Women's Business

In this episode I speak to Penny Wincer, a book coach and author, about creativity, care, and what work means when life is complex. Penny shares her path from a childhood around film sets to studying a multidisciplinary arts degree, assisting fashion photographers in London and New York, and ultimately becoming an interiors photographer. She explains how writing returned when she ringfenced Fridays for a City Lit course after divorce and as a single parent, and how her experiences as a young carer for her unwell mother connected with parenting her autistic son with a learning disability, leading to her first book, Tender, on care, unpaid labour, and identity. We discuss how her proposal secured multiple publishing offers despite a small profile, and how the pandemic and escalating care needs forced her to end her photography career and rebuild her working life from home. Penny talks about employing nannies, the limits of paid support, the emotional labour of constant regulation, work as respite, and how her lived experience reshaped her views on privilege, fairness, disability, and intersectionality. She describes training with Author Accelerator to become a non-fiction book proposal coach, building a business and audience through a newsletter and online visibility, and challenging myths about perfect writing conditions and the claim that everyone has a book in them. Penny also shares practical guidance for aspiring nonfiction authors - starting with the ‘why’, understanding the market, and defining a unique angle and voice.
Find Penny on Instagram here
Find Penny's website and more about her non-fiction book coaching here
Join the conversation with me on Instagram here
The women Penny recommended were Caro Giles and Suzy Reading (scroll back to episode 2 to hear her story!)

In this episode I speak with Sara Dalrymple - a speaker, mentor, and author with a wealth of experience in the language and logic of money, sales and self-promotion. We delve into Sara’s early career in banking, where she came to grips with the inequities women face despite hard work and dedication. Sara shares invaluable insights on pricing, explaining that it should be driven by logic rather than emotion. We also explore the nuances of sales, highlighting that it’s about creating mutual value and genuine connection rather than being pushy. Sara emphasises the importance of community and collective improvement for women entrepreneurs to achieve financial sustainability and self-advocacy. This episode is a must-listen for anyone struggling with sales and pricing in their business.
Find Sara on Instagram here
Find her website (and book!) here
The woman that Sara shouted out was Steph Caswell
Join the conversation with me on Instagram here
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This episode is sponsored by ⁠Hawkins Laxton & Co⁠ - the personal branding and thought-leadership specialists supporting senior leaders, founders, and business owners to grow their professional profile in a tough and noisy market. If you know you need a stronger personal brand - one that actually reflects your strengths, your expertise, and the direction you're heading - Clare and Sian offer a brilliant process to help you get there. You'll get a full audit of your current personal brand, a 90-minute 1:1 session to uncover your signature strengths and values, and a bespoke personal brand narrative alongside a three-month thought-leadership plan. They'll also give you a digital and social optimisation strategy, plus a final implementation session so you walk away with a clear, confident personal brand - and a practical plan to grow your credibility, activate your community, and communicate with ease. Their clients describe the experience as game-changing, creative, confidence-boosting, and genuinely career-shifting. If you want support with personal branding, thought leadership, or media training, get in touch with Clare and Sian at ⁠hawkinslaxton.com⁠, or email [email protected] or [email protected].

In this episode I speak to Becca Stearn, co-founder of Mustard Made, the global locker brand. Becca shares her honest and unconventional journey from an unplanned pregnancy in her university days to launching a successful, unique locker business with her sister that has gone onto global success. We delve into her non-linear path, the inspiration behind Mustard Made, and the challenges of scaling a company rapidly. Becca also discusses the mindset shifts required when your business grows faster than expected, the role of sustainability in her company, and the importance of hiring the right people. Her story is a brilliant reminder that you don’t need a perfect plan to build something substantial; you just need to keep taking the next steps and adapt as you grow.
Find Mustard Made online here
Find them on Instagram here
Join the conversation with me on Instagram here
The person that Becca shouted out was Fiona Killackey
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This episode is sponsored by ⁠Hawkins Laxton & Co⁠ - the personal branding and thought-leadership specialists supporting senior leaders, founders, and business owners to grow their professional profile in a tough and noisy market. If you know you need a stronger personal brand - one that actually reflects your strengths, your expertise, and the direction you're heading - Clare and Sian offer a brilliant process to help you get there. You'll get a full audit of your current personal brand, a 90-minute 1:1 session to uncover your signature strengths and values, and a bespoke personal brand narrative alongside a three-month thought-leadership plan. They'll also give you a digital and social optimisation strategy, plus a final implementation session so you walk away with a clear, confident personal brand - and a practical plan to grow your credibility, activate your community, and communicate with ease. Their clients describe the experience as game-changing, creative, confidence-boosting, and genuinely career-shifting. If you want support with personal branding, thought leadership, or media training, get in touch with Clare and Sian at ⁠hawkinslaxton.com⁠, or email [email protected] or [email protected].

