She Can. She Did.

As series 5 of the podcast draws to a close, I couldn't think of a more inspiring woman to chat to this week...As the Founder of Bridge Models - a Curve agency representing models, influencers and artists internationally - Charlotte Griffiths knows a thing or two about seeing a gap in the market and bridging it by recognising people for their talent, not their size. With offices in both London and New York, it's safe to say that the business has come on leaps and bounds since she launched it aged 25, back in 2014.From the realities of the early days back where she lived off savings and worked silly hours around the clock, to how she's learnt to add more structure to the team and her diary as the business has scaled; what launching the UK's first men's division  for bigger, broader models in 2016 involved behind the scenes; to why she wants to see the term 'plus size' abolished from our vocabulary; I have a feeling you're going to enjoy this one. This is Charlotte's stor

Before we start this weeks episode, I am so excited to say that She can. She did. has officially rebranded to can.did. - a new kind of networking for more candid conversations. For more details and to join us in there, visit www.meetcandid.com or come and say hello at @meetcandidThis week, I had the pleasure of chatting to Gemma Whates, the London-based Mum of two, VC Scout, Mentor and Founder of All By Mama - the incredible community and marketplace for mothers in their first few years of business.From how Gemma organised her time in the early days given that she was working full-time during the first year of All By Mama's existence and what led her to eventually focus on the marketplace full-time, what she's learnt from her multiple investment rounds and what she'd do differently if she were to raise money again in hindsight, how she handles the continuous pressure to up-level, not to mention the Mum guilt that reared its head during the pandemic... Gemma has been so supportive to m

Before we start this weeks episode, I am so excited to say that She can. She did. has officially rebranded to can.did. - a new kind of networking for more candid conversations. For more details and to join us in there, visit www.meetcandid.com or come and say hello at @meetcandidThis week I sat down to chat with Sydney Samuels, the 24 year old Founder of Loop not Luck - a diverse talent recruitment platform powered by Artificial Intelligence that helps talented, diverse candidates from low income backgrounds maximise their chances of success by connecting them with employers who want to diversify their early careers talent pool with data-driven recommendations.Driven by her own experience entering the jobs market, I sat down to chat with Sydney about the personal journey she's been on so far and how she's tackling a systemic problem one baby step at a time. Her personal bio reads that she's simply "trying to do some good" . Having spoken to her, I can confirm that she mostly definitel

Before we start this weeks episode, I am so excited to say that She can. She did. has officially rebranded to can.did. - a new kind of networking for more candid conversations. For more details and to join us in there, visit www.meetcandid.com or come and say hello at @meetcandidThis week I am chatting to Victoria Prew, recent 'Forbes 30 under 30' alumna and Founder of HURR - the platform for fashion rental.Joining me from HURR's fashion closet (which made for the most glamorous makeshift recording studio yet), Victoria opened up to me about her journey in detail so far. From how she used the cynicism around sustainable fashion back in 2017 to spur her on in the early days and how she held her nerve during the platform's year-long build; to how she's embedded sustainability into every facet of the company and what partnering with Selfridges has involved in reality behind the scenes... I have so much admiration for not just what she's created but how she went about doing so. As the HURR website puts it, she "t

Before we start this weeks episode, I am so excited to say that She can. She did. has officially rebranded to can.did. - a new kind of networking for more candid conversations. For more details and to join us in there, visit www.meetcandid.com or come and say hello at @meetcandidTW// We talk about suicide in this week's episode.This week I spoke to a woman whose mission, tenacity and courage inspires me no end. Esther Marshall is the Founder of Sophie Says - an award-winning children's book series that is changing the face of children's literature by featuring diverse characters and combatting stereotypes one page at a time.Having spent 8 years at Unilever in which her last two years there were spent heading up their Global Diversity & Inclusion team, it wasn't until Esther went on maternity leave and found herself surrounded by children's books that only served to reinforce damaging gender and racial stereotypes, that the idea for Sophie Says was born.As I'm sure you'll soon hear, today's

