A visionary entrepreneur who has built three game-changing businesses, Sahar Hashemi turns ideas into brands and reignites entrepreneurial energy where it’s been lost. From revolutionizing coffee culture with Coffee Republic to building Buy Women Built into a powerful brand, she proves that momentum—not waiting for certainty—creates change. But in many organizations, that momentum is hard to find. Too... Read more
This is, Sahar Hashemi OBE
Sahar Hashemi on Fear & Female Leadership
Sahar Hashemi, Showreel | London Speaker Bureau
Sahar Hashemi, Keynote Speaker | London Speaker Bureau
Sahar Hashemi, Curiosity
A visionary entrepreneur who has built three game-changing businesses, Sahar Hashemi turns ideas into brands and reignites entrepreneurial energy where it’s been lost. From revolutionizing coffee culture with Coffee Republic to building Buy Women Built into a powerful brand, she proves that momentum—not waiting for certainty—creates change.
But in many organizations, that momentum is hard to find. Too often, structures, processes, and habits built for a different era remain, even as customers, competitors, and industries evolve. The result? Ways of thinking and working that no longer match the speed of the world outside. Entrepreneurial energy—the very force that drives innovation, momentum, and bold action—gets buried. It is lost under layers of process, fear, and the comfort of certainty. Leaders hesitate. Decision-making slows. Over-cautiousness takes hold. Customer connection fades. And with it, so does growth.
Sahar Hashemi knows how to ignite entrepreneurial energy—because she’s done it again and again. She has turned ideas from scratch into brands that disrupt industries and shift consumer behaviour.
She transformed the UK from a nation of tea drinkers to coffee lovers when she co-founded Coffee Republic, the country’s first US-style coffee chain. She changed consumer habits again with Skinny Candy, bringing sugar-free treats into the mainstream.
And now, with Buy Women Built (BWB), she has not just built a brand but a movement—one that is redefining how consumers and retailers see women built brands.
What started as a single tweet during the pandemic is now a commercial movement, transforming how consumers see women-built brands. With a community of 2,000+ women-built businesses generating over £2.5 billion in turnover, BWB is shifting buying habits at scale. BWB launched the world’s first women-built “aisle” on Ocado, proving that visibility drives sales. Major retailers—including Whole Foods, QVC, Planet Organic, and TikTok Shop—have embraced BWB, integrating it into their stores and platforms.
Her pioneering book, Anyone Can Do It, was the first to strip away the myths of entrepreneurship and reveal its messy, real-world reality, inspiring thousands of entrepreneurs worldwide. It became the UK’s second highest-selling book on entrepreneurship. Her insights into how bureaucracy, perfectionism, and the need for certainty kill momentum led to Start-Up Forever, a Financial Times Book of the Month, and a playbook for leaders to keep the startup spark alive—before it gets buried.
Her contributions have been recognized globally: a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum, a Pioneer to the Life of the Nation by Queen Elizabeth II, and an OBE for services to the economy and charity. She has been a member of the UK Secretary of State for Business’ Entrepreneurs Forum and co-chaired UK Government Scale Up Taskforce with the Minister For Business.
Sahar doesn’t give audiences theory. She reconnects them to what they already have—the energy, creativity, and courage buried under old habits, process, and fear. Through powerful storytelling and real-world experience, she reignites the urgency to move, the boldness to act, and the deep connection to customers that fuels innovation and impact.
She doesn’t just talk about entrepreneurial energy—she makes people feel it. And when they feel it, they act.
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You can book Sahar Hashemi OBE through London Speaker Bureau by submitting the enquiry form on this page or calling our team. One of our consultants will respond promptly with Sahar's current availability, speaking fees and any specific requirements for your event.
Sahar Hashemi OBE's speaking fees depend on the event format (in-person or virtual), the location, the length of the engagement and the level of customisation required. Please contact London Speaker Bureau for an up-to-date fee quote for Sahar tailored to your event.
Sahar Hashemi OBE speaks on Authors, Business & Management, Entrepreneurial, Inspirational Women, Leadership & Motivation. Talks can be shaped around your audience, industry and strategic objectives - share your event brief with London Speaker Bureau and we will work with Sahar to align the content with your delegates and goals.
London Speaker Bureau can book Sahar Hashemi OBE for events worldwide, subject to Sahar's schedule. Please send us your event date, location and format and we will confirm availability and handle travel and logistics on your behalf.
Virtual and hybrid keynotes are now a standard part of the speaking industry. Please contact London Speaker Bureau to confirm whether Sahar Hashemi OBE is available to deliver a virtual session for your event and on which platform (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, a bespoke studio or your own).
Most keynote speeches run between 45 and 60 minutes, often followed by a 15-30 minute Q&A. Other formats - shorter conference slots, panel appearances or longer workshop sessions - may also be possible. Share your agenda with London Speaker Bureau and we will confirm what Sahar can accommodate.
London Speaker Bureau will brief Sahar Hashemi OBE on your audience profile, sector and objectives so the keynote can be shaped around your event. The level of customisation possible depends on the speaker and the lead time - contact us with your brief and we will confirm what Sahar can offer.
Sahar Hashemi OBE delivers keynotes in English. This profile may not list every language available; ask London Speaker Bureau to confirm. If you require simultaneous interpretation or a multilingual format, please mention this in your enquiry and London Speaker Bureau will arrange it for you.
Sahar Hashemi OBE's areas of expertise include Authors, Business & Management, Entrepreneurial, Inspirational Women, Leadership & Motivation. To get a clear sense of Sahar's style, credentials and how they engage an audience, please review the biography, popular talks and any videos or testimonials shown on this page, or request a detailed speaker brief from London Speaker Bureau.
Sahar Hashemi OBE can be booked through London Speaker Bureau for corporate conferences, leadership events, internal team meetings, association gatherings and private client engagements where expertise in Authors, Business & Management, Entrepreneurial, Inspirational Women, Leadership & Motivation is relevant. Details of Sahar's background and previous engagements are included in the biography above; contact us if you would like a more detailed list of past clients or case studies.
Beyond keynote speeches, many of the speakers on our roster also take part in workshops, executive masterclasses, panel discussions and fireside chats. Contact London Speaker Bureau with your preferred format and we will confirm what Sahar Hashemi OBE is able to offer alongside or instead of a keynote.
We generally recommend enquiring at least three to twelve months in advance to secure your preferred date with Sahar Hashemi OBE, particularly during peak conference seasons. Where possible we also accommodate shorter lead times - please contact London Speaker Bureau to check Sahar's current availability for your dates.