OUTRAGEOUSLY MAGNETIC
FINALISTS
This award honours women who prioritise community and connection.
These founders create businesses that bring people together, fostering strong relationships and a sense of belonging among their customers and supporters.
01
ALICIA FAIRCLOUGH
EA HOW TO
Alicia is the powerhouse behind EA How To, the world’s largest and most active community of Executive Assistants. With a background supporting C-suite leaders in tech, she turned her passion into a global movement, offering free and affordable resources, webinars, and a thriving network for assistants at every stage of their career. Alicia’s mission? To make the lives of assistants easier and bring top-level professionals together from around the globe so they can learn from and support one another. Her community is a place where assistants feel valued, supported, and truly belong.
connect with ALICIA
02
CATHERINE GLADWYN
VA TRAINER
Catherine is an unstoppable force of nature and a VA trainer for women wanting to leave the 9-5. What started as a solo VA business has grown into a vibrant hub of support, mentorship, and empowerment - helping thousands of women create flexible, fulfilling careers on their terms. Through her bestselling book, thriving Facebook group, and no-fluff mentorship, Catherine leads with honesty, warmth, and a deep belief in doing business your way. A true magnetic force who makes everyone feel like they belong.
connect with CATHERINE
03
LAURA BRUNTON
BUSINESS COACH
Laura is an absolute powerhouse for female coaching. She’s created a vibrant, heart-led community helping women lead with energy, authenticity, and confidence. From her signature Ignited Woman events to powerful masterminds and coaching, Laura creates spaces where women feel seen, supported, and totally themselves. She’s a magnetic connector who leads with heart, authenticity and builds belonging wherever she goes.
connect with LAURA
04
LORNA LYONS
THE MUMBOSS NETWORK
Lorna is the brilliant founder of The MumBOSS Network - a thriving community built on belonging, growth, and real-life wins for heart-led mums in business. An ex-teacher with a Master’s in Applied Psychology, she’s grown a membership that combines coaching, strategy, masterclasses, and connection calls to support women scaling businesses while prioritising family.
Lorna created her platform after launching two online businesses in just two years, with three kids in tow! She teaches security and sustainability, empowering women to build success without burnout. Her community is a space where members feel seen, heard, and genuinely at home.
She’s a magnetic force who leads with warmth, clarity, and realness, Lorna shows that creating business magic is all about building belonging first.
connect with LORNA
05
SAMANTHA HAMLIN
Social circle and hamlin & hive
Samantha is the creative force behind Hamlin & Hive and Social Circle Network, where she pioneers a refreshingly human-centred approach to business networking, helping people build relationships beyond the boardroom, through connection that feels real and deeply rooted in trust. Alongside this, she’s an award‑winning event and conference producer who knows how to bring people together in unforgettable, values-led spaces. Her work fuses community with connection, and strategy with soul, making her a powerful finalist who builds belonging in unconventional, heart-first ways.
connect with SAMANTHA
06
AMANDA JOHNSON
VA TRAINING ACADEMY
Amanda is the powerhouse behind the VA Training Academy® - a champion for virtual assistants and the vibrant community they deserve. With straight-talking wisdom and a whole lot of heart, she’s helped thousands of VAs launch, grow, and connect through real support and no fluff attitude. From her VA Help Desk group to the UKVA Conference, Amanda’s all about creating spaces where people feel seen, supported, and ready to soar.
connect with AMANDA
the magnetic
judge
LEA TURNER
Lea Turner is the ultimate community queen, last year’s Magnetic Community winner, this year’s judge and sponsor, and a fierce believer in community over competition. She’s the founder of The HoLT, a no-fluff, high-vibe online space where nearly 600 small business owners show up, connect, and thrive, minus the ego, sales pitches, or gatekeeping.
Lea’s all heart and humour, known for telling it like it is (with a lot of caps lock and a side of sass), sharing the real ups and downs of business and life as a solo parent. Through her words, podcast, and wildly engaged LinkedIn presence, she’s built not just a business but a movement rooted in kindness, connection, and unapologetic realness.
If anyone knows what it takes to build a magnetic community that actually makes people feel like they belong it’s Lea.
connect with LEA