Berkshire


<p>Let&#8217;s be honest, every day is Women&#8217;s Day. But for now, we&#8217;ll just use the famous international one as an excuse to shout about the boss women who are totally killing it in the county right now &#8211; from helping people find their fitness mojo to changing lives one spick and span home at a time. We caught up with some of our fave leading ladies to find out more about their businesses and who they&#8217;d invite to their dream dinner party.</p>



<div class="wp-block-muddy-blocks-giftguide gift"><div class="gift-img"><img decoding="async" class="card__image" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/01/abode-EJBP-Chloe-217-copy.jpg" alt="" aria-hidden="true" /></div><div class="gift-text"><div class="gift-price"><h2 class="giftguide-title">Chloe Rodwell</h2><div class="giftguide-body"><p><strong>FOUNDER OF ABODE STAFF</strong></p><p>When Chloe Rodwell founded Abode Staff in 2023, there was one goal in mind: to maintain meticulous levels of care, personability and dedication to each client searching for help in the household. She spent five years working for a domestic staffing company before going solo and launching her own, balancing becoming a mum and completing a Master’s degree in HR. Superwoman, some might say. Now, she manages dozens of domestic staff across Berkshire and its borders, hiring only the very best. This includes housekeepers, nannies, butlers, gardeners, chauffeurs, chefs, carers, estate staff and PAs. The quality bar is ridiculously high. </p><p><strong>ON THE GUEST LIST?</strong> Karren Brady &#8211; she’s a champion for working mums and speaks a lot about how women can be both strong business leaders and dedicated parents. I think we’d have great conversation. IVF pioneer Jean Purdy as it&#8217;s a subject close to my heart, and after watching <em>Joy</em> on Netflix recently it would just be an honour to meet her and thank her for the difference she made to so many families. And of course, Taylor Swift to provide the dinner party entertainment. I&#8217;ve always been a big fan so this would just be a dream come true!</p><p><a href="https://abodestaff.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">FIND OUT MORE</a></p></div></div></div></div>



<div class="wp-block-muddy-blocks-giftguide gift"><div class="gift-img"><img decoding="async" class="card__image" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/02/Emma-hungerford-Bookshop2.jpg" alt="" aria-hidden="true" /></div><div class="gift-text"><div class="gift-price"><h2 class="giftguide-title">Emma Milne-White</h2><div class="giftguide-body"><p><strong>OWNER OF HUNGERFORD BOOKSHOP</strong></p><p>If there&#8217;s anyone qualified to recommend a cracking read it&#8217;s Emma. Her Hungerford bookstore is part of the local furniture and will be celebrating a whopping 20 years in business next year. In that time, they have swooped numerous awards, and most recently have been announced as a regional finalist at this year’s British Book Awards. It&#8217;s basically the Oscars of the book world. What sets Emma&#8217;s shop apart from the rest is the literati line-up of authors like Anton Du Beke, Sebastian Faulks, and Jeffrey Archer who regularly drop by for various talks and events. My advice? Keep eyes glued to their events page.</p><p><strong>ON THE GUEST LIST?</strong></p><p>Firstly, Kate Winslet. I love the way she champions ageing honestly, and highlights the challenges women face in Hollywood around body shape and appearance. I can relate to the attitude of getting to 50 and just not caring as much what people think of you. I&#8217;d love to discuss all this (and maybe get a bit of Hollywood gossip) over some good food and wine. I reckon there might be a lot of laughter too.</p><p>I&#8217;d also invite Sophie-Elliott Lynn &#8211; the first woman to pilot an aeroplane from Cape Town to London. When she stepped off the plane she was wearing a parisian frock, and claimed she kept her nose powdered by clamping the joystick between her legs while she held the mirror. Finally, being a bookseller I&#8217;d invite an author. I would be fascinated to chat with Emily Bronte as not that much is known about her and I&#8217;d love to have an insight into her imagination.</p><p><a href="https://hungerfordbookshop.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">FIND OUT MORE</a></p></div></div></div></div>



<div class="wp-block-muddy-blocks-giftguide gift"><div class="gift-img"><img decoding="async" class="card__image" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/10/white-cleaning-co-image9.jpeg" alt="" aria-hidden="true" /></div><div class="gift-text"><div class="gift-price"><h2 class="giftguide-title">Katie Phillips</h2><div class="giftguide-body"><p><strong>FOUNDER OF THE WHITE CLEANING CO</strong></p><p>If the mundane chores of everyday life are starting to pile up, who you gonna call? Katie and her dream team of cleaning fairies of course. Going above and beyond the call of duty is what they do best, with eagle-eyed attention to detail and a desire for perfection. It’s an ethos drilled into Katie from her own legal career, who while balancing the stresses of work and home, found a clean living environment had an almost medicinal effect on how she felt. Naturally, she set up The White Cleaning Co in 2011 and now helps countless other families feel the same way.</p><p><strong>ON THE GUEST LIST?</strong></p><p>Mel Robbins &#8211; I love her direct approach to empowering people from her own mistakes and learning the hard way. She has created a successful career with ADHD, anxiety, and dyslexia. Gabby Logan as she&#8217;s succeeded in a male dominated sports world as a presenter covering football, rugby and other sports. Finally, Michelle Obama &#8211; the first African American First Lady who made it known she wasn’t keen for her husband to pursue a political career and yet carved out her own role as a mother of young girls in The White House. She  became more popular than her husband with many wanting her to become president!</p><p><a href="https://whitecleaningco.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">FIND OUT MORE</a></p></div></div></div></div>



