She Can. She Did.

I can thank Jess and Nat from Mac + Moore (who I spoke to in episode 2 last week!) for introducing me to today's guest a few months back. On an evening in January (which feels like forever ago right now, doesn't it?!), they arranged a dinner with friends and fellow Founders to meet and connect and over the course of G&Ts and oh so scrummy dinner at Caravan in Kings Cross, I got to know the vivacious and ever-inspiring Dr Joanna Abeyie, MBE.As the Non-Executive Director for Investors in People, a Trustee for The Lord Mayor’s Appeal, the first and only black person to be made a Trustee and Director of The Media Society, not to mention the Founder and CEO of Blue Moon - the executive search and diversity and inclusion consultancy based in London - it's safe to say that Jo is one incredibly busy lady; masterfully skilled in juggling numerous public engagements, board meetings, teams and various projects on a daily basis. As the name suggests, with over 12 years' experience championing diversity, inclusio

Having admired Ruth from afar for a few months now and met her for the first time at the London She can. She did. - Midweek Mingle on the 11th March (which let's face it, feels like a short lifetime ago now doesn't it?!), I thought she'd be the perfect Founder to hear from this morning to ensure that we all try and get this week off to as positive a start as possible."Why so?" I hear you ask..!Because on the night of London's Midweek Mingle, I remember admiring her calm delivery and the clarity with which she spoke when recounting the challenges she had faced on her business journey so far and since then, she has also provided such reassuring content which I have found to be so calming in recent days personally.As the Founder of Magnify - a publishing house based in Shoreditch, focused on faith, feminism and fashion - up until recent days, Ruth's main focus has been on ensuring that her and her team deliver the brand's stunning print magazine and well-versed series of events. With said producti

Where do I start with how much I admire the legendary lady that is Kate Halfpenny!?From her impeccable taste in glasses (I have serious frame envy!) to her simply exquisite wedding dress designs and as of a few months ago, bridesmaids attire too, I've admired everything that Kate has created in Halfpenny London from pretty much day one of launching She can. She did. Whilst I haven't been to the Halfpenny London boutique, the ten year old Parent Trap fan in me that used to swoon over how truly British Elizabeth James's bridal brand felt in the movie, can't help but draw parallels every time I get a glimpse of the boutique online too!Self-funded from the outset, having launched in 2005, Kate now leads a team of 13, has styled everyone from Kate Moss to Emilia Fox and her designs are cherished by brides worldwide.Given that the wedding industry has been turned on its head in recent days however, with weddings being cancelled all over the country, I chatted to Kate on Tuesday afternoon to find out what

Today's episode was recorded via Zoom on Monday afternoon and features the Queen of Championing Northern Makers and Artists that is Megan Jones, Founder of Curated Makers - the award winning pop-ups that are hosted in leading department stores across the North of England, including the likes of John Lewis, M&S and Paperchase...By offering customers the opportunity to meet the makers and purchase unique and memorable gifts on the high street whilst simultaneously providing creatives with the opportunity to experience the luxury of department store footfall, Megan's business is changing the future of the British High Street, one Curated Makers pop-up at a time!Three days prior to this recording however, Megan announced that she was pressing pause on the most recent pop-up at John Lewis in Manchester's Trafford Centre as the iconic department store, for the first time in its 155 year history, closed its doors to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Having just signed a three year lease on a storage unit, t

As early as Monday 16th March (which let's face it, feels like a lifetime ago already now doesn't it!?), Cath announced to her 7.9k Instagram followers that she had already seen a huge impact on sales. As a stationery and card business that relies heavily on wholesale orders, over the course of last week, buyers from some of the UK's leading retailers called Cath personally to announce that they were cancelling orders for the foreseeable future and overnight, Sadler Jones lost £10,000 worth of revenue.With office rent, a mortgage that she is solely responsible for and outstanding printing costs to pay, her initial panic at the escalating impact that the pandemic had and continues to have on her livelihood, was (and still is) completely understandable.Having met Cath at both the Bristol and Cardiff Midweek Mingles however, every ounce of me knew that she would come back fighting.From offering to handwrite individual cards for her customers throughout the course of last week (including a few for some Tinder dat

