News

Today we're hosting the fifth session of this season's Women in Football and Xero Small Business Programme – a brilliant project from WIF and global small business platform Xero which provides support for women building businesses around the football industry. To mark the occasion we're introducing three more women who are involved in the programme and telling you a bit about their fantastic companies.

 

Ana Lameiras

Company name: Creative Minds

Company established: 2018

What does the company do? Creative Minds it's a consultancy service dedicated to helping athletes develop a growth mindset. Through tailored performance support, coaching and mentorship for both individuals and teams, we enhance leadership, emotional intelligence and personal development, whilst fostering confidence and resilience.

Describe yourself: I'm a versatile professional excelling in education, football, mentoring and coaching, working with parents, athletes and coaches, from the Premier League to La Liga, Ligue 1, Serie A and EFL. As a Business Psychology Association Member, Lumina practitioner, Trauma-informed Coach and PFA programme participant, I bring a holistic psychology driven approach to mind management and life skills.

Background connection to football: With two sons immersed in the football world, I’ve spent years closely connected to the game, sharing in its challenges and triumphs. Through family ties and friendships within the sport, I've gained invaluable insights into the unique demands football places on both players and their families.

Why did you want to join the programme and what are you hoping to gain? The programme offers an incredible opportunity to learn practical skills for better managing the financial aspects of my business. I’m eager to gain insights on financial sustainability and build connections with other women in the industry, fostering growth for myself and my clients.

How have you benefitted most from being a WIF member? As a dedicated Women in Football member, I’ve enjoyed access to valuable discounts and insightful conferences that support my business growth amid financial constraints. A passionate advocate for the organisation, I appreciate the supportive network WIF provides, promoting diversity and inclusion across the football community.

If you'd like to say hello, connect with Ana on LinkedIn.

 

Hannah Godfrey and Lois Roche

Company name: Pro2Pro Academy

Company established: December 2021

What does the company do? Pro2Pro Academy is a girls only football academy coached by only female professional footballers. Our aim is to inspire the next generation, grow the women’s game and ultimately empower women through sport providing a positive and safe environment for girls to enjoy their football. We hold weekly sessions at different venues for girls aged 6-18 and all abilities. We also do holiday camps, birthday parties, 1-2-1 and small group sessions.

Describe yourselves: After tearing our ACL’s back in 2021 whilst playing for Charlton in the Women’s Championship, we both wanted to turn adversity into something positive and help make a change for the next generation. While being out of the game for 9 months, we used this time to combine our passion for coaching and knowledge of the game to create the first girls only academy coached entirely by female footballers.   

Background connection to football: We both have a wealth of experience including International level for Scotland and Republic of Ireland, senior level for Tottenham and Reading in the WSL, and youth level for Manchester City, Arsenal and Chelsea. Hannah attended University in America on a football scholarship, while Lois played in various different countries including Norway, Finland and most recently Italy in the women’s Serie A. We are currently both professional footballers at Lewes FC which is an incredible club and aligns perfectly with the values and ethics that we hold at Pro2Pro.

Why did you want to join the programme and what are you hoping to gain? We’ve only ever been professional footballers, so the world of business is very new to us. Not only do we want to enhance our skills and knowledge in this area, but we also want to connect with other like minded and driven women who are in a similar position to us. We also want to use our platform and experience of being females in the game, to help the other women in this program. To be working with Women in Football and Xero is an incredible opportunity for us and our business.

What have you benefitted most from being WIF members? Women in Football provides a sense of empowerment and belonging for women in a male-dominated sport. It has provided us with a huge network of people to connect with as the world business can be a lonely place at times, so having like-minded people supporting us and all thriving for the same goal has given us a real boost.

Feel free to connect with Hannah and Lois on LinkedIn.

 

Empower, mentor, succeed

For a second consecutive year, Women in Football and Xero are offering promising businesses a comprehensive package of support, in a 'game of two halves' format, through the Small Business Programme.

The programme provides a culture of belonging and empowerment which offers those taking part the opportunity to connect with other women facing the same daily obstacles.

The first half of the Women in Football and Xero Small Business Programme develops participants' enterprise skills, knowledge and professional networks. Seven in-person and online workshop sessions cover useful topics such as business finance, starting or growing your business, branding, networking and looking ahead to being an effective and inclusive employer. 

The second half provides one-to-one mentoring by matching up the entrepreneurs with Women in Football members who have already built successful businesses of their own.

The inaugural programme, which took place over the course of this past year, was a roaring success, featuring a cohort of 12 brilliant female entrepreneurs, and a wide range of business types including a tech company, an underwear retailer, a social agency and various consultancies.

Check out the highlights from last year’s programme

Share this article