This series of The Dangerous Women Collective podcast is sponsored by the fantastic ESET, providing Next-Gen Digital Security for Home and Business. We thank you so much for making our show possible.

In Episode 5, Series 3, Sophy Norris talks to Liz Gregory, the head of an all-girls fee-paying school, The Maynard School. The Maynard has recently been named as a top 100 school by The Times and Sunday Times, as well as being named the best school in the South West. It is one of several all-girls schools on the list (not all fee-paying), making us wonder if all-girls is a fast track to dangerousness.

In this episode, we look at how we educate Dangerous girls. What sets girls up for a life of success (whatever that success looks like), how we bake that in from the get-go and is an all-female, from a pupil point of view, environment the best start for Dangerousness?

But first, a little more about Liz.

Following a state education, Liz studied economics at Reading, fully intending to enter the world of finance. Quickly realising this was not where her passions lay, Liz returned to university for her PGCE, where she realised how much she loved teaching. She started her teaching career in mainstream, inclusive state schools in Warwickshire and Derbyshire, before heading south to accept a position in an all-girls boarding house at King’s College Taunton. She is also President-Elect of the Chartered College of Teaching.

The Maynard is her first all-girls school and her first headship. So, who better to talk to about educating dangerous girls than Liz? Our conversation is, as ever, expansive. Amongst much more, we cover:

• Private versus mainstream education, and the varying (and similar) needs of children.

Links:

Liz Gregory | Sophy Norris

The Maynard School

Sponsor:

ESET

Items mentioned in this Episode:

Vicky Ward

Series 3 of The Dangerous Women Collective Podcast is magnificently sponsored by ESET, providing Next-Gen Digital Security for home and Business. We heartily thank you.

In this Episode, Sophy Norris discusses all things menopause with specialist advisor Fiona Prior-Palmer.

Fiona is a specialist community health nurse and has completed her menopause care professional certificate with the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare. She also runs a private menopause clinic called Second Spring, as well as working at The Royal Devon University Trust for Occupational Health, where she is the Trust’s Menopause Nurse Advisor for NHS staff.

Since we first started recording this podcast, the “M-word” has raised its head on more than one occasion. We see “women of a certain age” managing a fundamental shift in their well-being as they enter some of the most experienced and powerful years of their careers.

But, just as many of us are stepping into our stride, we are beset by anxiety, brain fog, shifting sleep patterns – let alone the medical symptoms from night sweats to urinary tract infections. And believe us, after listening to this Episode, you will come to realise this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Men, or at least most men, as much as they try, cannot really understand what menopause is all about, and it just isn’t on the radar of younger colleagues, whatever their gender.

So, in this Episode, we tackle some of the concerns and myths about menopause, and ask "is it time for an M-word revolution?" in the workplace.

We discuss:

• The education gap, and why women (and men) need to empower themselves with knowledge

Links:

LinkedIn: Sophy Norris

Fiona Prior-Palmer

Second Spring

The Alligator Pi Agency

Sponsor:

ESET

Other items mentioned in this Episode:

Menopause Support

Menopause at Work Pledge

This series of The Dangerous Women Collective podcast is sponsored by ESET, providing Next-Gen Digital Security for Home and Business.

In Episode 3, Series 3, Sophy Norris speaks to Rachelle Peterson about her mesmerising resurgence after being made redundant over a year ago.

Rachelle Peterson is a visionary entrepreneur and storyteller, driving innovation and connection through her two ventures, both founded post-redundancy, and both when she was North of 50.

As the Founder of LOQIA Group, she leads a pioneering media consultancy that specialises in strategic growth across the B2B and D2E (Direct to Enterprise)sectors. With her deep expertise, Rachelle empowers media companies to navigate complex markets and crafts tailored content strategies for hospitality and travel brands, captivating international audiences.

In addition, Rachelle is the force behind Rebound & Rise, a female-led networking and events platform designed to uplift women in business. Rebound & Rise creates a safe, empowering space for women rebuilding their confidence after career transitions, whether returning from maternity leave, navigating redundancy, or overcoming networking challenges. Through meaningful connections and collaborative growth, this initiative inspires women to rise stronger together.

Rachelle is not only making her mark with her new ventures, both of which are giving her a renewed sense of purpose, but she is also sharing her post redundancy story through her rapidly growing LinkedIn following and seeringly honest posts, which shine a light on uniquely female issues – from being a working mother, to a road rage attack, launching a new career and the power (and pitfalls) of redundancy.

We cover more in this expansive Episode, including:

• Owning it in our late 50s, recognising our power and knowing our worth

Links:

Rachelle Peterson | Sophy Norris

LOQIA Group

Rebound and Rise

The Alligator Pi Agency

Sponsor:

ESET

This Series of The Dangerous Women Collective Podcast is sponsored by ESET, providing Next-Gen Digital Security for Home and Business.

In Episode 2, Sophy Norris speaks to international powerhouse, advisor to governments and industry, university lecturer, public speaker, arts and crafts enthusiast and working mother - Lisa Quest.

