Sonya Lennon: 'Brendan and I always say that when it stops being fun, we'll walk away'

I've heard really successful women stand up on stage and say they've been really lucky and I wonder, have they? They've worked really hard and fearlessly grasped opportunities.

'I remember when I had just been given the license for Dress for Success and I was terrified. I sat on the couch and burst into tears.' Picture: James Gould

I had a ridiculously beautiful upbringing. My parents were hugely supportive, even of my not-so-straightforward choices. It's something that. I only fully appreciated much later. Our circumstances have changed quite dramatically as my mum is now in residential care with dementia. It's about holding firm as a family, making tough decisions, and using that love for each other as fuel to get through the really hard times.

In the last few years, I've really thought about what my natural resources are — and for me it's communication. I communicate through clothes, stories, and building relationships. It's really the foundation of everything that I do. The good thing about it is that it's a pretty applicable skill. At the moment, Brendan Courtney and I are both doing a masters in business equality, diversity, and inclusion. You could say that's a million miles away from fashion but it's not. It all comes back to communication.