Leading the evolution of women’s sport with CEO of Fearless Women & Trustee at Women’s Sport Trust, Sue Anstiss #8
Sue Anstiss has been championing change for over 30 years, as CEO of Fearless Women, Founding Trustee of the Women’s Sport Trust and Podcast Host of The Game Changers, even earning an MBE in 2018 for her services to grassroots and women’s sport.
She now helps other brands and organisations to help drive change in women’s sport with engaging content, communications, campaigns and consultancy working with sports governing bodies, teams, charities, major events and brands.
In episode 8 of Extrology, Sue joins Lee Cooper to consider the current status of women’s sport, the support being channeled into creating more opportunities for women, and the lessons she’s learned from sport which have bestowed her with the confidence to thrive in the business world.
Lee & Sue discuss:
Sue’s childhood heroes
Being awarded an MBE
The lessons translated from sport into business
Learning confidence and bravery
Investment in women’s sport at grassroots level
Links & references:
Lee Cooper: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leecooperrecruiter/
Sue Anstiss: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sueanstiss/
Fearless Women: https://www.fearlesswomen.co.uk/
Women’s Sport Trust: https://www.womenssporttrust.com/
The Game Changers Podcast: https://www.fearlesswomen.co.uk/thegamechangers
Get in touch: lee@extrology.com
Episode highlights:
“I thought, ‘Actually what do I have to lose?’. If it doesn’t work out I’ll just go and find a role somewhere else. I have a house with some lodgers in it.” It wasn't like I had a family who had a massive dependency on me in terms of income, so I didn't feel particularly brave.” - 9:47 - Sue Anstiss
“I was desperate to show that I could be just as professional. So I over-exceeded I think in terms of that professionalism, and wanting to prove myself to Bupa,” - 11:37 - Sue Anstiss
“I was quite adamant that we weren't ever going to be a PR agency, I had this negative perception of girls in black and lilies in reception, marble floors and all that - we weren't that, we were sports sponsorship and promotion. But I soon realized that actually having a regular income of a monthly retainer, and someone paying you to raise profile and activate the properties was a much better business model” - 15:12 - Sue Anstiss
“I've been a trustee for [Women’s Sport Trust] since 2013, when the charity was first established, and it’s gone on to do some really amazing things and had lots of great impact at a time when women's sport has been changing so much in terms of profile and funding, and increasing the profile those role models as well.” - 23:23 - Sue Anstiss
“A lot of the women’s individual sports do get good coverage, it’s the team sports where we're almost playing catch up from 150 years ago when men's sport was for men, by men.” - 27:25 - Sue Anstiss
“Lots of the players I talk to on the podcast, in the football podcast, usually say they were mocked for playing football, or they were insulted or they were thrown off of the teams. How hard did they have to fight to be able to find success? So at least now, you're seeing young girls coming into the England team who have had that chance to play from when they were very young.” - 35:54 - Sue Anstiss
“The outpouring of love and support from people that I haven't seen in forever was just lovely really; to realise how much it meant to other people as well who've been part of that journey with me across those 30 years at different times.” - 38:20 - Sue Anstiss
“I was just beginning to listen to more podcasts a year and a half or so ago now. I was in the office and I think at the time that I thought it'd be more of a business to business, more of sharing the stories of women that had done great things in sport. I was conscious that there were some extraordinary women that have great achievements, and perhaps we weren't telling their stories, or people weren't aware of what they had done.” - 41:18 - Sue Anstiss
“For Fearless Women really, I guess it's just me now following my passion for women's sport, and to have an impact and make a difference to the world of women's sport, be that profile or participation. ” - 46:26 - Sue Anstiss
Extrology is sponsored by Progresso Talent Partners who for more than 25 years have successfully delivered interim and permanent leadership talent to transform businesses and to hire the talent you need to enable your business to thrive: https://www.progressotalent.com/