In this episode, we speak with journalist and voice & visibility consultant Sophie Jane Lee to explore the uncomfortable truth behind workplace authenticity. Women are constantly told to “speak up” and “bring their whole self to work” — yet when they do, they’re often labelled difficult, emotional, or unlikeable. Sophie shares how the pressure to remain agreeable and palatable still shapes women’s behaviour in business, impacting confidence, pay and professional visibility.

Drawing from her own corporate experiences and her new book Beyond Palatable: A Manifesto for Unapologetic Women, she unpacks why people-pleasing persists, why “Girl Boss” culture can be harmful, and why the trend of celebrating the “unlikeable woman” may miss the real issue entirely. Having worked with global brands including Disney, The Huffington Post and L’Oréal, Sophie offers practical insight and a roadmap for building careers — and businesses — without self-silencing.

A conversation about power, perception and the cost of being heard.

Beyond Palatable: A Manifesto for Unapologetic Women by Sophie Jane Lee is out now, published by Luath Press, priced £14.99

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