My Journey to Purpose-Led Business Leadership 

FROM CEO TO PURPOSE-LED BUSINESS LEADERSHIP

The Guidance Gap I Never Expected 

I knew brilliant women entrepreneurs existed. I shopped from Chrissie Rucker's The White Company, used Jo Malone's fragrances, and admired what Laura Tennison built with JoJo Maman Bébé. Growing up near the first Body Shop, I'd witnessed Anita Roddick create something revolutionary. These women were building significant businesses, but where were their stories? Where was their guidance? 

What shocked me most wasn't just the lack of relatable business books – it was the quality of "expert" support available. I found myself surrounded by coaches and consultants who had never actually built or led a substantial business. Many had only ever run their current coaching practice and lacked grounding in fundamental business principles. 

Their advice was often limited to the one tactic that had worked for them – whether that was Facebook ads, networking groups, or sales funnels – without any strategic understanding of how these elements work together in a cohesive business. It was the business equivalent of a doctor prescribing the same medication to every patient regardless of their symptoms. 

I remember sitting in a networking group watching a woman with impressive corporate experience being advised by someone who'd never managed more than their own solo business. The disconnect was jarring – and expensive for those paying for this guidance. 

Finding My Own Way (The Hard Way) 

Being highly experienced, I eventually figured things out on my own. But it wasn't the speediest path. Sometimes you need an external perspective to help you see what you can't see – something I'd valued throughout my executive career but couldn't find in the entrepreneurial space. 

I also encountered the systemic barriers that make business growth particularly challenging for women. Without going into all the details, let's just say that being the one of the only women in many business networking spaces came with its challenges. I remember training as a Director Consultant for a major networking organization, only to be ignored by the Regional Director at every meeting for nearly a year. I later discovered he'd been undermining me to others because he "didn't rate me" – something he proudly informed me of when he eventually decided I was "okay after all." 

I’m sharing these stories because many women entrepreneurs feel isolated in their challenges and wonder if they're "doing it wrong." Hopefully my story helps you see that difficulties are normal, even for highly accomplished leaders. 

These experiences, frustrating as they were, became invaluable research. They showed me firsthand the barriers that women face when building businesses – barriers that go far beyond knowledge gaps to include systemic challenges that are rarely addressed by traditional business coaching.

The Turning Point: The Alison Rose Review 

When the Alison Rose Review into Female Entrepreneurship was published, it confirmed what I'd observed wasn't just anecdotal but systemic. The statistics were both heartbreaking and illuminating: 

• Less than 2% of women-owned businesses ever reach £1 million in turnover 

• 78% remain below £50,000 

• Only 15% ever crack the £100,000 mark 

Yet paradoxically, when women do break through these barriers, they outperform in remarkable ways. Companies founded or co-founded by women generate higher revenues, create stronger job growth, and build more resilient businesses. 

The disconnect was clear. Women weren't failing because they lacked capability – they were being failed by a system that wasn't designed for their success. 

Creating What I Wished Had Existed 

As I worked with more women entrepreneurs, I noticed distinct patterns in their transformation. The approaches that helped them break through plateaus and build significant businesses weren't what traditional business coaching offered. 

Women like Christine, who broke through her £50,000 plateau to build a £375,000 literacy education business with five teachers. Or Cassie, whose home décor business achieved 58% revenue growth last year, reaching £1.48 million. And Rachel, who has systematically acquired small legal businesses to build significant value for eventual sale. 

Their success came from implementing the same foundational elements I'd used as a CEO. Crystal-clear brand positioning, strategic pathways aligned with their unique strengths, and purpose-driven growth that attracted perfect-fit clients. 

Unlike generic business coaching that focused on tactical fixes or mindset work alone, these women needed comprehensive strategic guidance from someone who understood the actual complexities of building significant organisations. 

Purpose-Led Business Leadership: A New Category 

This realisation led me to develop Purpose-Led Business Leadership – an approach that transcends traditional business coaching by integrating three elements typically treated separately: personal transformation, strategic business development, and purpose/values alignment. 

This isn't about pushing businesses into unnatural growth patterns. It's about creating a protected space where sustainable transformation can happen naturally – where strong strategic foundations enable significant growth while maintaining alignment with authentic values. 

Through Purpose-Led Business Leadership, I provide the CEO-level strategic guidance that ambitious women deserve. Drawing on my experience of actually leading complex organisational growth, I help women create businesses that command respect, achieve commercial success, and make meaningful impact – all while honouring their authentic vision. 

Your Business Deserves More Than Cookie-Cutter Solutions

If you're building a business and feeling frustrated by platforms that promise overnight success through one-size-fits-all formulas, I understand. If you've invested in courses that left you overwhelmed rather than empowered, I see you. If you know you're capable of building something significant but can't seem to break through to the next level, you're not alone. 

What I've discovered is that women building businesses need something fundamentally different from what's typically offered: 

• Not surface-level tactics, but CEO-level strategic guidance 

• Not generic formulas, but pathways tailored to your unique strengths 

• Not temporary fixes, but sustainable foundations for lasting growth 

• Not mindset work alone, but practical frameworks that create real results 

Most importantly, you need someone who understands both the obvious and subtle barriers that can hold women back from building truly significant businesses – someone who has navigated those same challenges and helped others overcome them. 

That's exactly what I've created through Purpose-Led Business Leadership – and why I now offer multiple pathways for women ready to build businesses of genuine significance.