
A New Earth: The Life-Changing Follow Up to The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle
Find out more about Mel Barry and Her Spirit
https://herspirit.co.uk/
https://www.facebook.com/herspirituk/
https://www.instagram.com/herspirituk/
https://twitter.com/herspirituk
Connect with your host, Frankie Cotton:
https://frankiecotton.com
https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_
https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/
Women On Top is a Let’s Be Frank production.
Hello! I’m back to talk about adapting your business during COVID-19.In today’s episode, I share multiple ways you can continue to take action in your business to increase revenue, look after your customers and lay building blocks to strengthen your business’s foundations. This podcast episode is for you if you want to explore how you can survive and potentially thrive in the new normal. And remember, if you can build in a recession, your business will excel in a strong economy. And the economy will recover, it always has. We cannot change our circumstances, but we can control our reactions. And even if your business is suffering financially right now, you have options:(1) there are still lots of things that people will buy if you can create it(2) you have the opportunity to diversify your product offering and restructure your revenue streams(3) you can take on longer term projects that can bolster the foundations of your business for the future. So grab a notebook and pen, as I’m going to cover the following pillars: revenue, customers, digital marketing, flexible working and giving back .If you find this episode useful, please share the love and recommend it to a friend or colleague who might find it useful too Stay tuned and keep in touch on social media. We’re all in this together. Talk to you soon.
Extra resources:
I’m going to host some live online podcasts over the coming weeks, bringing in guest experts to cover relevant topics. Make sure you subscribe to our newsletter at thewotpod.com and follow us on social media @thewotpod for more information and to register to attend.
I’m also going to offer free 30 minute workshops to help you navigate this time in your business - again make sure you’re signed up for our newsletter to find out how to get involved.
Connect with us online:
https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/women-on-top-podcast/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSV7fpZDl7-sKEbCwEyP0MA
https://www.facebook.com/TheWotPod/
https://twitter.com/thewotpod
My guest this week is… well it’s just me, in my spare bedroom where I started my first business and using the microphone I used when I first began podcasting. This podcast comes in two parts. Firstly, I will share what I am doing on a day to day basis, to stay focused during this COVID-19 epidemic, take positive action and live more consciously. I found working from home very difficult when I started my first business Let’s Be Frank, which is why I invested in an office as soon as I could afford to... I have been through some challenging times in these four walls, so I have experience to share! Secondly, I will share with you how I’ve worked with my husband to pivot our fitness business over the last 72 hours, what I intend to focus on in my business and ideas of what you can be working on over the coming weeks.
If you have # WFH tips, advice on how to structure a routine or you want to ask me a question, head over to @thewotpod on twitter, instagram and facebook where the community hangs out and we can keep this conversation going. Stay tuned and keep in touch on social media. We’re all in this together. Talk to you soon.
Episode Resources:
TMIK News - https://www.thismuchiknow.news/
Episode 22 of #THEWOTPOD with Emily Sheffield - https://www.thewotpod.com/episodes/episode-22-emily-sheffield-and-holly-beddingfield
Vestpod - https://www.vestpod.com
Episode 05 of #THEWOTPOD with Emilie Bellet - https://www.thewotpod.com/episodes/episode-05-emilie-bellet-carmel-dickinson
Episode 25 of #THEWOTPOD with Caroline Hughes - https://www.thewotpod.com/episodes/episode-25-caroline-hughes
Rushi Sunak statement on Coronavirus - https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/the-chancellor-rishi-sunak-provides-an-updated-statement-on-coronavirus
Episode 25 of #THEWOTPOD with Lisa Conway Hughes - https://www.thewotpod.com/episodes/episode-08-lisa-conway-hughes
Get Houseparty - https://houseparty.com
Get Zoom - https://zoom.us
Connect with us online:https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/women-on-top-podcast/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSV7fpZDl7-sKEbCwEyP0MA
https://www.facebook.com/TheWotPod/
https://twitter.com/thewotpod
PS. We’ve launched a new website! Check it out for more episode resources and to receive #THEWOTPOD newsletter https://thewotpod.com
My guest this week is Sophie Baron, founder of Mama Made. Mama Made helps parents home-cook nutritionally-dense, organic and plant-based meals for their weaning babies – quickly and conveniently, without compromise. In this episode, we talk about how Sophie has bootstrapped Mama Made and the practical financial decisions Sophie and her husband had to make. We discuss self-development, how overcoming negative self-talk is essential to success and that entrepreneurship forces you to grow in ways you never expected. Sophie shares how she takes big risks whilst keeping the business in perspective with family life, and her exciting plans for Mama Made in 2020!
Join in the conversation online using #THEWOTPOD on Twitter https://twitter.com/TheWotPod and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/
Find out more about Sophie Baron and Mama Made:
https://mamamadefood.com
https://www.facebook.com/hellomamamade
https://www.instagram.com/hellomamamade/
https://www.instagram.com/sophiembaron/https://twitter.com/hellomamamade
Connect with your host, Frankie Cotton:
https://frankiecotton.com
https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_
https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/
Women On Top is a Let’s Be Frank production.
