In this episode of Coach Class I caught up with Jane Kenyon MBE — a serial entrepreneur, intuitive coach, and unapologetic champion for women and girls. Jane shares her extraordinary personal journey: from a traumatic upbringing and being abandoned at 16, to thriving in corporate life, reinventing herself as an entrepreneur, and ultimately founding Girls Out Loud – a social enterprise that empowers teenage girls to find their voice, speak up, and make bold, informed choices.

💡 Key Themes

• 💥 A Life Shaped by Adversity
  • Jane opens up about being “daddy’s girl” in a wealthy but emotionally volatile home.
  • Kicked out at 16 and abandoned by her father, she became fiercely self-reliant.
  • Her early trauma became the foundation of her resilience and empathy.
• 📈 Corporate Burnout to Purpose-Driven Entrepreneur
  • After rising fast in the corporate world (with multiple degrees and an MBA by 28), Jane hit burnout.
  • She reinvented herself as a coach, then founded Girls Out Loud in 2010 after a powerful pilot project with at-risk girls in Blackpool.
• 👧 The Two Groups Who Slip Through the Cracks
  • High-risk girls: Experiencing trauma, abuse, grooming risks, or teenage pregnancy.
  • “Middle girls”: Not excelling, not failing — often completely invisible. These girls hold huge untapped potential, but get little attention from schools or services.
• 🧠 Mentoring That Changes Lives — Both Ways
  • The Big Sister programme pairs each girl with a woman who “has been there, done that.”
  • Mentors are trained not just to support, but to reflect on their own lives. The process transforms the adults as much as the girls.
  • As Jane puts it: “You can’t model confidence or boundary-setting for a teenage girl if you’re not doing it yourself.”
• 📱 Social Media Isn’t the Root Cause — It’s the Amplifier
  • Social media magnifies existing issues like misogyny, body image pressures, and peer toxicity.
  • Pornography, violence, and grooming are now normalised online. Jane believes society handed kids this world without any real guidance or boundaries.
• 🚸 Schools and Parents: Who’s Responsible?
  • Jane calls out both systems: schools are overwhelmed, and many parents are disengaged.
  • She urges parents to “get on the bus” — have regular, meaningful conversations and understand the digital worlds their kids inhabit.
• 🏫 What Needs to Change
  • Better, braver sex and relationship education.
  • Trauma-informed schools where teachers are emotionally present.
  • Stronger parental involvement and better role-modelling from adults.
• 👑 Building a Legacy
  • Jane recently received an MBE, recognising decades of tireless work.
  • She’s now focused on scaling Girls Out Loud and ensuring it can thrive beyond her leadership.
• 🔥 Why She Keeps Going
  • It’s the messages from former mentees that keep her fire burning — hearing that “you changed my life” or “I wouldn’t be here without this programme” reminds her the struggle is worth it.
• 💬 Call to Action
  • Whether you're a potential mentor, fundraiser, coach, or supporter — get involved. Girls Out Loud is actively seeking volunteers, role models, and regional partners.

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