Vivien Wong is the co-founder of Little Moons, the cult brand that transformed a niche Japanese dessert into a household name. A bold disruptor in the global ice cream market, Vivien is a finalist for the 2025 Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Award.

In this episode, we explore Vivien's remarkable journey from helping in her mother's bakery to founding one of the UK's most talked-about brands. She reflects on the importance of female role models, what starting her own business has brought her personally and professionally, and how one viral social media moment can transform a company's success overnight.

From navigating Little Moons' TikTok explosion to the importance of integrity in company culture, Vivien shares the lessons she learned from scaling her values-led business. In this episode, we dive into her experiences working with family, what being woman in business means today, and what awards like Veuve Clicquot are doing to raise the visibility of female success.

Vivien believes that creating opportunities for women to connect, learn, and invest together is key to building collective power.

An audacious champion of female success and self-belief, her insights offer an honest, hopeful roadmap for founders and future leaders alike. Much like Madame Clicquot herself. Widowed at the age of only 27, she took control of her own destiny and became one of the first modern entrepreneurs.

Book for Emmeline recommendation: Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

For more about the Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman awards and shortlist, click here.

Isabel Berwick is a journalist, podcaster, and advocate for workplace evolution. Having navigated the changing landscape of media and corporate culture, Isabel is dedicated to sharing her expertise on the future of work and career development and re-defining what ambition and fulfilment mean today.

In this episode, we discuss the post-pandemic workplace, important distinctions between management and leadership, and the value of creativity. Isabel also shares insights from her upcoming book, "The Future-Proof Career", which offers insights into finding your purpose and achieving success in today's rapidly changing job market.

As the host of the Financial Times's acclaimed podcast "Working It", and the hugely successful newsletter Isabel has been a leading voice in discussions about workplace dynamics and career progression, drawing on her extensive experience and conversations with industry leaders.

But Isabel believes that success isn't just about climbing the corporate ladder; it's about finding purpose and balance throughout one's working life. Her insights are invaluable for understanding the challenges we face in modern work environments.

Check out her 'Book for Emmeline' recommendation, as well as some of the other wonderful books and resources we discuss in this episode:

Book for Emmeline Recommendation:

The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Phantom-Tollbooth-Essential-Modern-Classics

Other books and resources:

Ambition Redefined by Kathryn Sollmann

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ambition-Redefined-Corner-Office-Instead/dp/1473679095

Arthur Brooks at The Atlantic

https://www.theatlantic.com/author/arthur-c-brooks/

Bullshit Jobs by David Graeber

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bullshit-Jobs/dp/B07CTT2DT3/

The Fearless Organisation by Amy Edmondson

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fearless-Organization-Psychological-Workplace-Innovation/dp/1119477247

Shweta Aggarwal is an author and activist fighting for a world free from conscious and subconscious bias. Drawing from her personal experiences with colourism, Shweta is dedicated to exposing this often unrecognised, trivialised form of discrimination and its impact on individuals and communities globally.

In this episode, we explore the complexities of colourism, the subtle, pervasive ways it manifests itself across global communities, and her personal journey of self-discovery through writing. Shweta also shares insights from her recent book, "The Black Rose," which offers a powerful narrative on identity, family, and the path to self-acceptance.

Shweta is a leading voice in discussions about racial bias and promoting cultural understanding. Her work bridges cultures and generations, enabling open conversations about difficult topics and helping individuals unpick their own unconscious biases. As well as her recently published 'Black Rose', she has authored a children's book and is a transformative speaker at prestigious institutions including Columbia and NYU.

Shweta believes that combating colourism isn't just about addressing overt discrimination; it's about recognising and unpicking our own subconscious biases. Her insights are invaluable for understanding the nuanced ways prejudice manifests in our daily lives and what we can collectively do to build a more inclusive society.

Book for Emmeline Recommendations:

'Sunflower Sisters' by Minka Singh Gangotra

'How Our Skin Sparkles' by Aditi Wardhan Singh

Other material that we discuss during this episode:

'The Vanishing Half' by Brit Bennett

'Caste' by Isabel Wilkerson

'In Search of Our Mother's Gardens' by Alice Walker

weta's books:

Dev and Ollie

The Black Rose: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Black-Rose-Shweta-Aggarwal/dp/0993232876/ref=sr_1_1?crid=CS

Sharmadean Reid MBE is an entrepreneur and passionate advocate for female empowerment. Having navigated the male-dominated world of business and venture capital, Sharmadean is dedicated to unmasking and deconstructing patriarchal barriers to female success.

In this episode, we discuss financial empowerment, her experience as a female entrepreneur and what it means to have a supportive network around you. Sharmadean also shares insights from her latest book, New Methods for Women. Drawing on the wisdom of sources from business books to neuroscience to mythology, she has created her own unique methods to help women live purposeful and empowered lives.

