Today, dame stephanie shirley is one of britains leading philanthropists, devoting most of her time, energy and wealth to charities that are. Oct 01, 2012 a moving, honest and highly readable book which tells a powerful story of dame stephanie steve shirleys life and offers great insight into the challenges of raising an autistic son, retaining family life and relationships and being a pioneering female entrepreneur building a successful it business. Dame stephanie shirley founded a womenonly computing company in 1962, determined to do her work on her terms, and to hell with the glass ceiling. Steve, as she very comfortably goes by today, was nowhere near finished with her lifes purpose. Dame stephanies book is frequently quite detailed about her business ventures and her philanthropy which is extraordinary so that the book plods at times. The word inspiring is greatly overused, but stephanie shirleys story is one of those rare cases in which it truly applies. Let it go the memoir of dame stephanie shirley ch posts. When realising her life had been saved she vowed to make hers a life worth saving.
You can only spend so much dame stephanie shirley on her inspirational rise from child refugee to wealthy entrepreneur and philanthropist. Dame stephanie shirley is a british businesswoman, technology pioneer and philanthropist. Born as vera buchthal in nazi germany, the jewish shirley changed her name to the more neutralsounding stephanie upon moving to the uk and then again, to steve, to have a fighting chance in the world of business. Shes a global businesswoman, and was the first female president of the british computer society. In this video, introduced by us cto megan smith, admire the feisty spirit who upended tech world sexism by refusing to accept it.
Feb 28, 2019 as a parent of a child with autism, dame stephanie shirley founded autism at kingwood to support her son, removing him from a hospital ward. She founded a software company called freelance programmers, and transferred ownership of the company to her staff, making 70 women millionaires. Louise amelia clappe, aka dame shirley gold rush stories. Dec 06, 20 when she was five years old, dame stephanie steve shirley, born vera buchthal, fled nazi germany as a child refugee, escaping certain death and plunging into a life that would show her a quieter yet oppressively persistent kind of discrimination and injustice. Dame stephanie shirley is one of britains leading philanthropists and.
In the talk, dame stephanie filled us in on her fascinating life, which includes pioneering work in tech entrepreneurship during which time she took on the name steve in order to secure meetings in the male dominated industry, and built a company of 300 female programmers, followed by. Dame stephanie shirley ch dame stephanie steve shirley ch, age 85, is a workplace revolutionary and successful it entrepreneur turned ardent. In the she founded a pioneering allwoman software company in the. Shirley adapted quickly, forming strong ties with her new family and learning english. Fed up with hitting the glass ceiling, in 1962 the businesswoman and former refugee set up a software business for female programmers. How dame shirley jumped over techs gender gap in the 1960s. Dame steve shirley on arrival in london, the sisters were sent to live with foster parents in the midlands. Dame stephanie shirley is a successful it entrepreneur turned ardent philanthropist.
Dame stephanie steve shirley, founder of an early it firm that employed mainly women in 1960s britain, tells stories from her astonishing life at ted2015. Let it go the book of the acclaimed, inspiring memoirs of. Dame stephanie steve shirley speakers bureau and booking. For tech entrepreneur dame stephanie shirley, bidding contracts under the name steve enabled her to launch and grow a freelance software company with a virtually allfemale staff. Dame shirley, who adopted the name steve in the early days of her career because she found that letters bearing a. Dame stephanie shirley is one of britains leading philanthropists and has donated most of her life to helping good causes, especially those close to her heart. Throughout her working life which was a revelation she amassed a personal fortune of. A girl with a strong passion for mathematics, she had to transfer to the boys. Absolutely thrilled to see dame stephanie shirley steve in facebooks new book, make it work.
Dame stephanie shirley breaks through about a million glass ceilings with her digital innovations and her allfemale company. Dame stephanie shirley is the most successful tech entrepreneur you never heard of. Dame vera stephanie steve shirley ch dbe freng fbcs nee buchthal. You will not be put the book down until you finish. She did this to take back control of her autistic sons. Shirley was born as vera buchthal to arnold buchthal, a judge in dortmund who was jewish and who lost his.
In this frank and often hilarious talk, she explains why she went by steve, how she upended the expectations of the time, and shares some. Facebook to publish book featuring advice from pioneering. In the early days she employed almost exclusively women and signed her letters steve in order to. Let it go the memoirs of dame stephanie shirley the extraordinary life of dame stephanie steve shirley. About let it go, the acclaimed autobiography of dame. What an incredible legacy dame shirley would have created if the story were to end there it doesnt. Meet steve the most fascinating woman youve never heard of. Episode 9 inspirational speech, dame stephanie steve. Sep 26, 20 let it go the memoirs of dame stephanie shirley the extraordinary life of dame stephanie steve shirley. She made 70 of her staff millionaires at no cost to anyone, but herself. Let it go the book of the acclaimed, inspiring memoirs of dame.
