To celebrate International Women’s Day 2026, Ure Life has interviewed a selection of local female entrepreneurs and businesswomen, who are respected within their individual industries and who are doing something good for their local community and for fellow local women. First up in the series, is Katie Reeves of Some Consulting.
Tell us about you and your career history to date.
I always wanted to be in or around the sea. My parents gave me a deep appreciation of nature, and some of my fondest memories are snorkelling with my Dad at an early age. I trained as a marine scientist and started out sieving mud samples on the Humber Estuary, identifying the worms and molluscs that feed thousands of water birds. I went on to produce the Good Beach Guide for three years, taking it online for the first time, and worked in beautiful estuaries on the edge of the Lake District monitoring flora and fauna, including tracking natterjack toads.
A real career highlight was helping build the case against the UK Government for lack of protection at Strangford Lough – one of only three original Marine Nature Reserves – including the destruction of vital horse mussel beds. I also filmed for the first series of Coast and later dived in the Lough for a BBC NI series, all during the campaign for the UK Marine Act. I was really chuffed when it came into law in 2008.
After moving to the Middle East and becoming a mum, I continued working as a marine consultant. I tagged hawksbill turtles, monitored hatchling success, brought together academics for a Whale Shark project in Qatar – home to the world’s second largest aggregation – and set up a citizen science programme with offshore workers that increased sightings of large marine wildlife by over 200%.
I still run a few projects from home, but alongside that I moved into entrepreneurship. I created a sustainable artificial Christmas tree brand, Festive Green, and later co-founded a business community hub in Ripon called Ripon Medley. After years at the kitchen table, I realised I didn’t just need meaningful work – I needed people too.
How did marine science and consultancy lead you into entrepreneurship and coworking?
As I got older, I craved something different. I hadn’t tried creating a business. Whilst I had worked as a consultant, it is not the same as building a business that truly works. I’ve always been passionate about sustainability and supporting local businesses and creating a community hub in Ripon just aligned with my values. Supporting local businesses is in my DNA and I think that naturally led me into this next chapter. I wanted to help people feel less lonely, to keep people working in the city, and to provide myself with a supportive community too.
“Creating a Ripon community hub just aligned with my values. Supporting local businesses is in my DNA.”
What perspectives from your career influence the way you approach business?
It’s probably more the soft skills I’ve learned along the way. In science, there isn’t always clear evidence, and academics often disagree. At some point, you have to make a decision for marine management – and then monitor it. Business isn’t so different. You make a decision, commit to it, and then monitor the outcomes and adapt if needed.
In the male-dominated field of your past, what challenges did you face as a woman, and how did you overcome them?
I learned to breathe deeply and try not to react when blatant misogyny happened! For example, I once gave feedback in an emergency response exercise. My idea was dismissed. A male colleague later raised the exact same point and it was applauded. You learn to seek out other women and create your own networks in male-dominated environments. As we used to say, in those networks we got the right answers with less politics and more support. I was also lucky to have some amazing male supporters who coached me encouraging me to ask for bonuses and helping me understand how to navigate certain environments.
What have you learned from delivering inspiring talks on STEM careers to local schools?
I love providing talks to inspire the next generation. We need the younger generation, particularly females, to come into marine and terrestrial conservation science. They will take up the mantle for this generation and there are many inspiring young people out there.
What do you think might be some of the biggest challenges the younger generation will face?
Resilience will be essential in a rapidly changing world. There are still narratives that don’t always highlight strong females or create safe spaces for them to enter STEM and express their opinions and sometimes that pressure can even come from other women.
For my daughters, I often quote Madeleine K. Albright, “There is a special place in hell for women who don’t help other women.”
What have been your biggest challenges and opportunities in launching your two businesses?
The opportunity has been the kindness and help people have shown me. So many people have given their time for free. I tried to track everyone at one point! People are amazing willing to have a coffee, share their stories, and help you learn when you’re starting out.
The greatest challenge and I’m sure this won’t surprise anyone is finance. In the UK, we’re not great at championing entrepreneurs. In the US, there seems to be a stronger ecosystem of support to help ideas come to fruition and support people in early stages. Here, you can feel quite alone. And it’s well known that it’s even harder for female founders.
What does International Women’s Day mean to you?
If it’s a genuine celebration of women in business, then brilliant. But I don’t need another cupcake for IWD if there’s no action behind it. There needs to be real commitment, statements of intent, and concrete follow-ups, not just a celebration for one day.
“Women and wellbeing that feels like the right way to celebrate IWD.”
Which female role models from your life have had the biggest impact on you?
My mum fought for her girls to be educated. She gave me the foundations for a life-long career and I’ve loved. Now my teen daughters teach me so much, their generation is so savvy and self-aware. Professionally, I had compassionate and strong female leaders at the Marine Conservation Society, WWF UK and The Wildlife Trusts. They showed me that you can lead with both strength and empathy.
As a mother of teenage girls, how crucial are events like IWD for inspiring girls to challenge gender stereotyping, pay gaps, and a general sense of workplace confidence?
So very important as long as they create action. One IWD, I played a Mums and daughter netball match. It was just so much FUN. But beyond the fun, the team talked about how they felt being female in society and the challenges they faced. It was lovely even though they were young. The narrative of supporting each other has to start early!
How did you celebrate IWD this year?
My business partner at Ripon Medley, Sarah, and I celebrated at one of our Ripon in Business monthly meet-ups. New people came, and it was a caring, supportive environment with great chats, fun, and cake from the lovely Café in the Park. I also enjoyed a wild swim and sauna at Yurtshire, promoted by another brilliant woman I met recently. Women and wellbeing that feels like the right way to celebrate.
If you’re a local business person and would like to be interviewed, please send your request to hello@ure-life.com.
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