Debbie Wosskow OBE: The Visionary British Entrepreneur Empowering Women’s Wealth

Who Is Debbie Wosskow OBE?

Debbie Wosskow OBE is a multi-exit British entrepreneur, investor, and business leader celebrated for her pioneering work in the sharing economy, women’s entrepreneurship, and wellness innovation. She has founded and sold multiple companies, built investment networks for female founders, and continues to champion gender equity in business leadership.

As Co-Chair of the UK Government-backed Invest in Women Taskforce, she oversees more than £580 million in capital raised for female-powered businesses. Her achievements span from selling her travel start-up Love Home Swap for $53 million to co-founding AllBright, a global women’s career network.

Beyond business, Debbie Wosskow is recognised for her candid reflections on motherhood, divorce, and reinvention, presenting a powerful example of resilience and authenticity in modern leadership.

Early Life and Education

Born in Sheffield, England, in 1974, Debbie Wosskow grew up in Yorkshire before studying at New College, University of Oxford. She graduated with a Master’s degree in Philosophy and Theology (1992–1995). Her academic background in critical thinking and ethics shaped her later emphasis on purposeful, values-driven entrepreneurship.

From her youth she demonstrated curiosity and creativity—qualities that defined her later business ventures. Debbie often recalls being encouraged by her family to question convention, a mindset that later drove her to disrupt industries and challenge gender inequality in business.

Career Overview: A Serial Entrepreneur and Strategic Investor

Early Ventures: Mantra and Maidthorn Partners

Debbie’s first company, Mantra, was a public relations and marketing consultancy she co-founded in 2000. Under her leadership, the firm built a strong reputation for creativity and growth before being acquired by the Loewy Group in 2007.

After that success, she co-founded Maidthorn Partners (2009 – 2012), an advisory and investment business focused on the creative industries. It was through Maidthorn that Debbie refined her strategic investment instincts and began supporting early-stage entrepreneurs.

Love Home Swap – The $53 Million Exit

In 2011 Debbie launched Love Home Swap, a subscription-based home-exchange platform that became one of the largest of its kind worldwide.

She was inspired by her own family holiday frustrations and the film The Holiday, which sparked the concept of a tech-enabled home-swapping community. Over six years, she scaled the platform to over 100 000 homes across 150 countries.

In 2017 she sold Love Home Swap to Wyndham Destination Networks for US $53 million, marking one of the UK’s standout exits in the sharing-economy sector. The sale established her as a formidable figure in British entrepreneurship and opened new doors for investment and advisory work.

AllBright – Championing Women’s Career Growth

In 2018 Debbie Wosskow co-founded AllBright with fellow entrepreneur Anna Jones. The mission was to create a global career network and community for women. Combining physical member clubs, online learning, mentoring, and events, AllBright grew into one of the most recognisable female-focused business networks in the UK and abroad.

Under her leadership, AllBright helped thousands of women connect, upskill, and fund their businesses. Debbie exited AllBright in September 2022 after four years of growth, leaving behind a strong platform dedicated to professional women’s advancement.

WJV LLP and The Better Menopause

In January 2023 Debbie Wosskow co-founded WJV LLP, a boutique investment and strategic-innovation firm. The company focuses on empowering female founders and connecting diverse venture funds with investors who seek both impact and financial returns.

In February 2023 she also became Executive Chair of The Better Menopause, a science-based wellness company addressing female performance and health at midlife. This venture reflects her advocacy for women’s wellbeing, particularly during perimenopause and menopause, a stage she believes should be about empowerment—not limitation.

Invest in Women Taskforce and Public Roles

In March 2024, Debbie was appointed Co-Chair of the Invest in Women Taskforce, backed by the UK Department for Business and Trade. The initiative is now the world’s largest funding coalition for female entrepreneurs, having raised over £580 million to date.