This book is an extraordinary tale of creativity and resilience, and of the power of welltargeted philanthropy to transform the world. A moving, honest and highly readable book which tells a powerful story of dame stephanie steve shirley s life and offers great insight into the challenges of raising an autistic son, retaining family life and relationships and being a pioneering female entrepreneur building a successful it business. Aug 19, 2016 those results were realized because dame stephanie steve shirley is a fearless brand. Dame stephanie steve shirley ch dbe freng fbcs is an entrepreneur turned ardent philanthropist. She took to sending out letters touting for business signed as steve rather than stephanie, after. She is witty, warm and has both wonderful anecdotes and conversation. Dame stephanie steve shirley is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics. An it tech pioneer, she started her first company freelance programmers in. She is a role model for young women worldwide in her spirit, determinism, humour, and generosity simon baroncohen, professor at cambridge university in association with jewish book week. Dame stephanie shirley had one heartache her riches couldn. Dame stephanie shirley, founder of autism at kingwood youtube.
I date from the days, greta, when women were not really expected to do serious business. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Apr 09, 2019 named as one of the 100 most powerful women in britain, dame stephanie steve shirley ch has been called an icon, an inspiration, and a pioneer. She is witty, warm and has both wonderful anecdotes. Dame steve shirley, the worlds first freelance programmer.
Dame stephanie shirley had one heartache her riches couldnt. She arrived in britain as a fiveyearold on the kinderstransport in 1939. The kindness of strangers, alongside dame shirleys grit and understanding of the human condition, leads to great achievements personal and business. Sep 01, 2014 dame stephanie shirley suffered several miscarriages before her son giles was born in 1963, but was heartbroken to find that they boy was autistic and drove her and husband to despair.
How public success masked personal tragedy for mother of. Dame stephanie shirley is one of britains leading philanthropists and ha. Facebook to publish book featuring advice from pioneering jewish businesswomen. But i am left cold by the unfairness of life that dame shirley has witnessed. What is truly amazing is that to date she has given away. As a young woman drawn to the computing industry, she saw that signing her name opened no doors, so she adopted the nickname steve and began signing as steve shirley. I feel lucky to count myself one of steve s friends, and i am so happy that, by sharing her story with us in the pages of this book, she will inevitably acquire many more admirers and fans. Apr 10, 2019 dame stephanie steve shirley is sitting in front of the virgin sign sipping a glass of water. Location henley on thames, uk tweets 3,9k followers 7,5k following 415 account created 03092012 09. Shirley has dedicated most of her life and wealth to advancing autism research and stem subjects. Dame stephanie steve shirley is sitting in front of the virgin sign sipping a glass of water. Dame stephanie shirley arrived in britain as a kindertransport child refugee.
This week in place of our weekly livecastpodcast, were sharing the story of dame stephanie steve shirley, our founder joy fosters hero. Join facebook to connect with steve shirley and others you may know. Dame stephanie shirley was so sick of being patronized that she decided to start her own software business then a laughable idea for a woman. Dame stephanie steve shirley is a hard one to summarize. Interview with dame stephanie steve shirley youtube. F international was a british freelance software and systems services company, founded as freelance programmers in england in 1962, by dame stephanie shirley. Great dame dame stephanie shirley hobnobs with the queen, but still. Dame stephanie shirley suffered several miscarriages before her son giles was born in 1963, but was heartbroken to find that they boy was autistic and drove her and husband to despair. In 1962, dame stephanie steve shirley founded freelance programmers, a software firm with innovative work practices and mainly. If there is a constant thread running through the life of dame stephanie shirley it is the refusal to let difficulty and disaster stand in her way. Dame steve stephanie shirley in conversation with trudy gold wednesday 20 march, 8pm.
Let it go the memoirs of dame stephanie shirley youtube. Dame stephanie steve shirley generally travels from uk and can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances. The memoirs of dame stephanie shirley by stephanie. Fearless brands are both determined and persistent. Having arrived in britain as an unaccompanied child refugee in 1939, she started what became xansa plc now part of the sopra group on her dining room table with. I feel lucky to count myself one of steve s friends, and i am so happy that, by sharing her story with us in the pages of this book, she will inevitably. Oct 29, 2012 i read this book after hearing dame stephanie shirley on the radio. The company was renamed in 1974 to f international. In the 50s, shirley built computerscontinue reading. Jul 06, 2019 dame steve shirley on arrival in london, the sisters were sent to live with foster parents in the midlands.
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