women in business

The Mask That Slides Off at Night

The Mask That Slides Off at Night

I reached out to someone last week, in the middle of everything that’s been happening in Ireland. I asked: “Can I support you? What do you need?” They were surprised. And grateful.

We’re all getting very good at being grand. At wearing the mask for work, for the children, for the sake of keeping things together. But at night, it slides off — and there’s nobody there to hold us.

This post is for anyone who’s lying awake, not quite knowing how to be. The real face has been there all along.

Business as a Living System: Why You Need Both Flow and Structure

Business as a Living System: Why You Need Both Flow and Structure

Many business owners feel caught between two competing needs: the freedom to create and the discipline of structure. Too much structure can stifle energy; too much flow can create chaos.

What if your business isn’t a machine to control, but a living system to nurture?

In this article, I explore how sustainable businesses thrive when flow and structure work together — and how finding that balance can bring more clarity, resilience, and growth to your work.

International Women's Day 2026 - learning from the lake

International Women's Day 2026 - learning from the lake

Celebrating International Women’s Day with a walk up Knockomagh Hill, the women of Her Circle shared stories, laughter, and reflection overlooking Lough Hyne — a powerful reminder of the resilience and connection within our community.

Keeping Your Focus in a Noisy World

Keeping Your Focus in a Noisy World

Many local business owners have shared how they feel swamped by competing businesses and family needs. With rapid external influences such as AI, technological advancements, global instability, and communication overload, staying clear and focused is a daily challenge. The Hedgehog concept, adapted from Jim Collins ’ book Good to Great, can help us find a dynamic focus that brings clarity and helps us make strategic decisions.

Learning to cut myself some slack

Learning to cut myself some slack

I grew up believing that rest had to be earned. For me, there was a magic number: 38.4 — sick enough to be allowed to stop, but not too sick to enjoy being cared for. Years later, I can see this pattern clearly in myself and in my coaching work:
so many of us learned to rest only when our bodies, minds, or lives force us to.

Rethinking Business: What If It Were Designed by Women?

Rethinking Business: What If It Were Designed by Women?

If you had to imagine your organisation in a metaphoric way, what would you pick? An oiled machine, clicking and clocking? or a bee hive, ever changing, ever buzzing? What if the future of work looked more like a living system — one designed by women, for people — where growth isn’t forced, but allowed to unfold in its natural rhythm?