INCLUSIVITY, DIVERSITY & ANXIETY…
This week, I’m celebrating three wonderful women who all embody inspiration when it comes to speaking around these very important topics. Their life experiences and journeys in business have been very different yet their commitment to having an impact and ‘spreading the word’ is equally passionate.
From the tennis court to the boardroom:
Louise Hunt Skelley MBE PLY won’t let Spina Bifida define her.
Born and raised in Wiltshire by supportive parents with a ‘just try it’ attitude, Louise has been an active sportswoman since age five, despite using a wheelchair her entire life.
She first knew sporting success in wheelchair racing with an impressive seven out of ten wins in London Mini Marathons — an unofficial World Record. That was before she found her love for wheelchair tennis at Stoke Mandeville in Buckinghamshire. Her career as an elite athlete on the tennis circuit soon began.
She went on to compete in the Paralympic Games in London 2012 and Rio 2016, reaching 10th in the world rankings. She retired by personal choice from competitive sports in 2021, but remains deeply involved in that world.
Today, Louise is involved in many projects. She commentates at prestigious events like Wimbledon and the Paralympics, mentors aspiring athletes, and consults on diversity, inclusion, and accessibility with many companies. Most recently in the UK, she helped, at planning stage, around the building of a new Emergency Department at a South West hospital to ensure it is accessible and inclusive. As a motivational speaker, she shares her remarkable journey, covering themes from childhood dreams to resilience to being an elite athete.
Louise is eager to promote inclusive language and diversity in sports. Her positive attitude and wealth of experience shine through in everything she does. Whether discussing life in a wheelchair, the highs and lows of an athletic career, or the importance of inclusion, Louise captivates audiences with her authenticity and insight.
Now married to fellow Paralympian Chris Hunt Skelley MBE, she continues to champion inclusivity and encourage others to pursue their dreams, regardless of obstacles. Her story is a powerful reminder that with determination, support, and the right attitude, anything is possible. Find out more here https://scottmedia.uk/speakers-list/louise-hunt-skelley-mbe/
Rewriting the Anxiety Narrative:
Caroline Cavanagh thinks we’ve got anxiety all wrong.
Instead of seeing it as something that holds us back, how about using it to enhance us?
I first come across Caroline’s work through a mutual connection who raved about her unique approach. She intrigued me. I’ve dealt with stress over the years and wanted to know whether we can really turn anxiety from foe to friend?
Caroline’s passion shines through immediately. She has a gift for helping people understand anxiety and use that knowledge to build mental resilience and boost performance. She has a simple goal. Whether she’s working one-on-one or with organisations, she wants to create a culture where reduced stress leads to increased productivity and happiness.
She has a specialism of working with teenagers. She’s convinced she can reverse the troubling trend of rising anxiety among young people, turning them into confident young adults.
Caroline brings impressive qualifications as a published author, award-winning therapist, clinical hypnotherapist and Master NLP Practitioner. But titles aside, I was most struck by her genuine desire to help people feel mentally stronger.
“Anxiety is not inherently bad,” she told me. “When you know how to give it leadership, it can actually be a positive force in your life.”
It’s a revolutionary idea, but one that Caroline backs up with concrete techniques and strategies. Her 5-step Anxiety Alchemy process transforms anxiety into resilience and creates a sound foundation for confidence to grow.
Whether speaking to corporate audiences about managing workplace stress or running workshops for students on exam anxiety, Caroline adapts to each audience’s needs. She’s a dynamic speaker who combines deep knowledge with interactive examples to bring her ideas to life. Find out more here https://scottmedia.uk/speakers-list/caroline-cavanagh/
The Power of Purpose:
The company Laura Dent and her husband Neil founded, So Fresh & So Clean UK, over a decade ago was a modest carpet cleaning business, often working in domestic properties.
Today, they’ve grown it into a commercial and specialist cleaning company with a mission that goes far beyond just tidying up spaces. They believe in the power of a clean space and they understand how cleanliness can transform lives.
I first met Laura through our shared business networks. Her passionate commitment to creating an inclusive workplace and her desire to use her business as a force for good in the community immediately struck me.
Her journey into entrepreneurship wasn’t an easy one. She struggled with two chronic illnesses and finding a job that could accommodate her medical needs was a challenge. So she created one.
She joined her husband in the business full-time in 2016 and used her personal experience to become the catalyst in her mission to pioneer forward-thinking employment practices in a sector which isn’t always seen as forward-thinking.
So Fresh & So Clean is making a difference by moving into specialist cleaning services, particularly supporting people trying to manage mental health issues and hoarding tendencies. Laura told me how the Covid pandemic actually drove this side of their business forward by showing how much people needed these specialised services.
As a director, Laura is deeply committed to building an environment where all employees feel valued and respected. So Fresh & So Clean is proudly part of the Living Wage Foundation, ensuring fair compensation for their entire team.
What truly inspires me about Laura is how she’s leveraged her own challenges into a force for positive change. Her experience with chronic illness has made her a fierce advocate for workplace inclusivity and accommodation. She’s created a business model that not only provides essential services but also creates meaningful employment opportunities for those who might otherwise struggle in traditional work environments. Find out more about her here https://scottmedia.uk/speakers-list/laura-dent/
Do tune in next week for more stories about more of our wonderful speakers.
