She Leads Collective: Women, Leadership and What It Takes to Thrive at Work

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Conversations Worth Revisiting:

A She Leads Collective Summer Series

Why do so many brilliant women still feel they have to prove themselves at work?

We're often told the answer is confidence.

• Speak up more.
• Be more assertive.
• Believe in yourself.

But after more than 50 conversations on the She Leads Collective podcast, I'm beginning to wonder if we've been asking the wrong question.

In this first episode of Conversations Worth Revisiting – A She Leads Collective Summer Series, I'm bringing together two powerful conversations from Season 3 to explore whether confidence is really the issue—or whether workplace culture plays a much bigger role than we realise.

You'll hear from:

Lauren Neal – Chartered Engineer and founder of Valued at Work, who shares her experience of bias in engineering and explains why the problem wasn't her—it was the environment she was working in.

Akua Opong – Technology leader, speaker and advocate for inclusive leadership, who reflects on the mentors and leaders who helped her thrive by embracing what made her different.

Together, their stories challenge the belief that women simply need to become more confident. Instead, they offer a different perspective on leadership, belonging and creating workplaces where everyone can succeed.

In this episode we explore:

•  Why confidence isn't always the real issue 
•  Women in STEM and workplace culture 
•  Inclusive leadership 
•  Belonging at work 
•  Allyship 
•  Psychological safety 
•  The impact leaders have on confidence 
•  Why diversity and inclusion belong to everyone 

If this conversation resonates, you'll find links in the show notes to Lauren's and Akua's full episodes, along with more than 50 conversations exploring leadership, gender equity and the changing world of work.

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This season wasn't simply a collection of conversations about women in leadership.

Looking back across thirteen remarkable guests, Mary reflects that something much bigger has emerged. Together, Mary and her guests have explored what leadership now needs to become, discussing the five biggest lessons from Season 3, including:

• Why confidence isn't always the problem — sometimes the system is.
 • Why sponsorship matters more than advice.
 • What money really tells us about opportunity and influence.
 • Why people can never leave their lives at the office door.
 • Why kindness, courage and encouragement are among the strongest leadership skills we have.

Along the way, Mary revisits some of the most powerful moments from conversations with Lauren Neal, Steph Douglas, David B. Horne, Sue Rizzello, Helen Gibson and more.

Rather than summarising each episode, this is an exploration of the ideas connecting them all—and what they mean for leaders who want to create workplaces where more people can thrive.

If you've listened throughout Season 3, thank you.

If this is your first episode, it's also a great place to start.

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Why do so many brilliant women remain invisible despite their expertise?

In this episode of the She Leads Collective Podcast, Mary Gregory is joined by thought leadership strategist Sue Rizzello to explore why influential ideas aren't always the ones that receive the greatest attention—and why women are still under-represented as recognised thought leaders.

Together they discuss:

•  The way thought leadership is often misunderstood. 
•  The difference between personal branding and genuine influence. 
•  Why women hesitate to speak up and be visible. 
•  How organisations unintentionally overlook valuable expertise. 
•  Practical ways leaders can become known for their thinking rather than their job title. 

This is a thoughtful conversation about confidence, credibility, visibility and creating workplaces where the best ideas—regardless of who they come from—have the opportunity to shape the future.

Whether you're building your own leadership profile or leading others, this episode offers practical insights into helping great thinking find the audience it deserves. 

Connect with Sue on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/suerizzello/

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Fara Butt never expected to lead a manufacturing business.

Originally training as a teacher, she was on the path to becoming a headteacher before gradually finding herself helping to transform her family's mattress manufacturing company. Today, she is Managing Director of Shire Beds and President of the National Bed Federation.

In this conversation we explore what it means to reinvent yourself without losing who you are.

Fara shares how growing up as the eldest of five daughters in an ambitious immigrant family shaped her confidence, why teaching made her a better leader, and how she helped transform a traditionally male manufacturing environment into a more inclusive workplace.

We also discuss visibility, unconscious bias, succession planning, creating cultures where people can flourish, and why leadership is ultimately about helping others succeed.

Finally, Fara reflects on legacy, her hopes of becoming a writer, and why we should never allow other people's expectations to define who we become.

If you've ever questioned whether it's too late to change direction, this conversation is a reminder that careers rarely follow a straight line—and that's often where the greatest growth happens.

Connect with Fara on Linked In - https://www.linkedin.com/in/farkhanda-hussain-butt-9929205b/

 Visit Shire Beds website -  https://www.shirebeds.co.uk/

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What happens when the biggest leadership challenge isn't at work—but in your own life?

Leadership consultant and coach Isabelle Courtney-Guy has spent more than twenty years helping organisations navigate complexity, culture and change. Then everything changed when she was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer.

In this deeply honest conversation, Isabelle shares how she consciously chose curiosity over fear, learned to lead herself through uncertainty, and discovered that even life's most difficult experiences can deepen compassion, creativity and connection.

Together we explore:

•  why mindset can fundamentally change how we experience adversity 
•  the power of curiosity when life feels out of control 
•  what organisations often misunderstand about supporting people through illness 
•  psychological safety beyond the workplace 
•  asking for what you need without guilt 
•  how community, purpose and even AI became unexpected allies 
•  why leadership begins with how we lead ourselves 

Whether you've experienced serious illness yourself, supported someone who has, or simply want to become a more thoughtful leader, this conversation offers wisdom that reaches far beyond cancer.

Connect with Isabelle on LinkedIn - 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabellecournteyguy/

🔗 Connect with Mary: marygregory.com

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What happens when outward success no longer feels enough?

