To mark International Women’s Day 2024, we asked two alumni who are driven female business founders, about their unique journeys. They shared the toughest challenges they’ve encountered and what makes them most proud.
Aisha Thomas founded Representation Matters, an international training consultancy championing diversity in education.
Beck Prior founded Priormade, a sustainable homeware brand, and Prior, a shop stocking artist and designer made products, based in Cabot Circus.
Aisha Thomas
- Studied LLB(Hons), 2006
- Founded Representation Matters in 2020
- Mission is to challenge the lack of representation and the inequality in our current education system
- Author of no 1 best seller on Amazon about becoming an anti-racist educator
- Awarded MBE in 2022
What does it mean to you to be an influential and successful woman in your field?
Success is really subjective, however to me, it means being the representation that is needed for people that look like me. I spent most of my career, forcing myself to be what I can’t see.
I hope that the pathway I have created has opened doors and provided future opportunities for those following behind me.
How did you get started?
My journey started with the motivation I received from my mum. She was a primary school teacher and often talked about the power of education and how it opened doors and created springboards to new opportunities.
I started out in law, convinced I would be a lawyer, however, after a chance meeting with a young man in prison, I re-thought my pathway and transitioned into education. I had a fantastic time as an assistant principal, however, I wanted to have more of an impact, so after a Ted X talk, a book, and a BBC documentary, I started my business Representation Matters Ltd.
What’s been your biggest challenge?
Being an entrepreneur is not easy.
Making the transition from the classroom, to being on the road, drastically changed my lifestyle. But it has been worth it.
What are you most proud of?
The reach of our work! Just last month, I was in London and I met a woman from Venezuela who explained that she had read my book, and this had contributed to the work she has been doing in Venezuela about the lack of diversity in books in her home country. I guess you never know who is watching!
Beck Prior
- Studied BA(Hons) Art & Visual Culture, 2008
- Founded Priormade, 2011
- Opened Prior shop, 2019
- Relocated shop to Cabot Circus, 2021
- Supports young talent and community art projects
What does it mean to you to be an entrepreneur?
Really proud.
For me, an entrepreneur is a trailblazing, risk-taker. Someone who is driven by an idea they believe in and won’t give up until it’s accomplished.
I feel quite honoured to be called one.
How did you get started?
Like all creative people who seem to marvelously pinball from one thing to another, it’s hard to find the starting point. Funnily enough, having a retail shop combines EVERYTHING.
I’ve always had a very strong work ethic and left UWE Bristol with many ideas for starting my own business. I worked at Arnolfini, Young Bristol, Creative Youth Network, and as an Art Technician/Post 16 tutor, alongside creating props, puppets, signage, and project-managed public art installations for clients. In 2010 this became product design. I also trained as a hairdresser and make-up artist before starting UWE Bristol and worked in many, many pubs whilst I studied.
On reflection, I can see now how all of these social, public-facing, creative, and teaching roles have combined to help me design and create a retail shop, manage a team of people, and thoroughly enjoy customer interactions.
What’s been your biggest challenge?
Trying to hold on to this huge shop. Main shopping centres and high streets have been designed for large global for-profit companies. We are competing and paying the same as giant retailers such as Apple and Ted Baker! So, we have to work above and beyond to hold on to it.
My other challenge is making peace with the fact that I can’t make my own creations as much as I used to as managing a shop is so time-consuming – I’m still working on coming to terms with this.
What are you most proud of?
Ooofftt… I’m proud every day. Seriously! But the biggest, incredible achievement has to be the amount of money that we’ve made for Independent artists, designers, and makers. Since we opened in Cabot Circus, we have paid out £375,000. 70% of our artists/designers are based in Bristol so it’s huge for the local economy too. The pride I have when thinking about this makes me have goosebumps.
What does it mean to be a woman in business?
I feel powerful being a woman in business. Not just that I am one, but that I don’t feel like an imposter, and I know what I’m doing. I often think women in business feel slightly unconfident and like they shouldn’t be here.
I hope that I’m inspiring other women to not just start their own businesses but to grow them into the global retail sector.
Thankfully the independent retail and craft sector is mostly female-founded and led, so I don’t feel that lonely. However, as both a business owner and a woodworker – I do find myself calling out the comments I receive at huge business networking events, timber yards, and with some customers in the shop: ‘But has it been wired properly have you had it checked by an electrician?; Aren’t you a clever girl; Have you checked that figure with your accountant?’ just to name a few.
Thank you to Aisha and Beck for sharing their inspirational journeys with us. If you are an alum and would like to share your story with us, we would love to hear it.