In 2018, Sharmadean became one of the only black women in the UK to raise over £1 million in seed funding for her beauty-booking app, BeautyStack. But Sharmadean believes that even if she has won, it doesn't mean the work is done for everyone. Success is not about praise or accolades, but about acknowledgement - knowing that her work has made a difference to even one woman's life. Sharmadean's insights are crucial for understanding the challenges we face and what can be done to build a better, fairer future for everyone.

Book for Emmeline Recommendation:

Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Franny-Zooey-J-D-Salinger/dp/0241950449

Jenny Biggam is the trailblazing founder of the7stars, the UK's largest independent media company. They're doing things differently- no job titles, equal profit shares and unlimited holiday for everyone. The key to attracting the best people, Jenny believes, is building the best place to work.

In this episode, we discuss starting a business, the importance of 'side hustles' and how to keep people engaged at work.

As companies face a crisis of employee burnout and high staff turnover, the7stars marks a new kind of workplace, one built around 'talent encouragement' and career development. They have been consistently ranked as one of the best places to work, featuring on the Sunday Times' 'Top 100 Companies to Work For' list for the last 11 years and winning Campaign's Best Place to Work every year since 2020.

Since founding the7stars in 2005, Jenny has also started her own 'side hustle', a sister agency called Bountiful Cow. Jenny is the founder and trustee of the7stars Foundation, a charity supporting vulnerable young people in the UK, and was shortlisted for the 2024 Verve Cliqout Bold Women Award.

ook for Emmeline recommendation:

Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Small-Things-These-Claire-Keegan/dp/0571368689

"It's unacceptable to say to somebody in their 30s, when are you having children? Yet, on a daily basis, we've got people that are in their early 50s being asked, when are you going to retire?"

Lyndsey Simpson is an entrepreneur and advocate blazing the trail for how workplaces can adapt to an ageing population. In this episode of Show Me The Way, we discuss population change, why ageism is so normalised and what hiring and retraining older workers can offer a business. Her organisation, 55/Redefined, advocates for age positivity and diversity across all areas of life, from age-inclusive hiring to challenging stereotypes in media and advertising.

Despite living longer and healthier lives than ever before, over-50s are feeling increasingly forced into retirement and corralled by ageist stereotypes. But by 2050, our working age population will shrink by 25%, while our over-60s population will grow by 40%. Lyndsey's aim is to add another decade of productive years to life, fighting for age-inclusive hiring, educating businesses on the benefits for age diversity and empowering people to live the life they want at any age.

About Lyndsey: Lyndsey Simpson has been recognised by Management Today as one of the UK's 50 Most Inspirational Female Entrepreneurs and The Sunday Times' Top 35 Business Women. She has received a Young Gun and Global Women in Staffing Power 50 award and was shortlisted for the Veuve Cliquot Bold Women 2024 award.

Book for Emmeline Reccomendation: The Usborne Creative Writing Book

To find out more about 55/Redefined visit: https://55redefined.co/

Author, entrepreneur, cook and trailblazing champion of women across the globe, Pinky Lilani might just have done it all. In this episode of Show Me the Way, Pinky shares with me her newly-published memoirs, 'Some Kind of Wonderful', which weaves together her remarkable career journey with recipes, anecdotes and testimonies from friends.

From cooking in bookstores to having dinner at Buckingham Palace, Pinky shares remarkable and personal stories of how determination and courage can yield amazing opportunities and unexpected friendships. We discuss the lessons she's learnt across her career, the importance of celebrating female achievement and how to connect with one another with kindness and authenticity.

Pinky is the founder and chair of multiple awards celebrating influential women, including the Asian Women of Achievement Awards and the Women of the Future Awards. She is also an Indian cooking expert, having authored two cookbooks and worked as a development consultant for major food companies. For her work in female advocacy, she has won a lifetime achievement at the CBI First Women Awards, been named on BBC Radio 4's 100 Most Powerful Women in the UK, featured on Desert Island Discs and received an OBE and CBE.

Today, she leads an international network of female advocacy, helping women connect, share their expertise and help one another succeed. Her work helps celebrate female talent, break down cultural stereotypes and inspire the next generation of women. Her recommendation for Emmeline's bookshelf is also a wonderful choice for this.