Happy International Women's Day to all you lovely listeners and supporters. Thanks for sharing and celebrating women's voices with us every week! #IWD2020My brilliant guest this week is Vivi Friedgut, founder and CEO at Blackbullion, an EdTech company providing financial literacy to students. Vivi founded Blackbullion in 2014 and since launching their digital platform, Blackbullion has partnered with 30 universities globally and is able to reach 500,000 students worldwide. In this episode, Vivi tells us how she started Blackbullion with a sustainable and profitable business model, which she developed into a technology company in order to scale. Vivi tells us about her experience of raising money (she hates it!) and why she made that decision (so Blackbullion can run instead of speed walk).Vivi tell us that you win in business by being the fastest or the last person standing, that persistence has been essential and that your role as CEO is to continually make yourself redundant through self-development and evolution. And in the words of Vivi’s dad, “until you made a dollar, you’ve got a hobby and not a business”. I hope you enjoy this episode!
Join in the conversation online using #THEWOTPOD on Twitter https://twitter.com/TheWotPod and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/
.This episode of Women On Top is sponsored by Bamboo PR, a brilliant London-based technology PR and marketing agency. To find out more information and to receive your free PR eBook visit bamboopr.co.uk/thewotpod/
Find out more about Vivi Friedgut and Blackbullion:
https://www.blackbullion.com
https://twitter.com/blackbullion
https://www.instagram.com/blackbullion/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/blackbullion
https://twitter.com/ViviFriedgut
Connect with your host, Frankie Cotton:
https://frankiecotton.com
https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_
https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/
Women On Top is a Let’s Be Frank Ltd. production.
My guest this week is Tova Leigh, social media influencer, content creator, writer, performer, wife and mother. Tova’s open and honest video rants, articles and podcast have resonated with a huge number of women around the world. Tova uses her platforms to support and empower women by giving them a sense of belonging, as she doesn’t hold back whilst sharing the raw truth on uncensored topics including motherhood, body issues, marriage, sexuality and relationships. In this episode, Tova tells us how she turned blogging into a business, despite being “slow to the party”. We talk about the pressure to keep going viral and dealing with hate online. Tova shares openly how motherhood left her feeling stuck and the steps she took to find herself again, embarking on a bucket list that included a bungee jump, climbing Everest and starring in a one woman show. Tova credits her success to her pushy and resilient nature - something we can all channel more of. Tova’s first book ‘F*cked at 40: Life Beyond Suburbia, Monogamy and Stretch Marks’ will be released on 3rd March 2020.I hope you enjoy this episode!
Join in the conversation online using #THEWOTPOD on Twitter https://twitter.com/TheWotPod and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/
Find out more about Tova Leigh and ‘My Thoughts About Stuff’:
https://tovaleigh.com
https://www.instagram.com/tova_leigh/
https://twitter.com/tova_leigh
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCja5WkRQvKr-2Z16jdDQrXQ
https://www.facebook.com/mythoughtsaboutstuff/
F*cked at 40:
Life Beyond Suburbia, Monogamy and Stretch Marks - https://www.amazon.co.uk/cked-40-Suburbia-Monogamy-Stretch/dp/1786782693/
Connect with your host, Frankie Cotton:
https://frankiecotton.com
https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_
https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/
Hello! This week we’re having a break in recording, but I wanted to use this time to tell you a little bit more about Women On Top and how you can get involved. Enjoy and see you next week!Connect with Women On Top:https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/https://twitter.com/TheWotPodhttp://thewotpod.comConnect with your host, Frankie Cotton:https://frankiecotton.comhttps://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/https://twitter.com/letsbefrank_cohttps://www.instagram.com/letsbefrank_co
My wonderful guest this week is Caroline Hughes, Founder of Lifetise and finanical feminist. In this episode Caroline tells us about starting her business Lifetise, the financial modelling platform helping us to take big life actions like buying a house and starting a family. Caroline’s approach to building her tech business with such a strong social mission is truly inspiring. We talk about the reality for female founders in the UK in terms of raising capital, seeking the right investors and what we can do to improve it. Plus, Caroline shares some advice for all the perfectionists out there… Enjoy!
Join in the conversation online using #THEWOTPOD on Twitter https://twitter.com/TheWotPod and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/
Episode resources:
https://www.accenture.com/gb-en/services/financial-services/fintech-innovation-lab
https://www.hivefounders.net
https://www.techhub.com
https://2019.stateofeuropeantech.com
https://www.ted.com/talks/dana_kanze_the_real_reason_female_entrepreneurs_get_less_funding
https://sheeo.world
Find out more about Caroline Hughes and Lifetise:
https://lifetise.com
https://lifetise.com/podcast
https://twitter.com/lifetise
https://www.instagram.com/lifetise/
https://twitter.com/Caz_Lifetise
Connect with your host, Frankie Cotton:
https://frankiecotton.com
https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_
https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/
My inspiring guest this week is Emma Sayle, CEO and Founder of Killing Kittens and serial entrepreneur. In this episode, Emma tells us how Killing Kittens came to be and it’s mission to sexually liberate women. Emma shares her experience of crowdfunding whilst she was pregnant and how her long standing results in business proved the business was investable. Emma also tells us to network, ask for help and exercise to stay sane... Enjoy!
