STYLISA FoundHers August: Ellen Widdup on Building SafeKeep, Surviving with Purpose & Leading Through Chaos

When I created the STYLISA FoundHers series, I wanted to spotlight women who were building, breaking boundaries, and doing things differently. Ellen Widdup does exactly that. A former journalist turned multi-award-winning founder, she’s built not one, but two businesses from the ground up – all while navigating life as a mother, a neurodivergent leader, and a woman determined to redefine what success really looks like.

In this candid and powerful interview, Ellen opens up about how chaos became her creative advantage, why SafeKeep was born out of a very real problem, and the importance of building businesses that work with life, not against it.

Ellen Widdup, Co-founder of SafeKeep, is building purposeful tech that works with life - not against it.

Let’s start with your journey. What’s shaped your approach to leadership, and how did your early career experiences prepare you for entrepreneurship?

My career began in the world of national newspapers, working as a journalist for the Evening Standard and Daily Mail among others. It was an environment fuelled by urgency, competition, and adrenaline and I loved the buzz of the newsroom and the thrill of chasing the story.

Journalism taught me a lot about leadership, even before I knew that’s what it was. I learned to ask difficult questions, seek clarity, and move at pace. I worked in high-pressure, male-dominated environments where you had to earn your place and prove yourself constantly. That shaped my approach to leadership: clear, direct, compassionate, and unafraid to challenge the status quo.

But working in this industry did expose me to the gendered limitations of career progression. I was overlooked for promotion during pregnancy, expected to slot back in with minimal flexibility after maternity leave, and constantly forced to choose between my career and my responsibilities as a mother. Those experiences taught me not only what kind of leader I didn’t want to be - but the kind of working culture I wanted to build.

After my marriage ended and I found myself raising three children alone, leadership became less about managing people and more about surviving with purpose. At the time I was working for a PR agency with very traditional attitudes to 9-5 and I realised this model of work simply didn’t work for people like me - or, frankly, for many of the incredibly talented women I knew.

So I quit my job and founded my first business - Satsuma: a fully flexible, remote-first PR agency that prioritises empathy, autonomy and trust. I didn’t set out to build a business to prove a point - I built it because it was the only way I could continue working. But the point proved itself.

Now, four years on, we’ve grown into a multi-award-winning team and our structure is built on trust, transparency, and flexibility. We’ve not just thrived; we’ve redefined what “professional” looks like..

You wear multiple hats across industries - media, tech, events and more. What keeps you grounded and energised, and how do you define success on your own terms?

I think chaos is my happy place. I feel energised juggling multiple roles – from running Satsuma to helping build SafeKeep – and the fact that this means no two days are ever the same.

I am also hugely energised by the people I work with. At Satsuma, it’s our incredible team of women navigating complex lives with humour and resilience. While at SafeKeep, I also have a wonderful and hugely talented team I work with, and I am the only woman at the table.

What keeps me grounded is my children. They remind me daily that success isn’t just about shiny awards and profit margins. It is also about making space for what matters - being present, being purposeful, and building a future that feels more human.

Success is also not having to choose between being a mother and being ambitious. I’ve found a way to do both. That’s because I run businesses that work with life, not against it.

Has there been a standout moment, personally or professionally, where you thought: ‘Yes, I’m exactly where I’m meant to be’?

There were hundreds. I’ve never regretted the path I’ve taken, and I’ve always felt like I was where I was supposed to be.

In journalism, I lived through some of the world’s most defining moments - 9/11, 7/7, the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, the murder of Milly Dowler. I wasn’t just reporting - I was uncovering truths, holding power to account, and walking into dangerous situations in pursuit of the story. It was pure adrenaline and purpose.

In PR, that rush has taken a different shape. It’s in the joy of winning industry awards, hearing team members say they feel proud to work at Satsuma, and knowing we’ve delivered results that genuinely change things for our clients. There’s a different kind of high that comes from building something that empowers others.

And then there’s SafeKeep. Securing £300,000 in seed funding before we’d even built the platform was one of those, “this is it” moments. It was validation - not just of the idea, but of the vision behind it. Investors believed in the problem we were solving and the way we were approaching it. That belief pushed us even harder to bring it to life.

What would people be surprised to learn about you as a founder? Any quirks, daily habits, or philosophies you swear by?

