Women of Home Grown
London is thriving with private clubs and the opportunities that they provide to their customers so they can be part of a special safe space where they feel inspired and home.
Home Grown is the club that every entrepreneur and many investors are talking about. A hub that brings together all of them to co-work and co-create for success. As we were looking for inspirational women to feature during this Month as campaign for celebrating women we got to know Jessica, Isobel, Aixa and Victoria who are otherwise seen as “Women behind the Home Grown”
Jessica Barwell is an accomplished and diligent marketer who has invested herself and the best she has of herself every chance she has had to. Her drive shines through to make her an entrepreneurial mind with an edge to rise above competition.
Isobel Apter is sn altruistic team player, Isobel finds strength in trust—which lead her to important and self-reflective lessons in life. She champions an indomitable determination to work hard and certainly finds herself in her element as a membership manager.
Aixa Sala — a beautiful spirit complimented by sound principles. She has had her luck in areas she could not control and is determined to keep growing, whilst learning along the way.
Victoria Fellows has led the relations sector of the Membership department at Home Grown with gleaming success. A big part of what drives Victoria is being a leader to her daughters and seeing them grow into a fulfilling and rewarding life. Home Grown has achieved heights of success which can in part been explained by Victoria’s community spirit.
Standing proudly on the corner of Great Cumberland Place, Marylebone, distinctly marked by its crimson Cedric flag, Home Grown has developed to become the go-to venue for business, bringing together London’s brightest minds and most dynamic entrepreneurs and investors.
Launched in March 2019 as part of the Home House Collection, the Grade II listed townhouses provide the perfect setting to meet clients, work, and expand your network with access to a community of over 4.5k leading professionals.
The club features business lounges, pitching and meeting suites, private dining rooms, a restaurant, a Unicorn Bar, and 35 bedrooms. However, it’s far more than the club’s facilities and alluring decor that has put this club on the map in the global entrepreneurial ecosystem of today.
Members benefit from a multitude of members’ events that support the growth of scaling: Their Food for Thought Supper Series, speed networking, monthly Meet the Members, Masters of Scale and pitching evenings provide ample opportunity to connect and gain insights, and, in their F*ck Up Club, learn from others’ mistakes.
Members can hear from those at the forefront of the business world in their flagship Rockstar series, as well as conversing with some of London’s most highly esteemed investors in their Million Pound Menu Meet the Investor dinner series.
With the launch of their members’ benefits programme this year, members have access to over £5k’s worth of business support packages from accounting support, HR through to leadership and coaching.
We talk to four of the ladies behind THE destination for business:
Jessica Barwell
It is the rich tapestry of that have such a passion for what they do, that has made Home Grown the leading London business community.
—Jessica Barwell
Tell us about your why?
Hong Kong born and raised and having lived in a number of countries before settling in London six years ago, I am fortunate to have gained several international friends and experiences.
I started early, juggling an array of part-time jobs from the age of 14. Having graduated with an International Hospitality Management degree, I then spent a few years working both in the UK and globally within the financial services and property sector, before returning to the hospitality sphere when I joined Home Grown’s sister club Home House. Much of my role since then has been supporting the growth of Home Grown to where we are now.
I am proud to now be in a position where I have the impact to make a difference to the business landscape; whether that be introducing an entrepreneur to a potential investor, supporting the growth of sustainable focused businesses through previous initiatives, or simply being the driver behind producing an environment conducive to networking and valuable connections.
Outside of work, I am a keen skier, horse rider, cyclist and runner (although skiing and horse riding are somewhat limited living in London!), and it has been said once or twice, that I am the go-to when looking for the best new bars, restaurants or hotspots in London.
How important is it for you to have your own voice and financial independence?
Within Home Grown, we have created a space where our female members never feel uncomfortable joining an event on their own and both the males and females within the community are celebrated.
As a club, we do our best to support female founded businesses, yet in the wider space, whilst the landscape for female founders has improved over the years, there is still work to be done. Over the course of the last year, according to Growth Business, businesses set up by women alone secured 9 per cent of equity funding, an increase from 6 per cent in 2021.
We as a club can do our bit to help improve this statistic, providing a space and platform for women to develop and support the growth of their business.
What is your role at Home Grown and what is your experience being part of such a dynamic community?
As Marketing Communications Manager, I manage partnerships and affiliations, drive the the club’s extensive members events’ calendar, as well as making sure as a brand, we are getting the recognition we deserve.
Having been with the Home House Collection for over six years, it has been incredible to be part of Home Grown’s journey from conception, to carrying out tours on the building site, to where we are now, a destination for entrepreneurs and investors.
As a team, I believe we should be really proud of the credibility that we have built for the club. When we first launched, we were a pioneer in this space with a unique concept bridging together business within the private members club sphere, followed by a couple of rather turbulent years thereafter, however, we have worked hard to affirm our position within London’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
As a club we welcome scaling founders and investors from all sectors. Despite my number of years here, I still appreciate those moments of serendipity—when bumping into former speakers from our flagship Rockstar series or meeting a business mogul at the Unicorn Bar.
It is the rich tapestry of people that have such a passion for what they do, that have made Home Grown the leading London business community.
What drove you to follow this career path?
