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Emerging within the Laing+Simmons network, She Sells is a female agent collective that underscores the importance of both professional mentoring and personal social connection.
She Sells originated from a WhatsApp chat among female team members who had formed relationships through Laing+Simmons’ Elevate mentoring program, which matches pairs for professional development based on personality rather than role or level of experience.
Laing+Simmons’ head of people and growth, Jacqui Barnes, explained that She Sells was not initially intended to be a formal program within the network.
“While She Sells aligns with Elevate, it was not strategically developed as the next instalment of the mentoring program. Instead, it has organically grown as a result of the connections forged between participants. It’s all down to them,” Barnes stated.
The WhatsApp chat transitioned into catch-ups before and after work, eventually leading to weekly online meetings, and the inaugural She Sells retreat, held this year. As these connections developed, the network expanded, attracting more women eager to learn from each other and share their experiences.
Barnes highlighted the value of finding common ground among women in the workforce and learning how different individuals address various challenges.
“We found what participants truly craved was a safe space to share struggles, workshop solutions, address challenges and celebrate success. For me personally, I know I can sometimes struggle with ‘mum guilt’, which is that worrying feeling where I need to ensure I’m completely present with the kids at the dinner table, even with a lot happening in the background at work.” Barnes said.
The positive word of mouth generated by the She Sells initiative has extended beyond Laing+Simmons. According to Barnes, it has been embraced by various offices not just for recruitment – helping to attract talented women – but also for retention, by enhancing job satisfaction and personal engagement among participants.
“In recruitment, some of our offices have drawn on She Sells as a way to attract talented women to their team. But once involved, it has also proven an effective retention tool by enhancing both the job satisfaction and personal engagement of those in the group,” Barnes explained.
But she also noted that while it’s become a more formal part of the business, the brand is keen to ensure that it remains aligned with the purpose that sprung from the WhatsApp group.
“She Sells has been established as an organic offshoot of Elevate, so it must remain ‘owned’ by the women driving it. We don’t want to overlay a corporate theme. Instead, as a franchisor, our role is to simply guide and facilitate the initiative so that those women choosing to participate can fully reap the benefits provided by their peers,” she said.
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