6 groundbreaking winners past and present share the lessons they’ve learned
Since 1972, Veuve Clicquot’s Bold Woman Awards have showcased the achievements of audacious, innovative female entrepreneurs, giving them visibility and validation in a world historically dominated by men. This year marks 50 years of the awards: a milestone that deserves celebrating in its own right.
Veuve Clicquot itself commemorates 250 years of business this year (another impressive anniversary to raise a glass to) but the brand’s foundation of female leadership began in 1805, with Madame Clicquot. Aged just 27, she took over management of the Maison after her husband’s passing and secured its success against all odds, at a time when women could not even hold a bank account in their name. The brand’s Bold Woman Awards honour that trailblazing legacy, with alumni past and present reflecting her tenacity.
Five decades after the first award, 2022’s shortlist is just as incredible, and the brand’s commitment to empowering women in business remains unwavering. To mark 50 years of brilliance we spoke to six winners – including this year’s victors – about the lessons they’ve learned, the values that drive them and their advice for those who follow in their footsteps.
Today the Bold Woman Awards comprise of two main categories: the Bold Woman Award and the Bold Future Award. The former recognises of a track record of organisational and personal success, while the latter spotlights up-and-coming leaders of tomorrow.
Winner of this year’s Bold Woman Award
Smith held high-profile roles with Bupa, TalkTalk and M&S before being appointed CEO of Ocado (a position she stepped down from this August). In December 2020 she was awarded a CBE for services to the retail sector, in particular navigating the challenges of the pandemic. She is also founder of the the Mokaraka Trust, a Māori education charity.
“I’m not the person that people are expecting when I arrive. I used to spend a lot of time trying to fit in and follow how other people behave, and that’s exhausting. Now I’m like, this is me: I’m often in flip flops, and rarely wear makeup. I work hard and I’m good at leading businesses, but this is who I am. If it doesn’t work for you, then you need to get someone else.”
“The terrific thing about being a CEO is you get to lead a team and shape culture. I get very excited by people and try to create as much room as possible for them to be brilliant. Often my team don’t need me to make the decisions, because I’ve given them space and support to think for themselves.”
“Women should never look at a job application and think, ‘Oh, I can do it all, except that’. Have confidence. I also ask high-performing women why they’ve not been into my office to ask for a pay rise sooner. We’re only going to solve the gender pay gap if you come in and ask for the money.”
Winner of this year’s Bold Future Award
Inspired by her family’s experience as Afghan refugees, Hedayat created Chatterbox, which employs marginalised professionals to work as language coaches. The company now has successful relationships with the likes of British Red Cross, BNP Paribas and Unilever. She was featured on the Forbes ‘30 under 30’ list and in 2021 was awarded an MBE for services to social enterprise, technology and economy.
“To be a leader you need to be a learner. The best leaders I know are not the people who dominate conversations: they listen, they know where their shortcomings of knowledge are, they know where to reach out. Leaders are best when they’re surrounded by a team who are better than them.”
“Never having worked for a large organisation allowed me to reimagine the workplace. One of the earliest lessons I learned is that a lot of what we do in business isn’t done because it’s the right way; it’s something someone decided once and everyone else takes for granted. I don’t have that preconceived idea, so we’re not afraid to try new things.”
“Women are going to succeed and fail at the same things that men succeed and fail at. We should be encouraging the people who try. Launching a business as a woman is such a bold move when a legion of social barriers will make it harder for you compared to a male peer. Every woman who dares to become her own boss should be celebrated as a pioneer.”
When it launched in 1972, the Bold Woman Awards was known as the Business Woman of the Year Awards. While the name evolved it continues to be the longest-running international award for female business figureheads, with more than 350 women from 27 countries among its alumni.
Winner of the Bold Future Award 2021
Following the launch of WAH nails – a 10-year venture that earned her an MBE for services to the nail and beauty industry in 2015 – Reid launched Beautystack. Initially a hybrid social-network connecting customers with beauty services, the business evolved into an exclusive members-only platform called The Stack World, offering exclusive content, events and networking opportunities to female entrepreneurs.
