Sara Davies has praised the progress of equality within the world of work but called for more "fairness" across all industries. The businesswoman, 42, built a multimillion-pound fortune through her company, Crafter's Companion, before becoming a familiar face on television.
Now, Sara, who also appeared on the BBC's Dragon's Den, has encouraged women to continually check their rights. It comes after research showed that two-thirds (67 per cent) of Brits believed that work traditionally carried out by women is continually undervalued.
Fairness and transparency in business
She said: "I’ve always believed that people are any company's greatest asset. Fairness, transparency and recognising the value people bring are fundamental to building successful businesses."
"There has been so much progress made in the workplace for women to have the equal and right opportunities, but fairness in the workplace is something we should never stop striving for."
"Everyone should understand their rights at work, and if you've worked in an hourly-paid supermarket role, it's worth checking whether equal pay law could apply to you."
Strictly Come Dancing journey
Two years after joining Dragons' Den, Sara competed on Strictly Come Dancing in 2021 alongside professional partner Aljaž Škorjanec, and they reached week eight before being eliminated. Towards the end of last year, Sara explained to The Times: "I felt like it was the biggest opportunity of my life, and something purely for me."
She previously revealed to The Telegraph: "I was desperate to do that show. Literally, I got myself an agent and I said, 'My life's goal is to get on Strictly'. And it wasn't just because I was desperate to dance with a really sexy, hot man."
Lessons in vulnerability
Sara also explained that when it comes to Strictly, which this year will feature a line-up with the likes of EastEnders icon Lacey Turner, Emmerdale star Lawrence Robb and Kim Kardashian's hairdresser Chris Appleton, the BBC Saturday night favourite allowed her to show "emotion" in a way she didn't normally in her career as a businesswoman.
Speaking to Woman & Home magazine earlier this year, she said: "Strictly taught me to be vulnerable. I used to believe I had to dress and act a certain way in business, and that showing emotion was a sign of weakness."
She admitted keeping "that wall up" at the start of the competition before realising she needed to change. "I started feeling comfortable being vulnerable in front of him [Aljaž], then in front of the camera crew in rehearsals, and then on Saturday night," she said.
The transformation saw her overcome crippling imposter syndrome. While she "suffered badly" at first, asking herself "Why would any entrepreneur choose me over these other four amazing Dragons?", by her final series she felt confident. "I thought, 'I'm a bloody good Dragon. Any entrepreneur would be lucky to pick me.'"
