Keen to keep you inspired and motivated during these unique times, we want to spread some positive business vibes weekly with the help of inspiring and thought-provoking business experts from home and further afield, and this week we are delighted to have one of the most influential women in tech lined up for an Iconic Virtual Event.
Sonya Barlow is an award-winning diversity business coach and motivational speaker delivering key notes to empower all those around her. Recognised as a Rising Star (2017), as well as UK Tech Business Woman of the Year Finalist (2018), Sonya is making waves in the tech industry.
In 2018, Sonya founded Like Minded Females (LMF), a diversity network & consultancy changing the narrative of inclusion through life skills workshops, community building and corporate training. Founded with the intent to educate, empower, provide a sense of community and mitigate mental health issues, LMF has engaged with over 12,000 people, grown the social community to over 8,000 followers, hosted over 30 events and been recognised as a key player in social mobility.
In addition to running her enterprise, Sonya is a public speaker and TEDx speaker. We recommend watching her passionate Ted talk on “Failures come before resilience” which you can find on YouTube here.
Ahead of our Lunch & Learn event with Sonya, we had a quick fire Q&A chat with her, delving into one of the most influential minds of the tech industry. This Lunch & Learn webinar took place October 28th 2021, you can watch it back here.
QUICK FIRE Q&A
DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN 3 WORDS:
Ambitious, Firecracker, Passionate.
IF YOU COULD INVITE ANY 4 PEOPLE TO A DINNER PARTY, WHO WOULD IT BE?
Jacida Ardern, Malala Yousafzai, Sadiq Khan, Michelle Obama.
THE BEST PIECE OF ADVICE YOU’VE EVER BEEN GIVEN?
“Be your biggest cheerleader” or “if not now, then when?”
THE MOMENT THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING FOR YOU?
The evening car ride home from a membership club I couldn’t afford was when I decided to create the LMF network – which I did so in the car – with Jui Joshi. It was a moment of intense emotion, a lot of mental ache, disconnect and frustration! Originally, it was nothing but a closed LinkedIn Group for connections, moving into offline brunch events which no one attended and today, has transformed into this epic social not for profit enterprise changing the narrative of inclusion and community!
IF YOU COULD TRADE LIVES WITH ANYONE FOR A DAY, WHO WOULD IT BE & WHY?
Megan Markle … “ExPrincess” by day, activist by night! She stood up for what she believes is right, stands up everyday for those who can’t for themselves and in my opinion, didn’t let the glitter or gold change her, only cement her values! It’s even more inspiring to see her balance life, work, motherhood and influencer!
WHO IS YOUR FAVOURITE SUPERHERO & WHY?
Iron Man – Smart, Funny & Sarcastic! He built everything from his imagination from the ground up, formed a community and changed everyday lives!
FAVOURITE GADGET/ APP/ PODCAST
It’s a close fight between WhatsApp & LinkedIn… and Audible.
Live Lunch & Learn
From the negotiation advisor to the UN, to one of the Most Influential Women in Tech, you won’t want to miss out on the next Iconic Virtual Event ‘Networking: How to build connections online’ with Sonya Barlow.
Get in touch:
Talk to one of our workspace consultants and discover how a flexible workspace at Iconic Offices can help your business thrive. From private office spaces to coworking, they will answer any questions you have and help find the perfect solution to suit your requirements.