We Are Power Podcast
The We Are PoWEr podcast spotlights voices and perspectives that need to be heard. Our weekly podcast, with listeners in over 60 countries, delivers PoWErful conversations that inspire, challenge, and empower... from personal life stories to business insights and leadership lessons.
We share diverse experiences, bold discussions, and real solutions. Whether you're looking for career advice, topical themes, or stories of resilience and success - this is where voices spark change.
We Are Power Podcast
"Surround yourself with people who are better than you" Nicola Gleave
This week on the We Are PoWEr Podcast, we're joined by Nicola Gleave founder of Worn by Us, entrepreneur, and unstoppable force for good, as she shares the moment her life pivoted forever.
Nicola’s story is more than inspiring - it’s a reminder that even in life’s hardest moments, there’s space to create, connect, and lead.
Chapters:
0:00 – Introducing Worn by Us
1:44 – Breast Cancer Diagnosis
5:37 – Finding Purpose Through Adversity
9:02 – Building a Business Through Networks
14:16 – The Power of Networking
20:14 – Wayne Rooney's Makeup Story
23:45 – The Future of Worn by Us
Find out more about We Are PoWEr here. 💫
Hello, hello and welcome to the we Are Power podcast. If this is your first time here, the we Are Power podcast is the podcast for you, your career and your life. We release an episode every single Monday with listeners in over 60 countries worldwide, where you'll hear personal life stories, top-notch industry advice and key leadership insight from amazing role models. As we Are Power is the umbrella brand to Northern Power Women Awards, which celebrates hundreds of female role models and advocates every year. This is where you can hear stories from all of our awards alumni and stay up to date with everything MPW awards and we Are Power. Well, today I am delighted to be joined by Nicola Leave, who is the founder of Worn by Us. Tell us about Worn by Us.
Speaker 2:So thank you for having me first of all. But yes, so Worn by Us actually was an idea that came from me being diagnosed with breast cancer 10 years ago. So people ask me is it something that you'd always planned or wanted to do? And the answer is no. It literally was a light bulb idea that came from a breast cancer diagnosis. So it started by wanting to raise money for breast cancer, but also awareness. I think that was one of the most important things for me, because I was somebody who never thought I'd get breast cancer. There was no history in the family, I was always fit and well, um. So it came as an idea by. We started asking celebrities if they would donate um clothing items from their wardrobes, uh, which we would sell to raise money for breast cancer charities. And we did that because we thought well, celebrities attract attention, so if we can create the awareness by maybe a positive thing that you can buy a celebrity's piece of clothing, then you know it was creating awareness and support in that way.
Speaker 1:I mean that's fascinating, like because you've just received a diagnosis and you must be in bits. And you know, this wasn't expected. It's not in my family.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And I'm having to deal with that, and I'm having to deal with what's going to lie ahead.
Speaker 2:Are you? How are you now? Yeah, no, I'm fine now. So I, you know, I had my treatment. I had a lumpectomy, I had 20 rounds of radiotherapy and now I was taking Tamoxifen, which is a medication for 10 years. So my breast cancer was oestrogen receptive, which means your own oestrogen grows it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I know so because at the time at my age I hadn't been through the menopause, I still had high levels of estrogen. So tamoxifen, kind of like, is a receptor that stops the estrogen going into your cells so it can't form or grow cancer. So literally I was on it for 10 years because I needed to get through a kind of menopause to come off it. So my oestrogen was lower but I literally just stopped it just before Christmas. So it's a positive. But also it felt like my comfort blanket had been taken away from me because you know when you feel like, well, that's going to stop that coming back typically, and I know that I'm at that age where oestrogen has dropped and things like that. But for 10 years I've had a bit of an assurance that yeah, that helped. So it was a great milestone, thinking I don't have to take that medication anymore. But at the same time. Equally, it was a worry. It's like something that's missing.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it is Every day or every night when you take that.
Speaker 2:Yeah it is. Yeah, it was strange. I have to be honest, it was really strange. I've got used to it now. But you did think, well, actually I'm protected, and now I feel unprotected. It's like you've lost your cape right, yeah yeah, no, absolutely.