Lisa works with senior civil servants and ministers as well as executives of the UK&I’s leading institutions on topics spanning digital transformation, governance, strategy, financial planning, risk management and public policy & regulatory response. Lisa has advised senior government leaders and policymakers on topics of industry competitiveness and stability, and co-authored numerous articles and studies, including supporting the IBFed on the entrance of Big Tech into Financial Services, the Impact of digitalisation on the economy's regulatory structures, and the future of supervision.

She is also a keen advocate of inclusion and a sponsor of diversity– she sits on the Oliver Wyman’s inclusion council, is executive sponsor of Oliver Wyman’s Women of Oliver Wyman and was shortlisted for Mentor of the Year by Management Today Magazine and names on of the Top 100 Female Executives on the HERos list.

Lisa is also a Visiting Academic Fellow at the London School of Economics, Centre for Risk and Regulation. She holds a First-Class Honours degree in Business Administration from the Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario, Canada and a Master's degree in Public Administration in European Public and Economic Policy from the London School of Economics.

We are not exaggerating when we say international powerhouse!

In this wide-ranging Episode, which zooms in on leadership and the power of devolved teams i, we touch on several topics including:

• Managing work-life balance, and the power of surrounding yourself with smart teams who co-share work with you.

Links:

Lisa Quest | Sophy Norris

Oliver Wyman

ESET

Items referenced in this episode:

The Authority Gap, Mary Ann Seighart

We start our third series, now sponsored by ESET, providing Next-Gen Digital Security for Home and Business, with quite a bang. With stories about classism, backstabbing, appropriation, dire straits, and of course, triumph. It is all about moments of intersection, when forces collide and a new path emerges.

Sophy Norris speaks to Emma Critchley-Lloyd who, like so many Dangerous Women, is many things. CMO of Zodia Markets - the institutional-first digital asset platform, founder of multi-award-winning PR and Marketing agency Big Little London, long-standing member of the DMA B2B Council, a proud part-time working mum, and a passionate advocate for women - and particularly mothers - in the workplace.

It is breaking no secrets, as she has publicly posted, Emma, who is rightly proud of her education, upbringing, and working-class roots, has been subjected to some pretty shocking bullying, all based around her class.

This, among her other experiences in both work and life, has made her dangerously resilient. She passionately advocates for a more diverse workforce, particularly one that represents and looks after working mothers and people from the 98% club. And she has done all of this by her mid-30s. She is truly a tour de force.

In this Episode, we cover:

• The importance of working from an early age, every experience is valid, and it prepares you for your working life

Links:

Emma Critchley-Lloyd | Sophy Norris

Big Little London

Zodia Markets

Sponsor:

ESET

*Warning* Sophy's conversation with Helen Brown features sexual violence.

In the final Episode of Series 2 of the podcast, Sophy Norris has a searingly honest, raw and ultimately uplifting conversation with Helen Brown. Helen is brave and generous enough to share two of the most painful and vulnerable moments in her life, and let us know how she moved forward from them.

Raped whilst working abroad at the end of her second year at University, Helen returned to the UK and Uni life a changed person. Her anxiety and PTDS continued for several years, and she experienced recurrences after starting her business (with partner Orla Murphy) See Blue.

Across her career as an in-house marketer and agency founder, Helen has learned to dig deep to harness her resilience, the need to share, and self-care, and to understand that even the darkest episodes in our lives help shape who we are. As she says, knowing you can move on from the "worst" can become a superpower.

These superpowers have been put to the test more recently (February 2025) when her carefully created and successful business failed after six years. Helen, again, shares her innermost emotions and how she is moving forward.

Amongst all of this, Helen shares what it means to be Dangerous (because she certainly is), her approach to marketing and brand, and techniques and tips to quieten our minds, muster resilience, and help us keep on going.

This episode is a must-listen, and we cover:

• Making a choice to help us move forward and take control of our self.

Links:

Helen Brown | Sophy Norris

Items referred to in this episode:

The Survivors Trust.

Mo Gawdat. Solve for Happy: Engineering Your Path to Joy

Mo Gawdat. That Little Voice in Your Brain.

Blue Ocean Strategy.

Binaural Beats

In Episode 7 of The Dangerous Women Collective podcast, Sophy speaks to Julie (Jules) Berriff, UK Marketing Director for ESET. It is a kick-ass conversation, not least because Jules used to be a UK kickboxing champion alongside her day job as a seasoned marketer.

Jules's career has been varied and interesting. She started working at Newcastle University on international projects whilst studying for her MA. She then moved into promoting film for the North East before being seconded to BAFTA to represent the same region. Seduced by a job title, she hopped into the old Business Link Service, heading up marketing before being made redundant. After a soulless year in the Middle East (the job not the place!), she danced back into the cultural sector at the Science Museum Group, moved to English Heritage as Territory Marketing Manager for the North of England where she spent six happy years before moving to the Continuum Group in 2016 as Head of Sales, Marketing and Brand Experience.

She has been at ESET, one of the world's largest cybersecurity companies, for three years, navigating the complex and rapidly moving world of cyber risk and protection, which is discussed in the wide-ranging conversation.

