Being a Disruptor has been a central theme in my life, particularly in my professional journey. Founding BYP Network was a direct response to the systemic inequalities I observed in both the corporate world and the sports industry.
I believe that the work of ensuring fairness and inclusiveness in recruitment and people practices must begin within our workplaces. This, in turn, will have a positive ripple effect on society.
We spend our day working, giving to others and everyone around us, and we don’t ever give to ourselves. But it’s in those midnight hours, in the silence, that your fears creep in.
I can’t describe how hard it was taking mood stabilisers and antipsychotics for five years whilst trying to train and compete on the national team (and being ridiculed for my poor performance at the same time).
I studied criminal justice, which might seem worlds away from the creative industry I am in now, but that experience gave me a deep understanding of how systems work, and more importantly, how they can fail people.
Setting multiple British records and competing in three Olympic Games were achievements I never imagined possible. I am now working hard to qualify for my fourth Olympics, but I am already very proud of my journey.
Sophia shares her personal journey, highlighting her inspiration, her grandmother, and her own battles with underrepresentation while unpacking the profound impact of documenting and sharing women’s stories.
I have always had the opportunity to be the first to do something that has never been done and disrupt the status quo. I was the first female footballer pundit on match of the day, the first sporting director of Angel City women's team in Los Angeles & the first black female owner of Como Women FC.
