"We're seeing the equipment, we're seeing the protective—we're not seeing the personal." – Katherine Evans, Founder of Bold as Brass

Jo Phillips is joined by Katherine Evans, founder of Bold as Brass, to talk about why personal protective equipment (PPE) is still failing women—and what we can do to fix it.

From ill-fitting safety gear to the invisible barriers women face in male-dominated industries, Katherine shares her powerful story of challenging the status quo in heavy industry and designing PPE that actually fits women's bodies, identities, and needs.

They explore how something as ‘practical’ as workwear can either protect or dehumanise—and why seeing the person behind the PPE is the first step to systemic change.

(02:10) – Katherine’s mission behind Bold as Brass

(03:40) – The problem with “unisex” PPE: when protection becomes exclusion

(07:20) – Why representation matters

(10:00) – PPE and the body: why gear designed for male frames puts others at risk

(14:25) – What does truly personal protective equipment look like?

(19:10) – Catherine on bringing her whole self to an industry that wasn’t built for her

(24:00) – The language of change: why words like “grit” and “resilience” just don’t cut it

(29:30) – Advice for women in male-dominated sectors

Katherine Evans is the founder of Bold as Brass, a Linkedin group designed to provide inclusive, dignified, and genuinely protective PPE for women and underrepresented groups in heavy industry.

Having worked in sectors where safety and identity are often compromised by one-size-fits-men gear, Katherine launched Bold as Brass to redefine what safety looks and feels like. She’s a passionate advocate for visibility, safety, and systemic change in workplaces where women have too often been treated as an afterthought.

Follow Katherine on LinkedIn

Join Bold as Brass

About your host: Jo Phillips

Jo coaches ambitious women like you to break through career barriers, own their worth, and finally get the career and salary they deserve. Through 1:1 coaching, Jo helps you identify what’s holding you back, to build an unapologetic strategy for success, cheerleading you every step of the way—because you already have what it takes. It’s time to stop waiting and start moving with audacity…

Connect with Jo:

Website: The Woman Behind The Women

Socials: Linkedin / Instagram: @thewomanbehindthewomen

'The Chat Womb' is hosted by Jo Phillips and proudly produced by Decibelle Creative:

“Speak up for yourself and say it with your chest.” – Helen Bandcroft, Sales Leader & Investor

“It's about not being smaller so others can be taller.” – Jo Phillips, The Woman Behind The Women

This week in The Chat Womb, Jo Phillips sits down with Helen Bandcroft, sales leader, part-time investor, and unapologetic champion of financial empowerment. Jo and Helen unpack one of the most overlooked inequalities facing women today: the gender pension gap.

Helen shares her journey from hairdressing to sales leadership, revealing how she strategically built her wealth through shares, investing, and financial self-education, despite the systems not being designed for women to win.

They talk about salary negotiations, workplace power dynamics, financial freedom, and how to start building wealth (especially if you feel behind).

(02:10) – Introducing Helen Bandcroft: Sales leader, investor & financial empowerment advocate

(04:00) – The shocking stats behind the gender pension gap

(05:00) – From hairdressing to head office: Helen’s career journey

(07:30) – The power of shares, and how they helped Helen buy her first flat

(10:15) – Why asking for shares may be smarter than asking for a raise

(13:00) – Where to start if you’ve never invested: tools, tips & resources

(15:00) – Investing secretly: your money = your options

(20:00) – Walking away from a job on principle and what happened next

(28:00) – What Helen would tell her 21-year-old self (and her 13-year-old goddaughter)

(32:00) – Assertive vs. Aggressive: Standing your ground and speaking with purpose

Helen Bandcroft is a sales leader, public speaker, and part-time investor with a fierce passion for helping women understand their worth, in life and in their finances.

From leaving school early and working in hairdressing to buying her own flat with her share payout, Helen has built a career and financial portfolio on her own terms. She’s a firm believer in speaking up, investing wisely, and carving out power in rooms that weren’t designed for women.

Follow Helen on LinkedIn

About your host: Jo Phillips

Jo coaches ambitious women like you to break through career barriers, own their worth, and finally get the career and salary they deserve. Through 1:1 coaching, Jo helps you identify what’s holding you back, to build an unapologetic strategy for success, cheerleading you every step of the way—because you already have what it takes. It’s time to stop waiting and start moving with audacity…

Connect with Jo:

Website: The Woman Behind The Women

Socials: Linkedin / Instagram: @thewomanbehindthewomen

'The Chat Womb' is hosted by Jo Phillips and proudly produced by

“We start to become a problem in this world when we start to exceed other people's expectations of us.” – Gill Whitty-Collins, Author & Gender Equality Expert

I’ve really started to struggle with the term unconscious bias… is saying that there’s an unconscious bias, a loophole?” – Jo Phillips, The Woman Behind The Women

In this episode of The Chat Womb, Jo Phillips is joined by Gill Whitty-Collins, senior business leader, gender equality expert, and author of Why Men Win at Work, to break down the hidden forces that keep men in power and women fighting for space.

Gill reveals why gender inequality isn’t about competence, but about perception, and how deeply ingrained paternalistic mindsets create barriers for women in leadership. She and Jo explore the unconscious biases that shape decision-making, the “daughter phenomenon” in male allyship, and why men need to shift from protectors to partners in the fight for equality.

If you’ve ever wondered why men are still winning at work—and what we can do about it—this episode is a must-listen.

(02:10) – Introducing Gill Whitty-Collins: Author of Why Men Win at Work

(05:00) – Why do men really win at work? Gill breaks it down

(07:15) – Invisible forces at play: The unconscious barriers women face

(12:30) – Does unconscious bias still hold up? The real reason it hasn’t worked

(20:10) – When women enter the “dominant culture” and the game changes

(25:00) – The "daughter phenomenon”—why men support women until they become equals

(30:45) – Moving from paternalism to true male allyship

(35:20) – Gill’s message to men in leadership: “You are not their dad. You are their colleague.”

Gill Whitty-Collins is an author, consultant, and gender equality advocate with over 20 years of experience as a senior leader in the corporate world. After a successful career at Procter & Gamble, where she led global brands like Olay, Always, and Pantene, Gill turned her attention to tackling the structural and cultural barriers holding women back in business.

Her book, Why Men Win at Work, has been described as a must-read for anyone serious about gender equality. Through her keynote talks, executive coaching, and workshops, Gill helps organisations identify the invisible forces that keep women from leadership and take real action to drive change.

🔗 Follow Gill on LinkedIn / Instagram @gillwhittycollins

📖 Buy Why Men Win at Work

🌍 Visit Gill’s Website https://gillwhittycollins.com/

About your host: Jo Phillips

Jo coaches ambitious...