IWD 2026: Female Founder Interviews – Briar Keen

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Celebrating International Women’s Day 2026 we spoke to female founder, Briar Keen, Founder of Curated Communications As a former BBC News journalist and C-suite advisor she works with leaders to improve their personal communication skills in reputation-defining moments, including media interviews, presentations, corporate events and panel discussions.  

Having reported the news on radio and television and successfully raised funding for her own business, Briar understands how to communicate with clarity and impact. She uses her unique background to support her clients to build trust and feel confident when they’re in the spotlight.  Briar’s clients refer to her as their “secret weapon” and include global leaders at some of the world’s largest companies, including Hitachi Energy, Mastercard and Zurich Insurance. She has also trained high-profile public figures and royalty.  

What was your motivation behind starting your own business?

With two decades of experience under my belt, I was ready.  

I had spent the first part of my career as a journalist. That was followed by over a decade in big PR agencies like Freuds and H&K. Over those years I had honed my craft and become skilled and passionate about helping people to look, sound and feel like the best version of themselves when they speak.  

But I was also burnout from a relentless work schedule and travel. And perhaps worse, I felt like I had stopped learning. I was hungry for a new challenge. One where I could be more creative and agile and more in control of my own destiny. And with my kids a little more grown up and both in school – it felt like the perfect time to do it.  

What is the hardest and the most joyous part of your role as a female founder?

When you start out, it’s hard having to do everything yourself – from the tech set up, to the legal set up, to the biz dev, sales, marketing, delivery and billing. I’m now starting to outsource that, but it takes time (and healthy revenue) to get to that point.  

It can also be quite solitary. Your often on your own and that’s hard because we all need people to bounce ideas off and connect with. Uncommon has been a lifeline for me in that sense and is something that has brought me real joy! The buildings and facilities are gorgeous to be in, but it’s the people there who are magic and make your feel part of a big family. Every team member knows your name, is friendly and goes out of their way to help. I’ve also made new friends, business collaborators and clients there. Being there brings me huge energy.   

Lastly, having a more balanced life is what brings me the most joy. Before I founded my own company, I never felt able to prioritise much in life beyond work. My fitness was up and down, I rarely saw my family, I felt stressed constantly. Now, although I still work hard, I also get to be more in control and more flexible – so I can make time for all the other important things in my life. And that really does feel like I’ve won the lottery.  

Are there any barriers women still face in your industry that doesn’t get enough attention?

Communications and coaching (I feel I straddle the two) are both quite progressive when it comes to female representation. Although in the former most senior levels are still more male-dominated, which is a shame because representation at the top really matters. You have to see it to be it. 

The big issue for me and it’s across industries, is childcare. The burden still falls disproportionately on women, and it’s often treated as something we’re expected to quietly manage in the background. But the cost, logistics and emotional load make it incredibly hard to progress at the same pace as men – particularly in the early years before children start school. As a result, we lose talented women from the workforce. This is more than a business issue, it’s a societal one. Until there’s more structural support and more openness about the reality it will continue to hold women back. 

What is your current favourite brand and/or company and why?

I wouldn’t say that I have a favourite brand, but I do have huge respect for the online lifestyle magazine Sheerluxe. Not only is it a great product with a very clear brand positioning, but it’s also an inspiring story driven by one woman founder, the founder Georgie Coleridge Cole.  

She started the company also 20 years ago, when there weren’t any other online brands for women looking for curated, stylish products. She was smart in commercialising the content so that brands could advertise successfully and in an easy-to-track fashion, without it feeling like overwhelming advertising for readers. She used her network to host big events. She understood the power of video and social media and began producing regular content – turning her team into an army of engaged and aspirational brand ambassadors. She sold the company for £40million earlier this year. I have huge respect for her and her team and what they’ve done.  

What advice would you give women trying to enter your industry?

Never underestimate the power of your network. As you grow in your career, especially if you’re starting your own business, your network is everything. And I don’t just mean your closest friends. I mean colleagues, former colleagues, friends of friends, other parents at the school gates, people in your local community etc. Build genuine relationships. Stay curious about what people do. Let them know what you do. Often, it’s those “loose links” – someone two steps removed from you – where the best opportunities come from. 

When you’re starting out, word-of-mouth, recommendations and referrals are far more powerful than any cold outreach or expensive marketing strategy. People trust people they like. And they trust people who are recommended by someone they already trust. That’s incredibly powerful. 

Which brings me to my second piece of advice: know your elevator pitch. Be able to articulate who you are, what you do and how you help, clearly and succinctly. It always surprises me how often people are caught off guard by that simple question: “Tell me about yourself.” Whether you’re on a panel, a podcast, or in a casual conversation, you should have a confident, concise answer ready. I always recommend a one sentence version and a longer 30 second version.

Do you have any female founders or leaders who have inspired you?

On a very personal level, my biggest inspiration has always been my mum. She ran her own business while I was growing up, and in the late 80s and early 90s she was one of the only working mums I knew. At the time, I found it quite hard – even a bit embarrassing. While other children were picked up at 3pm, I was put in clubs until 6pm most days. But looking back, what she gave me was immeasurable. She showed me the importance of having purpose – of building something of your own, doing work you love and are good at, and being financially independent. She modelled resilience, work ethic and self-belief long before those were buzzwords. That example shaped me more than I realised at the time. 

Beyond her, I deeply admire Leena Nair, the Global CEO of Chanel. Her story is extraordinary. She grew up in a small, non-affluent village in India, attended one of the few schools that educated girls, and later travelled across the country to study engineering. She built a remarkable career at Unilever before being appointed to lead Chanel. What I find particularly inspiring about her is the combination she embodies: commercial sharpness and humanity. She’s an exceptional storyteller and business leader, but she also leads with empathy, integrity and a strong sense of values. She’s honest about the challenges of being a woman leader and the ridiculous expectations that are placed upon you – be pretty but not too pretty, be tough but not too tough etc. The way that she balances high performance with heart is something I really respect.  

For me, both my mum and leaders like Leena Nair represent different versions of the same thing: women who build, who lead with conviction, and who expand what feels possible for the rest of us.