Yes SHE Can Project- Inspiring stories to empower one another

Come and join the conversation as I chat to the amazing Angie Simmons, founder of the incredible Growth Development Foundation. Built following a series of traumatic events that happened to Angie throughout her life, she drew her strength and turned her "mental mess into her message". Taking me back through her life, Angie is open and incredibly honest about the pain she has endured and the impact it had on her mental health. One day changed her life completely. Angie bravely tells me of the day she learned of the passing of her beloved brother Tony. Not only her sibling, Tony was her best friend, his loss sent her on a downward spiral and the pain she was experiencing was too much to bear. Angie tells me the details surrounding that time, dealing with feelings of guilt that she carried, blaming herself for her brother's passing and fighting these feelings led her into despair. Battling with thoughts of not wanting to continue and just wanting to be reunited with her brother, Angie is frank and explains the feelings she was experiencing at that time. In 2014, Angie was introduced to personal development. Just a simple CD she was given to listen to in her car, she tells me that she wasn't engaging with its content to begin with and had no clue how it was going to help her, however unbeknown to her at that time, this was the first step towards the rest of her life and her recovery. Unbelievably, tragedy was to strike Angie's life once more when she suddenly lost her Mum. The practical aspect proving difficult to navigate, having a strict time frame to clear out her Mum's personal items and plan her funeral whilst also dealing with the overwhelming grief weighed heavily on her. It was one quiet moment when sorting through her Mum's possessions that she came across a journal, citing it as "the missing piece of her jigsaw", starting her on the incredible journey towards The Growth Development Foundation that you see today. We chat about the Marjala Method, that Angie teaches , helping people to gain clarity in thei lives, and the importance of making connections with our inner selves. We also talk about a fascinating part of her business that is incorporated into her very own journal, Moonology, moon cycles and the interesting correlation that we as women need to learn about! Such an emotional episode and Angie is such an open and honest lady, using her pain and suffering to help others makes you like her even more! An inspiration to so many she has some EXCITING plans for the future! I cannot wait to watch the next stage of her journey, and see what's coming up for the Growth Development Foundation, thankyou beautiful lady for such an insightful and inspiring conversation! Find out more about Angie's work here: https://www.growthdevelopmentfoundation.uk #growth #development #personaldevelopment #yesshecan #yesshecanproject #empowering #empowerment #journalling #spiritual #spiritualjourney #moonology #angiesimmons #honest #honestconversation

Come and join the conversation with the gorgeous Hellen Ward, Co Founder & Director of the largest independent Hair & Beauty salons in the country! Come on a journey as we chat about the beginnings of her entering the industry in her teens, her Mum being a hairdresser and Dad being the MD of a chain of department stores. Hellen undertook an apprenticeship following her parents separation and a financially difficult time, hilariously admitting to me that she was a "dreadful hairdresser"! Through her exceptional people skills and self proclaimed gift of the gab, she built herself a strong client base and became intrigued with the business side of salons. Hellen talks me through her love for the industry, however not keen on being a hairdresser, she knew that her skills and experience could take her into a managerial role, something that she relished. Becoming a salon manager at the tender age of 20, Hellen was quickly promoted to Regional Manager, travelling up and down the country and thrived in her role, constantly soaking up the ins and outs of the business side of salon management. Upon meeting her husband Richard, it made perfect sense for them to combine their minds, experience and skillsets to embark on a business venture of their very own. Not the most traditional start however, they bravely took the plunge on a salon that had gone bankrupt! 1992 marks the start of their epic journey, navigating obstacles on the way but Hellen has always had such an incredible self intuition and self belief that has carried her through to result in the roaring success of the salon you see today! Drawing on her deep spirituality and guided by that inner trust she has, she has listened to her gut every step of the way, and it has served her so well. We chat about the pressures of COVID, the severe impact that it has had not only for their business personally but for the industry as a whole. We talk about the shift in the industry, a lot of salons moving into self employment, thus creating a ripple effect for the future of the hair and beauty sector, especially when it comes to the next generation of apprentices. She talks to me openly about the implications following the rule breaking during lockdown and the adverse effect it was having on the industry nationally. We chat about people's mental health during the course of the pandemic, that need for connection and the sheer importance of being able to have that salon experience. Hellen is regarded as one of the countries leading Hair & Beauty industry business experts, offering consultancy services, she has written books, jam packed with all of her extensive experience over the years to help salons succeed. Absolutely passionate about her industry and her work, Hellen beams when talking about their salon, the community they have created and her need to be on the shop floor as much as possible, as she is so invested in the community they have created over the years. Building relationships with their clients has been integral to their success, the same goes for the management of the salon, Hellen tells me how important it is to her to offer flexible working, especially when it comes to staff who have children, from personal experience she knows how vital this is. Hellen also talks me through her work outside of the salon, being the Vice President of the UK branch of the British Association of Women Entrepreneurs. Such a fascinating backstory to the organisation, hailing from France after the Second World War, it was initially set up to support the women whose husbands' had been sadly killed during the conflict and guide them in the running of their businesses. BAWE is a community of inspirational women, collaborating with one another, expert speakers and everything in between! Have a listen and be inspired by this powerhouse of a woman, what an AMAZING lady, such a talent in her field and such an interesting chat! Thankyou Hellen it was an absolute joy!

