June 2, 2025 • 27 mins
Empowerment champion and four-time finalist, Ann Stonehouse, joins the We Are PoWEr Podcast to share the journey behind her well-earned recognition at the 2026 Northern PoWEr Women Awards.
From starting a podcast club in lockdown to launching a book club to hold herself accountable, Ann reveals how community, creativity, and connection fuel her drive. She opens up about what it meant to be nominated, how mentoring through Northern PoWEr Women helped her grow, and — yes — the time she met the Queen (who was taller than expected!).
In this episode, we discuss:
00:00 – Welcome to the We Are PoWEr Podcast
01:02 – Ann Stonehouse: NPWAwards finalist
06:22 – Creating the Assist Network
10:49 – The Sisterwood: Honouring women's achievements
13:35 – Walk and Talk: Accountability in motion
17:33 – Project Visibility: Stepping out of comfort
24:40 – The value of being nominated
Find out more about We Are PoWEr here. 💫
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hello, hello and welcome to the we Are Power
podcast.
If this is your first time here, the we Are Power podcast is
the podcast for you, your careerand your life.
We release an episode everysingle Monday with listeners in
over 60 countries worldwide,where you'll hear personal life
stories, top-notch industryadvice and key leadership
insight from amazing role models.
(00:21):
As we Are Power is the umbrellabrand to Northern Power Women
Awards, which celebrateshundreds of female role models
and advocates every year.
This is where you can hearstories from all of our awards
alumni and stay up to date witheverything MPW Awards and we Are
Power.
Well, hello, hello and welcometo the podcast.
(00:49):
This week, I am honoured to bejoined by Anne Stonehouse, the
winner of the 2025 EmpowermentChampion Award at the Northern
Power Women Awards.
Welcome, anne.
Thank you, honoured.
Well, you know they sayeverything comes to she who
waits because you wereshortlisted in.
Was it four years in a row?
(01:09):
Four years in a row?
Speaker 2 (01:11):
yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
Oh, what do you know what?
We always talk about the awardsnot being for one night.
We always say you know that is1600 nominations, but there's
something around that receivingthat nomination or and I know
you equally you make nominations.
What made you still want to bepart of it, Because it's not
just a case of being nominated.
(01:32):
When you get nominated, right,you get an email that says fill
in these questions and you'vebeen nominated for different
categories.
What made you think, oh, I'mgoing to keep going.
I feel I'm an expert now.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
Fill in these forms and even worse, doing them.
Horrible videos, doing themthree minutes videos that I just
can't get to three minutes,because I've always got too much
to say.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
It's impossible, isn't it?
It is impossible, but there'ssomething that's endeared you,
isn't it?
Into the MPW Northern PowerWomen community.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
I think the honour is and the recognition is when
your peers are filling themforms in and putting you forward
.
And I think obviously winningis amazing, shortlisted and
being a finalist is amazing, butthe recognition at the
beginning starts with somebodyactually doing that nomination
for you.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
And it's great that you get that, because that, in
essence, is the sole reason whyI created the awards well,
coming up to 10 years now agowe're going to the 10th
anniversary next year but it wasdone with the total intention
of encouraging people tohigh-five their achievements.
And I remember I don't knowwhether I think we talk about it
when we go through thenomination process but I
(02:42):
remember in that very first year, there was me on my own I think
we talk about it when we gothrough the nomination process
but I remember in that veryfirst year there was me on my
own.
I think we'd received 680nominations or something like
that in that year, one from allover in and across the North.
And you're reading about thesespectacular humans like yourself
, and I just thought, actually,it's really good if we could
hear from the individual.
Now, whilst I can't interview580 or 680 people, I wonder what
(03:04):
would happen if we asked themto fill in the questions.
You know, I didn't want to goto a voting or anything like
that.
I wanted to hear from thatindividual.
So this was as close as wecould get.
And then the follow on video,the cringe video, which I know
everyone hates, but people do itand for me it's always been
that opportunity to hear directfrom the individual.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
I think your system works as well.
So we've actually adopted thata little bit in one of our
sister ward nominations becausewe plant trees.
We plant one tree a year forone of our Two's Valley women.
So we've adopted some of yourstreamlined systems into ours
because it makes sense.
I've done award nominations forwomen across the Tees Valley
(03:51):
for years and years and yearsand years and it's really time
consuming.
You don't have all theinformation, you don't know the
tiny bits, the nuggets sometimes, or even miss an award that
somebody's got.
So I think your system justmakes sense because that just
means that somebody can nominatequick, um, but then you
(04:12):
actually, as you say, you getthe the key information and the
nuggets from the individualsthemselves and I think as a
nominator you just can't.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
You just can't share that information and it is great
to hear.
It's great because I think andit because I think one of the
reasons I did it is ask for thatsort of secondary information
is because actually, like yousay, you can't know everything
and sometimes these awards wereliterally created, like I say,
for people to encourage andhigh-five their own achievements
.
So the fact that it opens thedoor for you to go, oh, that's
(04:43):
really lovely of somebody towrite that about me and it's
that kind of oh, my shouldersare back a little bit, that's
really nice.
Actually, there's only threequestions and I get to be.
There's an amazing young womancalled Advita Patel who's been
part of our future list for manyyears now and we had her on the
how to Ace nominations webinarlast year and she goes.
You know what?
(05:04):
Let had her on the um how towaste um nominations webinar
last year and she goes.
You know what?
Stop, let's stop humblebragging.
Let's absolutely brag and go.
You know what?
Because we are proud of whatwe've done and we should be
celebrating that success.
So I am glad you have stayed infor the ride and and keep
staying in yeah, yeah,absolutely, and keep nominating
the most of the point, yeah andthat's it.
There are no nominations orthere is no awards without
(05:27):
nominators, and they always sayyou know, it is those
individuals who take the time toeither make that audio
nomination or to put theirfingers to that keyboard to
think about someone else, andit's we.
Well, emma, as you know, you'vejust been, it's great to have
you in the office.