Speaker 1:But when you got the diagnosis and you're trying to put your life on hold on a different direction, wasn't planned Someone who's probably quite planned right? Yeah, yeah, yeah, you've had a big job, big careers. At what point did you go right? I'm going to deal with that. My health is. I'm committing to being well.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:But I'm going to commit to this too. That's a lot to split yourself.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it is a lot and actually um, the, the, the focus and the passion I had kept me going. So actually it was the most positive thing that the idea I have for Worn Bios and keeping myself busy with my career and job and everything was the most positive thing ever. So for me it was. It was a shock because I'd been for I think it was their biopsy and it hadn't really shown up on the first two, but they knew something that meant they wanted to do another biopsy kind of thing. But for me I see the positive in things. So because they didn't tell me I had cancer initially, I thought, oh, it's fine, it's a system, whatever. So it was a shock.
Speaker 2:But I think, you know, for a day I went home, for an afternoon I went home and then the next day I went back and I saw the Macmillan nurse and I spent a few hours asking every question under the sun that I could possibly think of. That felt like a bit of therapy for me because I came away and I thought, right, I've asked everything. I can think of pros, cons of everything. It helps me to make a bit of a judgment decision in my head and from that moment on, I just my mindset shifted in a sense that I thought I can sink or I can swim and my mindset can help which way I go. And so I thought, right, I'm going to use this somehow turn it on its head and do something positive with it.
Speaker 2:So the idea for Worn by Us and everything else, just it kept me going. It was the motivation to get through it. So I almost saw like I went for radiotherapy after my operation, for it was like consecutive 20 days every day, and I just saw it as I was going out to a meeting every day. I'm just going to a meeting and I'm going to come back and I'm going to carry on with things. I'm not saying that's easy or it's possible for everybody, but something came over me and it just gave me the power that drove me on.
Speaker 1:Really, and you then. Well, as part of all this going on, I'm gonna become an entrepreneur and and there's no rule book for being an entrepreneur. Right is that you're suddenly going right. I've got the idea yeah. I've got the inspiration, whether there be celebrities, uh out there, or the network that you've you've built over over years, yeah, how, how did you? Where did you start with it?
Speaker 2:Because it's not easy, is it? No, it's not easy. I knew from that moment, from the diagnosis, that I'd worked in kind of entrepreneurship, economic regeneration, you know, business growth. That was my career for many years. You know, for now, over 25 years plus.
Speaker 1:But receiving a salary is different, right. It is, it is You're like, I'm in it and I know it but now I'm over in this world where, oh, that doesn't come in every month. Yeah, no, it is.
Speaker 2:Well, I'd started to do some consultancy work anyway. So I was in that kind of that mindset and that frame but yeah, no, you're absolutely right. And yeah, no, you're absolutely right. And I think I thought that all my I kind of reflected on things. So I reflected on my experience and my career and it might sound strange to say, but I felt as though this has happened for a reason. I know that might sound strange, but that's the way it felt, a little bit, as in I can use all my experience, my networks, my relationships to create something positive.
Speaker 2:And I'd always wanted to create a business, but I didn't know what was it. I didn't have a business idea and this gave me all of that. So it was a passion, it was a purpose. You know, it gave me drive, it gave me motivation. So it didn't feel like I was being an entrepreneur or anything at that time. It was more about well, I want to, you know, raise money and awareness. It began there and obviously, as you build confidence, a bit more confidence and skills and experience, it evolved. But yeah, I mean, you'll know yourself, you can be in business or an entrepreneur. For you know, five minutes or 50 years, there's ups and downs on every single day.
Speaker 1:It's a rollercoaster, right, it's a roller coaster.
Speaker 2:It's a no, no. Two days the same. One day you think you're winning and the next day you think you've totally failed. And and why am I here? Kind of thing.
Speaker 1:And each day is different and it sounds as though you've got a great support. Your husband, andy yeah, you know um was he a bit like. I'm all with you. I think you're a bit mad, but I'm all with you.
Speaker 2:Was there a bit of that? How did?
Speaker 1:that conversation go in.
