International Women’s Day – Take TWO
International Women’s Day – Take TWO
To celebrate International Women’s Day tomorrow, we asked women business leaders, clients and colleagues around the world to answer three questions about their motivation and inspiration and about supporting other women.
These women are all inspiring in themselves, but, we wanted to know, who inspires them?
Here are the answers, which range from Greta Thunberg, Michelle Obama and Maya Angelou to Coco Chanel, Tracey Emin, Rihanna and Kylie Minogue, mothers, sisters, daughters and friends...
‘Who inspires you?’
‘Ada Lovelace, of course!’
Nadine Schofield
Managing Director, Project Management On Demand
My mother. She was self-described as ‘purely decorative ‘for the first 50 years of her life and then, divorced with no money, began her fist textile business from our kitchen. I have watched her re-invent, not just herself but the way she bellies up to her creativity and its evolution. I have watched her go bust and find a way back. Her desire to create, to offer something up that she’d like to share with the world, is immensely inspiring.
Minnie Driver
President, Huge Fan Productions
Twitter | Instagram | #hugefanproductions
‘My mum. She taught me everything I know.’
Daniella Draper
Director, Daniella Draper Jewellery
Twitter | #danielladraper
‘Leslie Berland – CMO Twitter. Not only a female CMO, however began the self-awareness campaign through Twitter – a campaign to ask people to look beyond the surface and see every side.’
Katie Bennett
Brand Manager, Galderma
Twitter | #Inspiredbyyou
‘In the spirit of IWD, I will focus on my female inspirators only: sportswoman Simone Biles, author Maya Angelou in small doses (I still haven’t read her whole 7-part autobiography!), fashion icon Iris Apfel, artist Yayoi Kusama, fashion designer Coco Chanel and The High Priestess of Soul, Nina Simone’
‘Ali Hanan from Creative Equals’
Lucy Snell
Co-Founder, Cherry
Twitter | #lucysnellonline
‘One must mention game-changers like Katharine Hepburn and great ruling women of history like Eleanor of Aquitaine. I am inspired by so many women I know today: Istoria women, clients, great friends, family, who at some point, or consistently, have shown extraordinary levels of bravery, humility and determination. They are remarkable and inspirational - these mighty women are changing the world for the better.’
‘I am lucky to have many inspiring women in my life, many of whom have shown immense strength in the face of adversity which I have found deeply moving and inspiring. Mothers, businesswomen, sportswomen, performers. I am inspired by achievements and not by financial success.
Above all I am inspired by my sister. She is a pilot for British Airways, a job that I cannot even imagine her doing; an utterly successful woman in a man’s world. As well as this, she has been a single mother to twins since their birth. When she gets home from flying airplanes, she has to be both mother AND father to them. Oh and she also looks just like Carrie Fisher! Another woman who rocked it in a male dominated world and who inspired me as a girl born in the 70s to be strong and confident in everything I do.’
Willis Homewood
Founder, The Little Doo Company
Instagram | Twitter
‘In the world of politics and power: Greta Thunberg, AOC and Malala Yousafzai. In the arts: writers Emily Brontë and Joan Didion, photographers Tina Modotti and Nan Goldin, singers Patti Smith and Poly Styrene and artists Tracey Emin and Frida Kahlo.’
Caroline Collett
Founder, Caroline Collett PR Ltd
Website | LinkedIn | Twitter
‘Kylie Minogue (though I’m not sure the gold hotpants would suit me!)’
Hannah Jardine
Group Business Manager, Istoria Group and Board Member, ESSA
‘Maya Angelou, my mum, my dad, my son’
Lou Kiwanuka
Director, The Shaper Group
Twitter | #operationsfoundation
‘I am lucky that at my firm I have never been made to feel that I have to work harder or that I have higher mountains to climb simply because I’m a woman. However, many women around the world sadly find themselves in a different situation. My biggest source of inspiration is those women who refuse to accept injustice or discrimination and instead fight to be heard. In her autobiography, Michelle Obama describes how she has been “the only woman, the only African American, in all sorts of rooms” and how some have tried to take her down as “an angry black woman”. However, instead of retreating from the spotlight to try to avoid criticism, she continued to put herself out there, recognising the platform she had been given could be used to promote change. I’ve no doubt she has inspired countless young girls to reach that bit higher in the process.’
Rebecca Anderson-Smith
Senior Associate, Trade Mark Attorney, Mewburn Ellis LLP
Twitter | #MewburnEllis
LinkedIn | Mewburn Ellis LLP LinkedIn
‘I am most inspired by my staff members who live in the thick of gang warfare in a suburb of Cape Town. They manage to arrive at work on time each day, with smiles on their faces, ready to participate in a full day’s work, often after just having experienced another senseless child-killing in their neighbourhood.
On Women’s Day we should take a moment to appreciate one another, sisters who have juggled all the variables, dodged all the pitfalls, and still come out smiling in business and life.’
‘We are lucky enough to work with a core of inspirational women, including Martha Fiennes with Salma Hayek Pinault and Rosie Pearson. We are very lucky that we love what we do and thrive off the creative synergy we share with our clients. Nell Gifford was also a huge inspiration to us - particularly her iron will to create the magic of Giffords Circus without compromise.’
