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What I’ve learnt about success from interviewing the world’s leading women
Words Jenny Proudfoot
My job involves interviewing the world’s most influential people, from Hollywood stars to politicians, but my stand-out interviewees over the years have all without fail been female founders and businesswomen.
Each month as part of an interview series, I sit down with a game-changing female founder and break down their rise to the top - their challenges, their mistakes, their mantras, the best piece of advice they have ever received and their practical tips on asking for (and getting) more.
It is during these conversations that I have found female founders to be the kindest, coolest and most generous people, especially when it comes to sharing their knowledge. I cherish the conversations most however because of their lasting effects on my own life, with these monthly catch ups with leading women subconsciously mentoring me to success.
I became an Editor aged 25, and three years later, I have leapt up the journalism ladder to my dream job, Features Editor at Marie Claire magazine.
It is by no means a coincidence that my career started soaring when this interview series began, and I credit my success in part to my subconscious cheerleaders - the female business women and founders that my job requires me to interview, and who have steadily drip fed me advice, inspiration and power over the years.
Here’s what they taught me about achieving success…
You have to ask for what you want
‘If you don’t ask you don’t get’, Missoma Founder Marisa Hordern told me, while Pip Jamieson, Founder of The Dots, reassured me: ‘No one ever got fired for asking for a pay rise’. ‘It’s a well-researched fact that women are less likely to advocate for promotions and pay rises compared to their male counterparts in business,’ explained Hermione Underwood, new CEO of JSHealth Vitamins. ‘You can be the change.’ Rosie Fortescue, Founder of Rosie Fortescue Jewellery added: ‘I want for it to be a normal thing to do. We shouldn’t be scared to ask for more and the more frequently the conversation is had, the easier it will get and the less of a taboo it will be.’
Accept the fact that you are going to make mistakes
‘We have to let women and girls make mistakes and learn from them,’ Jacqueline Gold, CEO of Ann Summers told me. ’It doesn’t always have to be perfect.’ ’I am a big believer in the fact that you learn more from your mistakes than you do from your successes,’ Marisa Hordern explained, while Payal Kadakia, Founder of ClassPass, insisted that ‘all failures are points that take you to the next step in your life.’
Confidence and self believe are key
‘Quite often, the only thing holding women back is a belief in themselves,’ Anna Jones, Co-Founder of AllBright, told me, while Ali Beaven, Founder of Prezola Limited, advised: ‘Women should never be underestimated, particularly by themselves.’ ‘Questioning yourself occasionally is useful but we shouldn’t question ourselves constantly,’ Film Producer Lucy Cohen once warned me. ‘Remember, not to be complicit in the marginalisation of yourself.’
Supporting other women will only help you
’Sisterhood works,’ Anna Jones assured me. ‘If we improve our network, improve our support of one another and share our experiences with each other, there’s nothing we can’t achieve.’ ’We have big hurdles to overcome and there is unconscious bias that exists,’ Pip Jamieson added. ‘The last thing we need is in-fighting between women. There’s a special place in hell for women that don’t support other women’. ’Of course, we can’t individually support every woman, but we can support the immediate women around us,’ Louisa Maycock, Founder of Girls on Tops told me. ‘If we gave them a leg up instead of tearing them down, we would all go further.’