Speaker 2:No, he was all with me. He was completely all with me and he, like I think he knows that I like to ask a lot of opinions. So, like I said when I went and spoke to the Macmillaness for hours, I weigh things up, so I never make an immediate decision on anything. Really, I weigh everything up and I ask everybody what they think, and that allows me to bring on board thoughts or suggestions that I might not have thought of, you know, and I like to embrace that really. And so he knew I'd done that and gone through that process. So he just backs me, no matter what.
Speaker 2:I don't know whether he thinks it's just a quiet life and best thing to do or whether he no, I think he does truly believe in me, but he knows how driven I am, you know, I have, like I say, I have my moments we all do where you question what you're doing and sleepless nights and you know, tears and everything else, but I just, yeah, no, he's backed me from day one and let me get on with it really, and not only let me get on with it. Has supported me and is now involved, you know, is fully immersed in it all.
Speaker 1:And you talk about asking questions you know, you talk about. That's been really important to you being informed. So being informed about your wellness and your health and asking every question.
Speaker 2:Yeah. I imagine you turned up at Clatterbridge with the notepad right, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, I want to know everything, yeah, so how did you fast track your knowledge on building a?
Speaker 2:business, yeah. So again, I think that's because I'm right. So so I believe in um, you know, and I say this a lot surround yourself with people who are better than you. I say this all of the time. So I know what I know and I know what I don't know, and I hold my hand up and I tell people quite loudly and clearly I know this but I don't know that. And so you know, I'm not precious about wanting to own everything and say it was all me, because it's not, you know, it never is. So, yeah, so I kind of just went out there Initially, didn't know what I wanted.
Speaker 2:I knew I wanted to do something and I started to speak to people. You know what can I do, you know? So actually it was a guy I went to yoga with who used to work in retail. He used to source, I think you know, textiles, clothing for big clothing brands around the world. And he said to me you know, there's a big, you know momentum in kind of like pre-love fashion, secondhand fashion, things like that, and we talked about it and I started to talk to a few people and the idea came about well, why don't you go and ask us some celebrities for clothes. I didn't know a celebrity you know. To save my life, I didn't know where to find one. You know it wasn't my thing. So that for me was a massive dragging myself out of my comfort zone because I was scared.
Speaker 2:You know, I was really nervous. I'm not the type of person just to reach out on social media, nothing like that. So it was like where do I start? And it started with Jacqueline Gold. So another contact of mine again was involved in retail et cetera and he invited me to a conference in Leeds. It was a business conference where Jacqueline Gould was speaking and at the end of the conference introduced me and she was the first person who donated a dress. It was a Philip Armstrong gown from her wardrobe that came in the post a few days later and that was the beginning really.
Speaker 1:And the late Jacqueline. Gould the CBE she was the founder of Ann Summers.
Speaker 2:And.
Speaker 1:I worked with her in my women first days and such a kind, generous spirit and I wonder. We talk a lot about mentoring on the podcast and people will often say how do I find a mentor and what it's like? How do I ask what if?
Speaker 2:they say no.
Speaker 1:What? When you asked Jacqueline and she didn't say no, was that the start of the? Oh, actually, that's okay. She didn't say no, I'm going to try again, yeah no, absolutely it was.
Speaker 2:It was. It was the moment of. You know, I was so nervous, you know, and I can go and chat to people and speak to people and everything, because it meant so much to me and because of who she is, you know, she was very successful, et cetera, and you know, I was involved in I can't remember what it was called, but she used to do on Twitter like the oh Wild.
Speaker 2:Wednesday, wild Wednesday. So I won one of those. Actually, I think it was after it was a few years later. So I followed her and everything. So for me it was like a nerve-wracking moment and you know when you think, well, will they understand me, will she know what it's all about, you know people busy, et cetera. But to say yes probably because I'd just fallen on the floor I was just like wow, she said yes. So that boosted my confidence really in thinking this has begun, this has started.
Speaker 1:And you've pulled in some other bigger names out there. You've got obviously Colleen Rooney. Is there anyone out there that has conquered? I just didn't expect them to say yes, obviously, jacqueline was one Was there anyone else out, there you go. I didn't think that would happen and just tried it. Yes, tackling was one.
