Sophie Milliken - Founder and CEO at Moja
Putting North East Women in the Spotlight.
Sophie, tell us about your business.
My main business is Moja, where we work with founders and senior leaders to help them become well known in their industry. We do this through podcasting, awards, speaking, networking and PR. We also have a book publishing division, so there are many different ways we help people raise their profile.
I also chair Smart Works North East, the female unemployment charity which provides interview clothing and coaching to unemployed women and I co-own City Ladies Networking, a women-in-business networking group. We run events in Newcastle, London, Paris and Nice, which is quite fun!
You’ve just launched the North East Women of Excellence Awards, tell us why.
There used to be independent women’s awards in the region, and I won one in 2019. I felt they had a positive impact on my business and my confidence. When they ended, I hoped somebody would take them over or create something different because there weren’t any independent women’s awards in the region.
I do a lot of work around the country, and I noticed that other areas have the opposite problem – they have too many awards! Some can be quite commercial, where you must pay to enter, buy a table or collect votes, and it can become more of a popularity contest rather than recognising the actual impact somebody has made.
I thought there was an opportunity to do something different, and a few months later, here we are with the North East Women of Excellence Awards.
I’ve brought together an exceptional Advisory Board, including Greggs CEO, Roisin Currie, broadcaster Steph McGovern and many senior leaders from major brands and businesses who have massively helped shape the awards.
What started as an idea around women-in-business awards has become much broader, with different sectors and categories. I think that’s a positive thing because it means there is an opportunity for women from different backgrounds and professions to be recognised. It could also create opportunities for women from the public sector to collaborate with business owners and think about what they can create together and what impact they can have across the region.
Tell us about the categories.
There are 16 categories in total. We’ve got founder categories covering things such as start-up, scale-up, innovation and social entrepreneurship. Then there are leadership and workplace awards, including Emerging Leader, Manager and Director, as well as a Community Impact Award. We’ve also got recognition awards, including Role Model of the Year and Mentor of the Year.
Nomination is a simple process via the website and then the nomination goes to the person you’ve nominated, who can read all the lovely things somebody has said about them! They can then 16 accept the nomination and complete the application, or people can nominate themselves and go straight to the application.
The application takes a little longer because you need to tell your story, provide statistics and explain the impact you’ve had. The questions aren’t there to trick anyone. They’re designed to guide people towards the information that will help the judges understand their achievements. It’s also a great opportunity to stop and reflect on your business or career and think about the impact you’ve had.
You’ve been an award winner yourself. What difference did winning make to you?
I think winning an award is special if it is a good-quality award. That’s why credibility is so important to me. Even being shortlisted is massive. If you’re shortlisted alongside other finalists and you look at them and think, “Wow, they’re really impressive and I’ve been put into this group with them,” that’s a win. Once you’re shortlisted, you’ve got months before the ceremony, so you can really make the most of that publicity.
When I won awards in 2019, it was validation and external recognition. It meant I could tell clients that we were award winning, and that carried a lot of weight for many of them. It also gave me press coverage and PR opportunities and, importantly, increased my confidence. We all have our doubts, so it’s always good to know that you’re on the right lines and then be able to use that recognition to amplify what you’re doing for good.
Tell me about the judging process.
The judges will assess the entries independently through an online portal before coming together for a moderated discussion. They’ll discuss their top candidates and agree a shortlist. We don’t want massive shortlists. We want them to have meaning.
The finalists will be announced in early December, giving everyone an opportunity to build up to the ceremony, which takes place on 28 January at The Biscuit Factory in Newcastle, when we’ll reveal the winners.
How can people nominate or enter?
The website is www.northeastwomenofexcellenceawards. Nominations are open until 15 November, so there is plenty of time to start the application.
And when you’re not organising awards or looking after founders, what do you do in your spare time?
I’m trying to prioritise my health and I’ve joined a local gym and I’m swimming and doing Pilates. But the one thing that really helps me switch off is reading. I use a Kindle because it means I can’t have my phone in my hand creating a distraction.
www.thisismoja.com