There’s a special kind of energy it takes to keep showing up when your mission doesn’t align with the mainstream. To speak up when the world wants you to stay quiet. To lead with heart in a space that often prizes hustle over humanity.
This is the energy it takes to sail against the tide. And it’s the message I carry into every stage I speak on — as a leadership motivational speaker, networking speaker, and someone deeply committed to reconnecting business with humanity.
For over 40 years, I’ve navigated the changing tides of business. I’ve watched the digital age reshape connection, often stripping away the emotional closeness we need to thrive. And through it all, one message has never changed:
We need to bring love back into business.
That message is why event organisers trust me when they’re searching for inspirational speakers (female) who speak from experience, and from the heart.
A Life of Connection, on and off the Stage
My journey began in IT in 1983, and by 1998, it took a transformative turn. While my husband Thomas thrived in the dotcom boom, I was home with three children under five. One evening, watching the Internet evolve, I said:
“Surely this eCommerce thing isn’t just about buying and selling. It can connect people emotionally, too.”
That single thought sparked Ecademy, the world’s first business social network.
From that moment, I became more than a businesswoman. I became a connecting speaker, a builder of community, and someone committed to emotional intelligence in business long before it became a buzzword.
I was Awarded in 2014 with an OBE for the impact I had on business in the digital economy
As a good motivational speaker, I don’t just talk about business growth — I talk about what it really takes to grow: courage, connection, and care.
A Speaking Career Rooted in Authenticity
In 2001, I gave my first paid talk, invited by Jane Swift of BT’s Executive Women’s Network. I wanted to call it “Love in Business.” We softened the title, but the message was clear: Emotional Wealth Leads to Financial Wealth.
Since then, I’ve delivered keynotes across industries, from technology to education, as a sought-after event keynote speaker, especially for audiences ready to explore the emotional side of success.
Whether I’m speaking as a teamwork speaker, a leadership speaker, or an AI speaker guiding businesses through digital change, I bring one thing above all: human connection.
Because in this fast-paced, data-driven world, I believe the future of business is not just smart, it’s emotionally intelligent.
Love, Loss, and Rebuilding
When Ecademy ended in 2012 due to lack of funding, I tried to toughen up. I wore a mask. I created a powerful business supporting young digital talent through apprenticeships. But it wasn’t my true calling.
That came back to life in 2020, in the heart of the pandemic, when Thomas and I created BIP100, a business community rooted in love and support. A place for leaders who want success without losing themselves. A realisation of my lifelong mission.
If you’re an event planner or conference organiser looking for the best conference speaker to energise your audience, challenge assumptions, and speak truthfully about what business really demands of us, I’d be honoured to bring this message to your stage.
Let’s Ponder Together:
- What is the deeper message you’re here to share?
- Are you listening to your quiet, persistent voice?
- Are you ready to let the world hear it?
Because your mission matters. And you matter.
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