Place of Residence: Oxford

Position: Founder and CEO of TechPixies

Please describe a day in your life

I wake up at 7 am, run through my vision and then have breakfast with my family at 7.15 am. By 7.30 am, everyone is out the door, and I take the dog for a walk. I return by 8:30 am and start work at 9 am. My workday from 9 am to 6 pm is filled with Zoom meetings where I talk to my team and coach clients. I try to take a break for 30-60 minutes for lunch with my husband 1-2 times per week. I also break up my day with a 4 pm walk with the dog. We have a family dinner at 7 pm, usually cooked by my husband, followed by helping the kids with their homework. We try to get everyone in bed by about 10 pm. I also coach football and rowing twice weekly and do Pilates every Saturday.

How many projects are you currently working on? Please describe them

I’m currently working on several projects:

Our three main programmes are social media management, business coaching and life coaching.

Client Work: We manage social media for a few clients.

Corporate Offering: We help women in the corporate environment stay and advance in their careers, particularly when they are most likely to leave at motherhood and menopause. Until now, we have only worked with women who have left the corporate world.

Brain Health Programme: this is a new project with a particular focus on women in menopause and with ADHD.

In your opinion, who is the most influential person/company in the world of technology these days?

Apple, Google, and Microsoft are undeniably significant. Meta is also influential—Mark Zuckerberg and I attended the same secondary school. Despite these major players, it’s unfortunate that women run none. However, there are amazing fintech companies run by women, such as Starling Bank by Anne Boden and femtech companies founded by women, such as Bumble and Elvie.

If you could pick one app/product/project existing now that you wish you were involved in, what would it be?

I am involved in exactly what I want to be involved in—helping women navigate their careers and create gender parity. I am doing the very work I want to be doing, and I love entrepreneurship and the opportunity it gives you to create change.

How do you see technology evolving in the next ten years?

Everyone is talking about AI, but human collaboration will still be required to reach its full potential. The integration of neuroscience with AI would be particularly fascinating, offering new insights and capabilities that we can’t yet fully imagine.

What would you like the industry to look like in ten years?

I want women to have the right support and environment to shine truly. They need opportunities and funding because when women get these, amazing things happen. Providing all this is crucial for women’s advancement.

What are the three characteristics you have that make you successful in tech?

Determination: I don’t give up and view failure as feedback.

Continuous learning and growth: I am always learning and growing.

Taking action: I take action even when it’s uncomfortable or challenging.

What is the most challenging thing you had to deal with during your career?

In October 2021, my company almost failed. By December, investors suggested we close up shop, but fortunately, they stayed, and a few reinvested. I worked two other jobs for a year to keep the business afloat. It was difficult, but we now have a thriving business. I had to rebuild my confidence and the business itself, launching 29 times to get the necessary cash flow. It was a team effort, with everyone making sacrifices.

What is your greatest achievement up until today?

I am maintaining a happy marriage and a strong connection with my children while growing a business. We are approaching 10 years, and I have achieved that balance. It hasn’t been easy, but I am still happily married; I know my kids well and am very actively involved in their lives.

What is your next goal?

We’ve helped 14,000 women get started with social media, and nearly 1,000 of them have gone on to get certified. We’re now asking ourselves how we can 10x our impact in a sustainable and profitable way.

What tips do you have for people wanting to start in the tech world?

I started my business with no money and no main income. If you can, fund your business through grants, competitions, or investments rather than loans. Run your business with sales, grants, and investments. Consistency is key—keep putting yourself out there, getting in front of more people, making offers, and finding your voice. Don’t give up.

If you could say something to your younger self, what would it be?

I would tell my younger self that people build businesses. Back then, I wasn’t interested in business because I didn’t see the human aspect behind them. If I had understood that businesses are created and driven by individuals who build them around their passions and skills, I would have seen the possibilities and upsides of running a business. Understanding that every successful business started with a person would have inspired and motivated me much earlier.

Which famous person would you like to have dinner with and why?

I dream of having dinner with Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey, and Jamie Kern Lima (who sold her makeup business to L’Oreal for $1Billion) at Oprah’s house.

Where would you like to travel next?

I have a lot of travel on my vision board. Additionally, I want to take my husband to Venice, go on a safari in Kenya, and visit Jerusalem. I also want to take my children to Australia, where my husband won a gold medal in Sydney in 2000.

Do you have a person who influences or motivates you?

I have been working with a couple of mentors for four years. They have helped me make some really good decisions so J can continue to move forward.

What did you dream of creating/inventing/doing as a child?

As a child, I dreamed of being a ballet dancer, an art teacher, a missionary, President of the USA, and an Olympian. I had big dreams (and still do!).