Anne's just been to the officeright now, met most of the team,
which is brilliant, and ourEmma, queen of the Awards, and,
(05:49):
as you know what I think,sometimes people don't realise,
emma, and I will chase people,you know.
So, even though it's completeby this deadline, we will keep
going and we will hunt you downsomehow.
Linkedin, I think I've had youon a few times and again,
everyone's busy and Our priorityis to try and shine a spotlight
and I'm delighted that you'rehere joining us in the studio
(06:11):
today and you are.
There's so much that I want totalk to you about today and I
think one of the things I lovedis I heard you on another
podcast and talking about howand why you created the Assist
Network.
You know, because you've beenpart of the like.
We all have, over the years,been part of the different
networks and clubs and gangs,and you know we all remember the
(06:32):
days.
I still think it goes on.
Now Someone's trying to thrusta business card, aren't they?
In your hand and almost lookingaround for the next person to
speak to?
And you wanted to create adifferent environment, didn't
you?
Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
Well, I've been in business 25 years?
Surely not, not, yeah.
So I would never leave thehouse unless I was in a suit,
because I'm an accountant, myday job's an accountant, so it
was always.
I was always walking into aprofessional space while I was
networking.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
sometimes even I would carry a briefcase, which
sounds absolutely ludicrous now,but that's what we did
briefcases wow, 25 years agothat's what we did, and heels,
well, well and, to be honest, 10minutes prior this is probably
had a big debate, because youwere like driven over from the
teas valley you know with, withyour son, lovely alex, um, and
(07:25):
it was like, shall I heels or noheels?
And I'm like you, do youwhichever way, and I'm like, but
these are not heels for walkingin.
I'm just telling you that rightnow, carter bar.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
Absolutely so yeah, it was very much as you say.
You walked into a space and itwas just a business card swap
space and then, and very quickly, if somebody knew that you
weren't going to sell to them orthere was no connection very
much, people would just move onto the next person and it just
(08:00):
wasn't suited to women.
It's just not.
Women are about relationships.
Women are about connections.
We like to lay foundations, welike to build trust trust, don't
we?
And get to know each other andfamily and everybody else that
comes with it.
So so yeah, um, I startedgetting involved in women, into
the network and into their awardceremony and I was part of
(08:24):
their team as it come out of umDurham Business School and we
turned it into a limited byguarantee organisation.
So I was part of that team thatdid that and then around that
time I inherited Assist.
It wasn't called Assist at thetime.
I answered an email to a coupleof ladies that were running a
(08:49):
really small network and justsaid we're going to close it.
Does anybody want to take itover?
So I was one of three ladiesthat answered that email, didn't
know the other ladies.
We turned up a really shortmeeting, we were told I think it
was something like £125 was inthe bank account.
Get a name, we'll transfer thisover Off you go.
(09:12):
So that's how we founded it.
So we created a brand, got aconstitution, and here we are
now, 16 years on this month Wow.
And what are you most proud of?
Speaker 1 (09:25):
There's too much to say.
Speaker 2 (09:27):
I mean, obviously, the culture and the connections
that are made to every event.
It is really relaxed,comfortable.
We're very much about beinginclusive.
We give focus to women who areneurodivergent.
So we want, you know, we want,we want the environment to be
(09:47):
comfortable for for all.
So so I suppose the network asa whole and the connection, but
we're, we're I was told to, Iwas told about a month ago that
we're classed as a um, an brandarchetype, uh, who are an
activist.
Oh, so we have projects.
Uh, we're really deep into now.
(10:11):
We're seated at the table sowe're trying to make impact on
getting Tees Valley Women intothe boardroom, in corporate
charity, entrepreneurship,female founders and into
politics as well.
So we're deep in that project.
(10:31):
That's an 18 month project.
We've got targets, um, and wereally want to make a difference
.
And, uh, we're actively bringingmale allies into the room
because, we know the door's notgoing to open easily or as quick
as we want without, withoutmale allies.
So we've got, uh, all of ourpanels across this project, uh,
two, two males, two females.
(10:53):
Um, so at the end of theproject, visually it's equality.
That was it.
That's the idea.
Beyond that, uh, sister, whatis the most that I'm proud of?
Uh, so we plant a tree eachyear for a woman that's
nominated by the network, andSharon Sinclair is our Goodwill
(11:14):
Ambassador this year.
Sharon is our sixth GoodwillAmbassador.
So back in 2020, january 2020,myself and one of the committee
knocked on our MiddlesbroughMayor's door and said we're not
going to get a statue of a womanin Middlesbrough.
Clearly, can we plant a treeeach year for one in particular
(11:39):
that's nominated from thenetwork, loved the idea, found
the space.
It's in one of our local parks.
Originally, I had an idea thatit want it would be an avenue of
trees, but they've offered us awoodland, so one of the team
then rightly named it the sisterwood.
So we were given 10 trees bymiddlesbrough council 2020,
(12:03):
which were, which arrived, uh,two days into covid, so the park
had rang and said I've gottrees in buckets, please plant
them.
We got 10 trees that thecouncil paid for the following
year.
So we ended up with 20 treesand I only wanted two.
(12:23):
Don't ask, don't get.
So we then got in touch withTeesside Archives and now the
extra trees that we got arerepresenting women of history as
well, hidden women of historythat have made a difference to
the Tees Valley area.
Speaker 1 (12:40):
So you literally, are storytelling, your region,
right, you're storytelling andyou're amplifying, and I think
for me there can just never beenough of it.
You know, the more that we cantell those stories, stories, the
more that we can create seatson the couch, seats on the table
.
Bring a beanbag, it doesn'tmatter, does it?
We've just got to beintentional about this, and I
think you, you know that we'rereally really keen that it's
(13:02):
always around advocacy as well,because otherwise slows down the
process.
It's also not our problem tosolve.
Speaker 2 (13:08):
Well, absolutely, absolutely.
I mean.