Given that marketing/PR/advertising spend is commonly one of the first budgets to be cut during periods of economic uncertainty, I thought it would be beneficial to so many of you that are running service-based businesses to hear from my good friends and two of the smartest women I know, Jess MacIntyre and Natalie Moores, Co-Founders of Mac + Moore.Having launched their plug-in marketing consultancy (that considers the likes of NOW TV, The British Library and numerous female-founded companies as clients) back in 2016 after both being made redundant, it's safe to say that these two know a thing or two about making the very best our of a bad situation.On Saturday morning, the three of us caught up on Zoom so that I could pick their brains for advice for each and every one of us and find out what they've prioritised as business owners to ensure that Mac + Moore weathers the Covid-19 storm...She can. She did. is hosted by Fiona Grayson (that's me, hello!) and was launched in August 2017.The good old social handle

Hello everyone and welcome to series 3 of the She can. She did. podcast! (How are we on series 3 already!?)As I’ve made reference to on Instagram already, over the coming weeks, this bonus series will be slightly different to the usual She can. She did. Podcast episodes that you might be used to because first and foremost, they will be coming to you daily over the next few weeks; they will be much shorter in the hope that you can pop on the kettle and tune in first thing so that they set you up for the day; but significantly, in light of the recent coronavirus outbreak and the unprecedented impact the virus has had on not just our day-to-day lives but the economy and for so many of us, our businesses too, they will be solely focused on the theme, ‘We can. We will.’…...get through this, as business owners that is!The aim of these episodes is simple.Despite feeling the negative effects of the Coronavirus directly on She can. She did. throughout the course of last week in ways that I go on to explain in the intr

Scamp & Dude is one of the most commendable companies that I’ve come across since launching She can. She did. for so many reasons that I go on to explain in this episode, so between you and me, Jo's name was jot down almost instantly when I was thinking of who I'd love to interview on this podcast. For that reason, I'm very excited to share this week's episode!Recorded in the living room of her stunning home (which you can get a glimpse of on her personal Instagram (@scampanddudejo), the former head of press for Estee Lauder and Tom Ford Beauty, turned business owner opens up about her story launching and growing Scamp & Dude to date - the multi-award winning, superpower infused clothing brand hailed by children and adults world-over for the message behind its trademarked slogan, ‘a superhero has my back.’ After going through the notoriously stressful process of selling her previous PR company that she had launched and grown prior to Scamp & Dude, Jo suffered a brain haemorage which left her

With unapologetic plans to become the leading beauty brand in the market going forward, Elsie and Dominika's shared ambition for BYBI and their story launching, sustaining and growing the 100% natural, vegan, cruelty-free and sustainable beauty brand to date is the perfect antidote to the winter blues in my opinion, should you find yourself lacking motivation and/or self-belief wherever you might be listening to this episode from today!We discuss everything from why, as a young, agile start-up, they're not afraid to push back on industry norms and how that's helped to cement BYBI as a market leader in the clean beauty space. We also discuss what their journey from novice Co-Founders seeking a Virgin start-up loan to fundraising pros who've gone on to raise SEIS investment and two subsequent rounds of funding from VCs looked and felt like, in reality behind the scenes. The challenges of managing and sustaining a team who are as passionate about the business as they are; the never ending challenges of managing

Given that she delivers babies in her role as an NHS paediatrician one day and handles a multi-million pound funding round the next, it's safe to say that thirty-year old Dr Lydia Yarlott isn't your stereotypical business woman...In 2016, during her first year as a junior doctor, Lydia Co-Founded Pando - the life-saving app that is revolutionising the NHS by connecting healthcare workers so that they can find each other easily and share confidential information about their patients securely. Born out of Lydia’s attempts to find a solution to the communication problems she was battling with on the wards as a junior doctor, Pando is now trusted by over 25,000 UK healthcare professionals, at the time of recording had raised £3million of investment with a second round of funding about to close and she, along with her two Co-Founders, now manage a team of 30 in London with imminent plans to go global...Straight off the back of a twelve hour shift on the ward (seriously... the lady is superwoman incarnate!) Lydia j