Come and join the conversation with Claire Cahill, founder of Accendo Coaching! Claire is an award winning executive Confidence & Leadership Coach, using her own experiences in the corporate world to help others achieve their potential, feeling supported, and a safe space for leaders to grow. Claire tells me about the beginnings of her business, born from her return to work following the birth of her son, 6 months previously. Although she looked the part, the same as she had before, she didn't feel the same inside. After such a life changing event, returning to work mentally was far more of a challenge than she was expecting. Culminating in a need to take time off due to stress, Claire sought answers as to who she was, how she could move forward and what it was she needed to aid her in doing so. We delve into journalling, how reflection and having her own coach helped her to make a plan moving forward, and her drive to use her skillset to empower other people in leadship roles, something that she desperately needed on her return to work. We chat about Claire's amazing self awareness, her passion to help others and the tools she garnered whilst on her journey to becoming a Leadership Coach. Claire tells me about how her business has gone from strength to strength over the past three years, becoming an author and winning awards. We talk about lockdown, the way she soaked up information by seeing things through her children's perspective, enabling her to again expand her knowledge base in the most wonderful way! Claire tells me about her workshops, going into schools and colleges and teaching students about the wealth of transferable skills they already possess , increasing their self awareness and helping to prepare them for joining the workforce. We chat about biggest lessons learnt, finding your inner strength and the importance of coaches having coaches! Wonderful chat with a wonderful lady! You can find out more about Claire here: https://www.accendocoaching.co.uk #yesshecan #coaching #leadershipcoaching #selfawareness

⚠️TW- Miscarriage, sexual assault ⚠️ Come and join the conversation with the gorgeous Ella Kenion! Ella is a seasoned actress with a career spanning 30 years! Best known for playing Mrs Cakeworthy in Green Green Grass, Captain Sinker on CBeebies, and various characters in The Catherine Tate Show. Ella not only appears on our screens but she does voiceovers for commercials, animations and countless theatre productions. Although Ella tells me she is rarely recognised, giving her the perfect amount of fame! Mostly people thinking she's served them in Asda, or is a distant cousin that they'd met at a wedding once 🤣 However she recalls one time in particular when flying out to visit her good friend Derren Litten (writer & creator of Benidorm, co writer of The Catherine Tate Show) where she had an encounter with a HUGE fan of hers after being instantly recognised! 🤣 Ella tells me all about her acting family, with her Dad, Granny, Great Uncle AND Great Grandma all being in the industry! We chat about her first big job and imposter syndrome setting in, and being taken under the wing of Mr Beans girlfriend! Opening up about Equity for actors and the choices when it comes to gaining your card if you haven't attended an accredited drama school, you'll be shocked to learn what options you have! Let's just say stripping in Sweden and meeting with madams was a close encounter! 🤣 We talk about Ella's experiences on The Green Green Grass, Episodes with Matt Le Blanc, Midsomer Murders , and delve into the trade secrets when it comes to filming on such iconic shows! And we chat about a cheeky Dame Judi Dench and her capers in the wings! Totally loved talking about one of my favourite programmes The Catherine Tate Show, Ella gives me some juicy behind the scenes gossip about those oh so iconic Lauren sketches! Ella is honest with me about the realities of life back in the day in the acting world, & during her childhood, a difficult conversation but she speaks so matter of factly, is super brave for opening up about traumatic times in her life, and her outlook is inspiring 😍 We discuss her Canadian adventure, filming with Vanessa Hudgens for Netflix, and the truth behind being a single parent and having to travel so far away from her child. We talk about getting the balance right and trying to hold your place in the industry until children have flown the nest. Ella tells me all about the relentless rejection in the acting world, audition processes and her dream co star! By the end of the conversation we head completely off topic and end up chatting about random things that we've had going on in our lives currently! A wonderful lady and insanely talented actress, what an absolute pleasure and incredible rollercoaster of an episode! Looking forward to seeing what the future brings for this wonderful lady ❤️ #ellakenion #yesshecan #ukactress #actress #catherinetateshow #amazingwomen #netflix #bbc #sitcom #uksitcom #talentedactress #benidorm #hardware #captainsinker #cbeebies #voiceoverartist #actor #theatreactress #sitcomactress #comedyactress