The bigger vision is, that is,to bring primary school children
to come to the Sisterwood sothey can see role models doing
it present day and learn aboutthe history as well, of women
that have done it before.
Speaker 1 (13:25):
It's such an intentional way to do it and it
literally has life and growth init, doesn't?
It's fantastic?
Talk to me.
One of the things I loved, uh,was about the, the walk and talk
.
So, and this became so youcreated a another club because
obviously, you've got nothingelse to do and really, um, but
you created this because youwere struggling to finish a book
(13:47):
, right?
So therefore, yeah, I'm goingto hold myself to account and
I'm going to create this club,but it's got.
It's got really good like kindof intentions, hasn't it as well
?
Tell us about that.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
Yeah, so there's.
So.
So I was very aware me and myfamily, since my kids were sort
of about that high I would get alittle cubie post-it note out
for the three of us and it wasG1, g2, g3.
And each of us wrote our goalsfor the year and I've got them
all in, like really roughhandwriting, from when they're
(14:20):
much younger and they still doit now.
We still do it every January.
We set our goals.
So for about three years my goalwas to read, read.
I think I said 12 books thefirst year and I thought, come
on, let's be realistic.
And each year it got less and Iand I just couldn't do it.
I just I would.
I would read a book this isbefore Audible and I would fall
asleep.
So, uh, so I just thought,right, okay, pattern, yeah, so,
(14:46):
so, so it was the case of right,okay, I'm gonna create a book
club, um, and that means thatI've got no choice because I've
got to come back.
I was realistic.
So we only read.
We do it quarterly, so we onlyread like one book every every
three months, um, but it meantthat I had no choice but to get
that book finished and it won'tbe the first time when I'm still
(15:07):
reading the book like on theway the night before before I
can go to sleep.
Oh, listen, to be honest, I'mvery audible now so yeah um, so,
so, so, yeah, and we'reactually really pleased to say
we're relaunching that as well,uh, in July.
So we sort of paused it becausewe put our attention elsewhere,
but we're relaunching it with ameet the author in the very
(15:29):
beginning of July.
So that's exciting.
So, yeah, very, very much aboutaccountability.
Then, um, I was very aware thatI sit at a desk all day and I
really needed, from a healthangle, I needed to do some
exercise.
So I thought, come on, okay,how can I get walking?
So we created a walk and talk.
Yeah, so we do.
(15:49):
We do five walk and talks ayear in hidden places right
across the Tees Valley.
Um, and again, it just makes me, me get out, do the walks, but
but I also have to do the reccesas well and we have to time it
and things like that.
So it definitely gets me outfrom from my, from my desk.
Yeah, and have you got afavourite book?
Have I got a favourite?
(16:10):
Atomic Habits, probably.
Visible Women, the book club.
We don't do fiction, it's allabout self-development,
storytelling, biographies, thatsort of thing.
And actually during COVID wehad a podcast club as well for a
short time, because I foundlots of us recommending
(16:31):
different podcasts and that, sowe would have a during COVID, we
would have an online book cluband then, two weeks later, we
would have an online podcastclub as well, and it was a
lifeline for so many during that, during them, pandemic days,
wasn't it?
Speaker 1 (16:45):
just, you know and I love, I've always wanted a book
club, an MPW, or we are powerbook club, and so I live
vicariously through you.
Now, you know, or I'll comeover to the sisterhood and we'll
walk through.
But there's something around,especially with a non-fiction
and that self-developmental,there's something, not just only
if you.
You've had to be held toaccount, you personally, anne,
but you've got that motivationamongst the other members.
(17:08):
But equally, it's how we readthings, especially nonfiction,
can interpret in different ways.
So you've got that knowledgeexchange.
That goes as well.
So you're growing as you go andwalk and talk, aren't you?
Well, talking about growing.
One of the things that made mechuckle a little bit and also
made me super proud was back.
You were awarded the LifetimeAch lifetime achievement queen's
(17:30):
award for enterprise andpromotion yeah like wow, yeah,
right, but one of the things,you met the queen, met the queen
like amazing.
Um, his and hers right, you metthem both, but the queen was
taller than you, yeah.
So what did you not do that day?
You didn't put your high bootson, did you you?
Speaker 2 (17:47):
I didn't do it.
I did, simone.
I had my heels on, was it?
Speaker 1 (17:50):
because of the crown.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
Yeah, it was.
It was the big hair.
I was like stood there thinking, oh no, you are bigger than me.
How can the Queen be biggerthan me?
Speaker 1 (18:01):
What did it mean?
I mean it's overwhelming right.
Speaker 2 (18:05):
Yeah, very much.
Yeah, yeah, the whole.
If I tell you the story, when Igot the email, I didn't.
I was out that evening.
It was a Thursday evening, sothis was 2014.
So again, we're sort of we'rebacktracking on tech and things
like that Phones.
We didn't have emails on phonesor anything like that then.
(18:31):
So I got in I think it was abouthalf past 11, quarter 12, and I
thought just stupidly, I don'tdo this, now check my emails.
So I went into my office,checked my, checked my emails
and then there was this emailsaying you've won a queen's
award.
And I thought somebody'swinding me up here, but I
couldn't do anything about itbecause it was like stupid
o'clock at night.
So I'd done a little bit ofreading Somebody's pranking me,
(18:56):
without a doubt.
But the next morning I'dobviously picked it up, spoke to
the yeah, absolutely missed.
But I didn't know that the mynominators had even even done
that.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
So wow, yeah, amazing .
And this is really interestingbecause you are, I always think,
the the unlikely seeker ofvisibility.
Right, that's, that's not you,isn't it?
You want to connect otherpeople.
I want to be in the background,I want to push people forward.
That's you.
So it?
It made me?
It made me sort of smilesomewhat to hear about your new
(19:33):
project, which is called projectvisibility project, which is
literally this is you constantlycoming out your comfort zone?
I'm not going to read a book,going to create a club, going to
make myself read a book.
You know, it's just that.
Now us about Project Visibility, because it's got some clear
goals and tasks, hasn't it?
