The Chat Womb

• Katherine Evans: The Bold As Brass Geologist Putting the ‘Personal’ in PPE For Women

  "We're seeing the equipment, we're seeing the protective—we're not seeing the personal." – Katherine Evans, Founder of Bold as BrassJo Phillips is joined by Katherine Evans, founder of Bold as Brass, to talk about why personal protective equipment (PPE) is still failing women—and what we can do to fix it.From ill-fitting safety gear to the invisible barriers women face in male-dominated industries, Katherine shares her powerful story of challenging the status quo in heavy industry and designing PPE that actually fits women's bodies, identities, and needs.They explore how something as ‘practical’ as workwear can either protect or dehumanise—and why seeing the person behind the PPE is the first step to systemic change.Episode Highlights(02:10) – Katherine’s mission behind Bold as Brass (03:40) – The problem with “unisex” PPE: when protection becomes exclusion (07:20) – Why representation matters (10:00) – PPE and the body: why gear designed for male frames puts others at risk (14:25) – What does truly personal protective equipment look like? (19:10) – Catherine on bringing her whole self to an industry that wasn’t built for her (24:00) – The language of change: why words like “grit” and “resilience” just don’t cut it (29:30) – Advice for women in male-dominated sectorsAbout Our Guest: Katherine EvansKatherine Evans is the founder of Bold as Brass, a Linkedin group designed to provide inclusive, dignified, and genuinely protective PPE for women and underrepresented groups in heavy industry.Having worked in sectors where safety and identity are often compromised by one-size-fits-men gear, Katherine launched Bold as Brass to redefine what safety looks and feels like. She’s a passionate advocate for visibility, safety, and systemic change in workplaces where women have too often been treated as an afterthought.Follow Katherine on LinkedInJoin Bold as BrassAbout your host: Jo PhillipsJo coaches ambitious women like you to break through career barriers, own their worth, and finally get the career and salary they deserve. Through 1:1 coaching, Jo helps you identify what’s holding you back, to build an unapologetic strategy for success, cheerleading you every step of the way—because you already have what it takes. It’s time to stop waiting and start moving with audacity…Connect with Jo:Website: The Woman Behind The WomenSocials: Linkedin / Instagram: @thewomanbehindthewomen 'The Chat Womb' is hosted by Jo Phillips and proudly produced by Decibelle Creative:

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• Power Moves Only: Closing The Gender Pension Gap And Building Wealth With Helen Bandcroft

  “Speak up for yourself and say it with your chest.” – Helen Bandcroft, Sales Leader & Investor“It's about not being smaller so others can be taller.” – Jo Phillips, The Woman Behind The WomenEpisode SummaryThis week in The Chat Womb, Jo Phillips sits down with Helen Bandcroft, sales leader, part-time investor, and unapologetic champion of financial empowerment. Jo and Helen unpack one of the most overlooked inequalities facing women today: the gender pension gap.Helen shares her journey from hairdressing to sales leadership, revealing how she strategically built her wealth through shares, investing, and financial self-education, despite the systems not being designed for women to win.They talk about salary negotiations, workplace power dynamics, financial freedom, and how to start building wealth (especially if you feel behind).Episode Highlights(02:10) – Introducing Helen Bandcroft: Sales leader, investor & financial empowerment advocate (04:00) – The shocking stats behind the gender pension gap (05:00) – From hairdressing to head office: Helen’s career journey (07:30) – The power of shares, and how they helped Helen buy her first flat (10:15) – Why asking for shares may be smarter than asking for a raise (13:00) – Where to start if you’ve never invested: tools, tips & resources (15:00) – Investing secretly: your money = your options (20:00) – Walking away from a job on principle and what happened next (28:00) – What Helen would tell her 21-year-old self (and her 13-year-old goddaughter) (32:00) – Assertive vs. Aggressive: Standing your ground and speaking with purposeAbout Our Guest: Helen BandcroftHelen Bandcroft is a sales leader, public speaker, and part-time investor with a fierce passion for helping women understand their worth, in life and in their finances.From leaving school early and working in hairdressing to buying her own flat with her share payout, Helen has built a career and financial portfolio on her own terms. She’s a firm believer in speaking up, investing wisely, and carving out power in rooms that weren’t designed for women.Follow Helen on LinkedInAbout your host: Jo PhillipsJo coaches ambitious women like you to break through career barriers, own their worth, and finally get the career and salary they deserve. Through 1:1 coaching, Jo helps you identify what’s holding you back, to build an unapologetic strategy for success, cheerleading you every step of the way—because you already have what it takes. It’s time to stop waiting and start moving with audacity…Connect with Jo:Website: The Woman Behind The WomenSocials: Linkedin / Instagram: @thewomanbehindthewomen 'The Chat Womb' is hosted by Jo Phillips and proudly produced by

