Beyond Celebration: Women building change through enterprise

International Women’s Day (8 March) is a global observance, established by the UN and rooted in a long history of activism for women’s rights, equality and justice.

This year’s official theme – Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls – calls not just for celebration, but for progress: dismantling systemic barriers that prevent fair access to justice, opportunity and dignity for women and girls everywhere.

At The Nucleus, we believe that progress is built through meaningful work – in our community, in our workplaces and in the businesses we create. So this International Women’s Day, rather than just mark a date on the calendar, we want to reflect on what progress looks like in practice: the day-to-day effort, resilience and intentionality that women entrepreneurs bring to work that matters.

Entrepreneurship is not just about independence and flexibility, it is about responsibility, commitment and impact. Here, we’re spotlighting four women at The Nucleus whose journeys demonstrate what purpose-driven enterprise can look like, and what others might learn from their example.

Purpose-led recruitment

Karen Maynard and Christie Horton

Founders, Apex Education Recruitment

Karen Maynard and Christie Horton founded Apex Education Recruitment in 2013 with a clear belief: every child deserves the right support to thrive

Specialising in Special Educational Needs (SEN), Apex connects schools with skilled and compassionate professionals who understand the complexities of ASD, ADHD, behavioural and emotional needs, and complex learning challenges.

Karen, a qualified teacher with over 30 years’ experience in HR and education, focuses on building trusted relationships and nurturing talent.

Christie brings more than 20 years of recruitment and operational leadership experience, with a strong emphasis on professional standards and development

Together, they have built more than a recruitment business. They have created a community of professionals committed to raising standards and supporting vulnerable pupils.

Entrepreneurial lesson:

Build around a mission, not a market gap. When your purpose is clear, growth follows impact.

Practical step:

If you are starting or scaling a business, write down the problem you exist to solve. If you removed revenue from the equation, would the problem still matter? If the answer is yes, you are building on solid ground.

Precision, trust and long-term thinking

Lola Balogun

Director, Abbot Accounting Ltd

Lola Balogun recognised her affinity for numbers early in life. That clarity of interest led her to qualify as a Chartered Certified Accountant and later become a Fellow of ACCA

After more than 11 years across the private and public sectors, Lola founded Abbot Accounting Limited in 2011.

Since then, she has supported start-ups, sole traders and established SMEs with accounts preparation, tax compliance, payroll, VAT and financial planning.

Her ethos centres on trust, transparency and integrity.

Beyond her client work, she mentors aspiring accountants, offers work experience placements and actively supports young women considering careers in finance.

Entrepreneurial lesson:

Expertise builds credibility. Credibility builds confidence. Confidence builds sustainable businesses.

Practical step:

Audit your own professional development. What qualification, accreditation or skill could strengthen your authority over the next 12–24 months? Long-term investment often delivers disproportionate returns.

Reinvention and Personal Alignment:

Jolanta, Psychotherapist

Founder, Ifield Therapy

For Jolanta, entrepreneurship began with a question: What fascinates me, feels natural and I am good at?

In her forties, she re-evaluated her path and returned to a long-held interest in psychology. She retrained, gained her qualifications in psychotherapy and established her private practice at The Nucleus.

Today, she works with clients experiencing anxiety, addiction, impulsivity, relationship challenges, depression, self-harm and personality disorders. She operates ethically and safely, supported by recognised supervisors and peer networks.

Her journey is a reminder that entrepreneurship is not always about starting early. Sometimes it is about starting honestly.

Entrepreneurial lesson:

Alignment matters. Businesses built from genuine strengths are more resilient.

Practical step:

Reflect on three things:

• What do people naturally trust you with?
• What conversations energise you?
• What skill feels intuitive rather than forced?

Where those answers overlap, opportunity often sits.

Women, work and what happens next

At The Nucleus, we see daily that entrepreneurship is not defined by headlines or hype. It is defined by:

• Consistency
• Courage to change direction
• Professional integrity
• Commitment to community

International Women’s Day should not be about symbolic celebration. It should be about recognising leadership in action and asking how environments like ours can continue to support ambition, growth and collaboration.

If you are considering starting, scaling or reshaping your business, the lesson from these women is clear:

Back your expertise. Build around purpose. Invest in credibility. And don’t wait for the perfect time.