Nothing's missing easy with you, is it?
Speaker 2 (19:52):
Yeah, no, not at all, and I will say so as a finalist
.
Obviously, we get offered amentor.
So I am working with one ofyour wonderful mentors, dawn,
and she's been absolutelyfabulous helping me figure this
out, and again from a humbleangle.
Wonderful mentors, dawn, andshe's been absolutely fabulous
helping me figure this out, andagain from a humble angle.
So, uh, speaking to Emma andfilling the, the forms in of,
(20:15):
like, what do I want to do as a,as a mentee?
Um, because I'm, I'm a mentormore most of the time.
So it's like I'm reallycomfortable going into that
mentee role and it was a case ofI really need help to get over
my fears and become visible, tomake the difference that I would
(20:39):
like to make.
I'm very, yes, I'm in my owncircles.
People know my opinions, knowwhat my drive is, um, and things
like that, but beyond the TeesValley, at like, I'm just not
out there because I put verylittle on social media.
I'm just not present.
I'm just not present, like, onan online space in any way
(21:01):
personally, so, um, so, yeah,the idea was I need to make
myself, uh, visible.
So started working with Dawn,um, and then, obviously, when,
um, when I won the award, Ithought I'd come back and within
within a couple of days Ithought I really need to make
some difference with this um,and this is an opportunity that
(21:25):
I would be foolish to stay inthe background, but you know
which is why I'm doing thiscompletely pushing myself out of
the comfort zone doingsomething like this.
So I thought, right, okay, Iwill do my usual trick because I
.
So I've wrote my own strategyand put it on the shelf, and I
(21:45):
thought I won't do that unlessI'm accountable to somebody.
Project Visibility, amazing.
So with that, I am going tobring a few ladies, just a
handful.
This is nothing big, because Iwant it to be an intimate small
(22:05):
group of women who feel exactlylike me, who are frightened of
doing things like this, who, uh,right, it takes two to three
hours to write a linkedin postwhich is crackers, um and uh,
yeah, just to be an equal inthat group and take them on a
(22:27):
journey with me, but me withthem as well.
So I'm accountable to them andthem to me.
Speaker 1 (22:35):
That is amazing.
Oh, do you know what?
And for those of you who mightnot be aware, if you are a
finalist in the awards.
And so this year we had 1,600nominations and we were down to
I think 200 and something like200 or so sort of in our
shortlist and game changers, andwe offer everyone part of a 12
week mentoring program and thewhole idea is it's.
(22:56):
You know, we said earlier,we're not just about one night,
it is about that wider.
How can we wider support?
And it is interesting, we oftenget you know many of our
founders who are senior,accomplished as you are in
business, and so have been usedto being the mentor.
What have you learned mostabout being a mentee?
Is it part of thataccountability piece?
Speaker 2 (23:16):
Oh yeah, and it's asking for help as well, isn't
it?
It's like it's taking it theother way and we all can't know
everything at any stage of lifeor career.
So, like I've had a number ofvirtual meetings with Dawn and
(23:38):
Dawn, you know she's saying Idon't know what you need me for.
You know, and I'm going through, this is my thought process,
this is, but she's really addeddifferent angles to it for me.
What about this?
Have you thought about this andthe things that my thought
process just didn't?
So it's nice to have somebodyelse walking by your side.
(23:58):
Really, that's what she's doing.
She's walking the walk with me,do?
Speaker 1 (24:01):
you know what?
And I love it when I hear thesestories.
I absolutely love it.
And Dawn big high five out toDawn, one of our amazing mentors
up in Sellafield and againmight not have come across Dawn,
she's up in.
Whitehaven, you know so for methat's always one of the the I
always think it's one of thesecrets that we can offer is we
can try and you know, sort ofcreate, create those
(24:21):
relationships, and it's only 12weeks, only three meetings, but
often they will go off in otherdirection.
So I love the fact of what theawards and the whole kind of
process has kind of sparked withthis and I'm really excited um
to to hear what happens withthat.
That first group.
Please keep us connected onthat.
What advice would you giveyou're someone who you think of?
(24:42):
When was it let me go back to21, I think your first sort of
nominated stroke, shortlisted?
And what advice would you giveto someone out there who thinks,
oh, you know I'm not going towin, so I'm not bothered, or I
don't want the spotlight, it'snot me, um, it's just one night.
Speaker 2 (25:00):
I think, just be part of it.
You, just, you just need to bepart of it.
Um, value, who's the?
The nomination?
Most importantly, because thatthat's worth more than anything
else.
So you've got actually got oneof your peers putting you
forward and and that's that.
That's that recognition, um, itthe route, really, um, but go
(25:23):
with it.
You, you've just, you've got togo with it.
You might win eventually.
Maybe that's the way to go, buteven just chatting to Emma
about your brochure, I gothrough that brochure and I
(25:43):
connect to people.
One of the other things that Ilove that you do is the breakout
rooms with your category,because you were actually which
I find is quite clever, becauseyou're putting like-minded
people together in the samevirtual room and I've connected
to people.
So then you've got the share ofbest practice because it's
(26:06):
right across the region.
These people would never havemet but were doing similar
things in different areas, sothey're so much more value in
different areas.
Speaker 1 (26:18):
Oh, it's so great for me to learn that I'm doing that
.
Speaker 2 (26:19):
You know, sometimes you think are we doing the right
?
Speaker 1 (26:21):
thing.
Are we over-engineering this?
Are we doing too much?
You know, and so it's amazingthat you are benefiting from
this and I think empowermentchampion that's the first year
we've done that award this year.
That's a new category for usthis year, so I'm absolutely
delighted.
I'm delighted you've benefitedfrom that.
I'm delighted you've built yourwider networking.
A massive high five to DawnWatson.
(26:41):
High five to Dawn to you andfor being such an amazing
supporter for you, for comingout of your comfort zone, for
you, for like leaning into it,creating more spaces, more seats
at tables, more opportunities,more trees, more nature, more
healthy.