Come and join the conversation with the gorgeous Danielle Mason! Danielle is a former glamour model, entering the industry entirely by chance following a dinner with Katie Price's (AKA Jordan) agent back in her early twenties. Having done some work experience on EastEnders, being the sister of Jessie Wallace, Danielle found herself thrust into the limelight, on Page 3 within a week of being signed and subsequently appearing on programmes such as This Morning, cooking along with Eamon and Ruth! We delve into the realities of being a model and the negative impact it can have on your confidence. Often young girls being told bluntly that they were too big, too spotty and brutally not good enough! We chat about her experiences with online trolling, legal action she had to take, and the beyond disgusting comments about her children that she had to read. Danielle has such a kind heart, talking about her experiences in such a matter of fact way, and often citing that people just don't think properly when they are on social media. We talk about the negativity surrounding the media, often misconstruing a story in order to get readers and the harsh realities of being in the public eye. Danielle tells me about how life turned in a new direction when meeting her partner, him having come from a Romany Gypsy community and they had two beautiful children. It was this situation that led her to appearing on shows such as Big Fat Gypsy Wedding and Gypsy Kids, showing what life is like in the travelling community. From this part of her life she picked up a passion for cleaning tips, hacks and good housekeeping, which ignited her desire to become a presenter for all things clean! She tells me about the wonderful experiences she's had so far, during her modelling career travelling business class to shoot a calendar in Barbados and appearing on television! Danielle now hopes to take her passion for good housekeeping into TV, following her dream of landing a regular presenting role to share her knowledge, experience and cleaning hacks with others. A lovely, kind, warm hearted woman, was a pleasure to interview, I have no doubt we will see her on our screens again very soon! Watch this space! You can follow Danielle's journey over on Instagram @daniellemasonuk Don't forget to like and subscribe to the Yes SHE Can Project and give us a follow over on Insta! #daniellemason #cleaninghacks #glamourmodel #page3 #thismorning #cleaningtips #cleaning #goodhousekeeping #yesshecan #yesshecanproject #eastenders #tvpresenter #femalepresenter #femaletvpresenter

Come and join the conversation with the gorgeous Dee Gibson! Dee is a London based Interior Designer, founder of Velvet Orange, Owner of the beautiful Kalukanda House in Sri Lanka and co founder of the Hera Project. Join me as we head back to Dee's formative and inspirational early years, spending time with her civil engineer Grandfather. Soaking in all the design and architectural elements (and kneecap views!) even from a young age spurred a childhood passion in her. Dee tells me about growing up in a traditional Sri Lankan family, with a real focus on education, being directed towards a career in medicine, law or accounting, enabling her to stand her in good stead for the future. Putting her creative side on the back burner, Dee pursued a career in accounting and continued for ten years until a chance moment directed her to a course in Interior Design! Her love for design, the beauty and emotions of spaces lit that fire within her once more and she thrived throughout her course. Soaking up elements like a sponge, Dee knew she was where she was supposed to be! We talk about the timings of things, getting into that world when she did enabled her to really start the career of her dreams and be able to really focus on the parts that she enjoyed and excelled at. In 2007 she launched Velvet Orange, her very own Interior Design Company and 11 years later built her very own boutique hotel called Kalukanda House in beautiful Sri Lanka. Dee tells me the fascinating story behind such a monumental project, explains her ethos and connection to the project, the importance of being eco conscious and using local craftsmen. Not only did Kalukanda House start completely out of the blue and unplanned, everything seemed to slot perfectly into place as a serious of events for Dee. It grew organically, and in such a serendipitous way, and unbelievably Dee had written the idea years and years ago in a notebook she forgot she had!! Next