Samantha Addy: From Isolation to Influence

Samantha Addy is on a mission to redefine leadership for women in business. As the Founder and CEO of the UK’s first all-female peer advisory organisation, the Female Advisory Board (FAB), she has created a space where women leaders can share challenges, gain insights, and grow together. What started as a response to the isolation many female executives face has blossomed into a transformative network that empowers women to lead with confidence, collaboration, and impact.

What made you want to start a peer advisory board for women?

Based on my own experience of running businesses and working in senior leadership roles, I recognised the profound isolation that often comes with female leadership. I’d experienced first-hand the loneliness of making difficult decisions without peers who truly understood those pressures.

Throughout my career, I saw talented, ambitious women struggling with challenges that could be overcome through shared experiences and collaborative support. The business world continues to underrepresent women in leadership, and I knew many female leaders faced unique barriers that could only be truly understood by other women who’d walked similar paths.

I wanted to create a sanctuary where women could be completely honest about both professional and personal challenges – somewhere they could engage in open dialogue and receive advice from peers who genuinely get it. My vision was simple yet ambitious: to create an equal business landscape where female-led businesses don’t just survive, but thrive.

The impact has been transformative. Our members consistently tell us about the solidarity, the sense of “it isn’t just me,” and the safety they feel in sharing vulnerabilities. This female-only focus has fostered an alliance where members are fully invested in each other’s success, leading to remarkable results.

What was the hardest part when you were just getting started?

The biggest challenge I faced when starting was getting women to invest in themselves. The most successful business leaders surround themselves with advisors, mentors, and peers who can offer advice and support. This is something men are more comfortable doing; they are far more likely to prioritise and invest in themselves than women; they invest more heavily and more readily. Often, this behaviour goes back to early conditioning around self-worth and societal factors.

It was frustrating because I knew that by collaborating and learning from others, women could break through the barriers holding their businesses and themselves back from growing. 

Peer advisory boards are very common in countries like the US, but it’s a relatively new concept here in the UK. Communicating what they are and why they are so beneficial for business leaders has been challenging. But I am not one to shy away from a challenge! 

Why do you think it’s grown so quickly?

FAB has grown organically and steadily with an exceptional group of members from high-growth, successful female-led businesses. While it may not have grown as quickly as I initially envisioned, I’ve been intentionally careful to get the foundations right and ensure the very essence of FAB remains intact as we scale.

When I started FAB, I had huge ambitions – I wanted to bring the power of peer alliance to every female business leader globally. If there are enough business leaders in Peru, I’d want there to be a FAB for them, because peer advisory is transformative for those who lean into it.

However, we have significant work to do in changing the narrative around women investing in themselves. I see too many talented leaders held back by guilt; guilt about not always being present for their employees, guilt about taking time to work strategically on their business rather than just in it. This guilt narrative is what’s really holding back faster growth, not lack of demand or value.

Can you share a story where being part of the group helped someone?

One notable example is the case of one member who saw an impressive £350K increase in revenue growth in one year as a direct result of implementing suggestions from a FAB meeting with her team. This success is a powerful testament to the effectiveness of FAB’s approach. By leveraging the collective wisdom of experienced peers, this member was able to implement targeted changes in her business, optimising operations and driving significant growth. The ability to receive actionable advice and feedback from a group of seasoned professionals is one of the key advantages of being part of FAB.

What makes a group like this so powerful for women in business?

FAB’s members are female business leaders from diverse sectors, representing high-growth and successful female-led businesses. These women share a common drive to enhance their leadership skills, scale their businesses, and navigate the challenges of running a company. What unites these members is the desire for growth, both personally and professionally, and the need for a trusted, supportive environment to achieve their goals.

It offers a space where women can connect with like-minded peers who understand the unique challenges of female leadership. This sense of alliance is particularly vital for business leaders, many of whom experience the isolation that can come with high-level decision-making. FAB eliminates this loneliness by fostering an environment of shared experiences, advice, and support. Members can openly discuss obstacles, share strategies, and collaborate on solutions to drive business success.

By being part of FAB, members also gain access to a powerful ecosystem of like-minded individuals who are not only business leaders but also advocates for each other’s success. That in itself is truly powerful to witness.

How do you build trust and connection among the members?

