women Archives - Don't Stop Us Now

Women, AI Needs YOU! – Dr Nici Sweaney

May 20, 2025May 21, 2025
by Claire

In this week’s episode, we speak with Dr Nici Sweaney, founder of AI Her Way, who brings a powerful perspective on why women urgently need to engage with artificial intelligence – not just for their own personal productivity, but for the future quality of AI itself.

Nici’s journey into AI consulting and training began with a moment of clarity while rocking her toddler to sleep. As an academic, data scientist, and mother of four, she realised women, especially those juggling multiple responsibilities, stand to benefit enormously from AI assistance. More importantly, she recognised a concerning gender gap in AI adoption that could have far-reaching consequences.

In our fascinating conversation, Nici shares:

Why the current gender imbalance in who is using AI presents both a personal productivity loss AND a broader societal challenge
How AI tools are actively learning from us and re-presenting our world back to us – making women’s voices critical in these formative stages of the tech
Practical strategies for moving beyond ‘tinkering’ with AI to integrating it throughout your work and personal life
A revealing look inside Nici’s own business, where AI ‘staff members work alongside humans in every function, and
Nici’s vision for how AI could transform our future – from solving global challenges to enabling more entrepreneurial thinking.

We were particularly struck by Nici’s perspective that women have a “moral obligation” to engage with AI. As she explains, these systems are currently being shaped predominantly by male users, and without diverse input they risk perpetuating bias for generations to come.

So whether you’re AI-curious but hesitant, already experimenting with these tools, or looking to take your AI skills to the next level, this episode offers valuable insights on claiming your place in the AI revolution – not just for your benefit, but for all the women who follow.

Enjoy this episode with this forward thinking champion of women, Dr Nici Sweaney.

Useful Links

AI Her Way website
Nici on LinkedIn
Nici on Instagram

Special Offer for Listeners
Dr Nici has generously offered our listeners free 14 day trial access to her AI for Impact Hub, which includes comprehensive education on the five levels of AI integration, from basic prompting to agentic AI.

Access it here: https://aiherway.short.gy/DontStop

Interview

Menopause Trailblazer – Dr Louise Newson

August 21, 2024
by Claire

Our guest this week is known globally for kickstarting a menopause revolution.

UK-based Dr Louise Newson is a physician, menopause specialist, businesswoman, educator and author. Not only that, she’s the founder of the award-winning Balance menopause app which has had more than one million downloads, and she hosts a weekly podcast as well!

As you’ll hear, Dr Newson is also making big inroads into educating the medical profession about menopause and perimenopause, with more than 30,000 clinicians globally downloading her online program. And believe us it’s needed!

In this fascinating episode that every woman should listen to you’ll hear:

How Louise missed identifying her own menopause symptoms for months
What keeps her keep going despite attacks and criticism from some in the medical world
How even today, many Doctors are never taught anything about women’s hormone health, and
How hard this passionate campaigner has found running her medical clinics business.

We were so impressed speaking with Louise, and it really is incredible that today, in 2024, there is still so much misinformation about hormone replacement therapy (HRT) out there.

As you’ll hear, her work has also had a direct and positive impact on our own lives and health.

Enjoy this episode with the determined and passionate Dr Louise Newson …

Useful Links:

Dr Louise Newson’s website

Louise’s UK theatre tour dates (Sept to Nov 2024)

Balance app info

Interview

Katrine Marçal – How Including Women could Fix almost…

September 21, 2021September 21, 2021
by Claire

Our guest for this week’s episode is Swedish best selling author, financial journalist and women’s economic champion, Katrine Marçal.

Katrine’s two books, ‘Who Cooked Adam Smith’s Dinner’ and her latest book – ‘Mother of Invention – How Good Ideas Get Ignored in an Economy Built for Men’ explore how women’s roles and contribution have been systemically ignored over time.

Katrine has a fun and engaging way of telling stories that show just how much we’ve missed out on by overlooking the value women bring to the table. Not surprisingly, she also shares how frustrated she is that we’ve missed out on countless potential innovations because there haven’t been enough women involved in the process.

Katrine’s first book was named one of The Guardian’s Books of the Year in 2015 and she was named as one of the BBC’s top 100 women in the same year. Her latest book builds on this impressive record.

In this fascinating discussion you’ll learn:

How the founder of modern economics, Adam Smith, overlooked one very important factor when he came up with his ‘self interest’ theory and what impact that’s had on women and what we’re paid,
How innovation history has overlooked or re-written women’s vital role in computer science and the founding of software,
How and why a company that specialised in women’s underwear won the contract to make the spacesuits that took the Apollo astronauts to their history making landing on the Moon; and
How Katrine herself comes up with her original ideas and perspectives.

So sit back, enjoy and be prepared to have your eyes opened by the insightful and engaging Katrine Marçal.