I have ADHD which means my brain rarely sits still. I can zone out in the middle of conversations, jump between thoughts at lightning speed, and sometimes feel overwhelmed by the noise. But it’s also my secret weapon and means I’m bursting with creativity, energy and ideas. When I’m in flow, ideas come thick and fast - whether it’s a clever campaign hook, a new tech feature, or a full brand strategy in one sitting. I see connections others miss, and when I’m in hyperfocus mode, I get more done in an hour than most do in a day.

Over the years, I’ve developed my own toolkit to manage it – structure without rigidity, breaks without guilt, and systems that play to my strengths. I don’t fight the way my brain works anymore - I use it. It’s not always easy, but it’s a huge part of what makes me a strong, instinctive founder. In short, I embrace the energy that comes with the chaos. I believe some of the best founders don’t think in straight lines - they zigzag.

Let’s talk about SafeKeep. What problem were you most determined to solve, and how did the idea take shape?

Just to give you some context, SafeKeep is a smart, digital filing cabinet that allows users to secure, store, organise, and manage their most important documents. It also keeps the person up to date with smart reminders. And, when the time comes, it ensures your loved ones can access your legacy online giving them the key to all your most important paperwork from wills, probate and life insurance policies right through to mortgage documents, household utility bills, bank accounts and even personal notes to your loved ones.

I’d love to take credit for the idea of SafeKeep but it was the brainchild of one of my co-founders who worked in the funeral sector and repeatedly saw problems with the hurdles of death admin for people who were already struggling with the grieving process.

Since then though, we have fine-tuned the concept to look at life admin as much as death admin. This is where it really resonates for me.

I have long juggled being a single mother with running a business, and handling everything from insurance renewals to school forms and medical paperwork. I’m the person with sticky notes on the fridge, passwords in notebooks, important documents buried in email inboxes - and I kept thinking, "If something happened to me, how on earth would anyone know where to start?"

SafeKeep isn’t just about being organised – it’s about protecting the people I love and lifting a mental load that so many of us carry in silence. The more I talked to friends, clients, even strangers, the more I realised this was a universal issue.

People don’t know where to store vital documents. They forget to update their will or insurance. Families are left scrabbling for information when someone dies. It’s overwhelming and unnecessary.

SafeKeep is the answer to that. A secure, intuitive digital vault that doesn’t just store documents, but thinks ahead - sending smart reminders, guiding users through what to upload, and giving loved ones access when it matters most. It’s peace of mind in an app. It’s something I wish I’d had years ago. And now we are building it for everyone else who needs it too.

Data and document organisation isn’t the sexiest topic, yet you’ve made it purposeful, accessible and intuitive. How do you balance utility with user experience?

We knew if we were going to ask people to spend time thinking about things like wills, pensions and power of attorney, it had to feel different. It had to feel human and intuitive and connect with people.

We started by designing SafeKeep from the user’s emotional perspective - not the tech or the data structure. How do people feel when they’re trying to get organised? Usually: overwhelmed, anxious, under pressure. So, we created a product that’s warm, calm and gently guiding. It doesn’t throw everything at you at once. It nudges you; it reassures you, and it celebrates progress without being patronising.

Behind the scenes, it’s unbelievably secure and technically robust. But from a user’s point of view, it’s like talking to a helpful friend who’s walked this road before. That balance - between depth and simplicity, tech and empathy - is what makes SafeKeep work.

Your role at Satsuma Group spans multiple sectors and clients. How has this breadth shaped your ability to think strategically, and spot opportunities others might miss?

Working across such a broad mix of sectors at Satsuma has shaped the way I think, lead, and create. One moment we’re delivering national press for Will Aid, a long-established charity campaign rooted in trust and legacy giving. The next, we’re building awareness for the National Disability and Carers Card Scheme – which is all about access, visibility, and fighting for those who are so often overlooked. Then there’s the Hydrogen Energy Association, where we’re positioning members at the cutting edge of the UK’s net zero future.

Each client demands a different tone, strategy, and pace - and that’s exactly what keeps things exciting. It forces us to stay creative, not just in our ideas but in our problem-solving. We can’t use a cookie-cutter approach, because no two clients - or audiences - are the same.

In many ways, it mirrors my journalism roots. No day is ever the same, and we thrive on unpredictability. That variety is our superpower - it sharpens our thinking, fuels our creativity, and helps us spot opportunities others might miss simply because they’re stuck in one lane.

You clearly have an eye for building ideas into real-world solutions. How do you know when to follow a gut instinct and when to pause and refine?