Join in the conversation online using #THEWOTPOD on Twitter https://twitter.com/TheWotPod and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/
Find out more about Emma Sayle, Killing Kittens and Sistr:
https://www.emmasayle.com
https://twitter.com/emsayle
https://www.instagram.com/emsayle333/
https://www.killingkittens.comhttps://www.sistrapp.com
Connect with your host, Frankie Cotton:
https://frankiecotton.com
https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_
https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/
My lovely guest this week is Sonya Barlow, TEDxSpeaker, diversity and inclusion consultant and founder of Like Minded Females. In this episode, Sonya tells us how she found her voice and began confronting difficult topics of diversity and inclusion at work. Sonya tells us her take on failure and how that can help us all to gather data that will ultimately lead us to success. Plus we explore unconscious bias and the need to create safe spaces to confront tricky topics without judgement. Enjoy!
Join in the conversation online using #THEWOTPOD on Twitter https://twitter.com/TheWotPod and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/
Find out more about Sonya Barlow and Like Minded Females:
www.sonyabarlow.co.uk
https://www.instagram.com/sonyabarlowuk/
https://twitter.com/sonyabarlowuk
https://www.likemindedfemales.com/
https://twitter.com/lmfnetwork
https://www.instagram.com/lmfnetwork/
Connect with your host, Frankie Cotton:
https://frankiecotton.com
https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_
https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/
My brilliant guests this week are the team from This Much I Know - Founder Emily Sheffield and Head of Partnerships and Reporter, Holly Beddingfield. In this episode, Emily tells us how she started This Much I Know, a news platform that puts genuine conversation at the heart of its delivery. Emily and Holly share the ups and downs of life in a startup incubator (Founders Factory), the fact that their brains constantly hurt and how they are building a sustainable media business in the free-information economy. With Emily’s 25 years experience as a journalist and editor (former deputy editor at Vogue) the team has big plans for This Much I Know and is on a mission to drive positive change. Enjoy!
Join in the conversation online using #THEWOTPOD on Twitter https://twitter.com/TheWotPod and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/
Episode resources:
https://olioex.com
The Lean Startup by Eric Reis - https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B005PR422K/
https://www.manrepeller.com
https://www.vice.com/en_uk
https://www.refinery29.com/en-gb
https://www.buzzfeed.com
Find out more about This Much I Know:
https://www.thismuchiknow.news
https://www.instagram.com/thismuchiknow.news/
https://twitter.com/emilysheffield
https://foundersfactory.com
Connect with your host, Frankie Cotton:
https://frankiecotton.com
https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_
https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/
This week in a podcast twist, the interviewer becomes the interviewee! That’s right, I’m interviewed by guest host and best friend Jessica Wright. In this episode, I talk about my corporate career and how I started my business Let's Be Frank. We discuss the financial decisions and implications of becoming self-employed. I talk about the “taboo” of leaving a business that I loved and why that made me feel like a failure. And finally, I talk about the importance of women’s impact in business and how that can lead to a more sustainable and less exploitative business generation. We end with some surprise quick fire questions… a new segment which could be a keeper! Jess asks me my podcast rules, who my ideal business co-founder is (Audrey Gelman, obvs) and if I’d interview a man on Women On Top… Enjoy!
Join in the conversation online using #THEWOTPOD on Twitter https://twitter.com/TheWotPod and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/
Episode resources:
http://www.guiltyfeminist.com
http://thewotpod.com
https://frankiecotton.com
https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_
https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/
https://www.letsbefrank.cohttps://
www.instagram.com/letsbefrank_co/
My guest this week is Lucy Werner, PR expert and founder of The Wern, a specialist communications consultancy and training hub for startups, entrepreneurs and independent brands. Lucy’s first book “Hype Yourself: A no-nonsense DIY PR toolkit for small businesses” is launching on 9th January 2020.In this episode, Lucy shares how she began her PR business The Wern following a traditional agency model, but soon realised that bigger didn’t always mean better. Lucy pivoted her business model to create flexibility, financial success and the lifestyle she really wanted. We talk about tips for PR and promoting your business, why it’s important to prioritise PR and how to structure your time effectively. Lucy tells us about her new book ‘Hype Yourself’ and the steps she took to get published. Enjoy!