Think running a chocolate company would be all fun and games girls?!Think again!This week, I had the pleasure of delving into the business story belonging to the Founder of a brand that I’ve had my eye on since day one of She can. She did. - the Founder in question being, of course, the creative genius that is Lucy Elliott, Co-Founder of Creighton’s Chocolaterie. Launched by Lucy and her Mum Andrea in 2011, Creighton's Chocolaterie (apologies in advance for my dreadful French accent when I try and pronounce that in the intro by the way!) combines irresistible and unique flavours – crunchy noodle ramen chocolate bar anyone?! - with quirky, trend-led packaging that makes their chocolate bars stand out from the crowd.Stocked in over 200 stores worldwide with some seriously cool collaborations with other brands to her company's name, in Lucy’s seriously funky house complete with baby pink convertible on the driveway, bright yellow front door and a hot pink staircase to set the scene (!), I caught up with the

I shouldn't have favourites should I (?!) but there's something about the concept behind Eloise's business that you can't help but love, so I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a tad bit more excited than normal to sit down and get this recording underway...Having been voted ‘South London’s Best Experience’ with regular 5* reviews on everything from Time Out to Trip Advisor, gone viral on Buzz Feed and more recently, earnt Eloise the title of 'Most Inspiring Woman running a business 0-3 years' at the NatWest everywoman Awards, The Big Bakes is an interactive bake off for all ages in London and Birmingham, that sees groups of up to ten compete head to head in a kitted out marquee (a la Great British Bake Off), with one participant being crowned star baker once the 90 minutes are up... oh, and you get to eat your cake at the end too.What's not to love right!?On a Tuesday afternoon at her beautiful cottage in Bedfordshire last fortnight therefore, the two of us sat down to discuss everything from the company bake off

At 25, Charlotte Jones has overcome more hardships in the past decade than many of us do in a lifetime and yet in the midst of it all, managed to launch, run and grow what has become the iconic British brand that is Charlotte Elizabeth - the British ladies handbag brand that rose to fame in 2018, when none other than Megan Markle was spotted carrying one of Charlotte's classic designs, in her last public engagement before the Royal Wedding.No big deal eh girls..!When we first met in the summer that followed the wedding therefore, when Charlotte kindly agreed to speak at the third She can. She did. - Midweek Mingle! in London back in August 2018, it's safe to say that she was still very much knee-deep in 'Megan mania'. Overnight, the business that started very much from Charlotte's bedroom as a teenager became a global talking point with orders flooding in at a rate that many designers will only ever dream of. With that in mind, I invited Charlotte over to mine on a Friday afternoon last fortnight and asked he

Sounds like a wild bonus episode, I know, but roll with me here girls!It can't come as a surprise to you all that preparing for tax returns, filing for self assessment and good old bookkeeping and accounting, are a continuous source of angst for so many of the female founders that I chat to, when I ask them to reveal the biggest challenges that they battle with as business owners behind the scenes. Be it that we're unsure of where to file certain expenses (because, let's face it, there's a whole lot of accounting categories to choose from nowadays), we struggle to keep on top of filing our receipts in general, or - like me - you aren't from an accounting background so find finance jargon to be somewhat puzzling; making sense of our business accounts isn't the most glamorous job that we all have to conquer as business owners but it is a job that, let's face it, can't be ignored.Especially when the self-assessment tax return deadline is fast approaching on 31st January and you are sat there, putting off fi

I remember when the email from today’s guest came through. The subject line read, ‘Duchess of Cambridge wears British made lifejacket by brother-sister start up’ and being the hardcore royalist and fan of 'The Crown' that I am (who also happens to always find it interesting when siblings/ family in general go into business with one another because as much as I love my older sister, I don't know if we'd work well as Co-Founders!), it didn’t take long for me to respond and get this chat scheduled in the diary ASAP!Not only does Lauren reveal how her role has evolved over the past six years as TeamO Marine has grown on an international scale, she also provides some really insightful advice on how to best approach a crowdfunding campaign given that she along with her brother went on to successfully raise £270,000 in the Spring of 2018; plus why they opted to move all production of the lifejackets from China to Southampton thereafter. We discuss their experiences patenting Oscar’s design early on and why they’re u

