Happy IWD

Happy International Women's Day

I have just had a rant about how AI is bias against women and that's not how I wish to end the day. It is a positive day IWD and that's what I will focus on. It was just over a year ago on March 3rd ’22 that I hosted the first women + innovation event to shine a spotlight on Female Founders, Owners of Innovative companies or Senior creatives and asked them to share their experiences – the good, the bad and the terrible.

Over the 4 events, we heard from 20 brave speakers and +180 women attended. After speaking with attendees after each event. The below women really moved the room and today I dedicate to them - Happy International Women’s Day.

Becks Beere – CEO and Founder of A2V

Becks Beere spoke at our #1 event back in March’22 and took to the floor with no slide deck but with a yellow road bike as a prop (which she later explained was her Dads old bike) that she keeps hung up on the wall in her office to remind her to play to her strengths.

Becks didn’t have the same background to anyone I knew – she grew up Mormon and was a young single mum when she founded her business. A2V was founded in 2012 and her clients include ALDI, DISNEY and Joules. The whole room was empowered by her energy and her no excuses way of looking at business. You only have to look at the A2V Team Instagram to see her team culture.

You can find Becks here on LI or check A2V here.

Arabella Lewis Smith – CEO and Founder of Salad Creative

Arabella Lewis-Smith (Bella) spoke at #3 back in September’22 and has been a mentor (most likely unknowingly) to me since I first met her back in 2019. Bella is well respected in the creative industries and was talked about in the Metro, The Daily Mail, Weekly Observer and on BBC Radio 5 as well as LADBible as Britain’s Best Boss for taking her team of 20 to Spain for their Christmas Party the year before covid.

Bella’s open and honest approach has always been something I have aspired to have. The standout moment from the series was one of the attendees telling Bella after her talk that she had inspired her over a decade ago whilst Bella went to her Uni and gave a talk to her creative course. The attendant said she was ready to give up on her course, but listening to Bella made her finish Uni and she now works successfully in the creative industry so for Bella it was full circle.

You can read about SALAD here and find Bella on LI here.

Georgina Felce – COO & Co Founfer of Talewind

Georgina Felce (Gina) is one of GamesIndustry.biz’s 100 most influential women in UK Games and MCV/Develop’s 30 under 30 winners. For someone so young, G’s energy and enthusiasm for her industry and company is so empowering. Talewind is breathing adventure into the Open Metaverse. Talewind raised + $3 million when they launched and I have little doubt it is down to G’s infectious and fun personality.

Georgina’s LI is here and she recently went on Ty Temel’s podcast and it’s a good one. Listen here.

Kate Taylor – Founder of Evenly

Kate Taylor was a past client of mine and her story is so wonderful. Not only has founded Evenly (a company built to support women with non surgical solutions for breast asymmetry) on her own, Kate was also a winner of the Innovate UK Women in Innovation award. Kate recently had a baby and although I’d love to say she had a relaxing maternity leave – I know she pretty much worked the whole time...!

Kate moved the audience during #1 to tears speaking openly about not fitting in with her peers on her tech digital course at Uni and having to use self-belief to get through. Kate is humble, grounded and such a hard worker - the whole room was mostly in tears by her talk.

Kate can be found here on LI.

To everyone who spoke or came to support the events:

All the women who spoke at our events were amazing, brave and heard and I want to thank them for supporting the series. By giving their time and sharing their journey, they helped inspire the women who attended. Let’s see what we can come up with for the next series.

Celebrate women, all women. If you’re not celebrating all of us, you’re celebrating none of us. “Wearefeelgoodclub”