Graduate Spotlight – Positive Psychology for Female Entrepreneurs (Nonie White)
Nonie White is a Certified Positive Psychology Practitioner (Coaching) who graduated from the Level 5 Diploma in Positive Psychology Coaching Practice in 2024. Below is an interview with Ola Hardbattle on her experience and research publication on the psychological reality of female entrepreneurs, which she has co-authored with Yvonne Biggins titled “The True Cost of Female Entrepreneurship”.
Tell us, what first inspired you to become a certified Positive Psychology Practitioner?
I discovered Positive Psychology when going through a tough time some years ago. I must have googled something that led me to the theory behind a gratitude practice and from there, I was hooked! A few years later I took a foundational CPD course in Positive Psychology and then an advanced one. I integrated Positive Psychology into my life, my parenting and finally my work, which at that time was supporting other female entrepreneurs to build businesses around their families and to thrive.
In 2021, I trained as an ICF ACC coach and realised I wanted a comprehensive and authoritative training in Positive Psychology, so I could make that my focus. That’s when I signed up to work with the Guild.
How did you find balancing your studies with running your established coaching practice? Were there any surprising insights or strengths you discovered during that time?
Honestly, I found it hard. I’ve got a young family and a coaching practice.
Love of learning is a key strength, which meant I was very happy reading extensively and losing myself in writing assignments for weeks on end – but less happy when I didn’t have periods available to do the deep work I wanted to be doing. I tried to divide my week between work and study, but largely ended up working in sprints around assignment deadlines. Once I took myself away for a night to a hotel just to power through an assignment, stopping only for food and a swim!
I realised that being a student, for me, is much the same as being an entrepreneur. I love the freedom to learn and be creative, so much so that I have to remember to be mindful about my wellbeing and to take breaks. Otherwise, in both instances, I am driven by my strengths to do more and could just keep on working, despite the diminishing returns!
What led you and your colleague to research the psychological reality of female entrepreneurs?
I’ve been a student of entrepreneurship or an entrepreneur for over a decade now, with a particular interest in supporting female entrepreneurs to not only survive, but to thrive.
18 months ago, I met my now co-author, Yvonne Biggins, a MAPP graduate with a similar academic background to mine. We bonded over wanting to apply Positive Psychology to support founders and the entrepreneurial ecosystem more broadly, but we weren’t sure what we could do, or how we could do it best.
We decided to do some market research and started with female founders, as they face the largest barriers to flourishing. As soon as we started conducting long-form interviews, we knew there was a bigger story that needed to told and that’s when we decided to launch a survey and create a report.
In our report, “The True Cost of Female Entrepreneurship”, Yvonne and I interviewed and surveyed nearly 250 female founders, from solo entrepreneurs to and scale-ups. The findings go far beyond the typical funding disparity headlines to reveal the true physical and mental toll of working in today’s inequitable system.
From a Positive Psychology perspective, what key insight stood out to you the most from the “True Cost of Female Entrepreneurship” report?
We were delighted when the research findings echoed Positive Psychology research!
As we explored the data, it quickly became evident why 54% of female founders are burning out. It’s not just the “usual” entrepreneurial stress – it’s a perfect storm of systemic disadvantages (funding, support, role models), compounded by biology (childbirth, hormones) and society (the lionshare of caring and domestic responsibilities).
What stood out most for me however, was that certain behaviours differentiated those founders who flourished despite these challenges, from those who struggled.
They were:
- Seeking Support – Building connections through coaching, mentorship, and peer networks
- Health and Fitness – Prioritising physical wellbeing as a foundation for performance
- Nature as Medicine – Spending time outdoors to reduce stress and gain perspective
- Making Time for Joy – Prioritising fun and hobbies to boost creativity and resilience
- Mindfulness and Spirituality – Using meditation and spiritual practices to manage stress
- Managing Negative Thinking – Actively addressing negative thought patterns
These female founders, many of whom had never heard of Positive Psychology, were naturally gravitating toward the practices that research shows are fundamental to human flourishing. They weren’t working harder than their peers, but they were intentionally working differently. They were intentionally cultivating their wellbeing for better quality of life and business performance.
We were delighted that we could then illustrate these findings further with insights and theories from Positive Psychology. It reinforced my belief that Positive Psychology isn’t just a nice-to-have theory – it’s a practical, evidence-based toolkit for entrepreneurial success.
How has your training in the Positive Psychology Practice informed both your research and your ongoing work with female founders?
In my work with female founders, I combine executive coaching with Positive Psychology. My primary coaching programme looks at how founders can become the outstanding entrepreneurs and leaders that they want to be, through stepping into authentic self-leadership. My coaching is all strengths-based and hope-oriented. We start by building their wellbeing and performance foundations, before embarking on a journey of self-discovery (values, character strengths, preferences) and working towards their Best Possible Self. There’s usually a lot of learning about managing negative thought patterns, the power of positive emotions, hope and self-compassion along the way too.
As an entrepreneur and researcher, I regularly check with myself that I’m applying my strengths, working in alignment with my values and looking after my wellbeing foundations. Myself and my co-author of the report often joke that all the quotes from overworked, exhausted and overtired women could equally be ours. Luckily, we have the self-awareness, theories and tools to support ourselves as soon as we realise we need an early night, some support or a walk in nature!
Looking ahead, what areas of support for female entrepreneurs’ wellbeing are you most excited to explore or develop further?
Yvonne and I have created an organisation called Positive Entrepreneurship – which seeks to make entrepreneurship a positive force for good, for individuals, organisations and planet. [If this is interesting to any reader, please do get in touch.]
I’m looking forward to running some group Mastermind programmes for founders, which speak to the need for community, peer mentorship and accountability around wellbeing / resilience practices. We’re also looking forward to working with starts-ups and VC funds to develop support for founders and founding teams.
I’m also looking forward to embarking on some further studies in somatic coaching later this year, to explore how this can further support my work with entrepreneurs.
What advice would you give to other Positive Psychology Practitioners interested in conducting research within their area of practice?
Start with the end in mind: Who is it for? What format is it going to be in? What are you going to do with it? When will you launch it? We did not do this, but with hindsight I wish we had. Equally, if, like us, you’re not writing for academic publication, get a sponsor.
What strengths or values have you found most essential in your journey as a practitioner, researcher, and entrepreneur?
My core strengths include love, love of learning, hope and honesty, and appreciation of beauty and excellence. These serve me well with coaching, researching and building my business. Fairness also gives me courage to keep speaking up about gender inequality.
A big thank you to Nonie for sharing her inspiring journey, valuable insights, and commitment to creating a more supportive landscape for female entrepreneurs. Her work is a powerful example of Positive Psychology in action—rooted in values, driven by purpose, grounded in science, and with a real-world impact.
About Nonie White
Nonie White is a leading expert in applying Positive Psychology to entrepreneurship. She is a Certified Positive Psychology Practitioner, Researcher and ICF ACC Coach, who supports founders through 121 coaching and founder masterminds to become outstanding, authentic leaders, with sustainable success. The report “The True Cost of Female Entrepreneurship” is co-authored by Nonie White and Yvonne Biggins and available at Positive Entrepreneurship.