I was introduced to this week's guest by the incredible Gemma Harling who features on the last series of this podcast and knew straight away that if Gemma's saying that today's guest is one to watch, I had to get her on to this podcast to find out more about her story. The woman in question is Latticia Morapedi, the Birmingham-based Founder of Latticia Organics, organic skincare and lifestyle products that were inspired by her own skin troubles and an understanding that there had to be another way to care for her skin without relying on products populated with synthetics. From the early days where she handed out samples to her friends at her own baby shower and how she's grown the brand sustainably ever since, to how she held her nerve for two years when she took time out to rebrand properly and the various challenges that she encountered behind the scenes, she was a complete joy to chat to, I'm in awe of her resilience... This is Latticia's story so far.Say hello to our new sponsor, Pleo...The

It's safe to say that this podcast wouldn't be what it is today without the help and support of today's guest.Her name is Maddy Russell and she's the Founder of Paiv Creative - a design company specialising in brand identity, print and digital design that helps to build brands that have a 'because.'Maddy reached out to me on New Years Day 2018. I was four months into She can. She did. She was a third year graphic design student. We chatted, I saw her portfolio and we've worked together ever since.She's quite simply one of the most talented, supportive and kind women I know. She's been AMAZING doing the rebrand of this business (which by the way is coming your way in exactly 7 days time) and I can't wait for you to hear her story. Enjoy!Say hello to our new sponsor, Pleo...The She can. She did. podcast is hosted by Fiona Grayson (that's me, hello!) and this series is sponsored by the incredible team at Pleo (aka. the multi-award winning business spending solution built for forward

TW // We speak about suicide in this week's episode.This week I am chatting to a woman who I was first introduced to on a panel that I'd been asked to moderate at a Women's Leadership conference hosted in London back in 2019... when big conferences with lots of people were a thing! She happened to be speaking on the panel, we met, realised that we had a mutual friend in common and I have been in awe of her work and her story ever since. The lady in question is Amber Cowburn, a multi award-winning mental health awareness advisor and trainer who, after nearly a decade working as a strategy manager, policy manager, campaigner, public speaker, and trainer in mental health and wellbeing, founded her own company Working Well (SW) Ltd in 2019.Having been honoured with national accolades including We Are The City 'Rising Star' Entrepeneur award (2020), the Diana Award (2019), the Prime Minister's point of light award (2018), and a Rotary National Community Champion Award (2019), Amber is also a proud foundi

Oh my goodness did I enjoy this week's chat!Having launched Spectrum back in 2014 from their garage in Barry, South Wales, Sophie and Hannah have gone on to grow the business into a globally recognised brand that has partnered with the likes of Disney and Paramount Pictures (to name but a few) and is stored in hundreds of stores worldwide...(Use the code SHECAN20 for 20% off all Spectrum products if you're interested in seeing what all the fuss is about! This offer expires on Tuesday 13th April!)Given that they were once told that in order to be successful, they must move to London, I caught up with Sophie and Hannah at the end of last year to find out all the nitty gritty details they've pushed through behind the scenes to build what is now a multi-million pound company!Covering everything from how they dealt with a warehouse fire that destroyed thousands of pounds worth of stock; their advice for how to scale sustainably and why Wales will always be Spectrum's home. Not to mention, how they held their

After a three month hiatus, we are back with series 5 of the podcast!Not only do we have a brand new sponsor this series (hello Pleo!), we also have a pretty special line up of guests over the next few weeks so brace yourselves because there are some incredible stories coming your way!I had to start series 5 with today's guest because quite simply, she's a force to be reckoned with. Her name is Seyi Akiwowo and she's the Founder of Glitch or as she goes on to say in this episode, her "oops baby" - a UK based charity recognised internationally for working to make the online space safe for all... who just so happens to be our charity partner too!Recorded back in November - a giant thank you to Seyi for her patience getting this one out - we sat down to chat about everything from the series of events at the hands of both trolls and social media platforms that led Seyi to get Glitch off the ground; how she went about growing a team and learning to lead from a place of love instead of fear; the relationship s

