To mark the occasion of this year’s International Women’s Day on March 8, Startup Terminal is featuring success stories of women professionals and entrepreneurs from various fields.
In this interview, we are featuring the success story of UK-based Global Business Broadcaster & Transformation Specialist Kate Hardcastle MBE. With more than 20 years of experience in her professional career, Kate has been working as a leading global expert with clients in USA, UK, Europe, and Australia.
She has also worked for 12 years as an international broadcaster on business topics and working regularly with BBC, Sky, and Forbes as well as creating her own programmes and features.
Edited excerpts:
ST: Can you please tell us briefly about you.
Kate: Simply put – I am passionate about your customers. My work is to develop the best customer engagement between customers and businesses which leads to longer-lasting & happier relationships.
I have dedicated over 20 years of time enchaining and evolving my knowledge and expertise to become a leading global expert with clients in USA, UK, Europe, Australia, etc. I have also worked for 12 years as an international broadcaster on business topics – working regularly with BBC, Sky, and Forbes as well as creating my own programmes and features.
It is an honour and pleasure to see the shift in the business I partner and how they are creating better organisations for stakeholders and customers.
ST: How are you celebrating this year’s International Women’s Day?
Kate: Usually international women’s day will always include events and talks with a variety of organisations across the world – the one consistent for me every year is that I take time on that day to check in with many of the women I have supported and mentored through the years. It is a delight to see them grow and develop and I find an opportunity to catch up with them can often be a great moment of learning for me.
I also ensure I take time to recognise anyone in a business that is making a difference with equality and diversity and inclusion. IWD must be a conversation for all – not just for women
ST: Who is a woman that inspires you the most and why?
Kate: I was very fortunate to have some moments of learning with the late great Dame Anita Roddick (founder of the Bodyshop) she was maverick and energetic and straight-talking.
ST: What is the most important message you want to send out to all the women around the world on this occasion?
Kate: The greatest business skill I have attained and still work on is the power to collaborate. I weave it into every presentation and seminar I host as I value the opportunity of working together in partnership
It is so important not just to ’say’ you want to support other women and make impact – but to do it – and understand that it is so much easier to promote and champion someone else rather than yourself. With that being the case, how much benefit could we bring to others by using our platform to champion. Through our Access for All support giveback pledge – we have supported and championed over 2000 startups and micro businesses- we have helped businesses gain National or International awareness, helped to create opportunities on some of the biggest stages in the world – because we shared the stage and took the time to help another
ST: What according to you is women empowerment?
Kate: It has taken me a long time to feel empowered to feel I have a platform in which people trust in what I say, and want to listen to my views. I use that platform to champion good business practice and kindness. It isn’t always the business story that people want to hear – as often we feel compelled to read about more salacious stories and focus on the figures. Yet I now feel after 20 years of hard work I feel empowered to share greatness of others and need nothing from that other than to see other shine. I would like to feel that its empowering to the women I champion to do the same.
ST: What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned from the global pandemic that completely changed the world we live in?
Kate: Time is precious. I think about the fact that I may have less than 2000 weeks left to achieve everything I want to -and that doesn’t sound too long, does it? I couldn’t therefore ’sit out’ the lockdowns. I turned away from seeing it as a restricted period – and turned to use my network and thinking in a different way. Doing so enabled me to launch my dream project – the Rock N Roll Business podcast and platform – a space in which I get to tell the real business stories behind the music industry.
(Want to share your success story? Please write to us at editorial@startupterminal.com)