Book for Emmeline recommendation: A Many-Splendoured Thing by Han Suyin: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Many-Splendoured-Thing-Han-Suyin/d

Pinky's own book: Some Kind of Wonderful: https://somekindofwonderful.co.uk

Tesco Clubcard Creator and Founder of The Female Lead Edwina Dunn is a globally renowned Big Data pioneer. In this episode of Show Me the Way, the author of When She's in the Room talks about using data science to unlock the spending power of women and believes knowing women better will release billions of pounds of new income. We discuss her data-driven, not-for-profit, The Female Lead which encourages girls to increase their self confidence and self belief through inspiring role models. Edwina says in business, (and life), two is better than one and believes the greatest gift you can give a child is imagination. Her recommendation for Emmeline's bookshelf is an inspiring and creative choice. Edwina Dunn is a pioneering and successful leader in the data industry, known for delivering transformative business change. She co-founded Dunnhumby, which revolutionized the retail and consumer goods industry by pioneering Tesco Clubcard and other global loyalty programs. Her vision and work transformed the way retailers used customer data to drive their businesses, providing insights that had previously been unimaginable. The success of Dunnhumby has been replicated worldwide, becoming the industry standard for customer insights. Its strategic importance was underlined when it was acquired by Tesco in 2011.

Edwina has served on a number of government boards including HMRC (NED), The Geospatial Commission (Commissioner) and The Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation (Chair). She also invested in a new generation of data and predictive algorithms when she became Chair of Starcount. Her pioneering work has earned her numerous accolades, including an OBE for her services to data and business in 2019, honorary doctorates from a number of universities.

Today, Edwina is at the helm of The Female Lead which is an active community of 8 million women, underpinned by an educational foundation, and focused on celebrating the achievements and diversity of women who shape our world. Using data to understand the challenges women face, Edwina works with businesses and the government to create new, mutually beneficial models and policies for the workplace.

Books for Emmeline recommendation: The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant https://amzn.eu/d/bLPJb4k Edwina Dunn's Book: When She's in the Room https://lnk.to/WSITREdwinaDunn

Resources: The Fulfilment Finder

Engage with The Female Lead: LinkedIn - thefemalelead

Instagram @the_female_lead

Tik Tok - @thefemalelead

Journalist Josie Cox is a leading authority on the relationship between economics, business and gender. In this episode of Show Me the Way, the author of "Women, Money, Power: The Rise and Fall of Economic Equality" talks about the history of women's fight for economic emancipation and the barriers to gender equality that still exist today.

We discuss the untold stories of female financial pioneers, sexism in the workplace and how Covid has impacted the gender pay gap. Despite the harrowing reality of the data, Josie's book is a call to action to unite in collective effort against gender inequality and create a fairer, better workplace for us and for future generations. As she tells me, "the book I wrote is called 'Women, Money, Power'- but it's not a book that is for women, it is a book that is for everyone".

About Josie: Josie Cox is a journalist, editor and broadcaster covering business, economics, and gender equality. She has worked for the Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Independent, The Guardian and Forbes among others and is a regular guest on the BBC. Josie is an Associate Instructor at Columbia and her book 'Women, Money, Power' is out now in March 2024.

Link to Josie's new book: Women, Money, Power: The Rise and Fall of Economic Equality.

For Emmeline's bookshelf Josie recommends:

Pauli Murray: The Life of a Pioneering Feminist and Civil Rights Activist by Rosita Stevens-Holsey and Terry Catasús Jennings

Proud Shoes by Pauli Murray

Other links:

In my conversation with Josie I reference the Harvard Implicit Association Test. You can take a test here.

Sociologist and University of London Fellow Dr. Louise Ashley is a leading authority on social class, its effect on career progression and access to elite professions. In this episode of Show Me the Way, the author of " Highly Discriminating: Why the City Isn't Fair and Diversity Doesn't Work" talks about what needs to be done to make the City less exclusive. She believes as well as focusing on diversity and recruitment, it needs to think about its impact on society at large. . We discuss that book title (and why she doesn't like it now), social mobility, "fitting in" and why "confidence is often confused with competence". As well as her recommendation for Emmeline's bookshelf. It's a good one!

Dr Louise Ashley is a senior lecturer at Queen Mary University of London, and a Fellow of its Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences. A Sociologist studying how social class affects access to the elite professions, and subsequent career progression. Dr Ashley has published articles in leading academic journals and her research has been widely covered in media, both in the UK and internationally. She specialises in researching diversity and inclusion in large multinational organisations and 'elite' occupations with a particular focus on social mobility and social class. She has led teams appointed by the government's Social Mobility Commission to understand barriers to entry on the basis of socio-economic background, in law, accountancy and investment banking.

Dr Ashley is a member of advisory boards including the social mobility charity UpReach and is a Research Fellow for the Bridge Group. She is also a working group member on the City of London Socioeconomic Diversity Taskforce.

Books for Emmeline recommendation: The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper https://amzn.eu/d/h04sDhgFeel the Fear and do it Anyway by Susan Jeffers https://amzn.eu/d/iHGBiHB Dr Louise Ashley's Book: Highly Discriminating: Why the City Isn't Fair and Diversity Doesn't Work https://www.amazon.co.uk/Highly-Discriminating-City-Diversity-Doesnt/dp/1529227674