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• Not Your Protégé, Not Your Threat: Why Men Champion Women... Until They Succeed with Gill Whitty-Collins

  “We start to become a problem in this world when we start to exceed other people's expectations of us.” – Gill Whitty-Collins, Author & Gender Equality ExpertI’ve really started to struggle with the term unconscious bias… is saying that there’s an unconscious bias, a loophole?” – Jo Phillips, The Woman Behind The WomenEpisode SummaryIn this episode of The Chat Womb, Jo Phillips is joined by Gill Whitty-Collins, senior business leader, gender equality expert, and author of Why Men Win at Work, to break down the hidden forces that keep men in power and women fighting for space.Gill reveals why gender inequality isn’t about competence, but about perception, and how deeply ingrained paternalistic mindsets create barriers for women in leadership. She and Jo explore the unconscious biases that shape decision-making, the “daughter phenomenon” in male allyship, and why men need to shift from protectors to partners in the fight for equality.If you’ve ever wondered why men are still winning at work—and what we can do about it—this episode is a must-listen.Episode Highlights(02:10) – Introducing Gill Whitty-Collins: Author of Why Men Win at Work (05:00) – Why do men really win at work? Gill breaks it down (07:15) – Invisible forces at play: The unconscious barriers women face (12:30) – Does unconscious bias still hold up? The real reason it hasn’t worked (20:10) – When women enter the “dominant culture” and the game changes (25:00) – The "daughter phenomenon”—why men support women until they become equals (30:45) – Moving from paternalism to true male allyship (35:20) – Gill’s message to men in leadership: “You are not their dad. You are their colleague.”About Our Guest: Gill Whitty-CollinsGill Whitty-Collins is an author, consultant, and gender equality advocate with over 20 years of experience as a senior leader in the corporate world. After a successful career at Procter & Gamble, where she led global brands like Olay, Always, and Pantene, Gill turned her attention to tackling the structural and cultural barriers holding women back in business.Her book, Why Men Win at Work, has been described as a must-read for anyone serious about gender equality. Through her keynote talks, executive coaching, and workshops, Gill helps organisations identify the invisible forces that keep women from leadership and take real action to drive change.🔗 Follow Gill on LinkedIn / Instagram @gillwhittycollins 📖 Buy Why Men Win at Work 🌍 Visit Gill’s Website https://gillwhittycollins.com/ About your host: Jo PhillipsJo coaches ambitious...

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• From Good Girl to Rebel Woman: Deprogramming Society’s Expectations with Michelle Minnikin

