402: Strategy, strength and softness: redefining leadership with Clarissa Sowemimo-Coker

Women Who Lead is more than a podcast—it’s a movement, a mindset, and a space for transformation. It’s a platform for real, raw, and radically honest conversations with women who are redefining leadership on their own terms. Rooted in the belief that true leadership begins within, theseWomen Who Lead invite us to break free from outdated models of power and success.

Through storytelling, coaching, and a soulful newsletter that follows the rhythm of the seasons, it supports women to rise—courageously, unapologetically, and as their whole selves. This is a space for women ready to lead with more self-trust, more softness, and more power. Learn more at https://ourtimetobloom.com/.

Season 4, Episode 2: Strategy, strength and softness: redefining leadership with Clarissa Sowemimo-Coker

This week, I’m joined by the incredible Clarissa Sowemimo-Coker—a woman whose career is marked by bold moves, grounded leadership, and a deep commitment to meaningful change. From leading a £16.5 million IPO on the London Stock Exchange, to steering a company through a successful Phase 1 clinical trial, to scaling operations and building thriving workplace culture from the ground up—Clarissa doesn’t just lead, she transforms.

She brings strategic clarity, legal brilliance, and a rare ability to connect the dots—whether it’s shaping vision, navigating complexity, or building cultures that actually support people to thrive. She’s someone who steps up in a crisis, protects what matters, and leads with purpose. Oh, and her cockapoo Huxley usually gets her out of bed before the strategy does.

This conversation is an invitation into her world—the world of visionary women leading big business transformation with heart, intelligence, and a touch of magic.

Timestamps:

01:48 | What does it mean to you to be ‘in Bloom’ in work and life?

04:49 | How do you define success without sacrificing well-being?

05:49 | What are your top strategies for preventing burnout while staying driven?

09:51 | How did you create and maintain confidence and authenticity in environments where those traits might be tested?

12:17 | What challenges did you face as a woman in the male-dominated world of work, and how did you navigate them?

16:49 | What’s your relationship like with your feminine energy? How do you balance masculine and feminine energies in leadership?

18:08 | Which season of your career shaped you the most, and how did it impact you?

21:36 | We can’t possibly Bloom all of the time—how do you bounce back from setbacks or failures stronger than before?

23:33 | How has understanding the connection between mind and body influenced your life and career growth?