International Women’s Day 2024: Debbie Nowell interview

To celebrate International Women’s Day 2024, ACG co-founder and female entrepreneur Debbie Nowell speaks exclusively to ABP Club about her career to date and gives a fantastic insight into how she supports and celebrates her team. She also shares how having the right mindset and willingness to give it your all can make you unstoppable.

1. Can you share the story behind your journey as a female entrepreneur?

From day one of my career, I have always held the belief that anything can be achieved in life as long as you have the passion and right mindset to want it. From taking over a telecoms company in my early 20s, to owning and running numerous businesses and then to working in partnership to set up ACG, I have always had a deep passion for business, and through my steadfast work ethic and strategic thinking, I have been able to get to where I am today.

The past 14 years at ACG have been massively rewarding. We knew early on that our unique offering would disrupt our markets and provide something that no one else was offering. I’m immensely proud of what we have been able to achieve at ACG, and I’m looking forward to seeing what we can accomplish in the future together as we develop new products and embrace emerging technology to speed up processes for us and our customers.

2. As a leader in your industry, how do you empower and support women?

Over the years, I have worked with and known some incredibly strong women, and I have been in awe of what they’ve accomplished. As women in business, I think it’s important that we forge our own unique way, no matter who we are, embracing our strengths to be the right person to get the job done. Through empowering women to take ownership, develop and finesse their skills, and through passion and determination, we are unstoppable.

3. In a male-dominated industry, how have you navigated any gender-related obstacles or biases?

There have been many occasions in my career when I have been the only woman in the room at a conference, awards dinner, or meeting. During those moments, I found it critical to own my own space, showcase my expertise, and remain steadfast in my abilities and philosophies as an established entrepreneur.

4. How do you ensure that your company promotes diversity and creates an inclusive environment for all employees, regardless of gender?

That’s quite simple, I believe everybody has the ability to strive to achieve what they truly want and being able to see the light in them, whatever their background, and supporting them with the right guidance, training, and resources to enable them to unlock their potential is hugely fulfilling. I thoroughly enjoy working in this manner with my team, as together we can make it happen. ACG has always been a great supporter of equal opportunities, and I’m very proud to say today that the gender split in our team is right down the middle.

5. What steps do you believe businesses and industries should take to inspire more opportunities for equality?

Be open-minded and look out for the best in everybody. You’ll be surprised by what you can achieve through supporting and guiding colleagues to embrace their talents – allowing them to shine. Promote people based on passion, drive, and determination. People can bring skills into your team and business you never knew you needed, unlocking greater potential for growth and your company culture.

This interview was originally posted exclusively in the ABP Club website in celebration of International Women’s Day 2024.