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In 2019 Sara Davies became the youngest ever female Dragon. In 2024 she was appointed Chief Inspiration Officer for Avon UK reflecting her role in championing women in business. She is often called the Queen of Crafting having founded Crafter’s Companion in 2005 while she was still at university. This is now a multimillion-pound global brand. She has a strong track record, a passion for creativity, a down-to-earth personality and a commitment to empowering others. She has become a role model for people who want to turn a hobby or idea into a thriving business.
I met Sara at an event where she was Championing female entrepreneurs. She speaks about resilience, confidence and building a business from scratch. Sara is incredibly supportive and vocal about supporting small businesses especially women-led ventures.
Sarah is one of Europe’s most prominent entrepreneurs, investors and consumer experts, working mainly in the hospitality and lifestyle sectors. She is a proud mum of four and believes that parenthood and business can exist simultaneously, without sacrificing the quality of each other.
In her twenties, Sarah led the international expansion of Pizza Express and Planet Hollywood before going it alone to buy Bombay Bicycle Club, turning it into the UK’s largest chain of Indian restaurants. These successes helped establish her as a leading figure within the restaurant industry.
Sarah is also a recognised media personality, appearing as a judge on Raymond Blanc’s ‘The Restaurant’ and sitting alongside Peter Jones, Deborah Meaden, Nick Jenkins and Touker Suleyman as an investor on BBC’s ‘Dragon’s Den’.
Sarah is a business coach. I met her at a business ICONs event where she spoke about empowering women to build businesses. She was inspirational to listen to and an absolute pleasure to meet.
Tommy Fordham was known as Tommy Mallet in The Only Way Is Essex (TOWIE) and for building the successful footwear brand Mallet London. He was widely recognised as Tommy Mallet, but in 2025 he returned to his birth name, Tommy Fordham, following a financial challenge that was the catalyst for his personal reset.
Tommy had built a global brand despite leaving school early, living with Autism, ADHD and dyslexia. His willingness to rebuild after personal and professional setbacks has strengthened his public image as a resilient business figure.
He has spoken openly about selling his assets to deal with a tax bill and beginning again with new ventures, including a brand called CTRNE. Tommy is an influencer, he is down to earth, has a confident and outspoken personality that you can’t help but admire.
I met Tommy at an event where he was speaking about his business CTRNE, where he told the amazing and inspiring story of how his idea of placing a crystal in the sole of a trainer was born.
Cathy Tyson is an awardwinning British actress whose career spans four decades across film, television, theatre, and voice work. She first came to prominence with her BAFTAnominated performance in Mona Lisa and has since become known for portraying complex, emotionally resonant characters. Her work includes standout roles in Band of Gold, Help (for which she won a BAFTA), Boiling Point, Criminal Record, and the CBeebies favourite JoJo & Gran Gran. Alongside her screen success, Tyson has built a respected stage career and continues to be a powerful, versatile presence in contemporary British drama.
Northern Soul has always been rooted in workingclass resilience, raw emotion, and stories of ordinary people fighting for joy. Cathy’s roles, especially in Band of Gold, Help, and her early-stage work, embody that same emotional honesty and social realism.
I met Cathy when filming a short film called Soul Baby. In this Cathy played an experienced Northern Soul dancer, alongside a new to the scene young actress named Molly Jones. Both actresses were a joy to work with and Molly is still seen dancing at Northern Soul events around London and has been photographed many times at the famous Art Deco building that is Rivoli Ballroom.
Northern Soul is fundamentally about liberation and losing yourself in the music, finding confidence, and stepping into your power. Cathy’s performances often explore that same journey: women reclaiming agency, identity, and voice. It’s a thematic bridge that makes her presence feel culturally adjacent to the Northern Soul world.
Northern Soul was a movement built by people who didn’t see themselves reflected in mainstream culture. Cathy’s career has consistently centred marginalised characters, giving voice to women whose stories are often overlooked. That ethos mirrors the spirit of the dancefloor: inclusive, expressive, and defiantly human.
I met Molly on the film set of Soul Baby where she was cast in a principal role alongside Cathy Tyson. Molly is making her name known as a rising star of stage and screen. Since the filming of Soul Baby, Molly has remained involved with the Northern Soul scene, culture and dance. She is a lover of Northern Soul music. When she is not busy working, she can be seen on the dance floor at Northern Soul events.