You're the queen and thank youso much for joining us.
(27:04):
You are absolutely amazing andI look forward to kind of
watching your adventures as yougo, because it's just a joy.
Thank you so much.
Thank you, thank you.
Subscribe on YouTube, apple,amazon Music, spotify or
wherever you get your podcasts.
Leave us a review or follow uson socials.
We are power underscore net oninsta, tiktok and twitter, or we
(27:25):
are power on linkedin, facebook, and we are underscore power on
youtube.
Hello, hello and welcome to the we Are Power
podcast.
If this is your first time here, the we Are Power podcast is
the podcast for you, your careerand your life.
We release an episode everysingle Monday with listeners in
over 60 countries worldwide,where you'll hear personal life
stories, top-notch industryadvice and key leadership
insight from amazing role models.
(00:21):
As we Are Power is the umbrellabrand to Northern Power Women
Awards, which celebrateshundreds of female role models
and advocates every year.
This is where you can hearstories from all of our awards
alumni and stay up to date witheverything MPW Awards and we Are
Power.
Well, hello, hello and welcometo the podcast.
(00:49):
This week, I am honoured to bejoined by Anne Stonehouse, the
winner of the 2025 EmpowermentChampion Award at the Northern
Power Women Awards.
Welcome, anne.
Thank you, honoured.
Well, you know they sayeverything comes to she who
waits because you wereshortlisted in.
Was it four years in a row?
(01:09):
Four years in a row?
Speaker 2 (01:11):
yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
Oh, what do you know what?
We always talk about the awardsnot being for one night.
We always say you know that is1600 nominations, but there's
something around that receivingthat nomination or and I know
you equally you make nominations.
What made you still want to bepart of it, Because it's not
just a case of being nominated.
(01:32):
When you get nominated, right,you get an email that says fill
in these questions and you'vebeen nominated for different
categories.
What made you think, oh, I'mgoing to keep going.
I feel I'm an expert now.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
Fill in these forms and even worse, doing them.
Horrible videos, doing themthree minutes videos that I just
can't get to three minutes,because I've always got too much
to say.
Speaker 1 (01:54):
It's impossible, isn't it?
It is impossible, but there'ssomething that's endeared you,
isn't it?
Into the MPW Northern PowerWomen community.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
I think the honour is and the recognition is when
your peers are filling themforms in and putting you forward
.
And I think obviously winningis amazing, shortlisted and
being a finalist is amazing, butthe recognition at the
beginning starts with somebodyactually doing that nomination
for you.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
And it's great that you get that, because that, in
essence, is the sole reason whyI created the awards well,
coming up to 10 years now agowe're going to the 10th
anniversary next year but it wasdone with the total intention
of encouraging people tohigh-five their achievements.
And I remember I don't knowwhether I think we talk about it
when we go through thenomination process but I
(02:42):
remember in that very first year, there was me on my own I think
we talk about it when we gothrough the nomination process
but I remember in that veryfirst year there was me on my
own.
I think we'd received 680nominations or something like
that in that year, one from allover in and across the North.
And you're reading about thesespectacular humans like yourself
, and I just thought, actually,it's really good if we could
hear from the individual.
Now, whilst I can't interview580 or 680 people, I wonder what
(03:04):
would happen if we asked themto fill in the questions.
You know, I didn't want to goto a voting or anything like
that.
I wanted to hear from thatindividual.
So this was as close as wecould get.
And then the follow on video,the cringe video, which I know
everyone hates, but people do itand for me it's always been
that opportunity to hear directfrom the individual.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
I think your system works as well.
So we've actually adopted thata little bit in one of our
sister ward nominations becausewe plant trees.
We plant one tree a year forone of our Two's Valley women.
So we've adopted some of yourstreamlined systems into ours
because it makes sense.
I've done award nominations forwomen across the Tees Valley
(03:51):
for years and years and yearsand years and it's really time
consuming.
You don't have all theinformation, you don't know the
tiny bits, the nuggets sometimes, or even miss an award that
somebody's got.
So I think your system justmakes sense because that just
means that somebody can nominatequick, um, but then you
(04:12):
actually, as you say, you getthe the key information and the
nuggets from the individualsthemselves and I think as a
nominator you just can't.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
You just can't share that information and it is great
to hear.
It's great because I think andit because I think one of the
reasons I did it is ask for thatsort of secondary information
is because actually, like yousay, you can't know everything
and sometimes these awards wereliterally created, like I say,
for people to encourage andhigh-five their own achievements
.
So the fact that it opens thedoor for you to go, oh, that's
(04:43):
really lovely of somebody towrite that about me and it's
that kind of oh, my shouldersare back a little bit, that's
really nice.
Actually, there's only threequestions and I get to be.
There's an amazing young womancalled Advita Patel who's been
part of our future list for manyyears now and we had her on the
how to Ace nominations webinarlast year and she goes.
You know what?
(05:04):
Let had her on the um how towaste um nominations webinar
last year and she goes.
You know what?
Stop, let's stop humblebragging.
Let's absolutely brag and go.
You know what?
Because we are proud of whatwe've done and we should be
celebrating that success.
So I am glad you have stayed infor the ride and and keep
staying in yeah, yeah,absolutely, and keep nominating
the most of the point, yeah andthat's it.
There are no nominations orthere is no awards without
(05:27):
nominators, and they always sayyou know, it is those
individuals who take the time toeither make that audio
nomination or to put theirfingers to that keyboard to
think about someone else, andit's we.
Well, emma, as you know, you'vejust been, it's great to have
you in the office.
Anne's just been to the officeright now, met most of the team,
which is brilliant, and ourEmma, queen of the Awards, and,
(05:49):
as you know what I think,sometimes people don't realise,
emma, and I will chase people,you know.
So, even though it's completeby this deadline, we will keep
going and we will hunt you downsomehow.
