Lisa Strutt, international speaker and high-level leadership coach, was guest speaker at the March Entrepreneur Network event in Lagan Valley Island this week, and the second of three joint events in partnership with Lisburn Chamber of Commerce.
Around 50 local women from a range of industries and disciplines came together for the special breakfast event to celebrate this week’s International Women’s Day (IWD) 2025.
Lisa specialises in empowering leaders to thrive during times of transition. A TEDx and global speaker, Lisa is a Fellow of the Institute of Coaching at Harvard Medical School, an ICF Accredited Coach, and a certified Positive Intelligence (PQ) Coach. She’s also an alumna of Boston College Carroll School of Management, and holds an MBA from the Open University, a PG Dip HR from the University of Portsmouth, and a MA Hons from the University of Edinburgh.
Lisa serves as a trustee of NIPANC, a Northern Ireland charity dedicated to raising awareness of pancreatic cancer. She was named Ulster Tatler Woman of the Year for Overcoming Adversity, and in 2024 with a Nettle Award for her impactful work on grief and loss. She's also co-founder of Reboot whose mission is to get more women into leadership roles in sport.
In keeping with the theme of IWD 2025, Lisa provided her take on ‘Accelerating Action’ by exploring how we can do less, but better.
Lisa drew on her personal and professional experiences to deliver a highly engaging session. Using a hiking rucksack as a visual metaphor for life's journey, Lisa shared the toolkit in her 'rucksack'. This included a head torch, which reminds her to seek clarity when faced with decisions - the light needed to see the opportunities as well as the obstacles ahead. There was also a lively two-minute ‘connection challenge’ in which attendees paired up to discuss goals and explore how they might be able to help one another.
Alderman Amanda Grehan, Regeneration and Growth Chair, opened the event and welcomed Lisa to the stage. Speaking about the talk, Alderman Grehan said: “Lisa delivered powerful messages and ideas in a highly engaging way that resonated with everyone in the room.
“I was touched by her openness, generously sharing the very personal story of her husband’s illness and death, and the things she learned while building a ‘life after grief’.
“Today was uplifting, inspiring and affirming, but also packed with actionable ideas which attendees can take with them to build confidence and clarity in their lives and businesses.”