Join in the conversation online using #THEWOTPOD on Twitter https://twitter.com/TheWotPod and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/
Episode resources:
The Company of One by Paul Jarvis - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Company-One-Staying-Small-Business/dp/0241380227/
Hype Yourself by Lucy Werner - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hype-Yourself-no-nonsense-toolkit-businesses/dp/1788601238/
Alison Jones - https://alisonjones.com
Practical Inspiration Publishing - https://practicalinspiration.com
Find out more about Lucy Werner:
https://www.thewern.comhttps://twitter.com/wernchat
https://www.instagram.com/wernchat/
Hype Yourself by Lucy Werner -
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hype-Yourself-no-nonsense-toolkit-businesses/dp/1788601238/
Connect with your host, Frankie Cotton:
https://frankiecotton.com
https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_
https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/
My guest this week is the wonderful Kat Pither, Founder at Yogi Bare. In this episode, we discuss how Kat first found yoga when she was in rehab, and how that experience led her to build a warm and gracious yogi community that doesn’t require you to bend like a pretzel to join in. We talk about how Kat started Yogi Bare, how the business grew and how she learnt the hard way about building proper financial foundations. We talk about personal resilience, sustainable retail and having the courage to be vulnerable. Enjoy!
Join in the conversation online using #THEWOTPOD on Twitter https://twitter.com/TheWotPod and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/
Episode resources:
Scaravelli Yoga - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanda_Scaravell
Open Up: The power of talking about money by Alex Holder - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Open-Up-Power-Talking-About-ebook/dp/B07H7S8BC9
You’re Not Broke You’re Pre-Rich by Emilie Bellet - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Youre-Not-Broke-Pre-Rich-streamline-ebook/dp/B07M85NVYP/
Gemita Samarra - https://twitter.com/GemitaSamarrahttps://www.instagram.com/gemitasamarra/
My Name Is Human - https://www.mynameishumanproject.org
Find out more about Kat Pither and Yogi Bare:
https://www.yogi-bare.co.uk
https://www.instagram.com/yogi.bare
/https://www.instagram.com/whatsgoodkat/
Connect with your host, Frankie Cotton:
https://frankiecotton.com
https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_
https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/
My guests this week for the Women On Top Christmas Special (and final episode of 2019!) are Cali Mack and Sarah Malik, Co-Founders at design studio Malik + Mack, which has been recognised as one of the top 50 female-founded companies in London. Join us for some festive excitement (forgive us, it’s been a long year…) as we talk about the business of creativity, how to find inspiration under pressure and dealing with difficult clients. We discuss how Sarah and Cali have built a cash positive service business, their initial three-month investment and how coaching has helped them to flourish their co-founder relationship. Plus there’s a sprinkling of Cali singing, some Thames Clipper chat and we look forward to 2020. Enjoy!
Join in the conversation online using #THEWOTPOD on Twitter https://twitter.com/TheWotPod and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/
Find out more about Cali Mackrill and Sarah Malik:
https://talentpool.com/blog/top-50-female-founded-companies-in-london/
https://www.malikandmack.com/
https://www.instagram.com/malikandmack/
Connect with your host, Frankie Cotton:
https://frankiecotton.com
https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_
https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/
P.S. I accidently tell a lie at the end of the podcast when I say “see you next week”. Women On Top is over and out now until 6th January 2020. Enjoy the holidays and see you next year!
My guest this week is Lucy Wright, serial entrepreneur and Co-Founder at Nice Drinks.
Nice is revolutionising the way we drink wine through their canned wine for on-the-go drinking #wineforwhenever.I
n this episode, we talk about the lessons Lucy learnt from her first business Cuckoo Bircher Muesli, which Lucy built straight out of university with her business partner and sold in 2016.
We discuss Lucy’s approach to creating Nice Drinks based on previous experience, their funding raise and what has been effective in growing the business so far. Enjoy!
Join in the conversation online using #THEWOTPOD on Twitter https://twitter.com/TheWotPod and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/
Find out more about Lucy Wright and Nice Drinks:
https://nice-drinks.co.uk
https://www.instagram.com/drink_nice/
https://twitter.com/drink_nice
https://www.facebook.com/nicedrinksuk/
https://www.instagram.com/lucykwright/
Connect with your host, Frankie Cotton:
https://frankiecotton.com
https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_
https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/
My guest this week is Ailbhe Malone, Author and Senior Editor at The Strategist. Ailbhe has authored two books on the topic of self-care, 101 Tiny Changes to Brighten Your Day and 101 Tiny Changes to Brighten Your World. Ailbhe is on a mission to help people in creative roles flourish, and to always leave the door open behind her. In this episode, we talk about Ailbhe’s early days as a journalist and the future of journalism in a free-information economy. Ailbhe generously shares how she secured her first book deal and the three ways to get published. We also talk about self care - what it is and what it isn’t - plus, we explore if societal pressures are impacting our mental health. Enjoy!
