Speaker Spotlight: Q&A With WEBOX Co-Founder Lesley Sackey

'Success should be about capabilities and skills, not gender'

WEBOX was founded by former GB boxer Lesley Sackey and Corporate Athlete, Els Koster, to focus on engagement, personal development and Health & Wellbeing in the workplace. As partners of the Women in Sport Summit, Lesley tells us what gender equality means to WEBOX. 

What is WEBOX? Tell us about yourselves.

I am a former GB boxer and Els is an ex-Googler now turned boxing coach. We co-founded Webox - to focus on employee engagement, personal development and Health & Wellbeing in a dynamic way.  Using the tools I had learned in the ring and Els’ experiences in the corporate world to deliver a series of interactive workshops. We believe a moving body can change the mind. As individuals we are all capable to think, feel and perform like a champion but like champions we need to train, we need to sacrifice we need to build and develop, strengthen our networks and identify goals.  so we use the tools of boxing and breath to transform employees and empower them to think, feel and perform like a champion.

Why are women crucial to the success of the sports industry?

Why are men?  Success should be about capabilities and skills not gender and this is what needs to be changed. 

As a Women in Sport partner, what is WEBOX doing to promote women in sport?

We are two women using sports as a medium to create a more balanced, inclusive work environment and what better place to spread our message than here!

Mentorship, sponsorship, or both? Is there a silver bullet for getting more women to the top?

By first being an advocate for themselves and than for other women.  Creating a support network. There is strength in numbers and often women seem to support each other less at the top.  This needs to change through both mentorship and sponsorship.

What one piece of advice would you give to a woman looking to pursue a career in sport?

Find your own champion someone who you admire and respect and align yourself with them. Learn from them, work with them - to see greatness in others is to see it in yourself.

Join WEBOX at the Women in Sport Summit on 19th June 2019 at Twickenham Stadium. Click here to register.