I think the key is learning to distinguish between gut instinct and impulsiveness. My gut tends to kick in when something feels fundamentally right - or wrong - even if I can’t quite articulate why. Over the years, I’ve learnt to trust that signal, especially when it aligns with my values, experience, and the response of people I trust.

But instinct doesn’t replace refinement, it invites it. When I get that initial flash of an idea, I let myself run with it just long enough to explore the potential. Then I pause. I challenge it, test it, get feedback, and look at it through the eyes of the people it’s meant to serve. If it still holds up, that’s when I double down. This is what we are doing with SafeKeep and it is likely to evolve the more we learn.

Being a woman founder in the tech and business space still comes with its own challenges. What barriers have you faced, and how have you pushed through?

Certainly, throughout my working life I’ve had assumptions made about my level of experience and knowledge, or whether I’d be “able to commit” because I have children. But although being underestimated can be frustrating - but it can also be powerful fuel. To be honest, I don’t think it is helpful to dwell on barriers. I’m not blind to them but I push through by building things that speak for themselves, surrounding myself with brilliant people who get it, and by showing up relentlessly.

I’m also really open about my life as a single mum, because representation matters. If someone sees a bit of their own chaos in my journey and feels encouraged to go for it anyway, that’s a win.

What’s one lesson you’ve had to learn the hard way in your entrepreneurial journey, and what would you do differently next time?

Know the difference between friendship and business.

It sounds simple, but it’s a line I blurred in the early days - and I paid for it. I wanted to build a business that felt like family, but in doing so, I overlooked accountability, avoided difficult conversations, and made decisions based on loyalty rather than logic.

In some cases this led to strained relationships, misaligned expectations, and some painful fallouts. I’ve since learned that you can still lead with empathy and kindness, but boundaries are essential. Today, I make sure contracts are clear, expectations are mutual, and roles are defined - no matter how close the connection. If I could go back, I’d remind myself that protecting the business isn’t a betrayal of friendship - it’s what gives everyone the best chance to succeed.

Mentorship and networks can make all the difference. Who’s supported you along the way, and what advice would you give to women navigating entrepreneurship solo?

I’ve been incredibly lucky to have had the unwavering support of my parents throughout my career. They instilled in me a work ethic that’s rooted in resilience, self-belief and a refusal to settle. The idea that my dreams were in any way “too big” or that I couldn’t achieve them was never mooted. I was never laughed at.

If I’d told them I was planning to be the first woman on Mars, they would have packed me some sandwiches and sent me on my way. If I’d said I wanted to start a luxury alpaca farm in the Andes, they’d have asked what colour wellies I needed. If I’d declared I was going to open a floating bookshop for pirates, they’d have asked how they could help.

That kind of support is rare - and it gave me the confidence to take big leaps.

In terms of professional support, I’ve built a brilliant network through both Satsuma and SafeKeep - full of people who challenge, encourage and inspire me. But I’ve also learned the hard way that not all support is created equal. Some people will cheer you on until you become the competition.

To any woman navigating entrepreneurship solo, I’d say this: back yourself. Build a business around your values, not anyone else’s expectations. Don’t wait for permission. Ask for help when you need it, but don’t ever hand over the steering wheel.

What’s next for you? Not just in terms of business growth, but in your personal vision for the impact you want to create?

Professionally, the focus is on launching SafeKeep and making it the go-to platform for life admin and end-of-life planning - something people trust, understand, and use before it’s too late. We are now offering people who join our subscriber list three months free from launch.

Beyond business growth, my bigger vision is around empowerment. I want to create space -through my work and my voice - for people (especially women and neurodivergent parents like me) to see that it's possible to build something brilliant on your own terms. That success doesn’t have to look a certain way. And that you don’t need to be ruthless to be respected.

I want to keep proving that being empathetic, creative, and human in business isn’t a weakness, it’s a superpower. And if I can make the road a little easier for the next person coming through, then that’s the kind of impact I care about most.

Finally, one day the dream is to retire somewhere exotic, drink cocktails out of coconuts, and pretend I was never addicted to Asana boards and Slack notifications in the first place.

A massive thank you to Ellen Widdup , for being the latest Female FoundHer to become a part of the STYLISA FoundHers community. If you’re interested in finding out more about their work:

Discover SafeKeep online: https://mysafekeep.com

Connect with Ellen on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellen-widdup-09745b14/

Discover SafeKeep on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/safe-keep/