Join in the conversation online using #THEWOTPOD on Twitter https://twitter.com/TheWotPod and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/
Episode resources:
A Burst of Light: and Other Essays by Audre Lorde - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Burst-Light-Other-Essays/dp/0486818993/
101 Tiny Changes to Brighten Your Day by Ailbhe Malone - https://www.amazon.co.uk/101-Tiny-Changes-Brighten-Your/dp/1785783947
101 Tiny Changes to Brighten Your World by Ailbhe Malone - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tiny-Changes-Brighten-Your-World/dp/1785785729
Find out more about Ailbhe Malone and The Strategist:
https://twitter.com/ailbhetross
https://www.thestrategist.co.uk/
https://www.instagram.com/thestrategistuk/
https://twitter.com/TheStrategistUK
Connect with your host, Frankie Cotton:
https://frankiecotton.com
https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_
https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/
My guest this week is Emma-Lou Montgomery, Associate Director of Personal Investing at Fidelity International. As part of the Women and Money campaign team at Fidelity International, Emma-Lou is on a mission to unlock women’s financial power through investing. Fidelity International’s ‘Financial Power of Women’ 2018 report uncovers the real barriers for women when it comes to investing for their future, myth busts the gender misconceptions and provides valuable insights for all of us looking to make positive change. In this episode, we discuss how women can invest more when they earn less and how to talk about money in relationships. We talk about how by 2025, 60% of the UK’s wealth will be managed by women and how it could change the financial and economic landscape. We also myth bust common gender misconceptions and explore ways to overcome the real barriers for women to get invested. Enjoy!
Join in the conversation online using #THEWOTPOD on Twitter https://twitter.com/TheWotPod and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/
Episode resources:
https://www.fidelity.co.uk
https://www.fidelity.co.uk/women-and-money/
https://www.relate.org.uk
Find out more about Emma-Lou and Fidelity International:
https://www.fidelity.co.uk
https://www.instagram.com/fidelityinternational/
https://twitter.com/EmmaLouMontgom
Connect with your host, Frankie Cotton:
https://frankiecotton.com
https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_
https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/
My wonderful guest this week is Efua Akumanyi, CTO & Co-Founder at Furnishful, the new platform to discover and shop for furniture online. Efua is on a mission to make shopping for home furnishings a more inspired and creative process, by bringing your favourite homeware brands together in one place. With Furnishful, you can create inspiration boards, discover beautiful pieces and shop from thousands of home décor items. Finally, a shoppable Pinterest! In this episode, we talk about how Efua has bootstrapped her business over the last three years and what she has learnt along the way. We discuss the principles of addictive technology, using tech for good and how Efua wants to empower women to upskill their technical abilities to better serve their businesses. We talk about failure, mentorship and working with your life partner! Enjoy!
Join in the conversation online using #THEWOTPOD on Twitter https://twitter.com/TheWotPod and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/
Episode resources:
Positive Planet - https://positiveplanetuk.com/
The Lean Startup by Eric Ries - https://www.amazon.com/Lean-Startup-Entrepreneurs-Continuous-Innovation/dp/B005MM7HY8
/Hooked by Nir Eyal - https://www.amazon.com/Hooked-How-Build-Habit-Forming-Products/dp/B00HZY1N0K/
Find out more about Efua Akumanyi and Furnishful:
https://www.furnishful.co.uk
https://www.instagram.com/furnishful/
https://www.pinterest.co.uk/furnishful/
https://twitter.com/Furnishful
https://twitter.com/efuaakumanyi
https://www.instagram.com/efuaakumanyi/
Connect with your host, Frankie Cotton:
https://frankiecotton.com
https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_
https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/
My wonderful guest this week is Rose Gallagher, make-up artist, beauty influencer and host of Beauty From the Heart podcast. Rose is on a mission to promote good within the beauty industry through both her platform and podcast, where she sparks meaningful conversations with real change makers and inspiring people in beauty. In this episode, we talk about the responsibility of being an influencer and how we can all create better boundaries with social media. We debate if the beauty industry is feminist or exploitative and Rose shares how she turned her part-time blog into a full-time career. We also discuss the good initiatives happening in beauty and Rose shares her recommended sustainable brands. Enjoy!
Join in the conversation online using #THEWOTPOD on Twitter https://twitter.com/TheWotPod and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/
Episode resources:
BECO - https://betterconsidered.org
Sali Hughes on Sustainable Beauty Brands - https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2019/sep/14/sali-hughes-40-best-sustainable-beauty-brands
Aveda - https://www.aveda.co.uk/living-aveda/mission-and-heritage
The Body Shop - https://www.thebodyshop.com/about-us/our-commitment
Back To Mac - https://m.maccosmetics.com/giving_back/printable_form.tmpl
Find out more about Rose Gallagher:
https://www.mixedgems.co.uk
https://www.instagram.com/rosegallagher/
https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/beauty-from-the-heart/id1473881129
Connect with your host, Frankie Cotton:
https://frankiecotton.com
https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_
https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/
My amazing guest this week is Hui Wang, technologist, no-nonsense businesswoman and founder of Zebee (formerly Koala).Hui is on a mission to bring solo travellers together, creating fun adventures exploring different corners and cultures of the world and curing loneliness for young people through Zebee’s vibrant community. In this episode, we talk about how to create technology that brings people together instead of alienating us. We dive into how Hui has built healthy revenue and got to know what her customers really want in the process. We also touch on the travel industry, sustainability and protecting your business from founder splits… Enjoy!
