International Women’s Day 2023: Celebrating Empowering Changemakers
Today we are celebrating International Women’s Day!
International Women’s Day was set up to celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. Here at Junction Point, we have the privilege of working with inspiring and talented women every single day, who are truly changing the world. Our team is composed of several outstanding women; and today we want to turn the spotlight onto our very own Director Lizzy Hodcroft.
Lizzy was born in Scotland but grew up in Texas before moving to Newcastle. An entrepreneur from the North East with a track record of successful start-ups, Lizzy has faced her fair share of challenges on her path to where she is today.
After working in hospitality for a while and also studying as a chef, Lizzy finally took the plunge into business by starting up a street food company. It was in the space of entrepreneurship that Lizzy really found herself. Being in charge of her own destiny and seeing the value that she could add to the world around her had an empowering effect that allowed her to discover her passions and herself. As Founder of The Sweet Beet she was invited to appear on the BBC’s Dragons Den.
Soon after, Lizzy co-founded Discova Health, a mental health startup, that won over £300k from Innovate UK. She is also an advocate for mental health awareness and has spoken about her own struggles with anxiety and depression.
Lizzy Hodcroft is a sought-after public speaker and has given talks on entrepreneurship, mental health, and technology at various conferences and events. She has been recognized for her work as an entrepreneur, including being named one of the Top 100 Female Entrepreneurs in the UK by f:Entrepreneur in 2020.
Hodcroft is also active in supporting other entrepreneurs and serves as a mentor for startups. She is committed to using her platform to promote social impact and has spoken about the importance of building businesses that have a positive impact on society.
Lizzy also sits on the Toon Council for The Sick Childrens Trust and volunteers as a mentor for The Girls Network.
In 2019, as part of the TEDx Newcastle series, Lizzy held her own TEDx talk. Titled ‘The Shame Scandal’, Lizzy speaks rawly of her personal history and all she has overcome in her life, how she struggled with her sense of self, her mental health, and the barriers of ‘shame’ placed upon Women. Now with over 26,000 views, it is clear to see Lizzy has reached a huge audience and has undoubtedly empowered Women from all backgrounds far beyond Newcastle to live life as their authentic selves.
We invite you to watch her TEDx talk this International Women’s Day.
