Inspirational Woman: Janey Lee Grace | BBC Radio Presenter, Author & Founder, The Sober Club

Janey Lee GraceI’m a BBC Radio 2 presenter, author of several best selling books, and also run Imperfectly Natural.com for holistic recommendations.

I am also founder of The Sober Club, a platform and membership community aimed at changing the conversation around addiction and focusing on choosing to be Happy healthy and sober (also the title of my latest book).

Did you ever sit down and plan your career?

Not at all! I was a singer first, backing singer with Wham! Kim Wilde, Boy George, then had a top ten hit with Cola Boy, but sort of ended up in Radio, and from there started writing books, the natural health and wellbeing stuff came as a result of me talking about my own wellbeing journey on BBC Radio 2

Have you faced any challenges along the way?

Many challenges, I didn’t ever consider myself a business woman and didn’t set anything up properly, when my book suddenly did well, I ‘cobbled’ a business together around it, but for years I was working flat out for almost nothing. I still struggle to have any kind of systems in place.

What has been your biggest achievement to date?

My first book Imperfectly Natural Woman getting to Number One on Amazon in 2006 knocking the Da Vinci Code off the top spot was amazing, I often joke I was ahead of my time talking about coconut oil and kale before they had their own publicists! I was also voted number one in Who’s Who in Natural Beauty in the Natural beauty industry yearbook for 3 consecutive years

What one thing do you believe has been a major factor in you achieving success?

I’m VERY passionate about what I believe in, and love communicating. I also have a huge amount of energy and try and stay positive, I like the phrase..’You don’t have to get it right, you DO have to get it going’.

How do you feel about mentoring? Have you mentored anyone or are you someone’s mentee?

I think it’s a wonderful initiative. I’d have loved a mentor and could still use one! I don’t formally mentor, but through my work with The Sober Club, several people find once they ditch the booze they are ready to follow their dreams so I often end up coaching them towards that.

If you could change one thing to accelerate the pace of change for Gender Equality, what would it be?

I think we need to focus on kindness, it’s not a sign of weakness to ask for help, and I think if more businesses could be run like a family – where everyone cares about and looks out for each other, we’d see a massive change in equality.

If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self what would it be?

Ask for help! People are often willing to give it, and kindness is good for the giver too.

What is your next challenge and what are you hoping to achieve in the future?

I would love more people to read Happy Healthy Sober and check out The Sober Club, I’d love to develop an app and raise more awareness around optimum health and wellbeing.


WeAreTheCity has a back catalogue of thousands of Inspirational Woman interviews, including Cherie Blair, Paula Radcliffe MBE, Caprice Bourret, Anna Williamson and many more. You can read about all our amazing women here.

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