Esther Ijewere of Women of Rubies on Turning Women's Stories Into Visibility That Opens Doors

Esther Ijewere is a media and communications strategist, facilitator and speaker, and the Founder of Women of Rubies, a media platform and communications business that began as a newspaper column and has grown into a global platform over ten years. Through Women of Rubies and her work with Guardian Woman, she has spotlighted more than 3,000 women, and the Media Visibility Bootcamp has trained more than 600 entrepreneurs.

In this Q&A, Esther shares what sparked Women of Rubies and what has kept her going, what a decade of telling women's stories has taught her about how visibility changes things for women in business and leadership, and what is next, including the growth of the Rubies Collective membership community.

Her story is a reminder that excellent work does not always speak for itself, and that visibility works best when it comes with substance, a clear message and a practical way for people to engage.

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Q: What began as a newspaper column has grown into a global platform over ten years. What sparked it in the beginning, and what has kept you going?

Women of Rubies began with a conviction: there were too many women doing meaningful work whose stories were not being told. I wanted to create space for women whose contributions deserved recognition, including those building businesses, serving their communities and creating change without a public platform.

The newspaper column gave that vision a home. Over time, I recognised that telling a woman’s story could also help her communicate her value, build credibility and connect with opportunities. That understanding shaped the growth of Women of Rubies into a media platform and communications business.

What has kept me going is seeing what happens after a story is published: a woman becomes more confident about her work, someone discovers her business, or a connection opens a new door. Building this platform has required persistence, especially while navigating entrepreneurship, migration and motherhood. But the purpose has remained clear. I want more women to have access to the recognition and opportunities their work deserves.

Q: After a decade of telling women’s stories, what have you learned about how visibility changes things for women in business and leadership?

I have learned that excellent work does not always speak for itself. People need to understand what you do, who benefits and why your contribution matters.

For women in business, visibility can help potential customers discover their services and understand why they should trust them. For women in leadership, it can make their expertise and impact more recognisable to people making decisions about appointments, partnerships and speaking opportunities.

But visibility needs substance and direction. Being seen is only the beginning. A clear message, evidence of your work and a practical way for people to engage with you are what make that attention useful.

Through Women of Rubies and my work with Guardian Woman, we have spotlighted more than 3,000 women. Our Media Visibility Bootcamp has also trained more than 600 entrepreneurs. Across that work, one lesson keeps returning: women need both a platform and the tools to communicate their value confidently. That is why our work now combines storytelling with media strategy, training and practical support.

Q: What’s next for you and Women of Rubies?

The next chapter is about building a stronger, sustainable business around the impact we have created.

For Women of Rubies, that means expanding our media and communications services, developing more partnerships with organisations, and delivering workshops that help founders, professionals and teams communicate their expertise. We are also growing the Rubies Collective, our membership community, to offer ongoing visibility support, resources and meaningful connections beyond a single feature or event.

Personally, I am deepening my work as a media and communications strategist, facilitator and speaker. I am particularly interested in helping founders and leaders build credible public profiles while protecting the reputations they are working hard to establish.

My ambition is for Women of Rubies to be a trusted partner that helps women and organisations tell their stories clearly, demonstrate their value and create opportunities for growth.

Learn more about Esther’s work: estherijewere.com

Explore Women of Rubies: womenofrubies.com

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