Meet Beverley Brown: a trailblazing entrepreneur and community advocate driven to make the UK a better place for all. With a career spanning finance, charity work, and social entrepreneurship, Beverley is committed to tackling issues like homelessness, food insecurity, and social isolation. Her approach is simple yet profound—reviving community bonds where kindness and mutual support thrive. In this week’s QT, Beverley reflects on her journey, shares key career lessons, and discusses her mission to inspire change, champion women in business, and build a more connected, compassionate society.
How would you improve the UK for everyone?
Everyone deserves a place to sleep and food to eat. In today’s world, no one should be without a roof over their head. Fact: there are twice as many foodbanks in the UK as there are McDonalds. This is a travesty and must change.
That segways nicely into the importance of community. We have drifted away from truly knowing and supporting our neighbours. How wonderful would it be to return to a time when, if you were in need, you knew there would be someone close by to help. Sharing and kindness are just two of the values that have been instilled in my family and both are free. Bringing back communities would restore our connection and inspire empathy and therefore help us to fight homelessness and hunger. Whilst global aid is extremely important to me too and something I have been involved in across the Emerging Markets for over 35 years, I believe it is also imperative to now focus closer to home – we are in crisis.
What is your favourite quote that you would like us to include? And please explain why.
“You can have anything you want in life if you dress for it.” – Edith Head.
What I wear determines how I feel! I am a bit unconventional having fought not to go the University route, much to my parent’s dismay, and always knew that I wanted to be an entrepreneur from an early age, in charge of my own time! Perhaps it’s the slightly rebellious streak in me? Heading into my career at 18, straight into the charity sector, where it has remained side/middle of my desk ever since. Spending fifteen years, in a very male dominated environment, within the world of finance, IB & Broking followed by IB recruitment, allowed me to gain the knowledge and experience required to take that leap of faith into starting my own business in my early 30’s. Note to self – every day brings a new learning! So, in a convoluted way, to answer your question, I realised I had to stand out and make my presence felt in a room full of men. That’s when I embraced colour – especially pink – a signature look.
Remember: you are your brand, people connect with the individual, not just the company or organisation. I recently spoke at on a panel for accelerating women’s careers and the feedback from this truly amazing cohort of women has been that they have made a wardrobe change! Clothing is more than just fashion for me; it’s like my armour, giving me confidence and making me feel ready for anything.
What is your biggest work lesson? And why?
One of the biggest lessons I learned came from a memorable pitch I attended in the mid noughties. I arrived dressed in my signature pink and heels. The pitch, against three other firms, represented by three men, was to two male executives, therefore being the only woman in the room and the mission, should you be awarded, was to recruit three senior C-suite level individuals for an Investment Bank.
The two executives were quite the contrasting pair but firm friends. One was a seasoned banker, wealthy and driven, known for his Harley Davidson bike and straight-talking style. The other was an American with a background as a Juilliard-trained pianist. He was thoughtful, kind, and a bit of a creative soul. Despite their differences, they were long-time friends and had a deep mutual respect.
Following the four pitches, they awarded the executive search assignment to me. It was a major win and would be a game-changer for me at the time, embryonic company. But just as the meeting wrapped up, Mr Harley D suddenly announced that he had decided to reduce my fee – by a six-figure amount. I felt grateful just to have won the pitch, so I didn’t challenge it. I thanked them and walked out. Mr Julliard followed me outside and, to my surprise, he expressed disappointment. He told me he had chosen me for my track record and ability to deliver, and that it was important to see a woman leading in this male-dominated space. But he was frustrated that I hadn’t questioned the fee reduction, reminding me that I had won the pitch fairly and didn’t need to feel “grateful” in this situation. He took me by the shoulders, turned me around, and told me to go back in and fight for what I was worth. So, I did! The story has a happy ending as yes, I received the full fee and delivered over and above on the search assignment. That experience taught me the importance of standing up for my values and for “me” – it was my “armadillo moment,” a reminder to put on my protective shell and fight for what I deserve.
Can you share some key milestones or proudest moments in your career?
