Sonia Brown
Sonia Brown MBE is a business communicator, coach, trainer and writer, with over 20 years in marketing, branding and life skills development. She is an authority on many areas of business, leadership, sales and marketing, as well as supporting individuals to achieve success in all areas of life.
She founded the National Black Women’s Network; Let’s Talk Business Networking Forum and Sistatalk the UK’s leading online forum for women looking to connect with leading companies, decision makers and industry peers. More recently she launched the Inspirational Women’s Super Summit in London and the Scottish Parliament as well as EVOLVE; a six step business growth programme aimed at solo and micro entrepreneurs.
Sonia has successfully worked with the who’s who in business and is endorsed by government departments and ministers, leading banks and financial institutions including top FTSE companies as well as working with a number of high profile champions.
She contributes to a number of radio shows, magazines and newspapers on women, diversity, public appointments and enterprise issues. She is also the Director of Communications, Women in Public Policy UK.
Highlights
I came to that point in my career where I just thought: this is hell on earth; I cannot do another day
I want to get them out there, shining and being great influencers in their communities, in their sectors, and being fantastic role models – because, tomorrow, I want very girl to say it's possible.
You have to develop a backbone, you have got to develop that muscle called resilience; that bounce-back factor. Too many people are precious.
Don't get yes people, the key is to get people who say no. People who test you; challenge you
We are so busy going 'oh this isn't right, oh there's a recession, oh I haven't got enough money, oh people won't like me, oh I don't speak right…' Stop it! Stop that internal chatter and just do it.
The journey is not for the swift, but those who will endure.
Get what I call your big girl's pants on and get out there and do what you have to do.
The biggest complaint we get from people who are doing business is that it's lonely
As much as the debate is about breaking down the old boys networks, there is still some value in networking. That is absolutely fundamental to the success of many of our women in the network
I think I felt that everyone was going to love this idea and support it; that everyone would say yes, let's see the change that we desire. 13 years later, I'd say we are still battling to make that change