Multi-talented Julia Streets, who both founded and helped us set up the Funny Women Advisory Board two years ago, has been listed by Brummell Magazine, known as 'the little black book for the City', as one of 30 inspirational women entrepreneurs following on from last year when she was listed one of 30 inspirational women on Boards. What talent we have in our midst!
Julia said that she didn't know anything about this year’s listing this year until the publisher contacted her saying that she had been nominated by a number of different people. “Which is really lovely,” says Julia, “especially given the amazing line of up of women. I am very honoured and flattered.”
The Award honours women who are a true inspiration to others, have shown originality in their ideas and are not averse to taking both personal and material risks. There is a strong connection to the City, with their businesses and clients being based in or around the Square Mile, and a reputation for being successful, sustainable and of significant scale. As if this is not enough, they have to demonstrate that they are not averse to putting their reputation on the line in the process.
Julia fits the bill perfectly as founder and CEO of Streets Consulting, a business-development, marketing and communications consultancy for financial services, technology and fast-growth companies, combined with her other life as a performer, writer and public speaker. She also serves on the board of the charity Children in Crisis and helped us raise over £35k for this charity and others when we held our 10th Anniversary Comedy Challenge in 2012.
Other women of our acquaintance who made this year’s inspirational list include Vanessa Vallely, founder of leading women’s network, job board and website WeAreTheCity and CareersCity; Heather McGregor, owner and CEO of executive search firm Taylor Bennett, best known to us as The Financial Times’ Mrs Moneypenny; and Dominique Day, who founded Bootcamp Pilates in 2005, taking the fitness world by storm with almost 250 clients a day using her four London studios in Bayswater, Fulham, Richmond and the City.
Speaking about her Award and the glossy coverage which accompanies the winners' biographies in Brummell Magazine, Julia’s take on the proceedings is inevitably humorous, self-deprecating and down to earth. She says,“I was in the photo shoot last year and told to 'just look inspirational' which involved lots of gazing out in the middle distance….
“This year they selected some of the women for a fashion shoot dressed very stylishly by Mulberry. Veering on the larger size of life, I can't imagine why they didn't ask me. That's not to say that I haven't got it, someone the other day told me I was 'quite a unit'… There's a reception at Mulberry this week which is very exciting and not really my natural habitat, it's all very front cover of Vogue when I'm much more inside back cover of Vague.”
Julia is sad to be stepping away from our Advisory Board to focus on her business, but as one of our growing band of Funny Friends she has pledged to continue “roaring on and raving about female comedy talent!”
We are sad to see you go, Julia, and best of luck!
Pictured: Julia Streets looking 'inspirational' as seen in Brummell Magazine.