Jules is, as you would expect, an exemplar of a Dangerous Woman, but her take is often a little different, and it makes for a fascinating conversation. Some of the highlights include:

• Embracing "Why not?" and why daunting challenges are good for us.

Links

LinkedIn

Jules Berriff | Sophy Norris

ESET

In Episode 6 of The Dangerous Women Collective podcast, Sophy speaks to feather-ruffler, Ted-talker, opportunity-grabber, risk-taker, roller-coaster fantastic, and CMO UK for EY - Rebecca Hirst.

Rebecca has worked with some of the world's largest global brands, including EY, Samsung, Coca-Cola, Schweppes, Kellogg’s, Kleenex, Microsoft, IBM, United Airlines, Lufthansa, and Star Alliance. It is not surprising that this work has been widely recognised, most recently as one of Campaign Magazine’s 40 over 40 and a Marketing Week Top 100 Most Effective Marketers. And EY was recognised as the UK’s most valuable brand in 2024 by Brand Finance.

As you might expect, we cover a lot in our Episode, touching on the following topics (and much more to boot):

• The power of following unconventional routes and the success that can follow.

Links

LinkedIn

Rebecca Hirst | Sophy Norris

EY

Sponsorship

Selbey Anderson

Items referenced in this episode

Dangerous Women: Fifty reflections on women, power and identity

London Climate Action Week 2025

The Authority Gap: Why Women Are Still Taken Less Seriously than Men, and What We Can Do About it

Rebecca Hirst Ted Talk EY Foundation

Today, to celebrate #IWD2025, we are lucky enough to speak to global recycling doyenne Susie Burrage OBE. Susie is a pioneering female voice in an industry which can, certainly from the outside in, seem male dominated. She is the first female President of the Bureau of International Recycling and the British Metals Recycling Association, and holds many other prominent international positions. She is a passionate advocate of good recycling does, and its role in the circular economy and sustainability agenda.

Susie is a leader by example and takes the visibility of her role seriously, especially when it comes to the representation of women in her industry. Since becoming President of BIR two years ago, she has already seen significant shifts, which she hopes will continue to change as she moves forward.

In this packed episode, we discuss:

• Working in one of the world's largest, but perhaps most undersung, industries.

About Susie:

Susie Burrage OBE is one of the most powerful individuals in the global recycling industry. Her list of accomplishments in the recycling industry is long. She is the first female President of the Bureau of Global Recycling, MD of her own recycling business, first female President of the British Metals Recycling Association, Vice President of the Global Recycling Foundation, and President of the European Metal Trade and Recycling Branch of EuRIC.

But, first and foremost, Susie is a fourth-generation recycler. Her great-grandfather, George Burrage, used to collect what was then called “scrap metal” from his horse and cart in Kensington and Chelsea, which led to the foundation of the business Susie runs today. She learned the business from her father, Tom. Collecting aluminium cans in her teenage years was her first money spinner! It's thanks to Tom and his support that Susie takes such a leading role in recycling today.

Links

LinkedIn

Susie Burrage OBE | Sophy Norris

Organisations and Businesses

Bureau of International Recycling

British Metals Recycling Association

EuRIC

Global Recycling Foundation

Recycled Products Ltd

Sponsorship

Selbey Anderson

This series of The Dangerous Women Podcast showcases just how vital enduring friendships are to being dangerous. So, it is fitting that in this episode Sophy catches up with school friend Daisy Tormé,

Daisy is an actress, singer, and host and is also the daughter of Jazz legend Mel Tormé and British actress Janette Scott and the granddaughter of national treasure Dame Thora Hird. Following in the footsteps of the “family business” Daisy has always known that her one true love was performing and she has worked in almost every corner of the performing arts: Film, television, radio, stage, opera and much voice-over and animation.

Forging her own path and crafting an incredible portfolio career, Daisy has ridden the double storm of the pandemic and actors strike, whilst jumping between LA and London. With home studios on both sides of the world, she spreads her – wonderfully shape-shifting – voice far and wide.

Daisy's voice has appeared not only on her own daily radio show, but in House of Cards, Homeland, 24, The Mentalist, Shrek 4, The Hangover, Sliders, and Sex and the City, the movie, to name a few! She is also a live event host, from jazz events with Josh Grobin to compering the London New Year's Day Parade.

In this episode, we talk about the business of Hollywood, the ups and downs of being a nepobaby ("I know why I am in the room, I am no idiot), why wallowing is essential and self-advocacy is vital. Daisy talks about the entertainment industry as an industry, and it is interesting to see how much of our discussion is relevant beyond show business.

Below is just some of the stuff we cover:

• Navigating one of the toughest industries in the world (even when you believe you are in the 1% of those who have the chops to make it) and how important it is to pivot and craft a portfolio career to survive.

Links

About:

Daisy Torme

Sophy Norris

Sponsorship:

Selbey Anderson

Items referenced in this episode:

The Authority Gap: Why women are still taken less seriously than men and what we can do about it

Gregg Wallace Says Only 13 Complaints Have Been Made - Why He Might Be Right, But That's Not The Whole Story

AI doesn't stand a chance against actors, of Shakespeare. Ben Affleck