Quite simply, the woman is seriously smart! Having studied cognitive science followed by a masters in social psychology at Brown University in the States, Julia is a self-confessed geek who importantly (to me at least!) has genuine credibility in a sea of 'business experts' online. As someone that loves learning, she opens up to me about the challenges of learning to outsource and not wear every hat as a Founder. We discuss why credibility is so ridiculously important in a world where anyone can claim to be an expert in anything online and how - as a service-based business with no network in London when she moved here - she approached marketing Let Me Be Franckh and putting a price on her time and skills whilst actively building a supportive network of friends who are willing to challenge her. Plus, she offers some seriously powerful advice for us all on how we can all better manage stress, deal with our inner critic on a day-to-day basis and why the word 'yet' can be a great source of power!She can. She did.

I don't know about you but any woman that makes a profitable business from painting and drinking prosecco, is a wise, wise woman if you ask me..! From Tiff and Lara's hilarious memories of marketing Brush & Bubbles in the early days (which may or may not have included hours of unsuccesful leafleting to drunk Londoners around Soho each night) and how their marketing techniques have evolved as their confidence in their brand has grown; how they’ve learnt to put the inevitable challenges that have cropped up into perspective in an attempt to keep calm under pressure since day one; what they’ve learnt about each other since going into business and how they’ve learnt to value their worth and up their prices as they’ve grown; to their welcomed admission that before launching Brush & Bubbles they had no idea what 'turnover' meant so if they can launch a business anyone can; I've admired these two ladies from afar since we met in early 2018, I genuinely mean it when I say that they're smashing it at the momen

Suffice to say, this woman is pretty damn incredible! From how she grew a dedicated client base of transwomen who went on to influence her entire Jecca Blac range (which includes an incredible story of how Jess ran workshops with transitioning prisoners within one of the UK’s largest all-male prisons in Bridgend as a teenager... no biggie!); how she gained the support of L’Oreal’s Innovation Team, grew a network of other like-minded entrepreneurs and her experience seeking investment as a young woman in her early-twenties; to how her relationships with family and friends have evolved as Jecca Blac’s expanded, given that at 23, Jess's current circumstances are starkly different to some of her friends; there’s an unwavering aura of confidence that she possesses in not just her brand but her ability to grow it into the empire that it has the potential to become and for that reason, I won’t be forgetting this chat anytime soon. Gosh, that was a long sentence...! *and breathe Fi* She can. She did. is hosted by me

From Girls That Scuba diving trips around the world, a paid membership community which fights back against 'pink tax' and the Girls That Scuba merchandise that was driven by demand from her community, it's safe to say that Sarah's well-versed in the art of juggling multiple revenue streams. If that’s not impressive enough, earlier this year, she also launched A Waste Free World - the online shop that is committed to reducing plastic consumption that was inspired by how much plastic the Girls That Scuba community were finding on their many dives around the world. From how she dominated a niche in the scuba diving market and how she’s dealt with the backlash from men who have criticised her decision to focus solely on women (the two of us had quite a lot to say on that topic, as I’m sure you’ll soon hear!); what happened when the Girls That Scuba Instagram account was hacked for two weeks and how she navigated the threats from said hacker and the lessons that Sarah drew from the experience in its wake; to the i

From her advice on 'socialising' business ideas and building a network before you launch; how she’s funded Pepper Your Talk and The Junior Network since day one given that it was an idea that didn’t lend itself to revenue from the outset; why she’s recently scaled back to focus on learning more about business for long-term sustainability and growth; to how she deals with every day challenges like her own inner critic constantly questioning whether she’s commercially minded enough and has what it takes to be an entrepreneur; as I’m sure you’ll soon hear, I resonated with so many elements of Dior’s story and am hoping you’ll find her advice as useful as I did…   She can. She did. is hosted by me, Fiona Grayson (hello!) and is sponsored by xero.com For a free one-month trial on Xero followed by 50% off for the next six months, please feel free to use the code, 'SCSD50' going forward! The good old social handles should you fancy a further peek! She can. She did. @shecanshedid Pepper Your Talk