Join in the conversation online using #THEWOTPOD on Twitter https://twitter.com/TheWotPod and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/
Episode resources:
Google Campus - https://www.campus.co/london/en/
Laws of Human Nature by Robert Greene https://amzn.to/31PXU9H
Find out more about Hui Wang and Zebee:
https://www.zebee.cohttps://twitter.com/WeAreZebee_
https://www.instagram.com/wearezebee/
https://twitter.com/huiwang01
https://www.instagram.com/huisworld/
Connect with your host, Frankie Cotton:
https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_
https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/
My brilliant guest this week is Amisha Ghadiali, yoga teacher and healer, sustainability and conscious living advocate and host of The Future is Beautiful podcast. Amisha is on a mission to make the world a better place by sharing the ancient wisdom of yoga and meditation to be truly transformative for her clients and community. Amisha and I met recently at an Allbright roundtable focused on eco anxiety and sustainability - we had so much to talk about that I knew we needed to bring the conversation onto the podcast. In this episode, we talk about Amisha’s journey from “9 to 5” aspirations to creating a life on purpose as a radical act. We discuss how to overcome eco anxiety and finding a way to reconnect in a high individualised society. We dive into women’s courage, what is means to be human in the digital age and how we can foster true diversity in the workplace... Enjoy!
Join in the conversation online using #THEWOTPOD on Twitter https://twitter.com/TheWotPod and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/
Episode resources:
https://www.amisha.co.uk
https://www.thefutureisbeautiful.co/the-book/
https://www.thefutureisbeautiful.co/podcast/
The Future We Choose:
Amisha Ghadiali at TEDxOxbridge - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kwaKOEl1LI
Bayo Akomolafe - https://www.thefutureisbeautiful.co/2018/05/17/e13-bayo-akomolafe-an-aesthetic-of-entanglement-and-the-sacred-gift-of-stopping/
Find out more about Amisha Ghadiali and The Future Is Beautiful:
https://www.amisha.co.uk
https://www.thefutureisbeautiful.co
https://www.instagram.com/thefutureisbeautiful/
https://twitter.com/thinkactvote
https://twitter.com/amishaghadiali
https://www.instagram.com/amishaghadiali/
Connect with your host, Frankie Cotton:
https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_
https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/
My guest this week is Sarah Welsh, co-founder at Hanx. Sarah and Farah are on a mission to empower women by promoting positive sexual wellbeing through their products and community. In this episode, we talk about Sarah’s transition from gynaecology doctor to startup founder and the idea of Hanx came about. We discuss how Sarah and Farah have created a feminist brand and the company’s contribution to both the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements. We also explore the process of getting Hanx condoms sold in 450 Boots stores and Sarah’s advice on taking risks! Enjoy!
Join in the conversation online using #THEWOTPOD on Twitter https://twitter.com/TheWotPod and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/
Episode resources:
https://www.hanxofficial.com
https://www.huckletree.com/alpha
https://sexplain.org.uk
https://life.hanxofficial.com
Find out more about Sarah Welsh and Hanx:
https://www.hanxofficial.com
https://twitter.com/ESWelsh
https://www.instagram.com/hanxofficial/
https://www.facebook.com/hanxofficial/
https://twitter.com/hanx_official
Connect with your host, Frankie Cotton:
https://twitter.com/FrankieCotton_
https://www.instagram.com/frankiecotton_/
My guest this week is Sarah Hesz, co-founder at Mush. Sarah and Katie are on a mission to keep women sane and happy through motherhood by providing connection and community though the Mush app. In this episode, we talk about the gender gap in startups and investing, particularly when it comes to women’s confidence and pitch styles. We discuss the importance of paying yourself as a founder and how better childcare can address gender inequality. We also explore how we can all make our workplaces better for parents and bring some kindness back to work! Enjoy!
Join in the conversation online using #THEWOTPOD on Twitter https://twitter.com/TheWotPod and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/
Episode resources:
Find out more about Sarah Hesz and Mush:
https://www.letsmush.com
https://www.instagram.com/mushmums/
https://twitter.com/mushmums
https://twitter.com/mushsarah
Connect with your host, Frankie Cotton:
https://twitter.com/Frankie__Cotton
https://www.instagram.com/frankie_rose_cotton/
My guest this week is Chartered Financial Advisor, author, podcaster and mum, Lisa Conway-Hughes, also known as Miss Lolly. Lisa is on a mission to help people become more financially secure and manage their money to build the life of their dreams. Lisa is a speaker, podcast co-host of ‘She’s On The Money’, author of ‘Money Lessons: How to manage your finances to get the life you want’ and holds down a full-time position at a wealth management firm in the City. In this episode, we talk about how the importance of financial wellbeing for self-care and how financial planning is actually about life planning. We discuss the importance of normalising paternity leave to address the gender wealth gap. We also dive into Lisa’s writing process and how she’s so productive with two young children! Enjoy!
