This is a conversation about power, systems and responsibility. In this first FoundHers Boardroom interview, Dr Marilyn Comrie OBE, shares what it really means to operate at board level, how global energy dynamics are reshaping economies, and why building the future requires more than strategy alone. From Verciti to South Africa, this is leadership at a level most people don’t see.

From London to Kenya, Joanna Maiden has built more than a fashion factory. She has built a model for what ethical, people-first business can look like in practice. In this interview, she shares how SOKO Kenya has grown from four employees to 150, why she refuses to compromise on values, and what it really means to use fashion as a force for good.

Over the past year, I’ve had the privilege of speaking with twelve remarkable women through the STYLISA FoundHers platform. Different industries, different journeys, different ambitions. Yet when you sit with these conversations long enough, patterns begin to emerge. In this FoundHers Notes reflection, I step back from the interviews themselves to share twelve observations about purpose, reinvention, courage and the realities of building something meaningful.

In a world where inclusion remains conditional, access alone is no longer enough. This article reflects on why building our own structures has become essential, not reactive. Rooted in history and lived experience, it explores the difference between visibility and ownership, and why STYLISA FoundHers exists as a deliberate, enduring act of authorship and power.

What do six extraordinary women founders have in common with my own journey? More than I ever expected. In this personal reflection, I share the lessons I’ve learned from the STYLISA FoundHers so far—and how their stories have held up a mirror to my own. From burnout to bold pivots, this piece is about building with purpose, even when the path isn’t clear.

AI has changed how we work, but not why we do it. In The Age of AI: Why Your Voice Matters More Than Ever, Lisa Maynard-Atem explores why personal branding, clarity, and human connection are still the most powerful differentiators in a world of machine-made content — and why visibility without strategy is just noise.