S3 Ep 14- Leading Beyond Expectations: Reinvention, Inclusion & Legacy with Fara Butt

S3 Ep 14- Leading Beyond Expectations: Reinvention, Inclusion & Legacy with Fara Butt

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2489643/fan_mail/new] 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 reinvent yourself without losing who you are. Fara shares how growing up as the eldest of five daughters in an ambitious immigrant family shaped her confidence, why teaching made her a better leader, and how she helped transform a traditionally male manufacturing environment into a more inclusive workplace. We also discuss visibility, unconscious bias, succession planning, creating cultures where people can flourish, and why leadership is ultimately about helping others succeed. Finally, Fara reflects on legacy, her hopes of becoming a writer, and why we should never allow other people's expectations to define who we become. If you've ever questioned whether it's too late to change direction, this conversation is a reminder that careers rarely follow a straight line—and that's often where the greatest growth happens. Connect with Fara on Linked In - https://www.linkedin.com/in/farkhanda-hussain-butt-9929205b/  Visit Shire Beds website -  https://www.shirebeds.co.uk/                                     🔗 Connect with Mary: marygregory.com [https://marygregory.com] 📣 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/marygregory [https://www.linkedin.com/in/marygregory?lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_profile_view_base_contact_details%3BW4x6Jp3MT2SOdG3BzSansQ%3D%3D]  📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mary_gregory/  📰 Newsletter: Subscribe on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7029410958645059584  🎙 Want to be a guest? Get in touch!  ⭐ Subscribe, share & leave a review  ✨ Produced by Mary Gregory Leadership Coaching

S3 Ep13 Leading Yourself Through Uncertainty - Lessons in Courage and Compassion with Isabelle Courtney-Guy.

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2489643/fan_mail/new] 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 how she consciously chose curiosity over fear, learned to lead herself through uncertainty, and discovered that even life's most difficult experiences can deepen compassion, creativity and connection. Together we explore: *  why mindset can fundamentally change how we experience adversity  *  the power of curiosity when life feels out of control  *  what organisations often misunderstand about supporting people through illness  *  psychological safety beyond the workplace  *  asking for what you need without guilt  *  how community, purpose and even AI became unexpected allies  *  why leadership begins with how we lead ourselves  Whether you've experienced serious illness yourself, supported someone who has, or simply want to become a more thoughtful leader, this conversation offers wisdom that reaches far beyond cancer. Connect with Isabelle on LinkedIn -  https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabellecournteyguy/ 🔗 Connect with Mary: marygregory.com [https://marygregory.com] 📣 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/marygregory [https://www.linkedin.com/in/marygregory?lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_profile_view_base_contact_details%3BW4x6Jp3MT2SOdG3BzSansQ%3D%3D]  📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mary_gregory/  📰 Newsletter: Subscribe on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7029410958645059584  🎙 Want to be a guest? Get in touch!  ⭐ Subscribe, share & leave a review  ✨ Produced by Mary Gregory Leadership Coaching

S3 Ep12 - Leading With Kindness: Purpose, Reinvention & Entrepreneurship with Carmel Saulbrey

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2489643/fan_mail/new] 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 owns therapeutic homes for traumatised children and is developing an innovative AI-powered training platform to help care staff navigate some of the most challenging situations they face. Together they explore: *  Reinvention and purpose  *  Leadership through kindness  *  Female entrepreneurship and funding  *  Supporting frontline teams  *  AI as a force for good  *  Why compassion and patience are becoming essential leadership skills  This is a conversation about what happens when success alone is no longer enough, and how purpose, kindness and continuous growth can lead us to make an even greater difference, genuinely changing lives for the better. Connect with Carmel on LinkedIn -  Connect with Carmel: 🔹 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carmel-jane-saulbrey-256a9526/ 🔹 Website: www.kindnesscode.co.uk 🔹 Podcast: The Kindness Code (available on all major podcast platforms) 🔹 Instagram & Facebook: The Kindness Code 🔗 Connect with Mary: marygregory.com [https://marygregory.com] 📣 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/marygregory [https://www.linkedin.com/in/marygregory?lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_profile_view_base_contact_details%3BW4x6Jp3MT2SOdG3BzSansQ%3D%3D]  📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mary_gregory/  📰 Newsletter: Subscribe on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7029410958645059584  🎙 Want to be a guest? Get in touch!  ⭐ Subscribe, share & leave a review  ✨ Produced by Mary Gregory Leadership Coaching

S3 Ep11: - Divorce, Work and the Hidden Cost for Women with Tamara Glanvill

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2489643/fan_mail/new] 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 helping people navigate separation, divorce and complex family transitions. Together we explore: *  Why divorce impacts far more than finances and legal arrangements  *  The hidden effect on confidence, identity and wellbeing  *  How divorce can expose inequalities around childcare, careers and the mental load  *  Why women often face a steeper financial recovery after separation  *  What employers can do to support people through major life transitions  *  Tamara's own leadership journey as the youngest and only female partner in her firm  This is a thoughtful conversation about leadership, communication, resilience and the realities many people are navigating behind the scenes while still showing up at work every day. Connect with Tamara on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamara-glanvill-00327718/ Visit Taylor Walton's website - https://taylorwalton.co.uk/ 🔗 Connect with Mary: marygregory.com [https://marygregory.com] 📣 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/marygregory [https://www.linkedin.com/in/marygregory?lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_profile_view_base_contact_details%3BW4x6Jp3MT2SOdG3BzSansQ%3D%3D]  📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mary_gregory/  📰 Newsletter: Subscribe on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7029410958645059584  🎙 Want to be a guest? Get in touch!  ⭐ Subscribe, share & leave a review  ✨ Produced by Mary Gregory Leadership Coaching

S3 Ep10: Womens Health and Gender Equality with Tina Backhouse

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2489643/fan_mail/new] 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 the UK's most passionate voices for women's health. In this powerful conversation we explore: • Tina's journey from a children's home to senior leadership • Why she believes resilience is a leadership superpower • The courageous decision to leave a highly successful career and follow her purpose • Why women's health is still misunderstood, underfunded and under-prioritised • The link between women's health, careers and gender equality • What organisations can do to better support women at work • The work of Menopause Mandate and the future of women's health advocacy This is a conversation about leadership, purpose, inequality and creating a world where women no longer have to suffer in silence. A must-listen for leaders, HR professionals, policy makers and anyone who cares about gender equity. Connect with Tina on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/tina-backhouse/ Visit Menopause Mandate's website - https://www.menopausemandate.com/ 🔗 Connect with Mary: marygregory.com [https://marygregory.com] 📣 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/marygregory [https://www.linkedin.com/in/marygregory?lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_profile_view_base_contact_details%3BW4x6Jp3MT2SOdG3BzSansQ%3D%3D]  📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mary_gregory/  📰 Newsletter: Subscribe on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=7029410958645059584  🎙 Want to be a guest? Get in touch!  ⭐ Subscribe, share & leave a review  ✨ Produced by Mary Gregory Leadership Coaching