Business•8 March 2022
A Look Back On One Year Of The Stack World
Today we celebrate The Stack’s one year anniversary and take a look back at our timeline from launch to now
By Isobel Van Dyke
A
s we celebrate International Women’s Day 2022, we also celebrate one year of The Stack World. In the space of 12 months, we’ve published over 300 articles, hosted 1000-plus events and have a total of more than 4000 Stack World members.
We launched an app, a newspaper, a newsletter and even a podcast series, as well as making the shift from media outlet to creator platform. Though we still take great pride in our editorial content, it has become one of many branches that make up The Stack World ecosystem.
Today, we are a buzzing web of networks within networks - fulfilling our shift in title from The Stack, to The Stack World. We have created a world where women are given the tools and freedom to grow, a world that puts us at the forefront, and a place where women can speak with confidence and know that they will be supported by the community that waits within our app.
We’ve seen highs and lows throughout the course of 12 months - failures as well as successes. No matter what we’re working on, our proudest moments always remain the same: hearing the feedback from our members. Our greatest achievement, ultimately, is your greatest achievement. Our mission has always been to learn your mission and help you on your path to achieving it.
Below, we go back in time to a year ago as we walk through the Stack timeline from launch to now.
8th March 2021 - The Stack World Launches
On International Women’s Day 2021 we officially launched The Stack World. The editorial team worked furiously to bring you fresh, women-led content, with Laura Weir - previously of ES Magazine - as our consultant Editor-in-Chief.
Top articles of the month:
Jess Phillips: "My Whole Life Has Been A Political Campaign"
‘She Saved Me’: Meghan, Harry And The Question Of Good Allyship
“When I Reported Indecent Exposure I Felt Discouraged From Pressing Charges By Police”
April - Deal Flow: 25 Black Female Founders Fundraising
The Stack World asked 25 Black female founders to take part in our photoshoot: Deal Flow. The point? To draw attention to 25 incredible businesses and combat the lack of funding (0.2%) that goes to female founders - particularly Black female founders - by highlighting them and their businesses and getting the attention of investors. Since then, several of the founders have gone on to raise millions.
In the same month, we also launched a podcast series. The First Three Years was an investigation by Alexandra Jones and The Stack World into one of the core drivers of gender and class inequality in the UK today: childcare.
The podcast was a four part series that can be found here, on Spotify as well as all major streaming platforms. Both of these projects were led by Alexandra Jones, currently Associate Features Editor at Evening Standard.
Top articles of the month:
Deal Flow: 25 Black Female Founders To Invest In Now
The Challenge Of Forming Female Friendships When You’re Autistic
Maria Raga On How To Grow A Startup Into A Generational Powerhouse
May - The Stack Film: Women Make The World Go Round
In May, The Stack asked director Lucy Luscombe to produce a two minute film: Women Make The World Go Round. On a brisk day of filming the cast smiled through the shivers - from politicians, to musicians, nail techs, authors, florists, fashion designers and more, see the full cast and credits here.
Our She Stands event series was simultaneously in full swing. A weekly lunchtime panel talk where four female politicians discussed how they got into politics. Interviewees included Tulip Siddiq, Emily Thornberry, Stella Creasy and Jess Phillips.
Top articles of the month:
June - Deal Flow 2.0: The Photoshoot Returns
The Deal Flow photoshoot series returned in June, this time with a plethora of female-founded sustainable businesses. Kiran Gidda photographed 11 women all at the head of businesses with a focus on sustainability. OLIO - the food-waste app - was among the featured businesses, and has since raised $43 million in investment.
Top articles of the month:
Deal Flow: 11 Sustainable Founders To Invest In Now
Confessions Of A Former Sex And Love Addict
Meet The Women Still Fighting To Help Heal Grenfell Survivors
Raw Grief Triggered By Father’s Day
The Importance Of Queer Networks And Seven To Have On Your Radar
July - Editorial Becomes Reactive & The Office Party Takes Off
The first Stack Office Party was held in July 2021 and is a much-loved event that has been held on a monthly basis ever since.
July also saw a change in pace in our editorial content. Though we have always been somewhat reactive, following events of summer 2021, we published several pieces that are consistently brought up by our members. See the list below.