Building trust and connection starts with recognising that “talking shop” is incredibly private and personal. You need genuine trust to be able to divulge sensitive information, and members need to know there’s no bias in the room – that everyone’s sole intention is to hear them, understand them, and offer support.

We create psychological safety where leaders can express controversial opinions, admit mistakes, and propose unconventional ideas without fear of judgement or retaliation. This means modelling vulnerability from the start – I acknowledge my own uncertainties and errors, which permits others to do the same.

Confidentiality is absolutely paramount. Members must trust that what’s shared in the room stays in the room. We also ensure that diverse perspectives are genuinely valued, not just tolerated, and that feedback is always given constructively rather than punitively.

The key is creating an environment where communication flows openly amongst people who know exactly what you’re going through. Many business cultures still operate on outdated command-and-control models where admitting uncertainty is seen as weakness, but we deliberately foster the opposite – a space where vulnerability becomes strength and shared experience becomes wisdom.
It takes time and patience to build this level of trust, but once established, the connections and support our members provide each other become transformational.

What excites you most about the future of the board?

As FAB grows, more women will be aware of the enormous impact it can have on their lives. I literally have women tell me it has “saved their life”. The fact that more female business leaders will lean into something like FAB excites me because it means we are growing, we are becoming more successful, we are becoming wealthier (not just financially) but in so many other ways.

It excites me because we will start to see and hear about more successful female business leaders doing incredible things in their industries. It excites me because we can’t be what we can’t see, and this is currently a problem. We don’t see enough women building brilliant businesses. We are so far behind compared to men.

How do you think this group can change the business world in the next few years?

There is so much potential for real change to happen as FAB expands its alliance. Currently, the impact is direct to the leaders who are members and their businesses/employees and personal relations.

As FAB evolves, we will have more information gathered. This will state what the real challenges are cross-industry, regions and size. When we garner this information, we should start to recognise patterns. These patterns will be a huge wider opportunity to look at the infrastructure in its current form to see how it can adapt to better serve female business leaders.

We’re just scratching the surface here – the data will tell us.

Societal, economic and environmental change will happen as a direct result of an increase in female-led/owned businesses across the globe. In my eyes, that can only be a good thing.

What advice would you give to a woman who feels alone in her business journey

My first piece of advice would be: you’re not alone, even when it feels like you are. The loneliness that comes with high-level decision-making is something most leaders experience, especially women operating at the highest levels of their industries. That crushing feeling of being alone at the top is real, but it doesn’t have to be permanent.

Actively seek out your tribe – other women who understand the unique pressures you’re facing. Whether that’s through peer advisory groups, networking events, or even online communities, find those connections where you can share the emotional load and feel genuinely supported. The solidarity is incredibly powerful for your mental wellbeing.

Don’t try to carry everything on your own shoulders. Every decision affects your team, clients, and personal life, but you need trusted people who can help you work through challenges collaboratively. Look for smart, experienced, and empathetic women who will have your back – they exist, and they want to support you.

Finally, remember that your struggles don’t diminish your capabilities. Many female entrepreneurs battle overwhelm and self-doubt, but these feelings are often a sign that you care deeply about your business and its impact. Channel that care into building the support systems you need, because when you thrive in business, it creates a ripple effect that benefits everyone around you.

What does being a leader mean to you today?

As a business leader, you wear multiple hats. What you say and what you actually do say a lot about the kind of leader you are. You need to be a strong communicator, visionary and able to lead a team, build strong relationships with clients/customers and suppliers. Navigate turbulent waters whilst reassuring and developing people’s careers.

Leading a business in today’s world is very different. There are a lot of female servant leaders out there. Leaders who want to provide the best environment for their employees to thrive, but that can come at a cost to their health and their business.  

For me, being a leader is understanding there is always a trade-off between what the business needs are and what the employees are saying and what your customers are telling you. Navigating the triangle can be especially difficult, and there is typically a tendency for over-compensating in some areas to avoid rocking the boat/relationships.

Strong leaders have the innate ability to navigate conflicting conversations without bringing emotion into the conversation. Leaders with a huge capacity to consistently keep learning and growing, and don’t stay stuck. Flex leadership is paramount in today’s world, where the political climate and economical landscapes are uncertain and fraught with propaganda. Making change your best friend and encouraging this throughout your company culture gives you a competitive edge.