Dragons’ Den star Sara Davies was one of three special guests interviewed for a special live episode of the Northern Leaders podcast.
The podcast interviews some of the names that were included in BusinessCloud’s 2024 Northern Leaders list.
You can listen to the episode – which has been sponsored by Lycetts – on Spotify or Apple Podcasts; or watch it on YouTube below.
Davies shared the stage at KPMG’s Newcastle offices with Greggs CEO Roisin Currie and Moja founder Sophie Milliken in front of a live audience.
The trio are among the North East’s most influential businesswomen and all spoke about the challenges of being working mums.
Davies is best known for being a Dragon on Dragons’ Den and recently rescued the business that she founded, Crafter’s Companion, from administration.
She explained why she can’t be a stay-at-home mum and didn’t beat herself up for missing her kids’ sports day.
Explaining how she juggles all her commitments she said: “I just couldn’t commit to filming another season of Dragons’ Den in this year because of everything I’ve taken back on with Crafter’s Companion. But what I find is that if I turn up to something, I give it 100 per cent of my focus in that moment.
“As a working woman, I look at other women who maybe gave up their careers to bring up their families, and that is wonderful. I am massively envious of the time they get to spend with their kids; but if I had done that, I wouldn’t be happy. I wouldn’t feel fulfilled as a woman, and that might make me really selfish to say that – but I would not be happy as a stay-at-home mum.”
Davies also recalled an early lesson Deborah Meaden taught her in the Den – and is grilled over who her favourite Dragon is.
She added: “When people say to me: ‘It must be great running your own business because you can knock off in time to do the school run’ – I think ‘you’re not cut out for this life’.
“Very few people are cut out for the sacrifice that it takes to be an entrepreneur. But when you meet them, you know they’ve got it in them.
“When I’m in the Den, that’s what I’m looking for. When someone comes walking through them lift doors, do they really understand what it takes to be an entrepreneur? Do I think they’ll make the sacrifices? Do they care enough to make that work?”
Currie has overseen a period of unprecedented growth as CEO of Greggs but told the Northern Leaders podcast how all the credit went to her team.
She spent 20 years at Asda, rising up through the ranks, before joining Greggs in 2010 and becoming the company’s first female CEO in 2022.
Currie has overseen a period of unprecedented growth – but credited her colleagues for the company’s success.
“We are very fortunate in that the Greggs family set the business up very much about doing the right thing and with a really strong sense of purpose,” she said.
“And I think no matter what job you do, you might have a sense of purpose that you’re doing the right thing, that you’re adding value.”
Milliken is the founder of Moja and a published author. She won the Business Champion Award North East at this year’s Northern Leaders Awards.
Milliken talked about the importance of following your gut when making decisions – and what happened when she didn’t – as well as why the North East is riding the crest of a wave.
She said she regretted selling her first business – Smart Resourcing Solutions (SRS) – but was better equipped to run Moja.
“I’ve gone into it with a completely different mindset, lots of knowledge, lots of understanding around what not to do and how to set things up properly, so it feels different,” she said.
“I’ve got a proper plan. I know what I’m doing. I know what the ambition is, and it’s exciting. Although it’s hard being back in startup mode again once you’ve been there and done that.”
The episode was sponsored by Lycetts and produced by What Media. The interviewer was BusinessCloud’s executive editor Chris Maguire. It was recorded on May 8th.
You can listen to the Northern Leaders podcast on Spotify; on Apple Podcasts; or on YouTube.