Set your own agenda, or someone else will set it for you
Our latest roundup of inspiring women, news and tips to take the lead in your own life
We were inspired by the words of Melinda French Gates in an essay she wrote this month as she prepares to step down from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and start “a new chapter” in her philanthropy, which will include investing $1 billion in women’s causes.
“Set your own agenda, or someone else will set it for you.”
At The Female Lead, we also believe that setting your own agenda — whether in your finances, your career or at home — can lead to bigger changes on a societal level. Our journey to gender equality must start with the self.
We’re excited to share what we’ve been up to over the last few months, from speaking to actress Daisy Ridley about playing a forgotten female record-breaker, to our collaboration with women’s finance app Your Juno (script for negotiating your salary, anyone?) and hearing why a Head of Product at Tesco was sceptical of women’s development schemes - until she went on one.
This update comes ahead of a revamped newsletter which will be arriving in your inbox more frequently, which we hope you’ll enjoy. If there’s anything you’d like to see in it, please email info@thefemalelead.com.
We’d love your input.
The Female Lead team
In the news: Women shaping our world
👩⚕️ Having women among hospital staff is more than just a nice-to-have. Operating teams where more than 35% of surgeons were female improved outcomes for patients, according to a study released this month. They were 3% less likely to see serious complications within three months of an operation.
💪 Daisy Ridley spoke to The Female Lead about playing Gertrude “Trudy” Ederle, the first woman to swim the English Channel who smashed the world record, in her new film Young Woman and The Sea. Daisy called Trudy: ”Hopeful, resilient and undeterred”
⚽ The gender sports gap could be narrowing thanks to Gen Z. Analysis from EY found 66% of Gen Z women are participating in sport, or following it, compared with 79% of Gen Z men: a smaller gap than for older age groups. EY wrote it could lead to “a significant shift in the sporting landscape”.
🎁 The Female Lead’s founder Edwina Dunn spoke to Good Housekeeping about how surviving breast cancer helped spur her to create the charity: "You suddenly realise that life isn’t a right, it’s a gift.”
📖 In-depth: Q&A with ASD Band
Meet Rawan Tuffaha, the lead singer of Canada-based ASD Band, which includes four performers on the autism spectrum and has appeared on Canada’s Got Talent. Rawan told The Female Lead that “you are the only person who knows your limits and abilities”.
What does music mean to you?
Music has been a form of communication and connection for me, because I genuinely felt connected with it all my life. I was diagnosed with autism from a very young age. My parents first thought I was deaf, because I was non-responsive. But then they heard me humming Celine Dion’s ‘My Heart Will Go On’. Ever since then, music has been my best friend. It cheers me up when I was depressed and it helps me make connections with others.
What does being a strong female lead mean to you?
Being respected and acknowledged for my talent and ability. As you know, I am the lead singer of ASD Band, and I feel empowered writing my own songs because they come from the heart, based on experiences I have faced, whether they are negative or positive ones.
What’s your advice to others looking to pursue their dreams?
Believe in yourself. If you have the talent, don’t let anyone put you down or judge you, because you are the only person who knows your limits and abilities.
What are your goals for the band?
That we overcome the stigma of autism, and that we are well-known. My dream is to travel through all the provinces, states, and eventually worldwide, spreading this message. I want us to have a stable income doing what we love, and loving what we do. I want to share my voice with the world.
🔎 How to: Salary scripts and investment tips
We’ve been collaborating with women’s finance app Your Juno to bust myths about women and investing, and share tips for managing your finances.
The latest video breaks down three concepts for first-time investors:
Head to our Instagram account to find a script for negotiating a salary raise, why investing isn’t just for rich people, if money really can buy happiness, and why a raise early in your career could help you retire earlier.
👋 Meet a female lead: “I accept the fact that I will get it wrong”
This article is paid for by Tesco
Last Autumn, Tesco Head of Product Aji Bawo found out that her manager nominated her for Tesco’s Women’s Development Programme. Her initial reaction was, “Oh, God”. She told The Female Lead how her feelings changed after she joined the programme, why she never thought she’d end up where she is, and how she thinks we raise our boys to be risk-takers, yet our daughters think they have to be perfect.
Read the full article on our Substack community hub
🌟 Final thought: On kindness
Be assertive. Positive, reasonable, pro-active requests make you look thoughtful, creative, constructive and engaged. You may not always get what you want but the fact you are engaging in your role and business is the path to all sides making progress.