  “Be nice, be kind, share, smile, try to be as pretty as possible and don’t possibly age... This is how we’ve been trained.” – Michelle Minnikin, Psychologist & Author"When did ‘nice’ ever get us a pay rise?" – Jo Phillips, The Woman Behind The WomenIn this episode of The Chat Womb, Jo Phillips is joined by Michelle Minnikin, psychologist, coach, and author of Good Girl Deprogramming, to dismantle the covert rules and expectations that keep women small.From childhood, women are conditioned to be agreeable, seek approval, and play by the rules, but where does that leave us? Michelle breaks down how society’s invisible coercive control keeps women in line, why so many women feel stuck in their careers, and—most importantly—how to break free from the ‘Good Girl’ mould and reclaim your power.If you’ve ever felt pressured to play nice, stay quiet, or make yourself smaller, this episode is for you.Episode Highlights(02:10) – Introducing Michelle Minnikin: Psychologist, coach & author of Good Girl Deprogramming(05:00) – The cult of ‘Good Girl Conditioning’—how women are programmed to comply(07:15) – What society really teaches women: Approval = Worth(12:30) – The workplace was built for men—how women lose confidence when they enter it (20:10) – The self-worth crisis: Why women lose belief in their own success(25:00) – How to find your tribe and build a support system that lifts you up (30:45) – The #1 thing every woman needs to unlearn: Being ‘nice’ (35:20) – Michelle’s advice to her younger self: Be less nice. You don’t need to be liked to succeed.About Our Guest: Michelle MinnikinMichelle Minnikin is a psychologist, coach, and author of Good Girl Deprogramming. With a background in organisational psychology, Michelle helps women unlearn the societal expectations that hold them back and rebuild their confidence, boundaries, and self-worth.Her work shines a light on how women are conditioned to comply from childhood, why so many feel stuck in their careers, and how to break free from the ‘Good Girl’ narrative to claim the success and freedom they deserve.🔗 Follow Michelle on Instagram: @michelleminnikin / Visit her website: https://www.michelleminnikin.com/ About your host: Jo PhillipsJo coaches ambitious women like you to break through career barriers, own their worth, and finally get the career and salary they deserve. Through 1:1 coaching, Jo helps you identify what’s holding you back, to build an unapologetic strategy for success, cheerleading you every step of the way—because you already have what it takes. It’s time to stop waiting and start moving with audacity…Connect with Jo:Website: The Woman Behind The WomenSocials: Linkedin / Instagram: @thewomanbehindthewomen 'The Chat Womb' is hosted by Jo Phillips and proudly produced by Decibelle Creative: @decibelle_creative...

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• ‘At What Point’ will we feel safe? The Viral Wake-Up Call That Spoke to Millions, with Poet Caitlin O’Ryan

  “We are so aware from such a young age that it might happen and that it could happen… As women, we’re just so normalised into hyper-vigilance constantly.” - Caitlin O’Ryan, Actor, Podcaster & Poet"This has got nothing to do with saying that every male causes danger. But it’s about, from a societal perspective, understanding … [that] these are just some of the considerations we navigate every single day before we go about our lives." - Jo Phillips, The Woman Behind The Women*This episode lands just in time for International Women’s Day 2025 (Saturday, March 8th), a day to celebrate women’s achievements and challenge the barriers that still hold us back.As we mark this occasion, The Chat Womb is bringing you a conversation that speaks to the daily realities women face, from safety and self-worth to the invisible weight - and cost - of societal expectations. Caitlin O’Ryan’s viral poem At What Point struck a chord with millions, and in this episode we explore what it truly means to exist, navigate, and push back against these norms.International Women’s Day is as much about celebrating progress and women’s achievements as it is about shining a spotlight on the work still to be done…*Episode Summary:Taking a seat in The Chat Womb with Jo Phillips today is Caitlin O’Ryan - actor, poet, and podcaster - to discuss the hidden costs of simply existing as a woman.Caitlin shares the story behind her viral spoken-word poem At What Point, which reached millions online, shedding light on the constant state of hyper-vigilance women live with daily. From assessing risks when walking alone at night to altering schedules, paying for safety, and feeling the weight of social expectations, they explore the gendered realities that shape female experiences.Episode Highlights:(02:10) – Introducing Caitlin O’Ryan: Actor, poet, and the woman behind At What Point(05:00) – The viral poem that struck a chord with millions(07:15) – The unseen cost of being a woman: Hyper-vigilance as second nature(12:30) – The paradox of women’s safety: Taxi vs. Walking Home Alone(15:45) – The fine line between politeness and self-preservation(20:10) – How women are conditioned to shrink themselves for others' comfort(25:00) – Caitlin on imposter syndrome, self-doubt, and the power of authenticity(30:45) – Finding freedom in creativity and reclaiming childhood curiosity(35:20) – Caitlin’s advice to her younger self: Stay weird, stay loud, stay you.About Our Guest: Caitlin O’RyanCaitlin O’Ryan is an actor, poet, and podcaster. Best known for her role as Lizzie Wemyss in Outlander, Caitlin has captivated audiences with her heartfelt performances. However, it was her viral poem At What Point that propelled her into the public eye in a new and powerful way.Originally performed as a spoken word piece, At What Point struck a chord with audiences worldwide, addressing themes of womanhood, societal expectations, and the female experience with raw honesty...

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