If you're thinking about launching your own fashion label and/or any creative product-based business for that matter, this interview with Sarah Birchall, Founder of Cub & Pudding is well worth a listen.Having spent ten years working as a PA for the Head of a bank in the City, a chance encounter with a life coach forced Sarah to revaluate her career and work out what truly brought her joy... As a Mum who took great pleasure in dressing her children, not before long, the idea for Cub & Pudding was born - quirky, gender neutral kids wear that defies seasonal trends and can be worn all year round. Genius.We chat about everything from how she transitioned from her full time role as a PA in the City and made the most of the blank canvas that came hand-in-hand with working on the business full time. The reality of how she funded Cub & Pudding in the early days given that sourcing materials, minimum orders and factory visits all add up as well as the steps she took to ensure that her items are ethically m

I can safely say that this week's guest is one of the most genuine and kind women that I've had the pleasure of getting to know over the past couple of years. The lady in question is Kat Horrocks, the make-up artist turned life coach that I met for the first time when I took the She can. She did. Midweek Mingles up to Manchester in 2018, who empowers women to achieve their goals and put themselves first.From how she combatted the fear of transitioning from the make-up business that she ran for the four years prior to becoming a coach and how she went about battling off the imposter syndrome and not so supportive opinions of others that came hand-in-hand with that transition; how she held her nerve and continued to show up when the money wasn't always there in the early days; to her thoughts on the integrity of the online coaching space, given that it's not regulated and anyone can claim to be an expert in anything and everything online; this is Kat's very honest story so far... PS. She can. She

I know I shouldn't have favourites but bloody hell this was a good chat!A few weeks back, I got to sit down and natter (over Zoom of course) with the Brighton-based Queen of Self care that is Donna Hay - a woman that I've known and admired since very early on in She can. She did.'s story who happens to be the Founder of WILDWOMAN, the UK’s first non-fiction, book subscription box for women.From her thoughts on the dangers of the #girlboss overnight success culture and how it led her to set unobtainable goals for Wildwoman's launch; why she's recently made the decision to switch off all paid advertising and how she held her ground when those closest to her challenged her pricing strategy early on; to why she likens her business journey to that of being on a log flume, not a rollercoaster... this chat with Donna came at the right time for me personally and is an interview that I will be referring to, countless times from now on, I'm sure. Enjoy!PS. She can. She did. has just launched the UK's fir

Blaqbase is the shopping app Founded by Benedicta Banga, that supports black owned businesses in the UK by bringing high quality black owned products together and allowing customers to buy them via Blaqbase directly. Having launched on black pound day in June and gained extensive press coverage from the likes of Stylist, Marie Claire, Sky News and the BBC thereafter, I chatted to Benedicta a few weeks ago to discuss her self-funded business journey so far... and the numerous iterations, tweaks and testing that has gone on behind the scenes!From how she built the app without developers and learnt to embrace the curveballs and opportunities that running a business can throw your way; why she's so passionate about reminding people that the only reality we can truly trust online is our own; to her advice on dealing with online abuse having experienced it herself in the aftermath of an interview on Sky news, Benedicta's story is yet another example of what truly goes on behind the scenes to launch a

It's hard enough launching a business in your home country as it is but add language and cultural barriers into the mix and as I'm sure you'll soon hear, it becomes a whole lot tougher...  I know you shouldn't judge a book by its cover but I knew from the moment I saw DAYE's branding that there would be a seriously savvy Founder behind it ... and 26 year old Valentina Milanova didn't disappoint.Having moved to the UK from Bulgaria to launch DAYE - the female health research and development company best known for its organic and CBD infused tampons - Valentina has pushed through an immense number of challenges to bring her vision for DAYE to life.From convincing her friends to test homemade tampons in the early days and the lengthy steps she took to ensure that DAYE exceeds manufacturing standards thereafter; to the painful journey she endured to secure investment - quite literally at one point - to the challenges she's faced navigating British culture, not just on professional le

