She Leads Collective Podcast: stories, allyship and confidence tools for women

Send us Fan Mail What if imposter syndrome isn’t a syndrome at all? Many highly capable women find themselves overthinking, doubting their abilities or holding back from opportunities they are more than ready for. We’ve learned to call this “imposter syndrome”—but business psychologist, executive coach and author Kay Tear believes that label may be part of the problem. In this thought-provoking co...

Send us Fan Mail What if one of the most powerful ways to advance women at work is to give men more time away from it? Jo Farmer is Joint Managing Partner of international law firm Lewis Silkin—and the first woman to hold the role. In this deeply human and practical conversation, Jo shares how the firm introduced six months’ paid parental leave for everyone and achieved an extraordinary result: 10...

Send us Fan Mail Why are so many working mothers, parents and carers stepping back from careers they have spent years building? In this episode of the She Leads Collective Parenting & Caring mini-series , I’m joined by Tracey Gunn and Michelle O’Keeffe, co-founders of Platform 55 , to explore the motherhood penalty, returning to work after maternity leave, parental leave for fathers, caring re...

Send us Fan Mail When we talk about caring responsibilities, we often picture parents with young children. But millions of leaders are quietly carrying another responsibility that receives far less attention: caring for ageing parents. In this deeply honest conversation, Mary Gregory is joined by Amy Kiernan , Group Chief Growth Officer at McCann, to explore what happens when a demanding leadershi...

Send us Fan Mail What if supporting working parents wasn't simply an employee benefit—but one of the smartest leadership decisions an organisation could make? In this first guest episode of Season 4, Mary Gregory is joined by Amie Kendall , Business Director at Regenerate, to explore why family-friendly workplaces are no longer just an HR issue—they are a strategic leadership priority. Togeth...

Send us Fan Mail What’s really getting in the way of people being able to thrive at work? As She Leads Collective returns for Season 4, I’m exploring a question that has stayed with me after more than 50 conversations with women leaders, business owners, allies, academics and changemakers. We often focus on helping individuals become more confident, capable and resilient. But what about the enviro...

Send us Fan Mail As AI becomes capable of doing more, what becomes more valuable about being human? Much of the conversation about AI focuses on what technology will replace, which jobs will change and what skills we'll need next. But what if there's another question we should be asking? In the final episode of Conversations Worth Revisiting – A She Leads Collective Summer Series , I bri...

Send us Fan Mail Why do we still pretend that people can leave their personal lives at the door when they come to work? We talk about bringing our “professional selves” to work. But our relationships, families, losses, worries and major life changes don't simply disappear when the working day begins. In this second episode of Conversations Worth Revisiting – A She Leads Collective Summer Seri...

Send us Fan Mail 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 t...

Send us Fan Mail 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 — s...

Send us Fan Mail 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 disc...

Send us Fan Mail 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...

Send us Fan Mail 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...

Send us Fan Mail 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 o...

Send us Fan Mail 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 help...

Send us Fan Mail 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 th...

Send us Fan Mail 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 bu...

Send us Fan Mail 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 i...

Send us Fan Mail Why are women still receiving only around 2% of venture capital funding in 2026 — despite the evidence showing that businesses led by women consistently outperform? In this eye-opening episode of the She Leads Collective Podcast, Mary Gregory speaks with entrepreneur, investor and author David B Horne about the systemic barriers women continue to face when seeking funding for thei...

Send us Fan Mail So much of the conversation around women and money focuses on gaps — pay gaps, pension gaps, investment gaps and funding gaps. But what if the deeper issue is also about confidence, exposure, access and invitation? In this episode, Mary is joined by Yasmine El Mehairy, entrepreneur, educator and fintech leader, for the first in a three-part mini-series exploring women and finance....

Send us Fan Mail What does leadership look like when you do not fit the traditional mould? In this episode of the She Leads Collective Podcast, Mary is joined by Akua Opong, Senior Engineer at the London Stock Exchange Group, advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion, mentor, volunteer and powerful role model for women in STEM. Akua shares her journey from wanting to become a paediatrician, to...

Send us Fan Mail What if the problem isn’t your confidence, but the system you’re trying to succeed in? In this episode of the She Leads Collective Podcast, Mary Gregory is joined by Lauren Neal, chartered engineer, chartered project professional, founder of Valued at Work and author of the book of the same name. Lauren has spent nearly two decades delivering complex projects in the energy sector,...

Send us Fan Mail Why do so many high-performing women still carry the invisible weight of running everything at home? In this second conversation with Steph Douglas, we shift the focus from business to what’s happening behind the scenes — and why it matters more than we often acknowledge. In this follow-up episode, Mary continues the conversation with Steph Douglas, founder of Don’t Buy Her Flower...

Send us Fan Mail What if the best business ideas don’t come from grand strategy, but from noticing something small that others simply accept? In this episode, Mary speaks with Steph Douglas, founder of Don’t Buy Her Flowers , about how a deeply personal experience as a new mum became the starting point for a thoughtful, values-led gifting business. After receiving multiple bouquets of flowers afte...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to Season 3 of the She Leads Collective Podcast . In this opening episode, I explore a question that sits at the heart of this season: If progress for women at work is real… why do so many day-to-day experiences still feel unchanged? The picture isn’t simple. There is progress—and that matters. And there are still realities happening every day that tell a very different st...