“If you have the drive to start something, nothing’s going to stop you. I don’t look at my gender or race as a disadvantage. My journey has possibly been slower than the average white, male founder, but now we have an opportunity to redefine what work and business and entrepreneurship looks like for women. It doesn’t always have to be huge growth at all costs – we can set a new standard that prioritises our own boundaries and needs.”
“Winning the Bold Future award was really special. Entrepreneurs don’t often like to stop and celebrate the wins, so it felt amazing to genuinely enjoy this moment that was about me and what I’ve achieved.”
“I want to provide the knowledge and network to help other women achieve their goals. The community at The Stack is all about helping them to find another form of family as they move through their career, and connect with like-minded women who have their back.”
Winner of the Business Woman of the Year Award 2010
Tenison founded boutique mother-and-baby brand JoJo Maman Bébé from her flat in 1993, and was awarded an MBE for services to business in 2004. This year, Next & Davidson Kempner acquired the retail brand in a multi-million-pound deal. Tenison has now launched a hospitality business, Wonderful Escapes, offering holidays and business retreats in the Welsh countryside.
“Winning the award in 2010 was really important to me. It helped to build my self-confidence, but it also made people take my business more seriously. The international reach helped me build contacts with other businesswomen – it opened so many doors.”
“Running your own company is never the easy option – I wouldn’t ask anyone to do something I wasn’t happy to do myself. Even when JoJo had a team of 1,000, you would find me on the shop floor or in the warehouse; for the first six months of covid I was picking and packing parcels alongside my team.”
Winner of the Business Woman of the Year Award 1986
Rosenberg worked her way up at M&S before launching her own company, J&J Fashion, which became Britain’s largest privately owned women’s clothing manufacturer, employing 3,000 people across 12 factories. In 1989 she received an OBE for services to industry, and is now Chair and a Trustee of the Heart Cells Foundation, raising millions of pounds to fund trials in stem-cell therapy.
“If you have a dream, you should go for it – don’t be put off. When I joined M&S I started in the post room, and I knew I wasn’t going to finish there. I wanted to be in fashion, to be a buyer, and I achieved it. I always think, what’s the worst that can happen?”
“After winning the Veuve Clicquot Award I had the most exciting year. Suddenly I was doing interviews for breakfast television (very new at the time) and radio, and people knew who I was. It prompted me to be invited on to the British Fashion Council, and I then became a governor of what is now the Institute of Arts London.”
“If you feel strongly about something, my advice is don’t take no for an answer. When I was a buyer I bought a great velvet blazer from a shop on Bond Street and wore it everywhere. I thought it was so right for us at M&S – I got a sample made and showed it to the chairman, who told me velvet was only for the evening. I was so passionate about it, I persuaded him to try 25 dozen. They sold so well that they made them for five years in a row.”
Winner of the Business Woman of the Year Award 1984
After leaving school at 15 with no formal qualifications, model and entrepreneur Debbie Moore OBE founded Pineapple Dance Studios, becoming the first woman to float a company on the stock exchange in 1982. Designing the brand’s associated clothing line, she helped develop the first cotton-Lycra fabric, revolutionising the way dancewear was created.
“I’m so proud that we have kept Pineapple going for more than 40 years. Dancing is the finest form of exercise: it’s uplifting, social, it works every muscle in your body and it’s so good for your mental state. We call our studio the Pineapple Pleasuredrome – people shed their problems at the door.”
“It’s wonderful to see women mentor each other these days. In the 1980s I was often the token woman, especially after I’d taken my business public. But there were some advantages to being a woman in a man’s world – once I was sat next to [former CEO of Debenhams] Terry Green, and that was the start of a 20-year working relationship.”
“Winning my Veuve Clicquot award lifted my profile enormously, and brought me amazing networking opportunities. I’ve been to every single ceremony since I won, and kept in touch with a lot of alumni – we have dinner together. There’s a legacy of ambassadors who are always there to welcome the new winners to the club.”
To learn more about these bold women’s stories, visit veuveclicquot.com
About Author