Amy Long and Laura Elgar
Long & Elgar
Amy Long Instagram | Laura Elgar Instagram | #longelgar
‘I have a long and forever growing mental list of awesome women stored up for when I need inspiration. I am lucky enough to work with many of them. It is too long a list to share in full but I have long admired Helena Kennedy QC for her work on women’s rights and social justice. I am enjoying observing Jacinda Ardern’s leadership style from afar. I’m proud to share a surname with Lucy Stone who was a US activist for women’s rights in the 1800s and, among other achievements, fought for women to be able to keep their maiden names after marriage. Oh and Debbie Harry is very near the top of my list because, let’s face it, she is just really cool.’
Jenny Stone
Group HR Director, William Reed Business Ltd
‘Lots of people! eg. Patti Smith, Kathy Burke, Maxine Peake, Michelle Obama, AOC, Grace Coddington, Mary Shelley, Nicola Adams, Billie Jean King and my girlfriends.’
Sue Hills
Founder, Ancestral Footsteps
Website
‘This week, it’s Sarah Corbett, Founder of the Craftivist Collective, whose aim is to change the world through deliberate, thoughtful actions that provoke reflection and conversation rather than division and aggression. I listened to her being interviewed by Safia Minney (another hero of mine), who founded the pioneering sustainable fashion clothing label People Tree.’
Ella Doran
Designer and Founder, Ella Doran Homewares
www.elladoran.co.uk | www.elladorandesign.co.uk
Instagram | Twitter
‘My mum was always a business owner while I was growing up and she always gave back to the community, supporting young carers (who are young people who have the unpaid labor of caring for a parent or sibling with a physical or mental illness or disability). They are usually children who don't have much of a childhood but one year I remember my mum sent a lot of them to Disneyland Paris from money she raised from her salon! Most huge companies wouldn't even think to do! My mum was always giving jobs to girls who weren't interested in school and didn't have the guidance to know they could still achieve in life. She is very good at seeing people's potential, beyond their story. She has always championed marginalized young women in that way.
The founders and team at Smile Makers - everyone works really hard, quality is so important to everyone - they are not greedy and are always mission and community-focused.
I follow some women entrepreneurs on Instagram too who I look up to. Sharmadean Reid is so smart and has always been ahead of the curve in her businesses. If I ever create my own brand she is definitely a big inspiration for me. Seane Corn, who’s a yogi icon and walks the talk when it comes to practicing yoga outside of the classroom. She’s a massive inspiration to a lot of teachers. I really love Audrey Gelman too, co-founder of The Wing. I think she has created something that a lot of us have dreamt about and stayed true to that vision, which is very cool.’
Sinnead Ali
Community & Content Manager, Smilemakers
Twitter | #soulguided
Smilemakers Twitter | #discoveryourself
‘Sanna Marin, Prime Minister of Finland. At the time of becoming PM, she was the world's youngest serving state leader!’
Tania Boler
CEO and Founder, Elvie
Instagram | Elvie Instagram
‘I have been inspired by some amazing women in senior leadership positions in our client organisations and within Arcadis. @Virginiaclegg @edelchristie. Conversely, I am also alive to the power of reverse mentoring and as many others am impressed by the quiet conviction and mesmeric power of inspiring young women such as Malala Yousafzai and Greta Thunberg. In my family life I have been inspired by my mother who is one of the most committed lifelong learners I know and who gives so much time to diverse charities and community initiatives in the voluntary sector. My sisters both own their own innovative businesses and successfully juggle career and family and by my sister-in-law who has just completed her PHD which I have no doubt will deliver significant benefit within social service sectors and improve the quality of life of parents, social workers, vulnerable children and young adults. Finally, I’m also inspired by my adult daughter who has incredible tenacity, determination and admirable academic hunger.’
Sarah-Jane Osborne
Head of Workplace, Arcadis
Instagram | #arcadis #improvingqualityoflife
‘My inspiration comes from aspiring towards those who are ambitious in their life and seeking to improve themselves and the ones around them.’
Shatha Olayyan
Showroom Manager, FBMI (Fatima Bint Mohamed Bin Zayed Initiative)
‘My inspiration is my 10 year old daughter. It is rewarding to see her personality and character grow and shape. Ahead of her she has many opportunities in a different world that I grew up in. As a female she sees no boundaries and has interests in coding and construction. As part of learning to swim she has competed in triathlon events jumping in the deep end quite literally in open water with no fear.’
Jenny Lau -Fuller
Senior Retail Design Manager, Unibail– Rodamco – Westfield
‘There are so many, past and present, who inspire us on the daily. Almost impossible to choose but I would call out Jameela Jamil who’s doing incredible things via her I Weigh movement; and Rihanna for making inclusivity cool and continuing to turn everything she touches to gold.
I’m continually inspired by my grandmother (now passed) who as a single mama of two, ran her own highly successful business and had such grace, strength and humility coupled with a devilish sense of humour - she will eternally be my main muse.
And above and beyond any single individual I am constantly inspired by the next gen. They have a limitlessness about their world view that’s joyous to behold. They dream and then they MAKE IT HAPPEN. Together.
That’s inspirational. And some Tween Spirit worth championing.’
Katie Rockliff
Founder and CEO, REAL PRETTY KIND ™
Instagram | Facebook | LinkedIn | #thisisrealpretty #peopleandplanetkind #realprettykind