Useful Links

Katrine’s website – find her books here

SheEO home page

Interview with Vicki Saunders, CEO of SheEO

Future Proof Me Mini Episode

Future Proof Me – Chasing Equality

March 9, 2021
by Claire

This week’s mini episode is in honour of International Women’s Day.

We don’t know about you but this feels like a bit of a watershed year in terms of gender equality and sexual harassment issues rising to almost boiling point in multiple places around the world.

Now is the time to call out inequality, injustice and gendered violence when we see them in action.

In this episode we reflect on:

Why we still need to keep gender equality on the agenda and why IWD is important
How the pandemic created a triple whammy for women
Great advice on how you can call out bias when you encounter it at work, and
How virtual meetings haven’t necessarily improved things for women’s voices being heard.

You’ll get to hear some advice from us and from one of our favourite guests, NASA’s Trudy Kortes, so enjoy this Future Proof Me episode.

Useful Links

Womens March 4 Justice website

Petition to Australia’s Prime Minister on Gendered Violence

Future Proof Me Mini Episode

Future Proof Me – The Narratives We Tell Ourselves

February 23, 2021
by Claire

Hello and welcome to this week’s Future Proof Me mini-episode.

Valentine’s Day was only a week or two prior to us recording this episode and it really brought home how we’re often primed to make our self worth dependent on being loved or valued by others.

Whereas what really counts, is what we think and say to ourselves!

This brings us to the wisdom of the amazing 92 year old June Dally Watkins, whom we were lucky enough to feature on the show some time ago but still in her 90’s. Very sadly, she passed away early last year leaving an incredible legacy as a pioneering businesswoman and total inspiration.

In the first part of this week’s mini episode, you hear June talk, in her own inimitable way, about just how important it is to like and love yourself.

Then we explore the labels we can unconsciously (or consciously) give ourselves and how these can really make a BIG difference. And they’re really influenced by how much we have self-worth, love and respect.

We hear an inspiring story of how Barcelona-based innovator and futurist Cecilia (‘Ce Ce’) Tham, suddenly realised how negative the labels she was giving herself were. She changed them and her prospects changed completely with them.

What labels do you give yourself? Do you truly like and love yourself?

Enjoy this week’s mini episode to hear from two super wise, fabulous and diverse women.

Useful Links

June Dally Watkins Full Interview – Redefining What’s Possible for Women Even at 92!

JDW Website

Sydney Morning Herald Good Weekend Article on June Dally Watkins:

Cecelia Tham

Cecelia Tham Full Interview – Predicting the Future

Cecilia’s website

Cecelia’s business Futurity

Makers of Barcelona (MOB)

allwomen AI Training School

Interview

Julia Paige – The Stories We Tell Ourselves

August 11, 2020
by Claire

Join us this week for a fascinating conversation with Uber’s global head of Social Impact, Julia Paige. This mum of triplets has so much wisdom to share, particularly about resilience and the stories we tell ourselves.

Julia’s had an amazing career including working as Chief of Staff for Maria Shriver (the first lady of California who was married to Governor Schwarzenegger) for numerous years. She’s also held senior marketing and global roles at Google and now Uber.

Julia is a passionate believer in the power of the narratives we create in our lives and how having the right narrative can help us be more resilient and cope better with disappointments and failures.

In this episode you’ll learn:

When and how Julia found out she was having triplets
How she manages juggling work and a young family
What she thinks her super-power is
And why we all have to learn to tell ourselves stories that serve us.

So if you’re in the need for a dose of positivity and inspiration, then this is the episode for you.

Useful Links

Uber’s Social Impact work

Julia on LinkedIn

Future Proof Me Mini Episode

Future Proof Me – Why Career ‘Progression’ Doesn’t Always…

May 26, 2020May 26, 2020
by Claire

Ever felt a lot of self-imposed pressure to keep on moving up the career ladder?

That’s the key topic of this week’s Future Proof Me episode.

These mini episodes are all about sharing a ‘nugget’ of an idea, a piece of advice or a thought provoking insight to help us all navigate our way ahead in these uncertain and unusual times.

This week we revisit a conversation we had a year ago with well known Australian media entrepreneur, Mia Freedman. One of our favourite parts of our conversation with her was some great advice she shared on how to think about your next career move.

With COVID-19, we’re hearing from many of you who have lost their roles or are fearful of losing their jobs, and whilst this advice from Mia was recorded before, we think you’ll agree that what Mia has to say is particularly useful in this new context.

So if you’re curious about what connection ‘ladders’ and ‘lattices’ have in the context of your career; or what the heck ‘flearning’ means…. Listen on. We promise you’ll be the wiser for it.

Enjoy this Future Proof Me episode with Mia Freedman. . .

Interview

Jodie Fox – The Rise and Demise of Her…

October 24, 2019October 24, 2019
by admin

Our guest this week has been on an incredible journey in the past decade – building an iconic online retail empire to global heights and then having no choice but to close it all down last year. We’re talking about Shoes of Prey co-founder, Jodie Fox.

