In this episode, we speak with our Northern PoWEr Women Awards 2025 Outstanding Entrepreneur winner, a self-taught coder who built her first products from a bedroom, grew a software platform during COVID, and later made a bold pivot into robotics when the market shifted.

She shares what values-led growth looks like in real life, from backing small businesses to building an 80% women team, and why staying power matters more than hype.

We also talk honestly about the climate impact of AI, the realities of burnout, and how resilience and purpose guide the next stage of her leadership.

You’ll hear:
➡️ How a self-taught coder built, scaled, and pivoted with purpose
➡️ Why small businesses shaped her growth strategy during COVID
➡️ Her story to becoming an 'Outstanding Entrepreneur'
➡️ The hidden climate costs of AI and the need for practical guardrails
➡️ What burnout taught her about resilience, clarity, and staying in the game

Find out more about We Are PoWEr here. 💫

This end-of-year special looks at what 2025 has really taught us across business, health, public services, and our wider Northern PoWEr Women community.

We reflect on a full year of Northern PoWEr Women activity, from the Awards Roadshow , where Dr Penny stepped confidently into her new alter-ego, DJ Penny PoWEr, to reading 1,800 nominations that showed the scale of impact being created in every sector.

And as we close out the year, we’re already preparing for a major milestone: the 10th anniversary of the Northern PoWEr Women Awards on 12th March 2026!

This episode leaves you with one clear, practical takeaway: implementation intentions, a simple tool to help you follow through when motivation dips... plus a final send-off with Penny and Simone on the DJ decks.

In this episode:

• What this year’s 1,800 Award nominations revealed
• Behind the judging, the roadshow, and why celebration still matters
• Confidence from trying something new (including DJing!)
• A simple networking approach that saves time and energy
• The 10th anniversary Awards coming in March
• Implementation intentions and how to put them into practice
• How to take 2025’s lessons into 2026 with focus and momentum

Find out more about We Are PoWEr here. 💫

In this episode, we speak with Lauren Rosegreen, Senior Project Manager for Inclusion and Climate Justice at SOS UK and National President at JCI UK, who shows how kindness, courage, and curiosity can shape leadership and personal growth.

She shares how six months traveling across twelve countries in Central and South America became a masterclass in resilience, perspective, and staying calm under pressure, while also shaping her approach to supporting others.

Lauren discusses how she mentors and empowers young leaders across sectors, why networking needs a rebrand, and how genuine curiosity and human connection create relationships that endure and make a real difference. She also explores how small daily practices, advocacy, and intentional visibility can amplify impact and drive systemic change.

You’ll hear:

➡️ How travel and adventure build perspective, resilience, and leadership
➡️ Ways to support young leaders and foster growth across sectors
➡️ Why networking works better when curiosity and human connection come first
➡️ How small daily actions, visibility, and advocacy create meaningful impact
➡️ Lessons in empathy, courage, and leading with kindness in professional life

Find out more about We Are PoWEr here. 💫