"I wish I’d known more about how important it is to be authentic and not be scared to be yourself." – Lois Bates-Stubbs

Welcome back to wo0 pod, the unapologetic space where women refuse to be told what to wear or how to run their businesses. Hosted by Wendy Gannon (aka wo0), this podcast is part of Female Five Million—a movement dedicated to empowering women to take control, own their space, and push back against the systems that seek to silence them.

In this episode, Wendy is joined by Lois Bates-Stubbs, a virtual assistant turned business owner who left behind a series of toxic relationships to build a life and career on her own terms. Lois shares her deeply personal journey of navigating emotional and financial abuse, losing herself in the process, and ultimately finding the confidence to rebuild and thrive.

In This Episode - Lois & wo0 Discuss:

• Recognising toxic relationships – How emotional abuse often goes unnoticed until it’s too late
• The slow erosion of self-worth – Why women stay in relationships that break them down
• From control to confidence – The moment Lois decided to walk away and rebuild her life
• Money, self-belief, and breaking free – How financial control can keep women trapped in toxic cycles
• Reclaiming your identity – Why style, self-care, and small acts of rebellion can be life-changing
• The power of business ownership – How Lois built a thriving business from nothing, and why she’s never looking back
• Authenticity in entrepreneurship – Why being yourself is the key to success (and how Lois learned this the hard way)

About Lois Bates-Stubbs:

Lois is the founder of growing virtual assistant agency LBS Virtual Services, and a key player in Female Five Million. After years of self-doubt, financial struggles, and toxic relationships, Lois embarked on an epic journey of self-discovery and confidence, and built a successful business helping other entrepreneurs stay organised and scale. Now, full of the joys of her new found confidence (and a very special Scamp & Dude dress!) she’s stepping into public speaking and podcasting, using her platform to help other women find their power.

*The mini series featuring Female Five Million contributors mentioned in today's episode is part of Carrie Bowers' 'Let's Get Visible' Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/5Feq3Mz44VwoEPL5zfTQqZ?si=4c78723242034c7e

Connect with Our Guest: Lois Bates-Stubbs

• LinkedIn: Lois Bates-Stubbs
• Instagram: @lbs_virtual_services
• Website: https://lbsvirtualservices.co.uk/
• Email: [email protected]

Resources & Support for Women Navigating Toxic Relationships:

If anything in this episode resonated with you, or you need support, these organisations can help:

• Women's Aid – www.womensaid.org.uk
• Refuge (Domestic Abuse Support) – www.refuge.org.uk
• Surviving Economic Abuse – www.survivingeconomicabuse.org
• Mind (Mental Health Support) – www.mind.org.uk

Connect with wo0:

• wo0 on Linkedin: Wendy (wo0) Gannon
• wo0 on the ‘gram: @wo0photography
• Subscribe to newsletter

Work with wo0:

• About wo0
• Want a photoshoot? Book a chat

This is a Decibelle Creative original podcast

• Need some support to *actually* launch that podcast? Meet Buckers… / Linkedin: Annabelle (Buckers) Buckland
• Instagram: @decibelle_creative / Linkedin: Decibelle Creative

How To Support This Podcast

Imagine missing an episode of this podcast because you haven’t subscribed?! Don’t do it to yourself…

🎧 Hit ‘Follow’ or ‘Subscribe’ so you never miss an episode— tell the algorithm this podcast deserves to be heard!

⭐ Leave a rating & review to boost the show's ranking and help others discover it. We love to hear what resonates with you and your favourite episode highlights.

📢 Share this episode with friends, colleagues, or on social media—word of mouth is one of the most powerful tools for independent podcasters!

A quick word from the host & producer…

“We get it - podcasters bang on about subscribing, ratings and reviews all the time. But why bother? Well - because it genuinely makes a HUGE difference to shows like ours - shows that have been made with unbelievable amounts of love, intention and hard work, usually without the help of big advertising budgets…

Podcast platforms use algorithms to recommend shows to new listeners, meaning the more people who follow, rate, and review a podcast, the more likely it is to be featured in search results, charts, and recommendation lists.

This all means that YOU have the power to help more people discover this podcast, and help passionate, independent podcasters like us continue doing what we love, with just a few simple clicks. More people who might really need to hear these important conversations…

THANK YOU SO MUCH from the bottom of our hearts for listening and supporting this podcast.” - wo0 & Buckers.

Join the Female Five Million Movement

‘Dont F**king Tell Me What To Wear Or How To Run My Business’ on the wo0 pod is more than just a podcast—it’s part of a movement…

Follow Female Five Million and get involved in the movement:

1. Search ‘Female Five Million’ on Linkedin
2. Instagram: @female.five.million
3. Follow & support the project on Kickstarter
4. Buy the Female Five Million Coffee Table Book! The second edition is in production and will be available to pre-order soon - make sure you’re subscribed to the wo0 Photography newsletter for updates!

Female Five Million is an unapologetic celebration of women who’ve faced male to female abuse, broken free, and are now thriving on their own terms. This is a story of empowerment and resilience against abuse and toxicity from men, in business and beyond. This is a multi-faceted project made up of two empowering photoshoots, conversations, research, exhibitions, art and a beautiful coffee table book.

“This project is deeply personal to me because I’ve been there. I know what it’s like to suffer domestic, sexual, financial, mental abuse and general misogyny in the workplace and my private life. I’ve been there but I’ve also found the strength to rise above and overcome it.

By speaking openly about my experiences, I’ve met so many incredible women who’ve faced similar challenges, yet they’ve come out the other side stronger, smarter, (more hilarious) and more determined than ever.

We're not just survivors, we're f*cking queens, and our stories deserve to be told.” - Wendy Gannon, Female Five Million Founder.