The Dangerous Women Podcast

Sophy Norris
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Welcome to Series 6 of the Dangerous Women Podcast hosted by me, Sophy Norris. This podcast claims the Dangerous Women mantle one incredible dangerous businesswoman at a time. Here we have created a space to reclaim the word dangerous, not as something reckless or destructive — but as something powerful, composed, and often misunderstood. I started this podcast after hearing women like Nicola Sturgeon and Shami Chakrabati described as “the most dangerous women in Britain.” And I remember thinking — if she were a man, we’d call her formidable. So here, dangerous is reframed to something clear. Grounded. Unapologetic. Integrated. And formidable describes our Dangerous Women Collective cohort perfectly. We are a community of professional women, and together we celebrate our achievements, support our successes and champion our contributions to the world of work. This podcast gives a voice to those who break boundaries. In this series we will be interviewing care advocates, black entrepreneurs, champions of career education, financial experts and more. Every story is raw, real and fearless. Dangerous Women share their tales of derring do to inspire and engage everyone who recognizes the power of zig versus zag. This collective is not anti men. It is 100% pro women, pro power, pro progress. If you are ready to stand shoulder to shoulder with women who are rewriting the rules, then this is where you belong. This is what you should be listening to. Why be old when you can be dangerous? We dare you to listen.

  1. 15h ago

    Series 6, Episode 4. "Against the Status Quo." Sophy Norris in Conversation with Ruby Aryiku, Co-Founder of VAMP

    Today's Episode features Ruby Aryiku, co-founder of VAMP, a leading Cultural PR and Marketing Agency, which she founded alongside her business partners when she was just twenty-two.  Ruby forged her own path in an industry she was passionate about but was not as accepting of black talent as it should have been.    VAMP was established in 2017 and was the first agency to solely focus on the representation and development of Black digital talent in the UK. The agency has two parts; on one side is dedicated to Entertainment PR, supporting studios and labels in reaching a diverse audience authentically through PR methods. The other side is the newly founded Digital Talent Agency, made up of influencers VAMP exclusively manages. The company was founded after Ruby and her team saw a gap in the market for authentic Black female voices in the entertainment and Influencer industries. It was quickly realised that both industries could greatly benefit from a company dedicated to informing and educating brands whilst simultaneously supporting and providing opportunities for content creators of colour.  Authentic diversification is the cornerstone of their work, and is something Sophy and Ruby return to again and again throughout their conversation.  This Episode covers: The unique pressures/motivations of being a child of migrant parents Forging a path as a young black woman in an underrepresented industry The importance of self-belief when we are going against the norm and creating our own place in such a worldShaping ourselves through difficult experiencesCarrying the mantle of ethnic representation, the importance of authenticity and the load that comes with itHow no one person can fully represent a race, but they can represent their own experiencesThe good and bad of bandwagon jumping Why Black History Month should focus more on history and less on celebration Being fueled by our own ethnicity and culture Attending events with focused intentionality Code-switching and exhaustion Learning from colleagues and friends managing their own situations The importance of understanding how "traditional business" is managed and run, before branching out on our own LINKS Ruby's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruby-jade-aryiku-aba53082/Ruby's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rubyjadex/VAMP Website: https://www.wearevamp.co.uk/Sophy's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophy-norris/The Alligator Pi Agency LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-alligator-pi-agency/The Dangerous Women Collective Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedangerouswomencollective/Roxy Pryor Dangerous Women Podcast Episode: https://open.spotify.com/episode/4Qb3RCANFDNBlrsXjWgEPe?si=f0fbe7b4eaae413e

  2. Oct 28

    Series 6, Episode 3. "I wasn't the safe option." Sophy Norris in conversation with Sarah Callender, COO and Co-Founder of Perform

