Experience Henley are delighted and privileged to be sharing the monthly letters from the immensely inspirational Dame Stephanie Shirley. Coming up to International Women’s Day Steve epitomises how to live, strive and survive as a woman in a mans world.

Dame Stephanie, known as Steve, lives locally and has an incredible story of ‘achieving the unimaginable’.

A child refugee who at five years old came to England without her parents, Dame Stephanie went on to found an all-woman software company that pioneered remote working and redefined the expectations and opportunities for working women at that time. It was ultimately valued at almost $3 billion and made 70 of her staff millionaires. Since ‘retiring’ her work has been in philanthropy, with a particular focus on autism and IT.

Dame Stephanie’s story has many strands which, woven together by her courage, determination and resilience, have produced a lifetime of exceptional achievements. In recognition of these she was appointed Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour (CH) in 2017, a membership limited to only 65 individuals globally, for her services to the IT industry and philanthropy.

Read her incredible full story here

Here is Steve’s latest letter…

In true holiday fashion, I was unwell over the Christmas and New Year break. But I do wonder why, in general, I feel so good? Sure, I eat sensibly, don’t drink or smoke (although I admit was a chain smoker in my distant youth). I exercise by swimming; I used to manage a quarter of a mile, nowadays it’s more like 150 metres. I’d go more often if it didn’t make such a mess of my hair! But I believe the real reason I feel good at my age is that I have never stopped working. Having something worthwhile to get up for each morning makes all the difference.

Purpose comes in many forms. My speaking engagements, for example, provide an opportunity to support causes close to my heart. Any fees I receive go to Autistica, the UK’s autism research charity, but most of my talks are given free, particularly for charities, women’s organisations, or autism advocacy. I make one small exception outside of these fields: Safe Passage, an organisation which helps child refugees come to the UK. Their work resonates deeply with my own Kindertransport experience in 1939, so I direct to them the compensation payments I’ve received from the German government. As a small bonus, these payments are classed as insurance rather than income, and remain untaxed.

I was recently invited to contribute to a film about non-speaking autism, or to use a more positive term, pre-speech. Another request came from my former colleague Ann Moffatt, asking me to speak at an Australian branch of Zonta, a global organisation dedicated to equality and education for women and girls. Their focus on helping women enter future-focused careers, including STEM, is one I’m proud to support, even if it means an early morning Zoom session to fit the Australian time zone!

I was particularly pleased to see F International, a company I built with a staunch purpose, featured in a special edition of First Monday. The article, written by Tony Bryant of Leeds Beckett University, explores my question: ‘Why did the company lose its female-led identity as it scaled?’ The author concluded the question I should be asking is: ‘How did it manage to retain its unique character for so long?’ It’s a fascinating analysis of what makes an organisation distinctive and enduring. You can read it here, I’d love to know your thoughts.

And finally, purpose doesn’t always have to be grand. Sometimes, it’s simply about looking out for the world around us—even its smallest inhabitants. Each year from February to April, volunteers in Henley take part in the Toad Patrol, helping frogs, toads, and newts cross the busy Marlow Road during migration. If you’ve ever wondered about those clanking buckets and twinkling torchlights at night, now you know. I do so love the British eccentricity.

Until next time,

Steve