A few weeks back, I sat down for a chat with the breathe of fresh air that is Kaew Suppamas, Founder of the (v. cool) terranium company that is Leafage. Via their DIY kits and team building workshops, together with her team, Kaew is on a mission to help us all connect with nature and importantly, live in the moment... which let's face it, sounds like something we all need right about now!Having once upon a time been told that she was "too much of a dreamer" to ever run a business successfully, given the fact that Kaew now counts the likes of Facebook, Nike, Slack and Asos as customers, it's safe to say that she's proved them wrong! This is Kaew's story so far...PS. She can. She did. has just launched the UK's first Benefits Programme for all female business owners in the UK! Join 100s of other female founders and self-employed womxn and start rewarding your resilience today! Join now to get free Vala health cover: www.shecandid.com She can. She did. Resilience, rewarded.The good

TRIGGER WARNING: Please note that we speak about Anna and Co-Founder Billie's shared history of sexual assault at various points throughout this conversation.I'm inspired by every single woman that I've interviewed on this podcast but there are some stories that definitely stand out and this episode with Anna Hushlak is one of them. As the Co-Founder of Ferly - the audio guide to mindful sex that is on a mission to support and empower woman and folx with vulvas to improve their sexual wellbeing - Anna sat down to chat with me a few weeks back about the evolution of hers and Co-Founder Billie's business journey so far.From how they went about really understanding the universal problem at hand and their problem-first approach to all business decisions and research thereafter; how they have handled numerous cynical comments since entering the space and their advice for all of us on how best to hold our nerve in those conversations; to how Billie and Anna's relationship has evolved since day one an

If you, like me, get abnormal amounts of pleasure from roaming the aisles of Homesense and dreaming about designing your ideal home (just me!?) this week's guests are right up your street! Why? Because they're the incredibly talented duo behind Wells and Maguire -  the high end interior design studio covering London, Wales and the South of England that Emily and Danielle set up after becoming frustrated by agency life.Specialising in bespoke interiors for private clients and developers at some seriously swoon worthy town houses and mansions - if you want some dreamy interior inspo FYI, I would highly recommend looking at the Wells and Maguire portfolio - I caught up with Emily and Danielle a few weeks back to discuss what the realities of running an interior design business look and feel like behind the scenes.From how they've dealt with not-so-supportive comments and actions from former acquaintances and their advice should you find yourself in a similar position; how they handle the jobs that

This week, the spotlight falls on Sukhi Jutla, Co-Founder of the"uber for the gold and diamond industry" that is MarketOrders - an award-winning B2B platform that she launched four years ago, that enables independent retail jewellers to buy gold and diamond jewellery directly, securely and seamlessly from international suppliers, using blockchain technology. A process, which I of course ask Sukhi to breakdown for me in layman's terms! Having won numerous awards including Asian Women of Achievement, Female Entrepreneur of The Year and named a Top 100 European Digital Pioneer by The Financial Times and Google, not to mention revolutionising a previously old fashioned and often corrupted industry; the former investment banker-turned-entrepreneur sat down to chat with me a few weeks ago about the realities that she's faced behind the scenes in her business journey so far.From how she's learnt en route how to block out unsolicited advice and trust her own judgement when it comes to decision making,

It's not everyday that you hear of Great British athletes trading gruelling training regimes in for the world of app design and entrepreneurship but that's what Kike Oniwinde did when she left the world of javelin behind and launched BYP Network in 2016 - A platform that empowers black professionals around the world to connect with each other and global corporations.Often dubbed  'the LinkedIn for black professionals', the platform has gone on to win a whole host of awards over the past four years, Kike has earned herself a place on the prestigious Forbes '30 under 30' list and led the company through a successful crowdfunding raise in the midst of a pandemic that saw the platform successfully secure more than £800,000 from over 1100 investors on Seedrs. Pretty impressive, right!?From how she's learnt to sieve through advice and follow her gut instinct having been easily swayed by others' opinions in the early days; how she successfully infiltrated the right business ecosystems to grow the righ