Wow! Women.
We are awesome aren’t we. There are so many incredible people and women in my life, who when I think of them, I want to start the introduction with “wow” this person is amazing for so many reasons. Let me share a little of their story as it will inspire you so much.
I Digress
(had to add this title to this section retrospectively!)
The fight for equity for all women continues and even though there’s still a long way to go, women never give up. We have fortitude, we have education (well now and in the west!), some of us have the right to vote, or even have our own bank account, earn equal pay for equal work, have autonomy of our own body’s. In some parts of the world we’re even allowed to marry who we choose, or say no to our husbands and partners. Some of us have access to some legal retribution against husbands who rape us! In some places we can have contraception.
We can have babies AND work. Flexible working hours are more common now. It has been proved that there is no reason why men should not change nappies, or do their share of childcare. They don’t need rewarding for making supper or dressing their kids, its part of the job. And they are equally as good, or bad at things as we are.
We have realised and proven time and time again that we are strong and resilient. That we can work AND play, AND bleed All at the same time. We have worked more, juggled more, put up with more, in order to get the same. And we keep on constantly proving that we are worth it.
Women are not looking for equality we are looking for equity. The days of the world believing that management and governance works most effectively when done by cis white men who beat their chests and waggle their willies, has gone…
… OK not gone… but there are now centuries of evidence against it and proven, successful alternatives to it. Balance, inclusivity, diversity are the ways to go. And “emotional” women are the ones who will drive it. Including empathy, compassion and holistic thinking into decision making.
I didn’t come here today to write any of that… but having watched yet another video of yet another gorilla grooming session from the American Oval Office, it just fell out of my head , through my heart and down my arms, spilling through my fingertips onto the keypad. Let me get back to what I intended …
WOW Women – on International Women’s Day
What I came here to write this morning, the 8th March 2025, International Women’s Day, is WOW.
WOW to some of the incredible women I have met along the way. WOW to some of the women I have had the privilege and opportunity to work with. And WOW to some of those women who I get to call my friend.
There are so many incredible women out there. Here are a few of those I have connected with. Women who blow my mind when I see what they are doing and where they are going. When I hear what these have overcome and I witness their resilience. Confident women, as I see them celebrating other women. Even if those other women are in the same role. Women who champion other women. These are women who think outside the macho boxes we’re led to believe we are confined in. Women who are redefining success. Women who advocate, include and adjust.
Let Me Introduce You
Here are some of the women who I know. Women who also know the value of diversity, acceptance, adaption, inclusion, collaboration, emotion, compassion. These women are not afraid to use their voices, to share their vulnerability. These women embrace their warts and all authenticity. They accept, own and learn from their mistakes and they value others who do the same.
Collective not Autocratic.
Teamwork not Authoritarian.
Consensual not Dictatorial
Welcome to our Queen Bee…
Dana Wallace : IATQB- I Am The Queen Bee : You may have heard me talk about her before, but if not you may have seen her in the media. Her adversity drove her success. Her energy and vision have transformed so many lives. She is perhaps one of the most incredible women I have ever connected with and she certainly is integral to my journey.
I found her Bee Heard 7 day FREE masterclass some years ago and it was magnificent. It led to all sorts of personal growth but it also led to other connections. Dani agreed to be Keynote at one of the AOIC conferences and blew the audience away. Without her I would not have connected with Lisa Johnson or Lindsay McGlone, both of whom got to meet in person at one of Dani’s networking and empowerment events, The Big Festoon
The Joy of Connections
Lisa Johnson : Lisa Johnson Strategist :I started with Lisa’s FREE masterclass, Race to Recurring Revenue and went on to invest in her One To Many course. Lisa is driven! She is direct, no nonsense and cuts to the chase. Her story is, apparently, what drove Dani and now these two team up on so many things. Mutual respect and admiration. Collaboration not competition. Lisa’s program led me to the other Lisa on this list, Lisa Messex
Lindsay Marie McGlone : Reclaimed Means Business : Lindsay is an explosion of colour, energy, acceptance and inclusivity. She is a powerhouse within the LGBTQA+ community and in business growth for all. Demonstrating how accepting and working with ALL people based on their skills and energy not their pronouns, looks, age, size is the best way to succeed. Inclusion not exclusion. And bringing professional, creativity and fun together.
Connecting people who might not ordinarily meet and enjoying the personal growth that comes from never , ever ever having any of those bloody boxes. I had the absolutely pleasure of having a table at her burlesque-meets-business event in Hereford last year, Reclaimed Hereford. and it was AWESOME.
Lisa Marie Messex-Heacock: Holistic Life Coaching : When a tsunami of adversity struck Lisa’s life it broke her. Have you heard of Kindsugi, it is the art of mending broken pottery but not hiding the cracks, instead acknowledging them using gold. Lisa she took all those broken pieces and stitched them back together with the support of other amazing humans including coaches and counsellors.
She didn’t try and hide the breaks, she decided to embrace them. Having recovered her health and learned to manage the compound grief of so much loss, she herself now works as a holistic life and grief coach and educator. I even had the privilege to guest on her podcast, Because We Love
Becki Moore: Becki Moore Coaching : Now I know that when Becki reads this she’ll think that she’s a fraud amongst these women . So, before I talk about her, I am going to tell her to shut the fuck up and get over herself! Becki is amazing. As a human, as a mother, as a survivor.
She is incredibly empathetic, driven, intelligent, inciteful and alternative. Her views on life, spirituality and alternative therapies, have expanded my views and opened my mind. I don’t get all of it (!) but I do value all of it (all of her) . Her latest journey is still in the foothills, but she is going to climb that mountain and conquer the summit.
I met Becki years ago in my role as a celebrant conducting a funeral service for her ex husband and the father of her teen children. I properly connected with her as a friend and collaborative partner, support network, as a result of Lisa Johnson’s course.
Emma Melrose: Business Growth Mentors : Now without my incredible friend, mentor and collaborative partner, Dinah Liversidge, I would not have connected with Em Melrose. I’ve written loads about Dinah so start here with why I think she’s WOW.
Em is also a fellow Wales-based independent celebrant who trained with Dinah. It was Dinah who officiated Em’s husband’s funeral. Most recently, Em the co-founded The Legacy Lounge of which I am a founding partner, and a very active and proud one at that. Em’s vision is to help families talk about ‘the elephant in the room’, represented by Ellie, the patchwork elephant mascot. The aim is to normalise conversation about death and dying. You can see why we ended up working together.
Such Incredible Women
So there you go; six, (ok seven) astounding women. Least of all because of their incredible businesses. simply because they are absolutely the type of people I love. People who champion others. Who are inclusive, open, honest, empathetic and embrace themselves in all their true authentic, messy glory.
And there are so many more, I might even do another post highlighting some of the amazing WOW Women I know because they’re awesome and I’m lucky to have (had) them in my life.
Dinah can be found here at her Celebrant Training and Coaching Academy or on our shared podcast, Ask A Celebrant
