Samantha Addy, Founder & CEO of the Female Advisory Board (FAB), is the latest regional professional in the hot seat as the p.ublished group of newspapers gives her just 10 minutes to answer our 10 burning questions.

1. What does a typical working day for you involve?

Where possible, Mondays are for strategy and admin. Then Tuesday to Thursday is dedicated to FAB meetings, one to ones with members, and meeting potential new members, speakers and partners. I like to keep Fridays as free as possible and lean into the weekend.

2. What makes your company special?

FAB is the only all-female, in person peer advisory board membership in the UK. It is designed specifically to create a trusted space for female business leaders to connect, share experiences, and support one another. FAB’s groups Grow, Scale, and Enterprise, cater to female business leaders at every stage of their journey.

Women are building incredible businesses across every imaginable industry of all shapes and sizes. FAB is there to ensure they are supported throughout their entire journey of building and growing businesses. I feel very proud to be working with some of the most successful female-led businesses in Yorkshire. The support they receive from their peers, workshops and masterclasses is second to none. When you see the impact FAB has on its members, it feels enormously special.

In a business world that continues to underrepresent women in leadership positions, FAB’s vision is to create an equal business landscape where female-led businesses thrive and contribute to a stronger economy and society.

3. Do you have any business rules that you swear by?

Yes, unless it is an absolute emergency, I don’t answer emails or messages after 6pm. Numbers are everything and I check my personal and professional bank account every single day, along with my software to ensure we are where we need to be.

Managing people’s expectations is of paramount importance. Don’t be swayed by what others are doing – stay in your lane and have radical focus.

Last one, control what you can control, influence what you can influence; the rest is out of your hands and not something you should be focusing your time and energy on.

4. Do you dress up or down for work?

I just try to dress well – if I feel good, I perform better. I apply the same logic to the food I eat and the clothes I wear.

5. What piece of advice would you give your 18-year-old self?

As Helena Bonham Carter once brilliantly said “It’s none of your business to care about what others think of you” – when you are free from caring what others think it is liberating and sadly, I feel this comes with age and experience. If only younger people – and 18-year-old me - knew this sooner.

6. What’s your favourite Yorkshire venue for an event or team away day?

That’s a difficult one as we are lucky to have many beautiful venues in Yorkshire. Rudding Park has become a second home to us for our FAB member board meetings. However, I am also a big fan of Grantley Hall. They have been very kind and supportive of what we’re doing at the Female Advisory Board, unfortunately they do not have enough board rooms.

7. How do you prefer to travel for business?

Whatever is the quickest way to get where I need to go – time is precious.

8. What’s your favourite place in Yorkshire to relax?

The beautiful Yorkshire coastline…cliff or beach walks on a weekend are the ultimate relaxation for me.

9. Where is your favourite place to eat in Yorkshire, and what dish do you recommend?

Too many to choose from! The best curry in Yorkshire has to be the Prawn Madras at the Rupali restaurant in Baildon, followed by Buon Apps Italian restaurant in Otley where they serve the most amazing Cacciucco Lungomare – it’s an incredible traditional Tuscan seafood dish.

10. What do you miss most about Yorkshire when you’re away?

Oh, definitely the beautiful scenery.



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