Linkedin, I think I've had youon a few times and again,
everyone's busy and Our priorityis to try and shine a spotlight
and I'm delighted that you'rehere joining us in the studio
(06:11):
today and you are.
There's so much that I want totalk to you about today and I
think one of the things I lovedis I heard you on another
podcast and talking about howand why you created the Assist
Network.
You know, because you've beenpart of the like.
We all have, over the years,been part of the different
networks and clubs and gangs,and you know we all remember the
(06:32):
days.
I still think it goes on.
Now Someone's trying to thrusta business card, aren't they?
In your hand and almost lookingaround for the next person to
speak to?
And you wanted to create adifferent environment, didn't
you?
Yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 2 (06:46):
Well, I've been in business 25 years?
Surely not, not, yeah.
So I would never leave thehouse unless I was in a suit,
because I'm an accountant, myday job's an accountant, so it
was always.
I was always walking into aprofessional space while I was
networking.
Speaker 1 (07:03):
sometimes even I would carry a briefcase, which
sounds absolutely ludicrous now,but that's what we did
briefcases wow, 25 years agothat's what we did, and heels,
well, well and, to be honest, 10minutes prior this is probably
had a big debate, because youwere like driven over from the
teas valley you know with, withyour son, lovely alex, um, and
(07:25):
it was like, shall I heels or noheels?
And I'm like you, do youwhichever way, and I'm like, but
these are not heels for walkingin.
I'm just telling you that rightnow, carter bar.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
Absolutely so yeah, it was very much as you say.
You walked into a space and itwas just a business card swap
space and then, and very quickly, if somebody knew that you
weren't going to sell to them orthere was no connection very
much, people would just move onto the next person and it just
(08:00):
wasn't suited to women.
It's just not.
Women are about relationships.
Women are about connections.
We like to lay foundations, welike to build trust trust, don't
we?
And get to know each other andfamily and everybody else that
comes with it.
So so yeah, um, I startedgetting involved in women, into
the network and into their awardceremony and I was part of
(08:24):
their team as it come out of umDurham Business School and we
turned it into a limited byguarantee organisation.
So I was part of that team thatdid that and then around that
time I inherited Assist.
It wasn't called Assist at thetime.
I answered an email to a coupleof ladies that were running a
(08:49):
really small network and justsaid we're going to close it.
Does anybody want to take itover?
So I was one of three ladiesthat answered that email, didn't
know the other ladies.
We turned up a really shortmeeting, we were told I think it
was something like £125 was inthe bank account.
Get a name, we'll transfer thisover Off you go.
(09:12):
So that's how we founded it.
So we created a brand, got aconstitution, and here we are
now, 16 years on this month Wow.
And what are you most proud of?
Speaker 1 (09:25):
There's too much to say.
Speaker 2 (09:27):
I mean, obviously, the culture and the connections
that are made to every event.
It is really relaxed,comfortable.
We're very much about beinginclusive.
We give focus to women who areneurodivergent.
So we want, you know, we want,we want the environment to be
(09:47):
comfortable for for all.
So so I suppose the network asa whole and the connection, but
we're, we're I was told to, Iwas told about a month ago that
we're classed as a um, an brandarchetype, uh, who are an
activist.
Oh, so we have projects.
Uh, we're really deep into now.
(10:11):
We're seated at the table sowe're trying to make impact on
getting Tees Valley Women intothe boardroom, in corporate
charity, entrepreneurship,female founders and into
politics as well.
So we're deep in that project.
(10:31):
That's an 18 month project.
We've got targets, um, and wereally want to make a difference
.
And, uh, we're actively bringingmale allies into the room
because, we know the door's notgoing to open easily or as quick
as we want without, withoutmale allies.
So we've got, uh, all of ourpanels across this project, uh,
two, two males, two females.
(10:53):
Um, so at the end of theproject, visually it's equality.
That was it.
That's the idea.
Beyond that, uh, sister, whatis the most that I'm proud of?
Uh, so we plant a tree eachyear for a woman that's
nominated by the network, andSharon Sinclair is our Goodwill
(11:14):
Ambassador this year.
Sharon is our sixth GoodwillAmbassador.
So back in 2020, january 2020,myself and one of the committee
knocked on our MiddlesbroughMayor's door and said we're not
going to get a statue of a womanin Middlesbrough.
Clearly, can we plant a treeeach year for one in particular
(11:39):
that's nominated from thenetwork, loved the idea, found
the space.
It's in one of our local parks.
Originally, I had an idea thatit want it would be an avenue of
trees, but they've offered us awoodland, so one of the team
then rightly named it the sisterwood.
So we were given 10 trees bymiddlesbrough council 2020,
(12:03):
which were, which arrived, uh,two days into covid, so the park
had rang and said I've gottrees in buckets, please plant
them.
We got 10 trees that thecouncil paid for the following
year.
So we ended up with 20 treesand I only wanted two.
(12:23):
Don't ask, don't get.
So we then got in touch withTeesside Archives and now the
extra trees that we got arerepresenting women of history as
well, hidden women of historythat have made a difference to
the Tees Valley area.
Speaker 1 (12:40):
So you literally, are storytelling, your region,
right, you're storytelling andyou're amplifying, and I think
for me there can just never beenough of it.
You know, the more that we cantell those stories, stories, the
more that we can create seatson the couch, seats on the table
.
Bring a beanbag, it doesn'tmatter, does it?
We've just got to beintentional about this, and I
think you, you know that we'rereally really keen that it's
(13:02):
always around advocacy as well,because otherwise slows down the
process.
It's also not our problem tosolve.
Speaker 2 (13:08):
Well, absolutely, absolutely.
I mean.
The bigger vision is, that is,to bring primary school children
to come to the Sisterwood sothey can see role models doing
it present day and learn aboutthe history as well, of women
that have done it before.
Speaker 1 (13:25):
It's such an intentional way to do it and it
literally has life and growth init, doesn't?
It's fantastic?
Talk to me.
One of the things I loved, uh,was about the, the walk and talk
.