Join in the conversation online using #THEWOTPOD on Twitter https://twitter.com/TheWotPod and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/
Episode resources: https://sistersnog.com
The 100-Year Life: Living and Working in an Age of Longevity by Lynda Gratton and Andrew Scott - https://amzn.to/2LGnSrE
Money Lessons: How to manage your finances to get the life you want by Lisa Conway-Hughes - https://amzn.to/2QpoKW1
Find out more about Lisa Conway-Hughes:
https://misslolly.com
https://www.instagram.com/misslollymoney/
https://twitter.com/lolly_lisa
Connect with your host, Frankie Cotton:
https://twitter.com/Frankie__Cotton
https://www.instagram.com/frankie_rose_cotton/
My guest this week is Tracey Livingston, entrepreneur, speaker and ICF accredited coach for purpose-driven entrepreneurs. Tracey’s vision is a world where every human being freely realizes, pursues and lives out their life’s purpose and calling. To do this, her mission is to reach one million people through coaching, training and speaking, and support them to live out their life’s purpose. In this episode, we talk about how to find your mission and balance living your purpose with the practicalities of life and finances. We explore how to manage your energy and foster a whole life approach in your business or career. We also dive into the limiting beliefs of entrepreneurs and Tracey gives us a coaching action to finish! Enjoy!
Join in the conversation online using #THEWOTPOD on Twitter https://twitter.com/TheWotPod and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/
Episode resources:
Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill -
https://amzn.to/2NdTnv1
https://millionaireminduk.com
https://www.womenforwomen.org.uk
Find out more about Tracey Liv:
https://traceyliv.com
https://www.instagram.com/tracey_liv/
Connect with your host, Frankie Cotton:
https://twitter.com/Frankie__Cotton
https://www.instagram.com/frankie_rose_cotton/
This week’s guest is award-winning theatre director and co-founder of Junction 8 Theatre, Liz Stevenson. Liz won the 2015 JMK Young Director Award and her production of BARBARIANS at the Young Vic was nominated for a 2016 Olivier Award. In this episode, we talk about the importance of theatre in today’s world where content and digital entertainment is on-demand. We discuss the Brexit echo chamber in London and why we need to tell the regional human stories from across the UK. We also dive into how it feels to receive critical reviews, fostering self-esteem and leadership lessons. Enjoy!
Join in the conversation online using #THEWOTPOD on Twitter https://twitter.com/TheWotPod and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/
Find out more about Liz Stevenson and Theatre By The Lake:
https://www.lstevenson.co.uk/
https://twitter.com/LizStevenson5
https://www.theatrebythelake.com
Connect with your host, Frankie Cotton:
https://twitter.com/Frankie__Cotton
https://www.instagram.com/frankie_rose_cotton/
This week’s guests are Emilie Bellet, CEO and Founder at Vestpod, and Carmel Dickinson to talk all things women and money!
In this episode, we talk about our relationships with money and how to build a healthy and rewarding money mindset.
We discuss self-worth, managing your money emotions and practical tips on managing your finances.
We also dive into investing for beginners, share our top tips for salary and fee negotiation and tackle financial feminism. Enjoy!
Join in the conversation online using #THEWOTPOD on Twitter https://twitter.com/TheWotPod and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/
Episode resources:
- You're Not Broke You're Pre-Rich by Emilie Bellet - https://amzn.to/2LlD4J5
- Mindset - Changing The Way You think To Fulfil Your Potential by Dr Carol Dweck - https://amzn.to/2Zr37IU
- My Frugal Year - https://www.instagram.com/myfrugalyear/
- Moneybox - https://www.moneyboxapp.com
- Vestpod - YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNLA1uV3nk53PTPll1beaLA
Find out more about Emile Bellet and Vestpod:
https://www.vestpod.com
https://www.instagram.com/vestpod/
https://twitter.com/VestPod
https://www.facebook.com/groups/772782292894858/
Find out more about Carmel Dickinson
https://www.instagram.com/carmelfinfeminist/
Connect with your host, Frankie Cotton:
https://twitter.com/Frankie__Cotton
https://www.instagram.com/frankie_rose_cotton/
This week’s guests are Lauren Armes, CEO and Founder at Welltodo, and Bonnie Lister Parsons, CEO and Founder at Seen On Screen - both powerhouses in the wellness industry! In this episode, we talk about how both Lauren and Bonnie started their businesses and how entrepreneurship is a spiritual game that tests your character and resolve. We discuss how to harness self-confidence, how ego shows up in business and ways to deal with the stresses and mental challenges of being a business owner. We also dive into money - both in business and personal finance. Not to be missed!