we delve into the amazing Hera Project, a community that Dee has co founded with two other like minded women. They concentrate on a three pronged approach to wellness in the areas of mind, body and business. Dee tells me the importance of gaining strength in all three areas make for positive transformations. Set up from an idea in lockdown, again another chance meeting, Dee was thinking about what kind of retreats she would like to organise when things reopened. Listen as she tells me that "all rounds lead to Kalukanda" and the wonderful energy that it has, often interweaving her journey and creating opportunities for her in the most magical way! The Hera Project is committed to offering a safe space for women to gain strength in all three areas, supporting women especially through periods of transition and alongside other women going through the same, makes a recipe for success! Providing coaching and mentoring, workshops and a 6 month mastermind, culminating in an amazing end experience at the stunning Kalukanda House! Dee & I talk about the importance of having no regrets, how life is so short, leaning into the things that make you happy, igniting your passion and allowing the space for yourself to reach your full potential. Dee is such a beautiful soul, having achieved so much already, an amazing energy and we had an instant connection! She really is a wonderful lady and it was fascinating to learn about her life and journey so far. So excited to see what the future holds! You can find out more here: https://www.kalukandahouse.com https://www.velvetorange.co.uk https://www.heraleadership.com Instagram @deegibson2017 #interiordesigner #interiordesign #kalukandahouse #yesshecan #womeninbusiness #womenspodcast #yesshecanproject #inspiring #inspirationalconversation #energy #positiveenergy #amazingwomen #heraleadership #srilanka

Come and join the conversation with the inspirational Asal, founder of Jeunvie, Essentiel Vie, evBizHub & Auto Immune London! Such a busy lady!! We chat about the life limiting auto immune condition that she was diagnosed with 18 years ago, at the time being given just 4-6 months to live. Asal has a background in medicine, having studied pharmaceuticals and immediately began formulating her own skincare as she needed something plant based, natural and most of all kind to her skin. We talk about her misdiagnosis, being allergic to everything and waiting over a year for proper answers, having gone back and forth for multiple tests. It was finally after going to a private consultant that Asal got her diagnosis, however the shock of being told it was terminal and to do anything she wanted, immediately inspired her to get a Snoopy tattoo!! Asal is an advocate for harnessing the environment and honing her medical skills to bring skincare products using the natural parts of plant, even once extracting 21 allergens out of her products in her Mother & Baby sister brand Essentiel Vie. From her tireless work delivering teddy bears and sweets to Ukrainian refugee children, to visiting patients with terminal illnesses, Asal has the most amazing heart and soul. Even setting up her own not for profit charity Auto Immune Support Awareness London, they rely on donations in not money but KINDNESS! Exchanging services and not cash makes this charity completely unique and utterly wonderful 💕 Not only everything she has going on with her own health she is committed to helping other businesses gain coverage and fast track them to success! Founding the evBiz Hub, another venture that is all about sharing her knowledge, contacts and passion for helping people achieve success. She talks me through writing a book about Distraction Therapy, relying on the techniques to carry her through, undergoing chemotherapy with a bucket in one hand, pen and paper in the other scribbling down skincare formulations! We covered SO much in this chat I literally could have listened to Asal for hours! An amazing sense of humour and fantastic outlook on life, Asal is such a special lady, one of those once in a lifetime people whose strength and resilience will inspire you, her positive attitude and glow is amazing to be around! You can find out more by checking out her ainstahram accounts: @asal.chevalier @jeunvie @essentiel.vie @evBizHub @autoimmune.london Thankyou Asal it was an absolute honour!! 💕

