The Founders of everywoman – Living a Small Business Success Story

Karen Gill and Maxine Benson had been friends for nearly 20 years when they got together to establish everywoman in 1999. They met in Australia while travelling the world and remained close, even as their lives and careers took them to different corners of the globe. Each gained a wealth of business expertise from working in a range of industries across Europe, the USA, Middle East and Asia Pacific.

While in Sydney in the 80's, both embarked on careers in the travel and hospitality industry – Maxine with the American airline World Airways, and Karen with InterContinental Hotels. 

Based at the company’s headquarters in the heart of London, Gill and Benson have created the UK’s largest platform for professional women, providing a virtual network for the organisation’s 35,000 members and a voice for countless SME owners UK’s women in business.    

In the nine years since it was established, everywoman has grown to provide not just a network for women in business, but is now a nationwide resource providing training for both the public and private sector, business guides, research, mentoring, a national conference and multiple annual awards programmes for female entrepreneurs, women in retail and women in transport and logistics.  The latest development is the introduction of a business focused social networking site and an impressive line up of brand ambassadors that include Sarah Anderson CBE, Laura Tenison MBE, Dawn Gibbins MBE, Joy Nichols MBE and Liz Jackson MBE.

Karen Gill and Maxine Benson were appointed MBE’s in the 2009 New Year Honours, in recognition of their service to women’s enterprise. 

Levelling the Playing Field

Read this NatWest Business Sense interview with everywoman co-founders Karen Gill MBE and Maxine Benson MBE