So, and this became so youcreated a another club because
obviously, you've got nothingelse to do and really, um, but
you created this because youwere struggling to finish a book
(13:47):
, right?
So therefore, yeah, I'm goingto hold myself to account and
I'm going to create this club,but it's got.
It's got really good like kindof intentions, hasn't it as well
?
Tell us about that.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
Yeah, so there's.
So.
So I was very aware me and myfamily, since my kids were sort
of about that high I would get alittle cubie post-it note out
for the three of us and it wasG1, g2, g3.
And each of us wrote our goalsfor the year and I've got them
all in, like really roughhandwriting, from when they're
(14:20):
much younger and they still doit now.
We still do it every January.
We set our goals.
So for about three years my goalwas to read, read.
I think I said 12 books thefirst year and I thought, come
on, let's be realistic.
And each year it got less and Iand I just couldn't do it.
I just I would.
I would read a book this isbefore Audible and I would fall
asleep.
So, uh, so I just thought,right, okay, pattern, yeah, so,
(14:46):
so, so it was the case of right,okay, I'm gonna create a book
club, um, and that means thatI've got no choice because I've
got to come back.
I was realistic.
So we only read.
We do it quarterly, so we onlyread like one book every every
three months, um, but it meantthat I had no choice but to get
that book finished and it won'tbe the first time when I'm still
(15:07):
reading the book like on theway the night before before I
can go to sleep.
Oh, listen, to be honest, I'mvery audible now so yeah um, so,
so, so, yeah, and we'reactually really pleased to say
we're relaunching that as well,uh, in July.
So we sort of paused it becausewe put our attention elsewhere,
but we're relaunching it with ameet the author in the very
(15:29):
beginning of July.
So that's exciting.
So, yeah, very, very much aboutaccountability.
Then, um, I was very aware thatI sit at a desk all day and I
really needed, from a healthangle, I needed to do some
exercise.
So I thought, come on, okay,how can I get walking?
So we created a walk and talk.
Yeah, so we do.
(15:49):
We do five walk and talks ayear in hidden places right
across the Tees Valley.
Um, and again, it just makes me, me get out, do the walks, but
but I also have to do the reccesas well and we have to time it
and things like that.
So it definitely gets me outfrom from my, from my desk.
Yeah, and have you got afavourite book?
Have I got a favourite?
(16:10):
Atomic Habits, probably.
Visible Women, the book club.
We don't do fiction, it's allabout self-development,
storytelling, biographies, thatsort of thing.
And actually during COVID wehad a podcast club as well for a
short time, because I foundlots of us recommending
(16:31):
different podcasts and that, sowe would have a during COVID, we
would have an online book cluband then, two weeks later, we
would have an online podcastclub as well, and it was a
lifeline for so many during that, during them, pandemic days,
wasn't it?
Speaker 1 (16:45):
just, you know and I love, I've always wanted a book
club, an MPW, or we are powerbook club, and so I live
vicariously through you.
Now, you know, or I'll comeover to the sisterhood and we'll
walk through.
But there's something around,especially with a non-fiction
and that self-developmental,there's something, not just only
if you.
You've had to be held toaccount, you personally, anne,
but you've got that motivationamongst the other members.
(17:08):
But equally, it's how we readthings, especially nonfiction,
can interpret in different ways.
So you've got that knowledgeexchange.
That goes as well.
So you're growing as you go andwalk and talk, aren't you?
Well, talking about growing.
One of the things that made mechuckle a little bit and also
made me super proud was back.
You were awarded the LifetimeAch lifetime achievement queen's
(17:30):
award for enterprise andpromotion yeah like wow, yeah,
right, but one of the things,you met the queen, met the queen
like amazing.
Um, his and hers right, you metthem both, but the queen was
taller than you, yeah.
So what did you not do that day?
You didn't put your high bootson, did you you?
Speaker 2 (17:47):
I didn't do it.
I did, simone.
I had my heels on, was it?
Speaker 1 (17:50):
because of the crown.
Speaker 2 (17:51):
Yeah, it was.
It was the big hair.
I was like stood there thinking, oh no, you are bigger than me.
How can the Queen be biggerthan me?
Speaker 1 (18:01):
What did it mean?
I mean it's overwhelming right.
Speaker 2 (18:05):
Yeah, very much.
Yeah, yeah, the whole.
If I tell you the story, when Igot the email, I didn't.
I was out that evening.
It was a Thursday evening, sothis was 2014.
So again, we're sort of we'rebacktracking on tech and things
like that Phones.
We didn't have emails on phonesor anything like that then.
(18:31):
So I got in I think it was abouthalf past 11, quarter 12, and I
thought just stupidly, I don'tdo this, now check my emails.
So I went into my office,checked my, checked my emails
and then there was this emailsaying you've won a queen's
award.
And I thought somebody'swinding me up here, but I
couldn't do anything about itbecause it was like stupid
o'clock at night.
So I'd done a little bit ofreading Somebody's pranking me,
(18:56):
without a doubt.
But the next morning I'dobviously picked it up, spoke to
the yeah, absolutely missed.
But I didn't know that the mynominators had even even done
that.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
So wow, yeah, amazing .
And this is really interestingbecause you are, I always think,
the the unlikely seeker ofvisibility.
Right, that's, that's not you,isn't it?
You want to connect otherpeople.
I want to be in the background,I want to push people forward.
That's you.
So it?
It made me?
It made me sort of smilesomewhat to hear about your new
(19:33):
project, which is called projectvisibility project, which is
literally this is you constantlycoming out your comfort zone?
I'm not going to read a book,going to create a club, going to
make myself read a book.
You know, it's just that.
Now us about Project Visibility, because it's got some clear
goals and tasks, hasn't it?
Nothing's missing easy with you, is it?
Speaker 2 (19:52):
Yeah, no, not at all, and I will say so as a finalist
.
Obviously, we get offered amentor.
So I am working with one ofyour wonderful mentors, dawn,
and she's been absolutelyfabulous helping me figure this
out, and again from a humbleangle.