As you may have grasped, I didn’t go to Uni! People often ask why, and do I regret it – absolutely not, I wanted to roll my sleeves up and get on. I knew there was an entrepreneur inside of me waiting to get out, so in order to do that I needed experience and to also find my passion. Initially, the draw was to fashion (still the case!), but life led me initially to charity sector and then into finance. I co-founded Nicoll Curtin in 1999 and that was a “moment”. Charity has always been central to what I do; it has never left my desk, so to speak – it has remained at the core of my professional and personal values. I structure my work week around this: four days are dedicated to business, and the fifth is my “give-back day.”
Throughout my career, I have been fortunate to contribute to causes globally. I have raised funds in the emerging markets, served pro-bono on boards and held NED roles. On the board of Women in Banking & Finance have created both an entrepreneur and alumni community. I have organised events for my children’s schools, raising funds through charity balls and partnering with organisations like NSPCC and Childline. One of my proudest moments was founding “Trailblazers,” an event, linked to Childline, where women from finance and sports discuss the challenges, both mentally and physically, they have faced within their sectors. I am now in the fortunate position to have a portfolio career. At 53, born out of frustrations when running my search company, I co-founded another business, an intelligent financial management platform, sherloc, for the SME/MME market that has just got to MVP and went “live” with our first clients in October! Five years of grafting, asking as a woman for funding, knowing that less than 2% of available “cash” out there is awarded to women. Alongside that this year, at 57, I have joined The Female Lead, an incredible UK based women’s empowerment charity, with over 8.6 million followers, again another wonderful female led community, which in a way is completing my circle. There is certainly room for another start-up in my life as I become an “empty nester”. Really, as we say at The Female Lead, I am just reaching my Prime Time of life.
Milestones shift as life does; the areas I focused on when I was younger changed once I had my beautiful children. I started to focus more on local causes, supporting charities that connected to family life. This idea of evolving milestones reminds me of a quote by Khalil Gibran – “yesterday is but today’s memory, and tomorrow is today’s dream.
One especially meaningful experience was being part of the building of a school in Kachumbala, Uganda with the charity Build Africa and my daughters prep school. Emily and I brainstormed, and she came up with the idea of a teddy bear sale. She and her friends sold their favourite toys, raising the first £500 toward the project. It was an early lesson in generosity, kindness and empathy, and not to forget fun. It was not only a privilege to be involved but an incredibly special moment in time for us both. Another was coming 2nd in the Top 100 Small Companies To Work For, this was due to the fact that we grew a company, a community of outstanding individuals, and we cared for our people, allowed them to flourish and excel in their own way. In today’s world, where materialism often overshadows our core values, it’s crucial to focus on what truly matters. For me, that’s the legacy I want to pass on – one of making a meaningful difference wherever we can.
What is the thing that brings you the most #workkjoy?
For me, success has always been about uplifting others. I have always believed in paying it forward. I understand that organisations truly thrive when they foster inclusive environments that let every bit of human potential shine. I am a lover and connector of people and am fulfilled when I see what opportunities that brings to others. I am a hugger, whether its meeting new or old friends, and there is nothing better in life than a hug.
What is one of your pet hates? Why?
One of my biggest pet peeves must be non-matching underwear. For me, it’s all about feeling put together, starting with that first layer. It might seem small, but the colour and co-ordination of what I’m wearing underneath sets the tone for my day – it’s my way of grounding myself. Some people focus on their shoes, jackets, or other clothing as their signature layer, but for me it’s the pants.
Mmm, people who don’t deliver on their promises. The world is full of people sharing grand ideas, but not everyone follows through. Oversharing is one thing, especially after a glass of wine – we’ve all been there – but when you’re promising to act, there needs to be substance. If you commit to something, deliver it. If clarity is needed, that’s one thing, but you shouldn’t have to be chased.
Another frustration is the challenge of not being taken seriously as a woman in business. Having co-founded several businesses, it can be a slog, it’s certainly not for the faint hearted. For female entrepreneurs, securing investment is tough. We know that women make 70% of all the household decisions, so why is this still the case the money isn’t available to extraordinary women with extraordinary ideas. This is why I am continuing to try and help turn that rusty dial.
