Vision, Value and Voice – women exploring new ventures
Departing from our usual Special Seminar series format, this event is specifically aimed at professional women who are considering a potential career change that may involve setting up in business in some capacity. The Haydn Green Institute and We Are Unstuck recognise that there is currently little discussion and support out there to stimulate new ideas and life perspectives that mid-career women have.
For example, have you recently come back from a career break but are feeling unfulfilled in your work role? Or are you perhaps taking time out or reducing working week hours to focus on a young family? Have you thought about setting up something for yourself or in partnership with a likeminded woman (or man) and how that might kick-start the original passion you had when you first started your career? If some of these thoughts have crossed your mind then this event is for you!
The concept for this seminar was developed through merging academic research and professional practitioner experience. Janine, through her research on women entrepreneurs and Sarah, through her real-life experience of exiting a corporate career to set up in business both recognised that this group of professional women are potentially under-served in terms of support, encouragement, general advice and career development.
Both Janine and Sarah have a shared curiosity and passion for unlocking potential and women’s entrepreneurship and are launching this event with the following objectives in mind: - To spend time in worthwhile conversation, sharing insight and inspiration and explore where delegates are at in terms of their career/lifestyle aspirations.
- To inspire possibility, create connections and to understand the challenges and/or barriers that women in this position may be encountering.
- To determine whether there is a potential programme of support that HGI and We Are Unstuck can provide to support these women in their future career and/or enterprise endeavours.
Janine and Sarah will be joined by Michelle Bungay and Claire Holding, founders of Effortless Trading Ltd and Angela McLean founder of Baggers Originals, who will give an insight into their career journeys, why they chose to set up their own business and the challenges and opportunities along the way. Complete bios for each speaker can be found below.
This is a novel, pilot event and therefore participants will have the opportunity to shape future event formats. We aim to create a friendly forum for personal reflection and to share your insight with other women. It is also an opportunity to learn more about the landscape of women’s entrepreneurship. So join us to find out more and be inspired!
The event is free to attend and places are limited. Register now to attend.
5.30pm Registration and light refreshments
6.00pm Introduction and seminar followed by questions and answer session
9.00pm Light refreshments and networking
Speaker biographies:
Janine Swail
Janine is Assistant Professor in Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Nottingham University Business School within the Haydn Green Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (HGI). Prior to joining HGI in February 2013 she was a lecturer in Entrepreneurship at Newcastle University Business School (2007-2013) and completed her PhD in gender and nascent entrepreneurship at the University of Ulster (2003-2007). She has also worked within a start-up business in Toronto, Canada as Sales and Marketing Manager.
Janine’s primary research interests are in nascent entrepreneurship, and in particular how women navigate the entrepreneurial process and create legitimacy for their nascent ventures. She is also interested in the role of gender, media and culture in influencing entrepreneurial intentions, particularly among young people. She is a Trustee of the Institute for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (ISBE) and Series Editor for the Routledge Master Series texts in Entrepreneurship.
Sarah King
Sarah is Founder and Managing Director of We Are Unstuck, a Design Thinking agency based in Cobden Chambers, Nottingham. Sarah has founded her business with the mission to help as many people as possible to reclaim their creative confidence. By providing learning experiences and consulting on Creative Problem Solving projects, Sarah has grown the business and now works with clients locally, nationally and internationally.
Prior to founding We Are Unstuck, Sarah worked in large organisations such as British Airways, the City of London Police, the National College for School Leadership and Capital One. During this time she lead multi-disciplinary teams, managed multi-million pound portfolios and was part of the founding team with a remit to develop a Culture of Innovation at Capital One.
Sarah is a Mum, qualified Leadership Coach and is also co-founder of Good for Nothing, Nottingham.
Michelle Bungay and Claire Holding
After completing a BA Hons degree in English and French, Claire went on to do a Postgraduate Certificate of Education training to teach French at secondary level. She taught French and German for ten years working in two different schools before taking a career break to raise her three children, now 10, 8 and 5.
Following a BA hons degree, Michelle started her working life in finance and utilities, then freelanced as a software tester for the first online supermarket shopping website in Australia, before returning to Nottingham and taking on testing and project management roles at Capital One. Keen to pursue her creative interests, she trained as a silversmith in her spare time and then ran a small jewellery business. She has two children, aged 4 and 6.
Claire and Michelle have been friends for 14 years and in April this year, they launched a business together. Effortless Trading Ltd aims to take the hassle out of selling on eBay by doing everything for you from collection through to postage. They are currently working with customers in the Rushcliffe area but hope to expand their business over the next few years.
Angela McLean
Profile will be added soon.