Stepping down is as important as stepping up.

Sometimes life just pulls you along to a place you never imagined you would be, its the wonderful momentum and energy that sweeps you up and carries you there.

7 years ago I founded Lean In Leeds after reading Cheryl Sandbergs book shining a light on gender differences and how women can change things for themselves and reach other. I have always been vocal about the gender agenda and I loved this book. Unsurprisingly as the COO for Facebook Cheryl had set-up an online community for women to connect and in the book it suggested you look for a circle near you. As a first time founder of a software company I had spent my career in an industry that suffered from underrepresentation of women at all levels. Female tech founders in the North....rocking horse ??. So I wanted, selfishly, to find people like me so I didn't feel alone...more female founders.

Little did I know clicking that "Start A Circle" button would be a stepping up moment. Leading to an amazing adventure over the last 7 years. We have run over 70 events, a Conference, matched 400 mentoring partnerships and now have a membership of nearly 1100. Running this community has brought me huge joy, amazing friends, success in business but more importantly a sense of purpose and a practical way to have an impact on something I am deeply passionate about. It blows my mind what we have achieved together with so little no member has ever spent a penny to be part of this community. Its all run by volunteers and the venues are all provided free

Over these 7 years I have been supported by a long list of incredible women and one man who have volunteered and helped run the network two deserve mention. Firstly Pauline Giroux who was at our first ever meeting and has been our longest serving member of the steering group running our jewel in the crown mentoring program. All whilst juggling her career and starting a family. Secondly Claire Ackers in the photo above joined the circle after a 2 years and quickly became a core part of the team running the community. Claire is the Yin to my Yang. I have always been full of ideas and energy at pace, it can be a chaotic and disorientating experience for those around me. Claire is the calm, cool, humble and wise soul along side me, quietly with her hands on the reigns steering the ship and she has done this for a few years now. The unsung hero, the natural leader and from last night our new Chair.

As someone said to me at our event last night, "you are retiring to the back benches". Stepping down is never easy, knowing when to step down, I think that's harder and perhaps its because we see it as an ending....But it doesn't have to be. Staying with the topical theme of politics...In my mind I am still in the Lean In Leeds party cheering on our leader from the back benches, may be one day I will just be at the party and not on the bench and over time maybe a supporter of the party a member. But these are for me to choose, they are still the gifts of how I choose to remain involved, a transition.

So the choice to Step Up to something that feels like a start...doesn't mean to Step Down is a stop.

I just feel lucky enough a natural leader has been patiently waiting for their time to take the lead and more importantly wants to take it.