Top articles of the month:
Abuse Of Black England Players Is Yet Another Sign Of This Country’s Toxic Attitude To Race
If England Gets Beaten, So Will She: Football’s Culture Of Misogyny
Property Diaries: How I Bought My First Home
Bianca Saunders Becomes First Black British Designer To Win ANDAM Fashion Award
August - The Stack World App Launches
In August we officially launched The Stack World App - brought to life through our vibrant campaign featuring six of our brilliant members including Ciara Madden, Grace Ladoja MBE, Simran Randhawa, Charlotte Williams, Yomi Adegoke and Clara Sojung Tan. Shot by Danika Magdalena.
We also launched a newsletter in August! Here.
Top articles of the month:
The Battle May Be Won - But Britney’s War Is Far From Over
Fighting For Their Lives - What Is Happening To The Women Of Afghanistan
September - Sharmadean Reid Wins Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Award
Our Founder and CEO Sharmadean Reid wins the Veuve Clicquot Bold Woman Award, celebrating female entrepreneurship and up and coming leaders of the future.
Top articles of the month:
Get Ready With Me: Sharmadean Reid Wins Veuve Clicquot’s Bold Future Award
How Simi Lindgren, Founder Of Yuty, Became The 10th Black Female Founder To Gain VC Backing
October - The Stack World Conference at Oakley Court
Our event of the year: we hosted 250+ members at Oakley Court in Windsor for a full day (& night) of panels and networking.
Top articles of the month:
What’s Your Mission? The Stack Conference Panelists Answer
‘If Only Childcare Was Funded Properly’ - How The Childcare Gap Is Driving Gender Inequality
November - Ally Month
For our November event series, we spoke to leading businessmen about the ways they have supported the women in their lives and how they plan to continue doing so in the future.
Top articles of the month:
Women Make Up 34% Of MPs - The #AskHerToStand Campaign Wants Your Help To Level The Playing Field
A Match Made In Heaven - Meet The Couples Building Businesses Together
December - Clubs For Christmas
A Christmas party like no other, we took over The Vault at The Ned and hosted 50 members - leaving 2021 on a high.
We also started working on our Clubs feature, allowing our members to create and join clubs - all of which you can find here.
Top articles of the month:
How They Did It: The Female Founded App That Raised $43 Million
January - The Stack World Officially Launches New Creator Platform
We kicked off 2022 with a bang, with a new year transformation to creator platform.
Many of the Founding Creators, such as fashion brand consultant Elizabeth Stiles, confidence coach Tiwalola Ogunlesi and personal branding expert Stefanie Sword-Williams, are consultants who regularly host workshops and are now bringing their expertise to our community. With this update, The Stack World enables creators to easily obtain a subscription model, ensuring they can continually earn throughout the year.
Top articles of the month:
The Stack World Launches New Creator Platform
February - The Stack World Newspaper Launch
Whilst our editorial platform has become a mere branch of what we are, there is, without a doubt, room within our world for a news platform that brings women’s stories to the front. Enter, The Stack World Newspaper, launched last month at Berners Tavern.
Too often our stories are sidelined in major newspapers, limited to a box-out in the corner of the page. Sports sections make up almost a quarter of national daily papers, but a story about the rates of stalking, violence against women, or even women’s achievements…where are they to be seen? Rarely in headlines.
Not only have we given women headlines, we have given them a 20 page newspaper, brimming with news stories all about female success, development, and crucially, news. Headlines that should be shouted from the rooftop, that would not be covered otherwise.
Top articles of the month:
“I Drank Alcohol To Mask My Anxieties – Then Was Diagnosed With Pure OCD”
Suffocating Silence For Afghan Women As UN Warns Of ‘No Future’
Enter The Men-Taverse: What Does The Metaverse Mean For Women?
March 2022 - The Stack World Spring Fair & Announcement Of Selfridges Partnership
Next Saturday, The Stack hosts its first ever Spring fair. Our own members will be taking over our office space to bring you their products. It’ll be the last chance to network with fellow members at our office space so RSVP now whilst you still can.
We have also just announced our partnership with Selfridges - a month-long event series in which we have curated a roster of leading self-development coaches and holistic practitioners to level up your wellbeing and challenge the status quo of retail therapy. Find out more!
Top articles of the month:
How Do You Manage Maternity Leave When You Own Your Own Business?
Twitter Narrows In On Decentralised Future Supporting The Growing Creator Economy
A huge thanks goes to everyone who has been a part of our first 12 months.
The Short Stack
A look back on The Stack World timeline, from launch to now.
By Isobel Van Dyke
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