Introducing Lucy Chamberlain

Business leader, public speaker, advocate and educator, Lucy is a force of nature. It was clear talking to Lucy that what she does and who she is are the same thing.

I must admit, I was slightly nervous talking with Lucy. She was the first guest I had no connection with whatsoever. She came to my attention via my producer, who had followed Lucy for a while and thought she would be a great guest. She was right!

From the start, Lucy was articulate, authoritative, and in control, all three of which are probably why I felt that little frisson of trepidation. But what I wasn’t prepared for was her warmth and openness. I’d like to think that I set the tone here, and my gentle questioning created a relaxedness in her that led to a more intimate and revealing conversation than the hundreds she must do each year to promote her business.

And Lucy is primarily a businesswoman. She is the Founder and CEO of C&C Search, an award-winning recruitment firm specialising in female talent placement within the Private Equity, Alternatives, and Professional Services sector. Widely known as a trailblazer in recruitment, leadership, and female empowerment, she is also an established keynote speaker, leading sessions for Lloyds, Amazon, and Blackrock, among many others.

But there is so much more to Lucy. Her early childhood years were challenging due to her height and intellect. We touch on the negative power of girl gangs and how, without the intervention of her teacher, Miss Daddy (what a name!), her life could have been so different. This early experience is most definitely linked to her drive to harness the positive power of women, a subject we talk about at great length.

Other, more positive female groups include “The Johnson Women,” the formidable matriarchs of her family. She talks of late-night sessions covering all subjects where she learnt to debate openly and honestly and stay in the room no matter how heated things got. Lucy consciously or unconsciously took these early years of modelling and now leads an all-female team of around 25 people, which is as powerful as it is unheard of in her field.

There were moments of introspection in our discussion, such as the impact of her first husband on her self-esteem. This felt like a vulnerable moment for Lucy, but as with everything I experienced in our conversation, there was strength in that vulnerability. She has since found love in her second marriage, and it's clear that whatever masks she wore to fake it to the world have gone completely, and she is now fully expressed in all her glory.

I loved this conversation. Lucy is indeed a powerhouse, but there is a tenderness in her that shows her sentimentality and need for connection. Flanked by her incredible daughter, her husband and her all-female team, she shines brightly in the world and long may it continue.

If you would like to hear the full interview, it's available here or wherever you get your podcasts.

Enjoy!

Julia xx