Speaker 2:Was there anyone else like that? You go, I didn't didn't think that would happen, I just tried it. Yes, so like. So I I believe in networks. You know relationships, so like we. Um, I attended another conference, a business conference in Liverpool, and I met Katie Piper and again after the conference, so I got to speak to Katie Piper, um, her PA's, mum, or something like that, and that's the power of it, that's how I work. If you don't know somebody, if you've got a strong network, you know somebody else who does. So it was through several connections. Then, for example, I got to Mel C I think we got like a t-shirt from a piece of Andre as well. We just used different networks to get to some people and it was fantastic.
Speaker 1:I think you can never underestimate the power of your network. We always say if we don't know. We know a woman or man who can right, You're going to know someone. What advice would you give to someone out there who's listening, who wants to be brave but felt, like you, going. I'm a bit scared to do this. I'm out of my comfort zone, I don't know whether I can. What advice would you say to them?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think you know, if you believe in it, I think it's possible. So the way I approached it was I just spoke to people who I knew, who I felt comfortable with. I didn't necessarily go asking the direct question do you know a celebrity? It was more. I told them what I wanted to do, wanted to achieve, and you know, it naturally came. And that's the thing I think.
Speaker 2:Sometimes, you know, people think, well, I'm not going to ask that person or I'm not going to go to that event because I won't know anybody. And you know, even like you, for example, you know, like if you're invited to something and you look on a guest list and you think, well, I don't really know them, and you just look at people's job titles or their organizations to from you think, oh well, they're probably not relevant, so is it worth me going? I always say go because you you just don't know who's in the room and you know you don't know who their personal or professional connections are as well. And the amount of times I've just gone, you just be yourself, you just have a chat. I've not necessarily gone to anything with any kind of agenda, just have a chat. I've not necessarily gone to anything with any kind of agenda. Just have a chat, people by people, and you have a chat, and the next thing is I leave the event or the room with so many connections, ideas, contacts that have just come naturally, organically, just by talking to people.
Speaker 1:And I think that's what people get scared of networking Not for, because for that reason I don't think I've got any connection here, but have you got any top tips for that sort of opening a question? Because sometimes you know, you and I have probably been to many events where we've probably been sometimes the only woman in the room or very few women in the room, and sometimes it can be a bit intimidating. But you kind of any top tips for a teller.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think you just have to have a chat. I think you just have to. And the first, the most difficult thing, is turning up.
Speaker 2:You've got to turn up and you've got to enter that room the amount of times people think I'm like really confident. And you know some people have called me a serial networker. I walk in a room and if I don't know anybody I still sometimes hover, you know, by the tea and coffee. You know, by the tea and coffee. You know, take your time pouring a cup of tea, hoping someone might come and just smile or say hello or whatever, because you, it's scary and I think you just have to. You know, catch somebody's eye, they'll smile at you, say hello, or you know you just have to start a conversation, even like oh, oh, hi, you know, I'm nicola. Who are you? What do you do? Whatever. And then you, what you often find is they feel the same as you, or the people in the room feel the same as you.
Speaker 1:I 100% believe we should be teaching networking in schools or education. It's taking away the stigma of the word, because sometimes I think you simplify it by saying it's having a conversation or a chat. Talk about them, people. You know, sometimes people don't know how to do it, do you? Have a best exit conversation from a networking when you know you think, oh, how do I get on to?
Speaker 2:my yeah, yeah, um, so I think, oh gosh, so I think I always feel that and I I feel this the same in meetings or everything else what's your um, what's your call to action at the end? And that sounds a little bit maybe professional, whatever, but it's not. It's kind of like in your head, you, what you want to achieve before you've left that conversation or left that room. I think, um, you know, I think exchanging contact details is absolutely important, but even just, oh well, you know, that's great, can we keep in touch it? What's the next step? And it doesn't have to be informal. It can be an informal next step, but just knowing in your mind that you're not going to walk away and then regret that you didn't, you know, obtain what you wanted out of the conversation or that value, and I think just being able to reconnect with somebody afterwards is really important.
Speaker 1:How would you describe yourself in three words.
Speaker 2:Oh blimey, oh gosh, oh gosh, you've thrown me. Now I think I'm driven. Yeah, and I'll say driven, but also that just means that if I believe in something, I'll go for it. But you still have your ups and downs and doubts and fears and everything else. Um, I'm a people person. That's two words though, isn't it, but it's hyphenated, okay, okay, so I am a people person.
