Today we’d like to introduce you to Kate Hardcastle MBE. They and their team shared their story with us below:
Kate Hardcastle MBE is a globally renowned business strategist advising some of the biggest brands on consumer behavior. Highly awarded most notably by HRH The Queen for her work in commerce, Kate is also a leading broadcaster on her subject, appearing on over 2,500 interviews and documentaries on media all over the world. From humble beginnings, Kate grew up in the land of the Bronte Sisters in England and helped her grandma, a seamstress to create costumes for small productions and practice with her beloved grandfather – a music hall singer.
Kate learned from an early age the importance of listening to an audience to deliver the best performance. This is a lesson that she holds at heart.
A public speaking champion at school, and a keen sportswoman, Kate was also challenged regularly for her love for academia and bullied severely.
Determined to succeed, Kate wrote to her business heroes and managed to enjoy coaching from some of commerce’s leading lights, including the late philanthropist and founder of The Body Shop – Dame Anita Roddick.
Keen to break boundaries Kate pushed herself to study at an international business school whilst working to understand each area of the business supply chain – as one of a group of pioneering women working in the Far East and helping to build more ethical business practices in safe-guarding and sustainability
After proving herself by creating and also restoring sector-leading organizations in-house as one of the youngest female directors, the world of broadcasting called.
Kate created her own business to allow her to maximize her value in advising multiple organizations on consumer insight whilst starting an incredibly successful career in broadcasting. Presenting her own documentaries on commerce, including the evolvement of retail and digital, Kate was able to lend expert knowledge and translate business matters into easy-to-understand and enjoyable formats for millions of viewers. She was nicknamed The Customer Whisperer for this ability.
Kate is now highly in demand as a strategist, broadcaster and voice for better business across the world. Some of the business accolades and achievements have been outstanding.
She has spoken and chaired conferences on every continent in the world. She has been a keynote at hundreds of major events. Her work for brands like Visa and Disney has become essential in the evolvement of customer-facing strategies – and she has now been able to put roots in two territories in which she has a long working history and a huge respect for the entrepreneurial values – the UAE and the USA.
A highly-valued individual Kate has spent twenty years giving back and making a difference with leading charities. Her support of the only charity celebrating the legacy of the late Princess Diana – the Diana Award has seen Kate make a decade of difference with an anti-bullying campaign. Her work dedicated to the enhancement of the support for women & girls in sport and movement has seen the seismic change. She has supported over 20 charities with awareness and fundraising.
As a dedicated parent of three, Kate is determined to see the betterment of education opportunities globally and a greater focus on sustainability. Kate has become a known leading light on the need for realistic environmentalism to make lasting change for good.
A lesser-known fact is that Kate is equally as competent as a professional singer – and despite retiring her microphone many years ago, she was a vocalist and musician in the bands of leading artists such as Martha Reeves and Candi Staton. This has enabled her to have the unique fact that she has headlined some of the same venues as a singer as she has a keynote speaker.
She is the host of the Rock n Roll Business Podcast
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Kate is no stranger to adversity. As a pioneer in a lot of the businesses and sectors she has supported, Kate was one of the first females in many male-dominated environments. Whilst some were welcoming of this, some were not, and Kate would have to take on challenges from colleagues, customers and even the press. At times Kate felt she had to work twice as hard as more established players. Being from a humble family with limited financial means and no contact with the world of commerce, Kate had no ‘network; to call on – this was incredibly hard, particularly in the early stages of her career when she was overlooked – not due to ability or determination – but simply because an opportunity was ‘gifted’ to someone with connections.
Some of the environments Kate has trained and worked within have been challenged with ethical issues – having to evolve working practices where she found within the supply chain there was child labour, or intense pollution or even at times, illegal practice – and not just blow the whistle on this, but help to build a better solution has been some of the most rewarding, yet at times upsetting work.
Her own health has also been a challenge at times. Kate is a known spokeswoman and campaigner for support with the condition Endometriosis. As a severe sufferer herself, Kate has been blighted with challenges and had to experience many surgeries and painful episodes.
Finding balance for family time is important as a dedicated parent of three children, but an international client base and media career means that Kate has been in-demand and having to leave behind her family.
As a prolific woman in broadcasting, Kate has also had to deal with some intensive online bullies and intrusion into her own personal family life. This is a woman who always takes challenges on and at the same time, tries to ensure there is more awareness and support for anyone else who may have to undergo similar scenarios.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
From Huddersfield to Hollywood – The broadcaster, CEO and consumer expert juggling career, continents and children
Kate Hardcastle MBE is an English multi-award-winning international consumer expert, broadcaster and commentator who now splits her time between the UK, US and UAE.
From humble beginnings in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, following in the footsteps of her grandfather, Kate started her career as a singer, providing backing vocals for iconic artists Martha Reeves, Alexander O’Neal, Jaki Graham, Candi Staton and Andrew Roachford.
Kate hung up her mic and went on to become a highly respected and successful businesswoman, now with over 20 years of industry experience in the consumer and retail space. Starting off working in the factories in China, to the board rooms of London, Dubai, New York and Los Angeles with some of the world’s biggest brands to reimagine their customer engagement by providing insight that helps transform their businesses. Kate was awarded an MBE by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for services to business & entrepreneurship in 2018.
As a sought-after broadcaster, reporter and media commentator, Kate’s industry expertise, coupled with her straight-talking style, sees her appear on television and in the press internationally almost daily, covering consumer issues, retail outlook, innovation, news and customer and economic insight. Kate is regularly seen on the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Channel 5 and Sky News, as well as in Forbes and the FT, and has interviewed numerous celebrities, politicians, and industry experts throughout her career.
Kate is regularly seen on stages across the world both hosting and giving keynotes including the Financial Times Retail Summit, Retail World Congress, The Retail Summit UAE, Seamless UAE, Shop Talk Las Vegas, The Tech Show and Ideal Home Show.
With a necessary passion for sustainability across the retail and consumer space, Kate has incorporated this into all her consumer and business-facing work. She is the founder of the ‘Buy Smarter, Buy Greener’ movement, created to empower consumers into ‘realistic environmentalism’ – making changes that benefit their own lifestyles alongside the planet.
A passionate champion of good causes, Kate’s charity & community involvement includes: Founder of the Charity ‘Dreamgirls’, Ambassador for Women in Sport, Ambassador for Diana Awards, Patron RSPCA (North), and spokesperson for Endometriosis UK.
She is a host of the Rock n Roll Business Podcast
Kate has been happily married for 20 years to professional drummer Matt and is a mum of three young children.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
Passion & Persistance
Kate Hardcastle MBE is a person of note and credibility due to her passion and dedication to her field of expertise and doing business ethically.
With a long-serving global career in broadcasting and business – Kate has proven her ability to master multiple topics as a known expert and indeed deliver time after time.
This has not always been easy, but her persistence demonstrates to many others that it can be done, despite the odds.
Most importantly – Kate does the right thing for her communities and others.
Not just sending “the lift back down’ but accompanying newcomers on the journey with mentoring and support to ensure more doors are open to others than Kate experienced
Contact Info:
- Website: www.katehardcastle.com
- Instagram: @RealKateHardcastle
- Linkedin: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/katehardcastle
- Twitter: @KateHardcastle
- Youtube: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCHiRE0u891FWumKks8zPsAA
- Other: https://rocknrollbusiness.com/
Image Credits
All images – Insight with Passion