In this episode of the She Leads Collective Podcast, Mary is joined by entrepreneur and founder Carmel Saulbrey. After building and selling one of the UK's largest school photography businesses, Carmel could have retired. Instead, she followed a deeper sense of purpose into children's residential care.

Today she owns therapeutic homes for traumatised children and is developing an innovative AI-powered training platform to help care staff navigate some of the most challenging situations they face.

Together they explore:

•  Reinvention and purpose 
•  Leadership through kindness 
•  Female entrepreneurship and funding 
•  Supporting frontline teams 
•  AI as a force for good 
•  Why compassion and patience are becoming essential leadership skills 

This is a conversation about what happens when success alone is no longer enough, and how purpose, kindness and continuous growth can lead us to make an even greater difference, genuinely changing lives for the better.

Connect with Carmel on LinkedIn - 

Connect with Carmel:

🔹 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carmel-jane-saulbrey-256a9526/

🔹 Website: www.kindnesscode.co.uk

🔹 Podcast: The Kindness Code (available on all major podcast platforms)

🔹 Instagram & Facebook: The Kindness Code

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What happens at work when life falls apart at home?

We talk openly about maternity, menopause, wellbeing and bereavement, but one major life transition remains largely invisible in many workplaces: divorce.

In this episode of the She Leads Collective Podcast, I’m joined by family lawyer and partner at Taylor Walton Solicitors, Tamara Glanvill, who has spent more than 30 years helping people navigate separation, divorce and complex family transitions.

Together we explore:

•  Why divorce impacts far more than finances and legal arrangements 
•  The hidden effect on confidence, identity and wellbeing 
•  How divorce can expose inequalities around childcare, careers and the mental load 
•  Why women often face a steeper financial recovery after separation 
•  What employers can do to support people through major life transitions 
•  Tamara's own leadership journey as the youngest and only female partner in her firm 

This is a thoughtful conversation about leadership, communication, resilience and the realities many people are navigating behind the scenes while still showing up at work every day.

Connect with Tamara on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamara-glanvill-00327718/

Visit Taylor Walton's website - https://taylorwalton.co.uk/

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This week on the She Leads Collective Podcast, I'm joined by women's health advocate, senior leader and Co-Chair of Menopause Mandate, Tina Backhouse.

Tina's story is extraordinary. After losing both parents as a baby and growing up in care, she developed a resilience and self-belief that would later help her build a successful leadership career and become one of the UK's most passionate voices for women's health.

In this powerful conversation we explore:

• Tina's journey from a children's home to senior leadership

• Why she believes resilience is a leadership superpower

• The courageous decision to leave a highly successful career and follow her purpose

• Why women's health is still misunderstood, underfunded and under-prioritised

• The link between women's health, careers and gender equality

• What organisations can do to better support women at work

• The work of Menopause Mandate and the future of women's health advocacy

This is a conversation about leadership, purpose, inequality and creating a world where women no longer have to suffer in silence.

A must-listen for leaders, HR professionals, policy makers and anyone who cares about gender equity.

Connect with Tina on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tina-backhouse/

Visit Menopause Mandate's website - https://www.menopausemandate.com/

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What can leading in war zones, disaster zones and some of the world's most complex environments teach us about leadership?

In this inspiring episode of the She Leads Collective Podcast, Mary Gregory is joined by award-winning entrepreneur, speaker, international business expert and author of the best selling book Go For Goosebumps, Helen Gibson MBE.

Helen has built and led businesses across 27 countries, advising governments, the United Nations and the World Bank, often working in places facing conflict, crisis and significant uncertainty.

Together they explore:

•  Why relationships are the foundation of effective leadership 
•  What operating in high-risk environments teaches us about resilience 
•  The importance of communication across cultures and generations 
•  How encouragement helps people find courage 
•  Why women should view difference as an asset, not a disadvantage 
•  Helen's simple but powerful framework: Stop. Get Ready. Go. 
•  How to recognise when it's time to pause, prepare or take action 

This conversation is packed with wisdom, warmth and practical insights for leaders navigating uncertainty, change and growth.

Helen's message is simple but powerful: put relationships first, encourage others generously, and don't be afraid to go for goosebumps.

Connect with Helen on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/helengibsonmbe/

Visit Helen's website - https://helengibsonmbe.com/

Purchase Go For Goosebumps - https://amzn.eu/d/052o3AkC

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What if we are waiting far too long to teach confidence, money and leadership?

By the time many women step into the workplace, beliefs around money, ambition and possibility may already have formed.

In this episode of The She Leads Collective Podcast, I’m joined by Jayne Brewer, CEO of 2B Enterprising — an organisation bringing enterprise, employability and financial education into primary schools across the UK.

Jayne shares her own journey into becoming a CEO, the reality of leadership behind the scenes, and why teaching confidence and financial awareness early could change futures.

In this episode we explore:

•  The realities of leadership behind the scenes
 • Why enterprise and employability education belongs in primary schools
 • The surprising age at which financial habits begin to form
 • Why role models and exposure matter for children
 • Women, investing and financial confidence
 • Female angel investing and supporting women founders
 • Leadership confidence versus financial confidence
 • The importance of networks, asking questions and backing yourself

Jane also shares moving examples of children building confidence in real time and explains how 2B Enterprising has already reached more than 70,000 young people. 

Connect with Jayne on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaynebrewer/

To find out more about 2B Enterprising - https://www.2benterprising.co.uk/

This episode also marks a special milestone: the 50th episode of the She Leads Collective Podcast. Thank you to every guest, listener and supporter who has been part of the journey so far.

🔗 Connect with Mary: marygregory.com

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 ✨ Produced by Mary Gregory Leadership Coaching