For International Women’s Day this year I want to SHOUT about a few of the most inspirational, creative and #fiercelybrave females I know who are forging their own paths and running kick-ass businesses to boot.
Catherine Asta
I discovered all these fantastic females thanks to one awesome woman – Catherine Asta who founded Girl Tribe Gang (GTG) in 2017. Newly freelance myself, I needed to find my tribe and was pretty horrified by the idea of traditional ‘networking’. GTG was a perfect fit, and led me to discover this like-minded group of fantastic female founders…
Rachel Bradley
Someone who inspires me DAILY is former Reading GTG boss and PR Queen Rachel Bradley. Rachel now runs her own Berkshire-based biz group for feisty female founders, alongside her successful PR and social media business. And she somehow also finds time to volunteer for Smart Works, do countless Facebook Lives (!) AND bring up two teenage boys. With a seemingly endless supply of passion, energy and bravery, she’s one of the most enthusiastic cheerleaders I know and motivates everyone around her.
Emma Cossey
Emma is THE go-to for anyone considering freelancing or already in the thick of it. She’s
an actual real-life freelancing expert, as well as being a podcaster, a supercoach for freelancers, a mum, and a blogger. If you’re thinking of ditching the 9-5, her ‘30 days to Freelance’ pack is an absolute MUST. Emma’s lively, thriving Facebook community (of well over 4,000 members) was an absolute godsend when I first went it alone. She’s so supportive, genuinely helpful, and a real ideas person. A tech-savvy creative thinker, bursting with practical time-saving tips, hacks and inspiration. Emma’s enthusiasm is infectious, and she’s basically the queen of Instagram stories. I feel sooooo lucky to know her!
Bristol buzz
There’s so much creativity coming out of Bristol right now. I’ve been particularly inspired by three talented and determined women who are blazing a trail with their very own clothing brands – Amy Goodall, Emmy Pugh and Cat Ransome.
Amy Goodall – I.Should.B
I was instantly seduced by the bright, bold Girl Tribe Gang branding from the moment I saw it – then discovered it was the creation of Bristol-based brand identity designer Amy Goodall. Amy is exceptionally creative and passionate, crazy about colour and has a particular talent for typography. As well as developing new brand identities for forward-thinking businesses, via Mad About the Brand, she’s also launched her own stunning, empowering and inspirational women’s clothing line at I.Should.B – and is ‘on a mission to ignite your inner fire of self belief’! Check out her Instagram for a daily dose of empowerment and motivation.
Emmy Pugh – Sunday & Soul
Determined to run a business of her own, Emmy has created a beautiful new brand of comfy, colourful weekend-wear totally from scratch – and all while pregnant with baby number two. She says: “It’s such a great time to be a small business – they are thriving and succeeding more than ever before, and it’s opening up such a massive world of choice for us as consumers. We’re not just looking to the big brands on the high street any more. And it’s giving people a chance to change their lives – living rather than just surviving.”
Emmy’s Sunday & Soul brand is in its infancy – you can’t even buy her gorgeous merch yet. But check out her Instagram account to get a flavour of the luxe South-Beach style, and keep an eye out for that long-awaited launch news.
Cat Ransome – Backwards Brain
Cat Ransome recently launched Backwards Brain clothing with her son Leo. They saw a problem with traditional sizes and decided to fix it – so they’re now on a mission to get the fashion world thinking differently. Their cool, vibrant streetwear is categorised by colour – so you’re a shade, not a size. Cat and Leo created the brand together, coming up with the name, the logo, and even the designs, which is no mean feat. Cat’s proved to be the ultimate role model for her kids, showing them they really do have the power to change things.
Find your tribe
We need to be about connections not competition. International Women’s Day this year is focusing on celebrating women’s achievements – a healthy reminder to be cheerleaders for our fellow female founders.
When you’re self employed it’s crucial to find a tribe you can trust – connect with a gang who’ve truly got your back.
As Catherine Asta says: “Keep being brave. Keep taking risks. Don’t ever let fear of failure stop you. Failure is the very platform where we learn and grow. We are the women taking giant leaps into the unknown. The risk takers. The ‘make it happen’ collective. We walk on the wildside together and when things get tough, our eco-system of support kicks right in. I passionately believe that we are stronger together. Women genuinely supporting women is where the magic happens. Competition has no place. It’s about being a genuine subscriber of the greater good.”
Culture and the media have been pitching women against each other for too damn long. Solidarity and support is the way forward. Happy #IWD.