In celebration of International Women’s Day, we sat down with entrepreneur, co-founder and CEO of health and wellness brand, Keep It Cleaner, Laura Henshaw to talk about her work in the health and wellness space and her experiences being a leader in her industry. 

Health and fitness advocate, Laura, along with her friend and business partner Steph Claire Smith have built up a successful lifestyle business that encompasses the popular KIC (Keep It Cleaner) app, healthy food products, fitness events and wellness retreats.

In this interview, she gives us a look into her career journey, shares her biggest inspirations, and discusses why she is excited to be involved with the Forever New Give with Grace initiative. 

Q: First off, what does it mean to you to be partnering with our Give with Grace initiative?

A: I’m very excited to be involved with this initiative. Give with Grace along with Dress for Success helps women get back on their feet and into the workforce again. This is a great example of a fundraising initiative that makes real change in women’s lives.

Q: And, can you talk about your own experiences in your professional life? How did you navigate the challenges you faced along the way?

A: I think one of the biggest challenges I have faced is having to push against the stereotype of a woman in business. Women are expected to be likable, agreeable and if we do speak up, we are often labelled as ‘arrogant’, ‘overconfident’, or’ too ambitious’. It is so important as women, to remember that we do not fit the mould that society once thought that we should; we have the power to be who we want to be and lead the way. 

Q: Can you talk about being a woman in business and the CEO of your own company? 

A: To be a woman in business in 2022 means a lot of things. I feel incredibly grateful for the women who have paved the way in front of me, and broken down so many huge barriers over many years. While so many stereotypes and barriers have been broken down, there are still so many to overcome for women.

There is still a gender pay gap, there aren’t enough women who are CEOs and there is still a feeling of needing to prove yourself ten times over in everything you do as a woman in your career to be worthy of your role. Change can be uncomfortable, but it is essential in creating an equal future. We have come a long way but still have a long way to go.

Q: Who are some of the strong women that inspire you?

A:  My biggest inspirations are some incredible women in my life; my mum who is a huge inspiration to me, Steph my business partner and best friend from KIC, and also very obsessed with Brené Brown.

Q: You mentioned Steph and KIC, can you give us some insight into your work in the health and wellness space?

A: Health has always been something I have been really passionate about. I feel so lucky that through our work at KIC, we are able to help people on their personal health journey. Everyone’s journey is different, and it is really important to remember there is no such thing as a ‘perfect’ healthy life. The best approach to your health is the one you can sustain and works with your life in a balanced way. 

Q: How do you create a balanced life for yourself?  

A: One of the biggest things which has helped me with balance, is changing my mindset around what it means to me. Everything will not always be perfectly balanced (or ever). I do my best with what I have, and so for me that means starting my day with one of our KICRUN sessions or Pilates Masterclasses, or if I have less time, taking 5 minutes to follow a KIC guided meditation to refocus. I try to do something for myself each day; sometimes it's an hour, other times maybe just 5 minutes.

SHOP TO DONATE