    In this Episode of the podcast, Sophy Norris speaks to business founder and human behaviour expert Sarah Callender.   Sarah co-founded Perform, a management development platform that helps organisations build confident, capable managers through behavioural insight, practical learning and in-the-moment coaching. Like so many dangerous women, her career has been multi-faceted, spanning retail leadership, business advisory, entrepreneurship and executive coaching. Throughout it all, Sarah has always been fascinated by one question: why do capable people sometimes stop thriving? That curiosity has shaped her work for more than two decades. Today she helps managers understand the people behind their performance, navigate change with confidence and create teams where individuals can do their best work. Sarah believes management isn't really about managing people; it's about understanding them. And that is at the heart of her conversation with Sophy, as they explore what drives and motivates us, the importance of understanding our unique abilities, and how this helps businesses and individuals thrive.  Sarah and Sophy dig into: Keeping options open and having choices How we thrive in certain environments The power of leaping into the unknown, of being resilient, and staying curious Being intentional in our networking, but also open to as-yet unforeseen opportunities How being dangerous is challenging things other people accept; sometimes the most dangerous thing (in the literal sense of the word) is not doing anythingThe risk of confusing comfort with stagnationUnderstanding our own unique ability; putting it to good use; and never minimising its impactCurating our own personal boardsUnderstanding individual reactions to change, and minimising the emotional impact on an individual, a team, the business Knowing our values from the get go: where will we compromise and what are our non-negotiables Why we must tackle difficult conversations head-on, early, and with outcomes, not issues, in mind LINKS https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophy-norris/https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/the-dangerous-women-collectivehttps://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahcallender/https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/misbehave/id1652655090https://www.linkedin.com/company/perform-platform/https://www.perform-platform.com/

  3. Oct 14

    Series 6, Episode 2. "I'm a weeble." Sophy Norris in conversation with Sarah Porretta, CEO of Young Enterprise

    This week, our host Sophy Norris is especially ebullient as she interviews the CEO of Young Enterprise, the inspirational Sarah Porretta.  Sarah is a passionate advocate for inclusion, real-world learning, and its role in driving social mobility. She brings cross-sector experience from leadership roles in public, private, and third-sector organisations, including developing responsible business programmes at Cadbury and Microsoft. Sarah has shaped national strategy on financial wellbeing and inclusion, previously serving as Deputy CEO at Fair4All Finance and Executive Director at the Money and Pensions Service. Earlier, she led Lloyds Banking Group’s financial inclusion work and created the award-winning Money for Life programme. All before her leadership role at Young Enterprise.  As regular listeners to this podcast may have gathered, Sophy is a passionate advocate of showcasing career opportunities from an early age.  Knowing the opportunities that could lie ahead of us, whatever the route we take to get there, is unbelievably motivating.  And her conversation with Sarah covers how we can showcase career pathways in schools from primary age, and how transformational this can be. Of course, as always, the conversation is wide and expansive as Sarah, like so many dangerous guests, shares her life experiences openly and expansively. Sarah and Sophy cover:  How being dangerous means going against the flow when needed, and also being ready to get up when knocked down (the weeble) Why it is important to have a great view of yourself (which for Sarah came when she won a private school scholarship for 6th form) Why putting your head above the parapet is key, and doing it early is powerful Why work experience, inside and outside school, is so formative Breaking the self-esteem loop: it's OK to put your hand up, join in, be present; it's what helps us get ahead What does social mobility actually mean, and how does it relate to career pathwaysWhat is the value of "cleverness", and what does it actually mean? How Young Enterprise pushes people outside their comfort zone and why this is importantDid you know that at least three of Andy Burnham's cabinet are Young Enterprise alumni? The importance of embedding financial literacy from an early age Considering AI-proof jobs, and home in on the skills that will endure Links https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahporretta/ https://www.young-enterprise.org.uk/https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophy-norris/https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/the-dangerous-women-collective

  4. Sep 30

    SERIES 6 LAUNCH, Episode 1. "Put Yourself on your own To-Do List." Lucy Taylor, Partner, Evelyn Partners