Wonderful mentors, dawn, andshe's been absolutely fabulous
helping me figure this out, andagain from a humble angle.
So, uh, speaking to Emma andfilling the, the forms in of,
(20:15):
like, what do I want to do as a,as a mentee?
Um, because I'm, I'm a mentormore most of the time.
So it's like I'm reallycomfortable going into that
mentee role and it was a case ofI really need help to get over
my fears and become visible, tomake the difference that I would
(20:39):
like to make.
I'm very, yes, I'm in my owncircles.
People know my opinions, knowwhat my drive is, um, and things
like that, but beyond the TeesValley, at like, I'm just not
out there because I put verylittle on social media.
I'm just not present.
I'm just not present, like, onan online space in any way
(21:01):
personally, so, um, so, yeah,the idea was I need to make
myself, uh, visible.
So started working with Dawn,um, and then, obviously, when,
um, when I won the award, Ithought I'd come back and within
within a couple of days Ithought I really need to make
some difference with this um,and this is an opportunity that
(21:25):
I would be foolish to stay inthe background, but you know
which is why I'm doing thiscompletely pushing myself out of
the comfort zone doingsomething like this.
So I thought, right, okay, Iwill do my usual trick because I
.
So I've wrote my own strategyand put it on the shelf, and I
(21:45):
thought I won't do that unlessI'm accountable to somebody.
Project Visibility, amazing.
So with that, I am going tobring a few ladies, just a
handful.
This is nothing big, because Iwant it to be an intimate small
(22:05):
group of women who feel exactlylike me, who are frightened of
doing things like this, who, uh,right, it takes two to three
hours to write a linkedin postwhich is crackers, um and uh,
yeah, just to be an equal inthat group and take them on a
(22:27):
journey with me, but me withthem as well.
So I'm accountable to them andthem to me.
Speaker 1 (22:35):
That is amazing.
Oh, do you know what?
And for those of you who mightnot be aware, if you are a
finalist in the awards.
And so this year we had 1,600nominations and we were down to
I think 200 and something like200 or so sort of in our
shortlist and game changers, andwe offer everyone part of a 12
week mentoring program and thewhole idea is it's.
(22:56):
You know, we said earlier,we're not just about one night,
it is about that wider.
How can we wider support?
And it is interesting, we oftenget you know many of our
founders who are senior,accomplished as you are in
business, and so have been usedto being the mentor.
What have you learned mostabout being a mentee?
Is it part of thataccountability piece?
Speaker 2 (23:16):
Oh yeah, and it's asking for help as well, isn't
it?
It's like it's taking it theother way and we all can't know
everything at any stage of lifeor career.
So, like I've had a number ofvirtual meetings with Dawn and
(23:38):
Dawn, you know she's saying Idon't know what you need me for.
You know, and I'm going through, this is my thought process,
this is, but she's really addeddifferent angles to it for me.
What about this?
Have you thought about this andthe things that my thought
process just didn't?
So it's nice to have somebodyelse walking by your side.
(23:58):
Really, that's what she's doing.
She's walking the walk with me,do?
Speaker 1 (24:01):
you know what?
And I love it when I hear thesestories.
I absolutely love it.
And Dawn big high five out toDawn, one of our amazing mentors
up in Sellafield and againmight not have come across Dawn,
she's up in.
Whitehaven, you know so for methat's always one of the the I
always think it's one of thesecrets that we can offer is we
can try and you know, sort ofcreate, create those
(24:21):
relationships, and it's only 12weeks, only three meetings, but
often they will go off in otherdirection.
So I love the fact of what theawards and the whole kind of
process has kind of sparked withthis and I'm really excited um
to to hear what happens withthat.
That first group.
Please keep us connected onthat.
What advice would you giveyou're someone who you think of?
(24:42):
When was it let me go back to21, I think your first sort of
nominated stroke, shortlisted?
And what advice would you giveto someone out there who thinks,
oh, you know I'm not going towin, so I'm not bothered, or I
don't want the spotlight, it'snot me, um, it's just one night.
Speaker 2 (25:00):
I think, just be part of it.
You, just, you just need to bepart of it.
Um, value, who's the?
The nomination?
Most importantly, because thatthat's worth more than anything
else.
So you've got actually got oneof your peers putting you
forward and and that's that.
That's that recognition, um, itthe route, really, um, but go
(25:23):
with it.
You, you've just, you've got togo with it.
You might win eventually.
Maybe that's the way to go, buteven just chatting to Emma
about your brochure, I gothrough that brochure and I
(25:43):
connect to people.
One of the other things that Ilove that you do is the breakout
rooms with your category,because you were actually which
I find is quite clever, becauseyou're putting like-minded
people together in the samevirtual room and I've connected
to people.
So then you've got the share ofbest practice because it's
(26:06):
right across the region.
These people would never havemet but were doing similar
things in different areas, sothey're so much more value in
different areas.
Speaker 1 (26:18):
Oh, it's so great for me to learn that I'm doing that
.
Speaker 2 (26:19):
You know, sometimes you think are we doing the right
?
Speaker 1 (26:21):
thing.
Are we over-engineering this?
Are we doing too much?
You know, and so it's amazingthat you are benefiting from
this and I think empowermentchampion that's the first year
we've done that award this year.
That's a new category for usthis year, so I'm absolutely
delighted.
I'm delighted you've benefitedfrom that.
I'm delighted you've built yourwider networking.
A massive high five to DawnWatson.
(26:41):
High five to Dawn to you andfor being such an amazing
supporter for you, for comingout of your comfort zone, for
you, for like leaning into it,creating more spaces, more seats
at tables, more opportunities,more trees, more nature, more
healthy.
You're the queen and thank youso much for joining us.
(27:04):
You are absolutely amazing andI look forward to kind of
watching your adventures as yougo, because it's just a joy.
Thank you so much.
Thank you, thank you.
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(27:25):
are power on linkedin, facebook, and we are underscore power on
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