Michelle Hands speaking at the Women in Construction Summit

Keynote speaker · Michelle Hands

Transforming teams. Inspiring action.

Where daring outruns doubting. High-energy, practical keynotes on allyship, inclusion and team performance — from 17 years as the only woman on site.

Book Michelle Speaker sheet (PDF)See the talks

17 yrs

Construction engineer

150+

Podcast episodes

10+

Industries

30k+

Live & virtual audience

Michelle Hands, founder of She Who Dares Wins

About Michelle

Being the only one became her superpower.

For over two decades Michelle has led teams in the high-stakes world of construction — often as the only woman on site. Navigating power struggles and old perceptions, she learned that embracing her distinct perspective, rather than blending in, turned a lonely position into a seat of influence.

As a filmmaker and host of the She Who Dares Wins podcast, she has interviewed over 150 highly successful women, using their stories to show people they aren't stuck in the roles they were handed.

Her style was forged in thousands of conversations with everyone from executives to the lads on the ground. On stage, she connects through storytelling, warmth and a healthy dose of humour.

Watch

See Michelle on stage.

Signature talks

The topics organisations need right now.

Daring outruns doubting in allyship and team performance

Allyship and teamwork stall when people are afraid of saying the wrong thing. This talk swaps hesitation for honest, ego-free collaboration.

Daring to step up
Moving male allies from quiet support to active sponsorship on site.
Daring to communicate
Breaking down silos and ego so teams bring problems forward instead of hiding mistakes.
Daring to build together
Shifting from individual competition to shared ownership and pride on every project.

Embedding inclusive behaviours into everyday operations

A grounded, candid session that bridges the gap between inclusion commitments and daily reality on site and in the office.

Actions over buzzwords
A practical toolkit for site managers and leaders to build inclusion into everyday meetings and workflows.
Crucial conversations
How to call out non-inclusive behaviour constructively and turn friction into alignment.
Where daring outruns doubting
The bold micro-actions leaders need to take to drive real culture change.

Retaining diverse talent and building psychological safety

An unfiltered look at why diverse talent leaves male-dominated industries — and a fresh blueprint for keeping it.

Root-cause retention
The hidden friction points that push diverse professionals off the ladder, and how to fix them.
Safety and performance
How psychological safety improves on-site safety, innovation and project outcomes.
Drop the mask
Permission to step out from behind perfectionism so honesty outpaces the fear of speaking up.

Michelle performing on stage with a microphone

Michelle hosting a live She Who Dares Wins panel

Michelle interviewing racing drivers for International Women's Day

What people are saying

“Michelle was an excellent speaker, her insight into construction and how we can all become allies is incredibly valuable.”

— Michael Page

“Right from the moment Michelle took the stage, her energy was awesome, every story had a lesson that was hard to ignore.”

— NAWIC

“Michelle, your stories are epic.”

— Joe Marler, England Rugby

“Michelle's experience in construction with boots on the ground gives her such a unique perspective that really inspired us.”

— WOW Foundation

Trusted by

Bosch
Sage
Department for Education
Leeds Beckett University
NatWest
Michael Page
NAWIC
Leading Builder / Building Leader

Book Michelle for your event.

Conferences, company days, schools and community events — keynotes, workshops, panels and hosting.

michelle@shewhodareswins.com Download speaker sheet (PDF)