A back-to-office report
Winning with Epic WOmen at WIlder: LIve
On 13 October 2026, I stepped off the tube at Waterloo hot, flustered and slightly frazzled. By the time I left 10 Duke Street that evening, I had a blueprint for a brand-new income stream, a head full of courage, a bag bursting with goodies and a brand-new pair of wellies on their way to me.
Not a bad day’s work.
This was the second annual Wilder:Live, and if you’ve not heard of it yet, let me fill you in.
Why Wilder:Live exists
Wilder:Live is hosted by the brilliant Nicky Denson-Elliot as part of , but not exclusive to, her Wilder Collective membership. After going to plenty of big, multi-stage conferences and feeling like something was missing, Nicky decided to create her own. An aligned event where you actually learn skills, pick up solid tips and make real connections, rather than just collecting business cards and a lanyard.
Last year’s inaugural event was a roaring success. I know, because I was there. I’ve been a member of the Wilder Collective since it opened, so this was a no-brainer for me the moment Nicky said she was organising it.
This year’s theme was golden. (A copywriter with a golden copy brand and a lightning bolt logo? I mean, it was practically made for me.)
The welcome
I can’t write about Wilder:Live without mentioning the welcome. It was so warm and so genuinely uninhibited that I felt at ease immediately. I’d arrived pink-cheeked and frazzled from the tube, and within minutes I’d cooled down, and moved on! I was simply, properly happy to be there.
That feeling set the tone for the whole day. We started off in the main auditorium, with two unbelievable talks from amazing women.
The hype girl we all needed: Alyssa Kyria
Alyssa, aka The Funny Mummy, is an actress, stand-up comedian, mum and all-round hype girl, and she was the perfect way to kick things off.
She absolutely nailed the feeling of trying to keep up with the smug mums out there. She tackled the menopause with honesty and humour. I laughed so hard. She sang, she danced, and somehow she made every single one of us feel seen and heard.
If you’ve ever sat in a conference hall feeling like everyone else has it together except you, Alyssa is the antidote.
Seeing the ideas take shape: Katie Draws
A special shout out to Katie Chappel, who illustrated each auditorium session live as the speakers talked. Watching the ideas come to life on the wall as they were being discussed was a revelation, and it’s a brilliant way to remember the key points long after the day is done.
Sara Dalrymple: the £1k idea
‘Sales with Sara’ doesn’t do sit-back-and-take-notes sessions, she gave us access to her purpose-built app for her £1k experiment, so we could work alongside her talk and flesh out our idea in real time.
She pushed us to think outside the box, to see new income streams we’d been walking past, and to believe we can sell more than we think we can. And at the end of the session? We downloaded our own blueprint to take home and put into action.
Genius.
My £1k idea is going to be all about bringing the human back into your copy. Great copy converts, I know that. But it only really converts when a real connection is made and a relationship can be built. Watch this space, because I’m firming up the plan now and I’m buzzing about it.
Afternoon sessions
After a fabulous lunch in the October sunshine, we had a choice to make: six fantastic workshop sessions, but you could only choose two!
I went for Nic’s and Kira’s, and I’m so glad I did.
Nic Scott: mind the confidence gap
Nic wanted us to remember what it’s like to believe in ourselves again.
We took ownership of the things we know we’re great at.
We approached people we didn’t know so well. And then we did the thing so many of us find hardest of all: we boasted about our skills and our passions. Out loud.
I don’t think there was a single person in that room who didn’t feel a bit of an ick at first. Because for years we’ve been conditioned to believe women should be meek, modest, supportive, quietly in the background.
But Nic turned that tide. By the end, we’d taken our power back. It’s our time to step to the front of the stage and show what we’ve got.
As someone who spends her working days making other people sound brilliant, this one hit home. It’s time I gave myself the same treatment.
Kira Matthews: getting what you want
It sounds simple. It isn’t.
Kira boiled it down to two words: clarity and audacity.
Know exactly what you want, then be brave enough to go out and get it.
Kira has the most amazing brain. She trained in a start-up sales office, where she learned first-hand never to give up. When her boss got a no, he’d simply try another way. The back door. A different floor. Another route in. That mindset has helped Kira grow her business and work with some of her dream brands.
She lives by the rule of the 8-email ask. If she wants a face-to-face, or a chance to show what she can do, she’ll keep asking, up to eight times, even in a completely one-sided email conversation. And it’s worked for her on many occasions. Why? Because we don’t truly know why someone isn’t replying until they tell us it’s not what they want.
So don’t give up. And if they do say no and tell you why, use it. Change your offer. Come back another time. Find another way to help.
Kira also talked about changing the narrative: talking about our results rather than our value, and selling the transformation rather than the process. As a copywriter, I felt that in my bones. It’s what I tell my clients every day, and exactly what I forget to do for myself.
The connections
The best bit of all, though, was the people. There are so many women I met that I can’t wait to work with, and the follow-up emails are already flying. That’s the difference with Wilder:Live. The connections don’t fizzle out on the train home. They’re solid, golden and built to last.
Wondering if Wilder: Live is for you? Well, I’d say if you’re a female founder looking for connection, inspiration and pure joy, then yes, absolutely.
Next year’s event is already in the calendar for 12 October 2027, and the theme is Joy. Fitting, really, because that’s exactly what I came home with. I really hope to see you there, my ticket’s already booked. ⚡
NOTE: All photo credits go to the fantastic Becky Wood Creative
UPDATE: Not long after I penned this blog, I had confirmation that I hit the £1k from the experiment with Sara Dalrymple. So proud of this achievement! It’s more solid proof that conversations matter, being in the room matters, communities of strong ass females MATTER!