    Today we are delighted to speak to Lucy Taylor, Partner at Evelyn Partners and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment. She has 25 years' experience managing portfolios for private clients, pensions, charities and family trusts and was a finalist at the Women Investment Awards. Lucy is passionate about demystifying finance, particularly for women who still have to navigate their way through a financial universe often aimed at men. She empowers clients to make confident decisions and helps them achieve long-term goals. Her ultimate goal is to make people’s, especially women’s, financial futures more secure.    And, like so many Dangerous Women, Lucy is expansive and shares her talents. Her investment interests extend into her personal life, where she is also a wife and mother of two school-age kids. Since 2010, she has been a Trustee and Investment Committee member for a Charity and is a specialist adviser to schools and educational charities regarding their bursary programmes.  In this episode we cover so much, from women and their finances to women working in the financial sector. The need for the financial narrative to change when it comes to women, but not exclusively, and how trust, relationships, and vulnerability will help shift the rules of money and finance, which, let's face it, were carved by men.  And, interestingly, how these qualities transcend the world of finance and are found in so many spaces created in a different time for a different dynamic.  This Episode touches on so much, including: How bravery and danger are interlinked, but also need personalised safety nets (for Lucy spreadsheets and support)How we as women need to be more selfish, self-advocate more and put ourselves on our own to-do lists We need to communicate differently with women when engaging them with their finances, from the pace of meetings, to the stories we tell, the relationships we build, and the follow-ups delivered.  This is a fundamental rewriting of the rulebookNaturally, women are better at engaging with finances, as we are more likely to be vulnerable, ask questions and seek answers (not know them)JAW DROP FACT - most women instigate divorce, and of those who do, 68% are perimenopausal! Women control 60% of wealth in the UK - they are a critical audience.  Especially women often inherit twice (divorce and death).Discomfort doesn't equal danger; conquering fear is empoweringResearch shows that of 147 women who left the financial industry, 82% did so because of poor behaviourThe modern family, where women are the main breadwinner, and partners 100% support that: what this role-modelling teaches our childrenHow women manage being "too much" (or too anything) in the workplace, and how being 100% yourself is keyLINKS https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucytaylorinvestment/www.evelyn.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/sophy-norris/https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/the-dangerous-women-collectivehttps://www.linkedin.com/company/the-alligator-pi-agencyNatalie Abou-Alwan on Dangerous Women Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0fPDqqoIE6ytCOFUI9G8CI?si=8lpVlKMNQE6h08pYeZOhKwMaike Currie on Dangerous Women Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/episode/41ByV5OBOouGBtpko19B7Y?si=2-HOc24TRxeQFeE2GwxzfQ DISCLAIMERS The views expressed in this podcast are those of Lucy Taylor and are for general information purposes only. They do not constitute financial, investment, legal or tax advice and should not be relied upon when making financial decisions. Investments can fall as well as rise in value, and you may get back less than originally invested. Tax treatment depends on the individual circumstances of each client and may be subject to change in the future.   '68% of women who initiate divorce are perimenopausal or menopausal' Sources: Family Law Menopause Project/Newson Health Research and Education survey, reported by The Independent and Sky News; Office for National Statistics divorce data and methodology. The precise 68% figure is a composite used in the podcast and is not reported as such in any single source.   ‘60% of UK wealth will be in female hands’Source: Centre for Economic and Business Research projection, reported by Evelyn Partners and the Financial Times. The 60% figure was a projection for 2025 and should not be treated as an OECD statistic or as a verified current estimate.

  5. Jun 17

    Series 5 Finale, Episode 8 "None of this is Surprising". Sophy Norris in Conversation with Clare Willetts, CEO and Founder of Not Only Pink And Blue

    In this eye-opening finale of Series 5, Sophy Norris speaks to Clare Willetts, the CEO and Founder of Not Only Pink and Blue, on how and why gender stereotypes that start in the playground continue into the workplace.  Clare began her business after noticing how starkly children’s products were divided into pink and blue, and recognised the same patterns reappearing later in workplaces and boardrooms. Not Only Pink and Blue works with organisations to uncover and change the hidden beliefs that start in the playground to shape culture, unlock talent, engagement, and retention. Clare goes beyond policy to tackle the root causes of gender bias, so culture, people, and performance can thrive.   Her work has been featured on the BBC, The Independent and Business Matters, and recognised by Theo Paphitis’s Small Business Sunday. And now on The Dangerous Women Podcast, where we find out that gender stereotypes are not only deeply entrenched, but pervasive, and at times insidious. Even down to the clothes we buy our children; animals on boys’ t-shirts are often predatory and on girls they are prey. Pretty dark stuff.  The conversation is wide ranging, at times jaw dropping, and always enlightening. Discussions cover: Gender stereotypes start as early as eight, when girls lose confidence and boys empathy; and we take this gap with us from the playground into the workplaceMale and female confidence is different; for women is tends to centre around being proud of achievements, for men it is the feeling of being able to do anything Confidence does not mean being the loudest person in the room, or the one that takes up the most space We need to be clear, down to granular detail, what we mean when we ask people to be confident, or a leader etc. Empathy and kindness are vastly underrated skills The language we use with girls and boys is very different Bias is embedded from the get-go - in the book we read, the clothes we wear, the programmes we watch, the heroes we reference, the way we are taught The gender pay gap starts young, there is a 20% disparity between boys and girls’ pocket money Our brains are capable of change, and we can relearn, remove limits, and challenge stereotypical normsChildren need to be taught the power of critical thinking Paternity leave is a necessity not a perk Gender division is not a PHSE module, it should be systemic change across our education system The Hobbit has 1900 "hes" to every one "she"The importance of sport in redressing gender stereotypesLinks: Clare Willetts LinkedInNot Only Pink and Blue Sophy Norris LinkedInThe Alligator Pi Agency LinkedInThe Gendered Brain by Gina RipponInvisible Women by Caroline Criado PerezCareless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams

  6. Jun 3

    Series 5, Episode 7 - "Positive Deviant." Sophy Norris in conversation with Nonie White, Positive Psychology Practicioner

    In this Episode, we are channelling positivity, something we could all do with in such a chaotic world.   Nonie White, former documentary Director, turned Founder, turned ICF ACC Executive Coach and accredited Positive Psychology Practitioner. She is a BAFTA-nominated storyteller who works with the science of flourishing to help ambitious entrepreneurs step into their next level of leadership and impact. Her clients are award-winning founders scaling service, tech, and product-based businesses. And Nonie helps ambitious - dangerous women - lead powerfully, calmly, and sustainably by building unshakeable performance, confidence and leadership from who they are at their best.  She has co-authored the Forbes-featured report, The True Cost of Female Entrepreneurship, the result of interviews with hundreds of women, and that showcases patterns that lead to burnout or breakthrough. What separates those who thrive is not more strategy. It is deeper self-knowledge and stronger internal foundations.   In this podcast our host Sophy speaks to Nonie about what drives her, how positive psychology has helped her, and how this evidence-based practice helps the leaders she coaches. They discuss some of the biggest issues facing entrepreneurial women as we ride this period of immense business transition, including: Getting to know ourselves better and how that shapes our lives and taking the appropriate action.Understanding what makes us thrive. Radically putting ourselves as the centre of our own livesIf psychology is getting us to 0% (even) then positive psychology is getting us to +5%Understanding who we are at our best and not performing a version of ourselves.Just knowing our character strengths means we perform 9% better, and if act on then we can perform 18% better.Entrepreneurship is one of the most challenging things we can do, and when we are women, which comes with a new set of challenges.It is important to experience joy at work, and to know we do not have to be our thoughts. Successful female entrepreneurs rewrite the rules and do things differently. They flourish despite the challenges, and they get better results. These are the Positive Deviants. And there is an emerging blueprint to do things differently (The True Cost of Female Entrepreneurship is linked below) Links: Nonie White LinkedInSophy Norris LinkedInThe Alligator Pi Agency LinkedInNonie's Website Nonie's Leadership TestVIA Institute Character StrengthsThe True Cost of Female Entrepreneurship Martin SeligmanBarbara FredricksonEmmie Faust LinkedIn

  7. May 13

    Series 5, Episode 6 - "Human Flirtations". Sophy Norris in conversation with Monica Chadha, Strategic Advisor, Board Member, Coach, Speaker

    In this Episode, Sophy talks to a woman who defines the meaning of a portfolio career, a carefully crafted series of roles and services that enable her to share her expertise, support and lift those she works with and lean into the industries she is passionate about. Monica Chadha's story is one of grabbing opportunities, following instincts, harnessing mentorship and sometimes stepping into the unknown. This is a woman who knows her value and shares it. Today, she is the Chair of a PwC Advisory Board; sits on the Advisory Board for the 30% Club, a Non-Executive Director of the British Film Institute; and a Senior Advisor to Digital Entertainment Group International (DEGI); British Association for Screen Entertainment (BASE); and the International Union of Cinemas (UNIC). She is a member of the British Screen Forum and a voting member of BAFTA.  Of course, she didn’t begin with such an illustrious portfolio, but she did start making waves early on.  She started her career at Technicolor Distribution in supply chain management and was appointed to the Board of the British Video Association aged 24. She became Production Director of Prism Leisure Corporation PLC aged 25. Since then, she has held several roles including CEO of MyMovies.Net; Non-Executive Director of Obviously Creative; Chair of the British Independent Film Awards Advisory Board; a member of the BAFTA Digital Communications Board; Advisor to Marlow Film Studios; a member of the Bias in AI Research Group at Durham University; and the All-Party Parliamentary Group for AI; and Vice Chair of Queen Mary University of London. Monica is a faculty member of the Financial Times Board Director Programme and a confidential thinking partner and coach for senior executives. In 2019, she was named as one of the top 50 Women to Watch in the UK Female FTSE Board Report.  It's an impressive list, daunting even.  But, as you will hear as you listen to this podcast, Monica is anything but daunting. She is fun, mischievous, insightful and generous.  She shares her experiences and wisdom widely, and there is much to learn from her discussions with Sophy.   Just some of the MANY takeaways include: Managing success at a young age, and how people respond to that success, "the most important relationship is the one with yourself."  The importance of turning confrontations into conversations.  Understanding that what is dangerous for some feels safe for others.  Knowing what your values are early on and being able to articulate them.  The crucial power of relationships, of holding on to them, and letting go of them and the absolute importance of egalitarianism (aka human flirtations). You are the CEO of your own career. Curate your own personal boardroom of advisors, and know the expanse of your network, and who to tap into for different scenarios and advice.  Remembering that leadership needs a phenomenal network.  Hope is harvesting opportunities and seeing possibilities everywhere.  Sometimes we have to manage the difficult stuff, so understanding how is key.  Why humour is a superpower.  Always be careful what you say yes to and remember to think about what you want your exit to look like. Progress is a series of tiny wins built on years of experience. Remember that!  LINKS: Monica Chadha LinkedIn Sophy Norris LinkedIn The Dangerous Women Collective LinkedIn The Alligator Pi Agency LinkedIn