Join in the conversation online using #THEWOTPOD on Twitter https://twitter.com/TheWotPod and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/
Episode resources:
The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson - https://amzn.to/2NqZT0I
Firewalk - https://tonyrobbinsfirewalk.com/
How Rich People Think by Steve Siebold - https://amzn.to/2MxWeyu
Secrets of the Millionaire Mind: Mastering the Inner Game of Wealth by T. Harv Eker - https://amzn.to/2NlXTa9
You're A Badass At Making Money by Jen Sincero - https://amzn.to/31S5kcY
Vestpod - Women and Money - https://www.vestpod.com/
Find out more about Bonnie Parsons and Seen On Screen:
Seen On Screen -
https://www.seenonscreen.dance/
https://www.instagram.com/seenonscreen.dance/
https://www.facebook.com/seenonscreen.dance/
https://www.youtube.com/user/SoSdancelife
Bonnie Parsons - https://www.instagram.com/bonnieparsons/
Find out more about Lauren Armes and Welltodo:
Welltodo -
https://www.welltodoglobal.com/
https://www.instagram.com/welltodoglobal/
https://www.instagram.com/welltodocareers/
Lauren Armes - https://www.instagram.com/laurenarmes/
Connect with your host, Frankie Cotton:
https://twitter.com/Frankie__Cotton
https://www.instagram.com/frankie_rose_cotton/
This week’s guests are Kristina Komlosiova and Stephanie Johnson, Co-Founders at Pollen + Grace, the natural food company bringing you modern day convenience food through a range of ready meals and snacks that are free from gluten, wheat and dairy.In this episode, we talk about how to manage cash flow and the challenges of the physical business of food manufacturing. We discuss Kris and Steph’s startup loan, their angel investment round and recent crowdfunding campaign. We also dive into sustainability for convenience foods and the need for a circular economy.
Join in the conversation online using #THEWOTPOD on Twitter https://twitter.com/TheWotPod and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/.
Episode resources:
Pollen + Grace - https://www.pollenandgrace.com
Startup Loans - https://www.startuploans.co.uk
The Lean Startup by Eric Ries - https://amzn.to/2MjmRal
Find out more about Pollen + Grace:Pollen + Grace -
https://www.pollenandgrace.com
https://www.instagram.com/pollenandgrace/
https://twitter.com/pollenandgrace
https://www.facebook.com/pollenandgrace/
Connect with your host, Frankie Cotton:
https://twitter.com/Frankie__Cotton
https://www.instagram.com/frankie_rose_cotton/
This week’s guest is Emily Forbes, founder and CEO at Seenit, the creative platform that enables colleagues, customers and fans of large organisations to tell stories through authentic video content. In this episode we talk about how to test your business idea, copycat competitors and why authentic company values are so important. We discuss Emily’s approach to team management using the framework of creativity, risk taking, growth and autonomy. Emily shares her mistakes, her proudest moments and insights for aspiring business owners.
Join in the conversation online using #THEWOTPOD on Twitter https://twitter.com/TheWotPod and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/.
Episode resources: Seenit - https://seenit.io
Collider Accelerator - https://www.collider.io/
London and Partners - https://www.londonandpartners.com/
Connect with Emily Forbes:
https://www.instagram.com/forbes_emily/
https://twitter.com/_EmilyForbes
Find out more about Seenit:
Seenit -
https://seenit.io
https://www.instagram.com/seenit__/
https://twitter.com/_seenit
https://www.linkedin.com/company/seenit-ltd-/
Connect with your host, Frankie Cotton:
https://twitter.com/Frankie__Cotton
https://www.instagram.com/frankie_rose_cotton/
This week’s guest is Billie Quinlan, co-founder and CEO of Ferly, the Femtech app everyone is talking about on the UK startup scene.
In this episode, we cover career transitions and how Ferly came about, Billie’s tips for imposter syndrome, co-founder relationships and making an app commercially viable.
We also discuss mental health, managing a high-performance team and the concept of a growth mindset.
Join in the conversation online using #THEWOTPOD on Twitter https://twitter.com/TheWotPod and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/thewotpod/.
Episode resources:
- Zinc VC - https://www.zinc.vc
- Escape The City - https://www.escapethecity.org
- Code First Girls - https://www.codefirstgirls.org.uk
- Zero to One by Peter Thiel - https://amzn.to/2jTPu1u
- Deep Work by Cal Newport - https://amzn.to/2luSjq4
- OKR - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OKR
- Connect with Billie Quinlan: https://twitter.com/billiequinlanhttps://www.instagram.com/billiequinlan/
- Billie’s Tedx Talk - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXuWmuoc1X0
Find out more about Ferly: https://weareferly.comhttps://www.instagram.com/weareferly/https://twitter.com/weareferly
Connect with your host, Frankie Cotton:https://twitter.com/Frankie__Cottonhttps://www.instagram.com/frankie_rose_cotton/
Women On Top is a series of intimate conversations with bright and brilliant women on a mission. Interviewing startup founders, business leaders, creators, politicians and activists, Women On Top unpacks their successes, failures, ambition and drive. From creating multi-million dollar companies to managing mental health and imposter syndrome, Women On Top explores it all through a feminist lens. Brought to you by host Frankie Cotton.