International Women’s Day

To acknowledge International Women’s Day 2025, I wanted to sit down and interview someone from Willow Brook who embodies exactly what International Women’s Day is supposed to represent, that is, a global movement powered by the collective efforts of all.

I met up with Shelly Bowen, Willow Brooks Tanning Shop manager. Someone who through some collaboration pieces, I have got to know professionally over the last 18 months. Shelly would speak with honesty, integrity, and a force and determination that I admire.

I started the conversation by asking Shelly if she could tell me about any time in her life when she felt empowered as a woman. Without hesitation Shelly responded with her normal charismatic flair for conversing.

“I have had a few jobs over the years and previously worked for EE, I moved departments from customer service to the engineering department, which back in the day, (this was the early 00’s), the engineering technicians’ field was a very male dominated environment. I managed this shift by not being afraid. I asked questions, I have never been afraid to ask questions and most of the time I realised that others wanted to ask those questions as well but were too afraid, not me though.”

For anyone that knows Shelly, they will tell you that she is outspoken but with a sincerity and genuine desire to overcome and help.

As this conversation moved around and we dove deeper into empowerment and equality, Shelly spoke passionately about women being able to do anything they put their minds too if they approach it with self-belief and confidence. Something that as a manager she tries to instill in her predominantly female team.

“I try to show my team every aspect of the business, from till work to customer service, machine operations to cleanliness standards, I want to provide opportunities for my team, I love my girls, and it serves me, and women, if we all empower each other”.

Shelly’s enthusiasm and legitimate passion for her team shines through every time you speak to her.

Growing up Shelly had to learn how to stand independently; very quickly, circumstances meant that often she was isolated and through this, she learned to be vocal, be strong and never be afraid.

“Obviously at times every woman and man experiences being scared, but if you act brave enough times in the end, you become brave”, Shelly said when asked where her confidence comes from.

Shelly sees more males coming through her Tanning Shop than females. The balance is clearly shifting, and typical stereotypes are being abolished.

Shelly is quick to point out that women are often labelled as being emotional but again we are seeing a shift in that perception.

“Men are just as emotional as women and now, both sexes are able to use emotion within the workplace to the benefit of business and personal growth, what I mean by that is the world of work has evolved and is becoming more in tune with emotional intelligence”.

As someone who prides themselves on emotional intuitiveness, I could not agree more with Shelly on this point.

“Women can have it all, they can be pretty in pink or change the clutch on a car, it really comes down to confidence” Shelly says.

That word again…. confidence, a word that Shelly used several times during our conversation.

Shelly is confident, she is a leader, she is emotional, she is smart, she is tough, she can do anything she wants. She is a mother of three, a wife and determined to be the best at everything she does.

She is a Woman.

 

Written by Centre Manager – Simon Whiting