Come and join the conversation with the gorgeous Jo Birch Jones @goddess_aesthetics1 Join me as I chat to Jo, Advanced Aesthetic Practitioner & CEO of Goodess Aesthetics. She specialises in non surgical face and body contouring from her clinics in Kent. Jo is full of energy and enthusiasm, talking me through her passion for making women feel great and redesigning their bodies to build their self esteem. We discuss the struggles that we face as women, changes that our bodies go through, hormone levels, weight gain and the impact this has on our mental health. Jo tells me about the incredible Lipofirm treatment that she offers, the only white papered medical grade machine that does exactly what traditional Liposuction does, yet with no down time, recovery and anesthesia! Jo is known in her field as the "Fat Shatterer!" using the treatments she provides and the qualifications she has gained to easily explain how it works, using the body's lymphatic system to naturally expel fat after undergoing treatments! We talk about the science behind the treatment, about our bodies losing collagen, changes in our body shapes and her passion for helping women (and men!) feel body beautiful! We venture into the impact that social media has on our younger generation of girls, being bombarded with unattainable images of perfection and the damaging portrayal of unrealistic beauty standards. Jo is incredibly confident in her work, offering treatments that she KNOWS get results! Loving a "nay sayer" and skeptical client she is so confident in her results that she has even given away treatments to prove that Goddess Aesthetics are incredible in the industry! Often encountering clients that have been given false promises elsewhere, Jo works hard to rectify their work and show them that with the right knowledge and expertise you can become body confident and achieve the body you desire at Goddess! Starting during a pandemic Jo has overcome significant challenges along the way, yet with her super positive personality and results driven ethos, her clinics are going from strength to strength! We talk about how we as women always seem to be at the bottom of the pile when it comes to looking after ourselves, as often wearing so many metaphorical hats in our daily lives usually leaves us with no time or energy to make ourselves feel good. Brimming with excitement Jo tells me about the exciting next steps for her business, further reaching more women to feel incredible about themselves. An absolute pleasure to chat to such an interesting lady, really lifting the lid and breaking the stigma surrounding beauty aesthetics! Thankyou Jo, wonderful to chat to you and excited about what the future holds for you! You can find out more about Jo and her incredible business here: https://www.goddess-aesthetics.co.uk Instagram @goddess_aesthetics1 You are not alone ladies, come and join the conversation! ❤️ #beautybusiness #beautyaesthetics #lipofirm #botox #yesshecan #womeninbusiness #yesshecan #yesshecanproject #beautykent #beautyaestheticskent #sevenoaksbeauty #nonsurgicaltreatments #nonsurgicalfatblasting #thefatshatterer #lymphaticsystem #redesignourconfidence

Come and join the conversation with the gorgeous Andrea McLean!Join me as we go on a journey with Andrea, from studying journalism at University and accidently falling into television! Fiercely independent in her Mum's old Fiesta, she talks me through packing up the car and setting off to London alone, living in a bedsit whilst applying for every journalism job going. Writing travel articles and constantly applying for jobs in the days where there was no internet, it was a paper filled hustle! Fast forward a few years and Andrea tells me about a phone call she received asking her to be a weather presenter (a job she scarcely remembers applying for!) and ending up boarding a plane to Atlanta to train.We chat about the funny stories behind her journey into GMTV, being mistaken for the editors girlfriend and cinching the deal for her stint on the channel following hard graft and determination! Andrea talks passionately about her belief in the universe, always steering her in the right direction, continuing to be herself, show kindness and her natural desire to help others. Talking about her anchor job on Loose Women, she takes me through the realities of juggling motherhood, LONG days and travelling up and down the country at a moment's notice. Andrea is determined, tenacious and has a wonderful outlook. When talking about opportunities, regrets and life choices, she has such an amazing take on life! She's always had, from a young age, a wise head on her shoulders, being able to envisage herself as an older woman and questioning if her future self would regret not taking the opportunity that was presented to her at the time. We chat about her personal struggles, from being bullied at school (yet showing them compassion and understanding, something which at a young age is incredible!), counting therapy, and her being safe in the knowledge that pain is only temporary. Andrea talks me through the difficulties of living life in the public eye, her "open kitchen" invitations, and the vitirol trolling that she regularly endures. Although hurtful to her and often her lived ones