Introducing Our Leaders’ Network: Meet Our Female Founders

There are many paths to becoming a leader, and, as we celebrate International Women’s Day, we’d like to introduce you to some of the incredible female business owners we work with. Their journeys into becoming specialists in their fields, the hurdles they’ve overcome, and the top tips they wish they’d heard at the beginning of their careers.

Part of the Leaders’ Network here at our Business School, each member below is championing inclusion in their businesses and inspiring the next generation of female leaders.

Over the coming weeks, we’ll be sharing their stories and advice to help you forge your path as a female small business leader.

Have a question for our Leaders’ Network about their business journeys? Get in touch: [email protected]

Meet our female founders:

Eileen Donnelly, Director, Ripple&Co 

With experience as a director with FTSE 250 businesses, Eileen’s 20-year career has focused on supporting companies to build purpose-driven business strategies and workplace cultures. She believes passionately that investing in employees’ resilience and positive mental health is critical to successfully achieving bottom-line productivity. 

After founding Ripple&Co in 2019, Eileen now works with organisations such as NatWest, Virgin, Mott MacDonald, XPO, and VolkerWessels. She supports them to build healthy, productive, and motivated workforces through a holistic approach to developing wellbeing programmes, with an emphasis on mental health. ​

Lily Newman, Founder, Morgan James Consulting

Lily is an ex-BBC Journalist, a behavioural strategist and leadership consultant, and the founder of Morgan James Consulting. She has worked with over 3,700 businesses, from start-ups to multi-nationals, delivering executive coaching, bespoke cultural change, leadership and management programmes whilst creating highly effective leaders who can build successful businesses and develop their best assets – the people that work with them and for them.

Lily is also a founding member of the NGO Act4Africa.   ​

Helen Tonks, Co-Founder, Hydraulics Online, and Managing Director, InspiresMe Consulting

Helen is the vision and drive behind the growth of the multi award-winning Cheshire-based Hydraulics Online Ltd, taking it from a start-up to a Department for Business and Trade Export Champion serving customers in 130 countries worldwide.

Helen was awarded the Institute of Director’s Northwest Family Business Director of the Year and, in 2022, was selected to join the Norther Power Women Power List, which “celebrates individuals who challenge the norm and use their influence and power for good… the influential trailblazers from across the North.”

Sharon Amesu, Leadership Consultant, Professional Speaker ​

Sharon Amesu is a multi-award winning professional speaker who started her career in law. She was a Criminal Barrister for 16 years with a successful practice across the North West of England, and now runs a consultancy that supports organisations with leadership development and diversity and inclusion initiatives.

As a professional speaker, Sharon is invited to speak to audiences around the world on Women in Leadership, and Inclusive Leadership.  ​

Sharon is a Founding Fellow of the Society of Leadership Fellows, St George’s House, Windsor Castle, an Honorary Industry Fellow of the University of Salford Business School and former Branch Chair for the Institute of Directors. Sharon was recently invited to join the Northwest Business Leadership Team and is a Board member of The Hallé Orchestra.

Sharon and her daughter, Afiya, founded and run She Leads for Legacy, a social enterprise that champions the acceleration of Black female professionals to reach senior leadership and Board level roles within the workplace and across their communities.

Cody Gapare, Founder, C-Lash

Cody Gapare is a cancer survivor who is also the multi-award-winning inventor of the first ever false eyelashes for cancer and alopecia sufferers. Her product, which launched in collaboration with the lash giant Eylure during her own battle with breast cancer, has revolutionised the beauty industry and is now available in over eight countries.

Cody is also a mentor, coach, and TEDx speaker who had the pleasure of speaking at the House of Lords in London in April 2023. She has worked with organisations including Natwest, Venturefest, The Telegraph, the University of Chester, HSBC and TiE. ​

Cody is a certified ATEX technician and Justice of Peace for England and Wales.