Celebrating Women in Business: Kat Whittaker and Kirstie Nickson, Founders of IOM Women's Collective

As part of our International Women's Day 2025 celebrations, we're shining a spotlight on inspiring women in business across the Isle of Man.

We spoke to Kat Whittaker and Kirstie Nickson, founders of the Isle of Man (IoM) Women's Collective, about their journey creating a supportive space for women leaders and entrepreneurs, the importance of community, and the positive impact their organisation has made in its first year.

What is the IoM Women’s Collective?

The Isle of Man Women’s Collective is a networking and membership organisation that aims to provide women leaders and entrepreneurs with a supportive and empowering community, somewhere they can meet and connect with other like-minded women on the island. 

We launched the group on International Women’s Day 2024 and since then, we’ve hosted multiple networking and panel events across the island, welcoming inspirational female speakers from local businesses to share their insights and expertise on topics including health, wellbeing and finance.

In March this year we also held our first speed networking event, introduced regular sound bath sessions and monthly meet-ups for our members, and announced Manx Breast Cancer Support Group as the Collective’s official charity partner for 2025.

What inspired you to start the IoM Women’s collective?

Both of us run our own businesses as well as manage busy family lives too, so we wanted to create a community that brings women like us together.

There are so many incredible businesses being started by women on the Isle of Man, and so many inspirational women leaders doing amazing things in the organisations they work for.

By bringing these people together to share skills and learn from one another, great things can – and are - happening. We’ve had members feel empowered by the group to review their entire pricing structures, new clients taken on as a direct result of the events we’ve hosted, and more.

We’re constantly inspired by our members and the speakers who take the time to share their expertise with the group.

Can you share a standout moment or achievement that made you feel especially proud?

Anyone who’s been to one of our events will know the magical feeling that happens when you’ve got a room packed full of inspirational women leaders and entrepreneurs. It’s such a supportive environment and standing back, watching people make new connections and in turn, take direct action to change something in their business or their personal lives because of the Collective never fails to make us both very feel incredibly proud.

How can people join the community?

It’s really easy to become a member of the Isle of Man Women’s Collective, giving you free access to most of our events as well as a host of other benefits.

Head to www.iomwomenscollective.com/join to sign up and find out more.