Laura Tenison MBE

Laura Tenison is a leading British entrepreneur, best known as the former Founder and CEO of JoJo Maman Bébé and the founder of Wonderful Escapes. Having built JoJo Maman Bébé from a start up with £50,000 of investment and just two members of staff into the UK’s and Ireland’s leading omni-channel parent and baby brand, Laura is recognised as one of Britain’s most inspiring business leaders. As a female motivational speaker, she is sought after for leadership conferences, entrepreneurship events, women in business forums and retail summits, where she shares practical lessons on resilience, innovation, sustainable growth and building successful customer-focused businesses.

Laura’s entrepreneurial journey began with the launch of JoJo Maman Bébé in 1993, driven by a vision to offer high-quality maternity, baby and children’s products. Through determination, commercial instinct and a deep understanding of her customers, she transformed the business into a market-leading retailer. Her experience of scaling a company from the ground up enables Laura to offer audiences authentic insights into leadership, decision-making, overcoming challenges and creating lasting commercial success.

Following her success with JoJo Maman Bébé, Laura founded Wonderful Escapes, continuing her passion for creating exceptional customer experiences. Her remarkable career has been recognised with an MBE for business services, the Veuve Clicquot Businesswoman of the Year Award, the Harpers & Queen Entrepreneur of the Year Award, Welsh Entrepreneur of the Year, Female Entrepreneur of the Year at Fast Growth Business, Innovator of the Year at the Every Woman in Retail Awards and multiple Businesswoman of the Year honours. She has also received honorary fellowships from Cardiff University and the University of Wales, alongside honorary doctorates from the University of East London and Cardiff Metropolitan University.

Laura is hired as a female motivational speaker because she combines proven entrepreneurial success with honest, practical advice drawn from decades of business leadership. She shares valuable insights on entrepreneurship, innovation, resilience and customer-focused growth, equipping audiences with strategies they can apply within their own organisations. Her engaging and authentic speaking style inspires individuals to lead with confidence, embrace change and overcome challenges. This wealth of real-world experience makes her an outstanding choice for leadership conferences, women in business events, retail forums and corporate gatherings seeking meaningful and lasting impact.