In this episode, I speak to Fliss Newland, powerhouse young founder of Wild Thingz, a fun and innovative lower sugar sweet brand. We discuss her career transition from working with major retail brands like Mondelez to acquiring and rebranding a 40-year-old vegan sweet business - and the untapped opportunity that exists when taking on a business that already exists! 
Fliss shares her insights on the challenges of growth and letting go of control, the importance of brand over constant innovation, and the practical challenges of starting and scaling a business. We also delve into topics like the power of consistent messaging, the role of women in leadership, and the importance of creating an inclusive work culture, especially for working mothers. Fliss's journey is a testament to finding opportunity in unexpected places and the power of positive mental attitude - she has a brilliant energy and I know you'll take loads from this episode. 
Find Wild Thingz online ⁠here⁠
Find Wild Thinz on Instagram ⁠here ⁠
The woman Fliss shouted out was ⁠Jennifer Spurr ⁠
Don't forget to join the conversation with me on Instagram ⁠here ⁠
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This episode is sponsored by ⁠Hawkins Laxton & Co⁠ - the personal branding and thought-leadership specialists supporting senior leaders, founders, and business owners to grow their professional profile in a tough and noisy market. If you know you need a stronger personal brand - one that actually reflects your strengths, your expertise, and the direction you're heading - Clare and Sian offer a brilliant process to help you get there. You'll get a full audit of your current personal brand, a 90-minute 1:1 session to uncover your signature strengths and values, and a bespoke personal brand narrative alongside a three-month thought-leadership plan. They'll also give you a digital and social optimisation strategy, plus a final implementation session so you walk away with a clear, confident personal brand - and a practical plan to grow your credibility, activate your community, and communicate with ease. Their clients describe the experience as game-changing, creative, confidence-boosting, and genuinely career-shifting. If you want support with personal branding, thought leadership, or media training, get in touch with Clare and Sian at ⁠hawkinslaxton.com⁠, or email [email protected] or [email protected].

In this episode, I speak to Fliss Newland, powerhouse young founder of Wild Thingz, a fun and innovative lower sugar sweet brand. We discuss her career transition from working with major retail brands like Mondelez to acquiring and rebranding a 40-year-old vegan sweet business - and the untapped opportunity that exists when taking on a business that already exists! 
Fliss shares her insights on the challenges of growth and letting go of control, the importance of brand over constant innovation, and the practical challenges of starting and scaling a business. We also delve into topics like the power of consistent messaging, the role of women in leadership, and the importance of creating an inclusive work culture, especially for working mothers. Fliss’s journey is a testament to finding opportunity in unexpected places and the power of positive mental attitude - she has a brilliant energy and I know you'll take loads from this episode. 
Find Wild Thingz online here
Find Wild Thinz on Instagram here 
The woman Fliss shouted out was Jennifer Spurr 
Don't forget to join the conversation with me on Instagram here 
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This episode is sponsored by Hawkins Laxton & Co - the personal branding and thought-leadership specialists supporting senior leaders, founders, and business owners to grow their professional profile in a tough and noisy market. If you know you need a stronger personal brand - one that actually reflects your strengths, your expertise, and the direction you're heading - Clare and Sian offer a brilliant process to help you get there. You'll get a full audit of your current personal brand, a 90-minute 1:1 session to uncover your signature strengths and values, and a bespoke personal brand narrative alongside a three-month thought-leadership plan. They'll also give you a digital and social optimisation strategy, plus a final implementation session so you walk away with a clear, confident personal brand - and a practical plan to grow your credibility, activate your community, and communicate with ease. Their clients describe the experience as game-changing, creative, confidence-boosting, and genuinely career-shifting. If you want support with personal branding, thought leadership, or media training, get in touch with Clare and Sian at hawkinslaxton.com, or email [email protected] or [email protected].