social entrepreneur | Author

My Story

 I started out in magazines & newspapers in the 2000s, passionate about the media as a tool for change, and shaping public opinion; but I learned fairly quickly it’s a complicated beast, responsible for many abuses of power. I became interested in the very people it let down – young & marginalised people, those with daily struggles, the hard working classes, people living close to or at the base of the pyramid. I journeyed through Kenya, India, Sri Lanka & Brazil to meet, work with and learn from those at the grassroots creating change in their communities through entrepreneurship. 
I landed firmly in social enterprise, creating both international and UK-based projects that support grassroots social entrepreneurs who, despite the odds and various adversities, created their own jobs to build communities that thrive not just survive. I co-founded award winning _SocialStarters in 2014, which saw hundreds of underserved social entrepreneurs supported to build longer term sustainability through private sector mentorship partnerships around the world. Then later set up female-led NetShift CIC (2023), a sustainability consultancy for SMEs that aims to train the next generation of climate positive business leaders. Plus I transitioned my consulting work into a social enterprise, Social Impact Support and, more recently, launched talent development programme that values skill-sharing and peer support: Regenerous.
Drawing on a fairly rich field of experience, I have a Masters degree in Regenerative Economics (Schumacher College 2022), am a fellow of the RSA (Royal Society of Arts), and have been transitioning toward a deeper embodying of Regenerative Leadership with Laura Storm.
I’m always learning.
Accolades include: Natwest’s Women’s Champion (2019), The Escape 100 (2019) WISE100 (2019), WISE 100 (2020), EUCLID Top 100 Women in Social Enterprise (2021).

Highlights

Over the last 15 years since I started working in social enterprise, I’ve taken part in a range of marketing communications campaigns, be it for my clients, employers or my own work. Since working for myself, I’ve delivered numerous programmes for entrepreneurs and social enterprises, as well as our corporate partners. Along the way capturing the attention of a few publications too.

Programmes Delivered

Support Entrepreneurs

Awards Won

Publicity Features

Featured In

Championing Women's Voices podcast with Natwest, as featured in The Telegraph
Feature: Overseas trips with heart, featuring _SocialStarters
Ladies who lunch in Pioneers Post, interview with WISE100 women's champion, Andrea Gamson
Championing Womens Voices Podcast

What I’m Doing

 _SocialStarters

_SocialStarters supported corporate professionals to change careers into social impact, through the provision of international volunteer consulting placements between 2014-2023, building a socially entrepreneurial ecosystem around the world. Social Starters is now back as a book, and a range of transformational coaching offerings.

Social Impact Support Logo

Social Impact.Support

Business support and consultancy, offering enterprise training, group facilitation, and project management of social and environmentally impactful initiatives in the UK. Hire us to deliver your end-to-end community, social or environmental impact programme. We also create highly engaging socially impactful employee engagement programmes.

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NetShift CIC

As we draw closer to reaching the 2030 predicted environmental tipping points, it’s time for every small to medium enterprise to evaluate their environmental impact. It’s not just larger firms who are responsible. Netshift is a women-led sustainability consultancy on a mission to support thousands of SMEs in the South West to get on the path to net zero. 

Local Spark Torbay

We’re interested in listening and exchanging ideas with members of all communities. We invite you to join us in answering this question – what does a healthy & inclusive economy look like in Torbay? And to join us in working collaboratively to make it a reality for everyone.

 

Regenerous

Bringing together a group of purposeful leaders such as CEOs & Directors of social enterprises, with corporate executives developing their leadership. We match them together to solve problems and drive forward commercial and operational solutions to those challenges over 1 day to 9 months exchanges.

Circlewise CIC

Circlewise is committed to supporting individuals, groups, schools, organisations and the community by fostering inclusive communication through listening circles. In my role as Director we have the ambition to bring the ancient Way of Council practice into more schools, higher education institutions and workplaces.

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“Getting out of a non-profit mindset into a commercially-driven one is key. And not just for reasons of financial sustainability: Social enterprise gives all people a safe place to thrive and be the person they want to be… there’s something so refreshing about that.”

– ANDREA gamson, PIONEERS POST