  8. Apr 29

    Series 5, Episode 5 - "The Motherhood Penalty". Sophy Norris in conversation with Maike Currie, VP of Personal Finance at PensionBee, Author and Award-Winning Financial Commentator

    In this episode we are talking money, or at least how we, as women, need to become more financially literate and future-focused. We are, as we all know, living longer, sometimes much longer, lives. I suspect many of us are preparing for financial security until we are 85, but the truth is, many of us will live well past that. What happens then? These are the sort of questions the smarter amongst us are preparing for now. Which is why our host Sophy Norris is speaking to an expert on personal finance, and pensions in particular, and someone who happens to be pretty dangerous! Maike Currie is an author, award-winning financial commentator, and advocate for improving women’s financial resilience. With more than two decades of experience in markets, money, investments, and pensions, she has held senior roles across the investment industry. She is a familiar voice in the media, regularly appearing on TV, radio and in national newspapers to explain what’s happening in the economy - and what it means for your money.  In particular, Maike specialises in helping women take control of their financial futures, with a particular focus on pensions, investing and closing the gender wealth gap. She is also a working mother with two children, an expat living far from home and like so many of us, juggles work and life!  Sophy and Maike discuss all of this and more in an educational episode.   Just some of the areas they cover include:  The importance of women taking control of their own finances; it empowers us and enables us to make our own choices  Women can create wealth; we just need to get comfortable talking about it , especially as we live longer! Investment has been, and still is, male-dominated - there is no female Warren Buffett  The Gender Pay Gap remains at 18%, while the Gender Pension Gap is 37%. On average, women have £100,000 less in their pension pots than men.  And this is thanks to the career breaks women find they have to take How genders think about wealth differs: women think about what they have to share, whereas men think about how it defines them  The insidious nature of the "pink tax"  Women are far more likely to inherit 2x, once from parents and once from partners, so it is to our advantage to take control, even when it means moving outside our comfort zone, or into what can feel awkward  The power of global citizenship, and the broader perspective it gives us  Financial education and literacy should start as early as 7, once a child knows they can spend, and must be baked into school  Links: Maike Currie LinkedIn PensionBee UK Sophy Norris LinkedIn The Alligator Pi Agency LinkedIn Romi Savova LinkedIn The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel Untamed by Glennon Doyle

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About

Welcome to Series 6 of the Dangerous Women Podcast hosted by me, Sophy Norris. This podcast claims the Dangerous Women mantle one incredible dangerous businesswoman at a time. Here we have created a space to reclaim the word dangerous, not as something reckless or destructive — but as something powerful, composed, and often misunderstood. I started this podcast after hearing women like Nicola Sturgeon and Shami Chakrabati described as “the most dangerous women in Britain.” And I remember thinking — if she were a man, we’d call her formidable. So here, dangerous is reframed to something clear. Grounded. Unapologetic. Integrated. And formidable describes our Dangerous Women Collective cohort perfectly. We are a community of professional women, and together we celebrate our achievements, support our successes and champion our contributions to the world of work. This podcast gives a voice to those who break boundaries. In this series we will be interviewing care advocates, black entrepreneurs, champions of career education, financial experts and more. Every story is raw, real and fearless. Dangerous Women share their tales of derring do to inspire and engage everyone who recognizes the power of zig versus zag. This collective is not anti men. It is 100% pro women, pro power, pro progress. If you are ready to stand shoulder to shoulder with women who are rewriting the rules, then this is where you belong. This is what you should be listening to. Why be old when you can be dangerous? We dare you to listen.

Information

  • Creator
    Sophy Norris
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    47
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © The Dangerous Women Collective
  • Show Website
    The Dangerous Women Podcast

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