too, Andrea proves her compassionate soul by seeing life through the eyes of others, again showing her compassionate heart. We talk openly about her life changing decision to leave Loose Women in 2020, having set up This Girl Is On Fire alongside her presenting role with her husband Nick. With TGIOF starting as an online blog, with educational articles, magazine like format in the early days, Andrea's passion to help other women was ignited further and the decision to leave LW was cemented. Mentally needing to focus all her efforts into this burning passion of hers she knew that she needed to go "all in" with TGIOF to give it the best chance of success. We chat through the realities of the pressure of that decision, with a mortgage to pay for, a team she was responsible for at TGIOF by this point and the whole of Britain watching and waiting to see what happens next. I cannot imagine how that felt and how scary that must of been! But again, Andrea's never faultering optimism about doing what feels right is seeing her through! We discuss the challenges of running a business, the realities of the hard work that comes along with it and Andreas "Blueprint For Failure"!! This Girl Is On Fire is on a mission to empower 100 million women around the world to get the emotional and financial freedom to live the life they love! Born from a place of experience, Andrea tells me how her personal struggles financially and professionally have catapulted her into creating a community of women to achieve that freedom! With masterclasses, mindset coaching, experts, advice, information and SO MUCH MORE, Andrea has created a community of women that are making her so proud! Such an inspirational chat with such a truly inspiring woman, Andrea has such a refreshing outlook on life and a wonderful positivity about her,it was an absolute pleasure

Come and join the conversation with Andrea De Gabriel @andreadegabrielportraits! She chats to me all about her journey to get her where she is today, how dare intervened and ultimately choose her path for her! We delve into the passion behind her photography business, from the very beginning, the nerves with her very first client, to her utter joy everytime she works! Andrea takes me back to 2002, when she was working in an office and the tragic circumstances of losing a colleague, it made her stop and rethink everything. Shocked into the realisation that she wanted to live her life and leave a legacy, Andrea knew she needed to change direction. Unsure of what her next steps would be she was brought by a twist of fate to a prospectus from her local college! Literally swirling her finger around the page, closing her eyes and allowing herself to be guided, she landed on a photography course! She didn't know anything at all about photography, let alone even own a camera! Listen as Andrea takes me through the incredible emotions that come along with her work, and being in a profession that she absolutely adores! She gives women that power and confidence within themselves to recognise their true beauty. This is an integral part of Andrea's "why" and she is a huge advocate for starting the empowerment from an early age, often working with young girls and giving them the tools to believe in themselves! Andrea is vibrant, full of life and a wonderfully positive soul! That being said she bravely opens up to me about her struggles with anxiety, crippling her to the point where she was unable to leave the house, and travelling was out of the question when she was at her lowest. She is very frank in her explanation, and tells me how specific her struggles were. Encouraged by her husband to seek professional help, it set her on a journey to recovery. Again in another twist of fate, Andrea explains how a chance encounter with a stranger on a train (that wouldn't stop talking!) even helped her on her journey in a way that she didn't expect! We chat about her incredible campaigns, such as 50 over 50, and her passion for promoting women in their 50's and beyond! Being an underrepresented age group in the media, Andrea decided it was her mission to change that! Listen as she tells me all about her aims with the campaign! I absolutely love Andrea's energy and pure zest for life, you cannot help but smile when you are around her! This is evident too in her incredible testimonials on her website, (she even has video testimonials, so unique!!) women that have come to her with zero confidence and left on an absolute high! If you'd like to find out more about this amazing lady, give her website a visit at https://www.andreadegabriel.co.uk #yesshecan #womenspodcast #photgraphy #photographer #portraitphotographer #womensphotography #womensupportingwomen #womeninbusiness #vibrant #energy #womeninpodcasting #yesSHEcanprojectpodcast #warwickshirebusiness