Speaker 2:I believe in people. I love, I do love meeting people, even though I might you know you might feel scary walking into a room where you don't know anybody. Um, I believe in the power of people and relationships. Um and um, yeah, I think. Um, gosh, I'm also. You've got your three, I've got my three.
Speaker 1:There you go. People purpose relationship. Yeah, the purpose actually purpose yeah, purpose definitely now we talked about celebrities that have supported your cause because they believe in you, right? Yes, because I think people believe in a purpose. Yeah, how on earth did you end up doing the makeup for Wayne Rooney? Oh gosh.
Speaker 2:Honestly, this I don't. I do know, but it was the most bizarre thing that led me to it. So, um, I was a couple of guys I know who used to kind of do, like, uh, video content for business events and things like that, so they knew me quite well. So I got a phone call one day and they said we've been asked to film Wayne Rooney for, um, I think he was patron of the NSPCC or something at the time. So it was for a television advert for the NSPCC that was going out at Christmas in the middle of the Royal Variety performance one year. So they were asked a video and they said we need a makeup artist to come with us. So I said, okay, let me have a think about who. And no, and they're like no, no, no, you come and do his makeup, because then you can get in front of him, you can tell him about worn by us, and then you've got a route to maybe ask for a dress from colleen.
Speaker 2:And I was thinking I cannot do that. I, I, I can't do makeup. And they're like you can, you can. So I tried to get out of it but they were having none of it because they put my name down, because you have to have your name down to, kind of, it was to go to Carrington, the training field and everything you know, the security and everything like that. So they put my name down.
Speaker 2:So I went and bought some um, some items and some makeup items in particular, watched some YouTube videos, practiced on my husband and then turned up and we had to wait for a couple of hours because at the time they just finished, he was playing for Manchester United, they just finished training and they all had lunch as a team afterwards. So we sat there for a while. But the lucky thing is his manager was in the room with us while we were, you know, while we were as agents, sorry. I mean his agent was in the room with us and Colleen's brother also worked with the agency, so he was there for this couple of hours. So we just got chatting, we networked, didn't we Informally networked?
Speaker 2:We just got chatting. So they asked me about, oh, you know, doing makeup and things. And I was like, oh yeah, and you know I also I've worn by us. So it was through that I did Wayne's makeup. He came in, I did his makeup. He appears on national television in the middle of the Royal Variety performance with makeup done by me and I got to Colleen Rooney, so through her brother, and Colleen donated a dress for one by us. So talk about driven the lens you go to.
Speaker 1:But yeah, that's what happened and tell us, was it smoky eye. Where were we at Well?
Speaker 2:I tried to keep it as simple as possible. And yeah, it was literally, you know, just like you know, a bit of powder and things like that. But he had like a dark top on, like a navy blue top, and I was thinking, oh my gosh, this powder is going all over his top and everything. But you know what? It was fine. I'm not sure anybody really knew that, I wasn't experienced, but now they probably do.
Speaker 1:Make it till you make it and just finally, what is next? As someone who is driven, who is purposeful, who is passionate about networking through any route, even through skills that you didn't have. Still, I need to speak to your husband about what his makeup look like by the way, what's?
Speaker 2:next for you? Yeah, for me, I really want to grow worn by us. Um, yeah, so we work with retailers now. We take surplus stock. We sell the wardrobes of people across the country, so it's not just celebrities. Um, you were actually selling the wardrobe of um mel shilling, who's presenter of married to fair sight. We're selling the wardrobe of semen mahotra from real housewives of cheshire, but we're selling the wardrobes of people right across the country who are, who are not celebrities. So, you know, you can buy a really eclectic mix of styles, colours, sizes, brands through Worn by Us, and we have a shop in Birkenhead and we're online. But for me, it's about taking that to the next stage, taking that to its utmost potential, and, of course, I do that with the people I have around me and continuous networking.
Speaker 1:I love it. Get online, get your frocks bought. It's the 10th Northern Power Women Awards next year. Come on, get to one of those. Nicola Gleave, thank you so much for joining us. It's been an absolute joy and looking forward to coming and having a rummage over in Birkenhead quite frankly, thank you.
Speaker 2:Thanks, simone.
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