The trailblazing Shoes of Prey became a global start-up and fashion darling during its nine years in business – offering shoes that its customers could personally design and customise online. It was a truly innovative concept.

Big name VC firms thought so too, and Jodie and her two male co-founders raised around $30 million over the life of the business before coming to the heart-wrenching decision to cease trading in August last year. The problem? Despite a stunning launch years earlier, they simply couldn’t get the scale to make the business sustainable in the long term.

Jodie was the Chief Creative Officer and public face of Shoes of Prey, so coming to terms with having to shut down the business, and its global offices, has been particularly confronting for her in the past year having spent the past ten years living and breathing the brand.

In this episode you’ll learn :

How and why Jodie went from being a risk averse young lawyer to a start-up co-founder
What it was like to be married and then divorced to one of her co-founders whilst still having to work in the business together
The three key lessons she’s taken away from the high profile failure of their venture
And, how vulnerable she feels sharing so much of her personal story in her new book.

This is Jodie’s first podcast interview since Shoes of Prey was shut down and it comes as she’s launching her book about the incredible journey she’s been on: ‘Reboot – More Than You Ever Probably Wanted to Know About Starting a Global Business’.

We loved this discussion and Jodie’s generosity in sharing what she’s learnt. Be sure not to miss this one and be among the first to hear her fascinating stories. Plus, enter our competition to win one of ten copies of Jodie’s book that we are giving away to lucky subscribers.

Happy Listening!

Jodie with co-Founders Michael Fox and Mike Knapp; the early days of Shoes of Prey; a Shoes of Prey concept store in the US; Jodie

Links of interest

Jodie’s website

Win one of 10 of Jodie’s new book

Jodie’s Youtube Channel

Jodie on Insta

Jodie on Linkedin

Buy Jodie’s new book – Reboot, More Than You Probably Ever Wanted to Know About Starting a Global Business

Booktopia – Australia

Amazon – US

Amazon – UK

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How To Episode

How To Feel Less Stuck in Your Job

June 18, 2019
by admin

Don’t forget to enter our competition (below) to win a free coaching session with Claire and Greta.

This week we explore what you can do when you have that horrible feeling you’re trapped in your job… for whatever reason.

Maybe you’ve been meaning to change what you do for a while but just find the whole prospect scary or overwhelming; or maybe you’re in a job that pays really well or gives you lots of status that others envy, but you feel miserable; or, perhaps, the job you took just isn’t meeting your expectations.

If any of these scenarios sound like your situation then pick up those earphones and tune in now.

Together we’ll share tips, tools and advice to help you feel less stuck going forward. Tune in to hear:

Three key reasons why we feel stuck
How one of our guests nearly died before she realised her high paying, successful career was completely wrong for her
What six words are super helpful to break through any apprehension or nervousness you have about changing or going for a new job
And how Claire used those same words to pluck up the courage to resign from Google.

So if you feel like you are stuck or approaching stuckness, or know someone who is, then do you and them a favour and tune in now!

Links

Want to move jobs but feel a bit afraid or overwhelmed? Try our Free Download: What’s the worst that can happen template

Win 2 hours of ‘just-for-you’ coaching with Claire and Greta. Click here to enter. Hurry entries close July 3rd.

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Interview

Ann Sherry – The Positive Change Agent

April 9, 2019
by admin

Ann Sherry is a change maker who’s notched up so many extraordinary achievements during her decades long and inspiring career to date that it’s hard to know where to start. Suffice to say Australian women have a lot to thank her for as one of the many things she’s responsible for is introducing paid maternity leave to corporate Australia.

She also transformed the cruise industry in Australia as CEO of Carnival Australia, notching up double digit growth every year despite having to deal with significant challenges.

Today Ann sits on multiple boards including Carnival Australia where she is Chairman, she is also Chair of UNICEF Australia, and a Non Executive Director (NED) with one of the country’s biggest banks, National Australia Bank (NAB), as well as Sydney Airport, Rugby Australia, the Museum of Contemporary Arts Australia and Palladium.

Ann has many accolades for her extremely varied career to date including a Centenary Medal, an Order of Australia and the overall winner of the Women of Influence award in 2015.

In this episode you’ll hear:

How having a baby with Downs syndrome at just 21 didn’t stop her from pioneering his care and returning to work when he was still young
How she’s learnt to be resilient and not be phased by others judging her
Why she thinks women need to take more risks
And why she controversially bought a host of brightly coloured pant suits shortly after becoming one of the first senior women at a major bank.

For listeners who outside of Australia, near the end of the episode we talk about how there’s recently been a Royal Commission in to banking in Australia – it’s basically a court-style public inquiry into misconduct which unearthed some serious misconduct across the industry.

So please enjoy this fascinating discussion with the inspiring and truly entertaining Ann Sherry.

Links to Ann:

Twitter

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