As a child I was always one for initiating things, whether that would be starting clubs (and yes there were plenty, including a tree club), sports days, competitions, initiatives for the local neighbourhood, fundraisers, and so on. I have always loved bringing people together with a purpose—and being able to make some noise about it!
In my older years, although I loved the hospitality industry, I was always looking for something else, hence why I started to train as a financial advisor.
My role now provides a perfect equilibrium of being within the hospitality and entrepreneurial space.
What is your vision for the next five years?
I look forward to continue and play an integral part in Home Grown’s growth and development as a brand: next (immediate) stop is Manchester, where we will be running a series of events and testing the entrepreneurial landscape ‘up North’, whilst continuing to develop our home of entrepreneurialism in London.
With a longstanding and personal ambition to be a business owner, however, watch this space over the next five years!
Isobel Apter
We have a brilliant team, which makes it a great place to work, but my favourite thing is always the members!
—Isobel Apter
Tell us about your why?
Since my first job at age 19 I’ve had about 15 roles from running baby swimming classes to working at Coutts Bank. I’ve learnt something from every experience, even if it’s more about what I don’t want to do or what I’m not good at.
How important is it for you to have your own voice and financial independence?
Very! Most people who know me would agree that I’m fairly outspoken and am not afraid to say what I think, and I believe that having financial independence gives you freedom.
What is your role at Home Grown and what is your experience being part of such a dynamic community?
I’m the Membership Manager and introduce new members to the community.
We have a brilliant team, which makes it a great place to work, but my favourite thing is always the members! We have a lot of wonderful members and it’s a privilege to know such aspiring entrepreneurs at such an early stage in my career.
What drove you to follow this career path?
I would love to say I sat down from a young age and planned this out, but honestly, I had a job for about 18 months which was absolutely not the right fit for me, and I think because of the headspace I was in, I was really struggling to get out.
Through a bit of luck and a random fact on my CV I found a role running networking events for entrepreneurs and discovered that I loved it, which led me on to my current role at Home Grown.
What is your vision for the next 5 years?
I don’t really have ONE clear vision. I want to work hard and take advantage of the opportunities as they come.
Also, I would really like to buy a Corgi and name it Patsy.
Aixa Sala
Continue to grow and learn. This world has so many opportunities and I want to take advantage of as many of them as possible.
—Aixa Sala
Tell us about your why?
I’m from Spain where I trained to be a beauty therapist, until I moved to London in 2010. I didn’t speak English at the time, so it made work slightly more challenging. I started out working at a hospitality agency, cleaning rooms.
I spent a lot of time talking to people to learn the language and eventually managed to move into the reception department 4 years later.
My passion is to look after people, which is what led me to beauty therapy and something that holds true in hospitality.
How important is it for you to have your own voice and financial independence?
For me it’s incredibly important as it gives me freedom. You grow up very quickly when you have to look after yourself. Having worked hard for the things I have makes me appreciate them much more!
What is your role at Home Grown and what is your experience being part of such a dynamic community?
I’m the reception manager, I look after the bedrooms and make sure that every member and guest has a great experience when they arrive and depart.
I was part of the opening team in 2019 and seeing the Club and the community growing so very much has been an amazing experience.
I’ve gotten to know our members very well and I really enjoy being the first person they see when they arrive at the club.
What drove you to follow this career path?
I’ve been lucky to have brilliant managers who have demonstrated the beauty of hospitality and have enabled me to be where I am today.
What is your vision for the next 5 years?
Continue to grow and learn. This world has so many opportunities and I want to take advantage of as many of them as possible.
Victoria Fellows
My girls are my world, and we are best friends. Everything I do is for them.
—Victoria Fellows
Tell us about your why?
My why is to be someone who is respected by friends, family, and colleagues and to be the best version of myself. I have 2 beautiful daughters (aged 22 and 21) who I want to be proud of me and would like them to look up to me and follow my example.
My girls are my world, and we are best friends. Everything I do is for them.
How important is it for you to have your own voice and financial independence?
Many people would describe me as a very determined and strong-minded individual who speaks their mind no matter what. As a mother of 2 girls, I believe that you should always say what you feel and wear your heart on your sleeve.
I always teach my girls to be honest, loyal, and have their own voice.
Being financially independent is very important and a necessity.
What is your role at Home Grown and what is your experience being part of such a dynamic community?
I am in charge of the retention/relations side of the Membership department at Home Grown.
Ensuring all members are utilising their memberships and are engaging within the community is my pride & responsibility.
What drove you to follow this career path?
I have always been a Personal Assistant or Executive Assistant mostly on a one-to-one basis. After the pandemic I wanted to try something which enables me to have lots of communication with others (after being in lock-down I was desperate to be in a social environment).
Working at Home Grown enables me to meet and talk to all members in our fantastic community.
What is your vision for the next 5 years?
The most important thing I would like to see in 5 years’ time is to be personally happy and for my girls to be leading a fulfilling and rewarding life.
Looking to further enrich your network? The Global Women community is invited to experience Home Grown for the day – to book your experience day or find out more about membership options please contact [email protected] – homegrownclub.co.uk – 020 3928 8000
Home Grown, 44 Great Cumberland Place, Marylebone, London W1H 7BS
Home Grown – The Private Members’ Club in London for Business As Unusual (homegrownclub.co.uk)