<div class="wp-block-muddy-blocks-giftguide gift"><div class="gift-img"><img decoding="async" class="card__image" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2025/02/sam-abi-vi-training.jpg" alt="" aria-hidden="true" /></div><div class="gift-text"><div class="gift-price"><h2 class="giftguide-title">Abi Hardy and Sam Beer</h2><div class="giftguide-body"><p><strong>OWNERS OF VI FITNESS STUDIO ETON</strong></p><p>If there&#8217;s anyone who can put you through your paces it&#8217;s kick ass duo Abi and Sam. The two became the best of buds as former PT and client before uniting to launch their boutique fitness studio Vi on Eton high street. Together they are brains and braun (and beauty, obvs), offering small group personal training sessions that are fully instructed by highly trained coaches. It&#8217;s a studio not just driven by results, but inclusivity too. I gave it a whirl myself and can&#8217;t get enough.</p><p><strong>ON THE GUEST LIST?</strong></p><p><em><strong>Abi:</strong></em> Michelle Obama because of her trailblazing career, advocacy for education, health, women&#8217;s empowerment, racial justice, and authenticity, all while balancing family and personal growth. Rosa Parks due to her brave act of defiance that sparked the Civil Rights Movement and highlighted the power of standing up for justice. Finally, Malala Yousafzai due to her courage in fighting for girls&#8217; education despite surviving a Taliban attack, and her continued advocacy has made her a global symbol of resilience and change.</p><p><em><strong>Sam:</strong></em> Jilly Cooper for her ongoing ability to entertain and engage a nation, delivering an experience so far removed from the day to day that it is just sheer, effortless delight. Plus, easy dinner party cooking: 80’s volovants, prawn cocktail, lasagna, and a trifle! Bethany Hamilton because it&#8217;s hard to even comprehend the levels of courage, determination and passion required to navigate a shark attack and not only return to surfing, but achieve what she has in the field. Tenacity at its finest. Lastly, Katherine Johnson. I love a female mathematician, and she is of absolute legacy status. He contributions at NACA (now NASA) helped launch space exploration. A totally legendary dinner companion.</p><p><a href="https://www.vitraininggym.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">FIND OUT MORE</a></p></div></div></div></div>



<div class="wp-block-muddy-blocks-giftguide gift"><div class="gift-img"><img decoding="async" class="card__image" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/04/Valarie-Jerome-Optometrists_09.jpg" alt="" aria-hidden="true" /></div><div class="gift-text"><div class="gift-price"><h2 class="giftguide-title">Dr Valarie Jerome</h2><div class="giftguide-body"><p><strong>OPTICIAN AND OWNER OF VALARIE JEROME OPTOMETRISTS</strong></p><p>Dr Valarie is a heavyweight in the optical world having been named one of the UK&#8217;s Top 100 Female Entrepreneurs in 2021. To say we are blessed to have her services in our very own &#8216;hood is an understatement. She moved over from the US before opening Valarie Jerome Optometrists in Newbury in 2019 &#8211; a stylish practice where the service is second to none. Whizzy state-of-the-art equipment, a pinpoint focus on eye health, and designer eyewear that will make you giddy &#8211; I&#8217;m obsessed.</p><p><strong>ON THE GUEST LIST?</strong></p><p>Firstly Maya Angelo. I have always admired how incredibly wise this great fellow American was. Ms Angleo taught me an important life lesson: when someone shows you who they are, believe them &#8211; the first time. I wonder if I sat next to her I could absorb some of her wisdom by osmosis? I have been a fan of Madonna since I was very young so definitely her. Her ability to change, evolve and reinvent herself is so inspiring for me personally and as an entrepreneur.</p><p>My final dinner party guest would be an unknown female from Georgia. This is the lady who decided to be an organ donor, and when she died, my sweet mother was given her kidney. Since then she&#8217;s been very healthy and lived to see four grandchildren be born. I would love to meet the lady and thank her for the gift of extended life she gave my mother.</p><p><a href="https://www.drvalariejerome.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">FIND OUT MORE</a></p></div></div></div></div>


Girl power! 6 Berkshire businesswomen we’re totally obsessed with

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