She also serves as:

• Non-Executive Director of Channel 4

• Senior Advisor to McKinsey & Company

• Board Trustee and Chair of Development Board, Women’s Prize for Fiction

• Board Member, Mayor of London’s Business Advisory Board

Her previous positions include Chair of Sharing Economy UK, Trustee of Hampstead Theatre, and Board Member of the Rose Review on female entrepreneurship.

Honours and Recognition

Debbie Wosskow was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2016 for services to business and entrepreneurship.
In 2019 she received the Freedom of the City of London, recognising her contribution to enterprise and gender equality.

She is consistently featured among the UK’s Top 100 Most Influential Women in Business, and she holds “Top Voice” status on LinkedIn for leadership and entrepreneurship commentary.

Debbie Wosskow as a Speaker and Public Influencer

Debbie Wosskow is an established speaker and thought leader who addresses audiences on entrepreneurship, investment, women’s empowerment, and leadership resilience. She frequently appears at business summits, corporate panels, and international conferences.

Her talks focus on key messages such as:

• The power of storytelling in business (“The best story wins”)

• Resilience through adversity (“Rising from the ashes”)

• Empowering women through ownership and investment

• Balancing leadership with authenticity and family

She also uses social media, particularly LinkedIn and Instagram, to share motivational reflections about parenting, failure, and the realities of entrepreneurship.

Personal Life and Family

Debbie Wosskow Married Life and Relationships

Debbie Wosskow’s personal life has been as dynamic as her career. She was previously married and later went through a divorce when her children were very young—her daughter under one year old, and her son aged two. Debbie has openly described this as one of her life’s turning points, a period when she rebuilt herself professionally and emotionally.

Debbie Wosskow Ex-Husband – Chris Guyver

Her former partner, Chris Guyver, is a highly experienced political consultant and Oxford graduate currently associated with Pepper Shackleton Wellard Ltd. Together they share two children—Gracie and Noah—and maintain an amicable, collaborative co-parenting relationship.

Debbie often credits Chris for helping raise their “blended team”, referring warmly to their shared commitment as parents. While she never publicly uses the term “ex-husband”, evidence shows they were long-term partners and co-parents before separating amicably.

Debbie Wosskow Husband – Richard Scawn

Debbie’s current husband is Richard Scawn, a consultant ophthalmologist and oculoplastic surgeon based in London and Buckinghamshire. Richard is actively involved in both NHS and private practice. Debbie refers to him publicly as “my husband Richard Scawn”, often with humour in her posts about fitness and boxing—saying, “I take it out on the pads, or my husband Richard Scawn – apologies Richard!”

Together they form part of a blended, modern family unit with Chris Guyver and their children, balancing work, school life and family celebrations with mutual respect.

Debbie Wosskow Children

Debbie Wosskow has two children:

• Gracie Guyver (born 2011), a sporty and creative student at Wycombe Abbey School; and

• Noah Guyver (born around 2010), recently transitioned from prep school to secondary education.

Debbie frequently shares reflections on motherhood, celebrating small daily moments—school runs, breakfasts, and heart-to-heart talks. She reminds her followers that “it’s the little things that count” and that parental presence outweighs perfection.

Age, Lifestyle and Fitness

Debbie Wosskow Age

As of 2025, Debbie Wosskow is 51 years old, having been born in 6th February 1974. She celebrated her 50th birthday with reflections on health, resilience and women’s empowerment, sharing that “your 50s aren’t the end – they’re the start of the rest of your life.”

Lifestyle and Wellbeing

Debbie maintains a disciplined routine involving daily boxing and strength training. She credits physical activity with boosting focus, sleep and mood. Her philosophy combines mental and physical wellness—she believes consistency is key.

She is also passionate about menopause awareness, stating that “performance in midlife is an untapped asset”. This passion inspired The Better Menopause, her health brand for midlife women.

Debbie Wosskow Net Worth and Financial Standing

Although her exact net worth is not publicly disclosed, multiple indicators suggest she is a multi-millionaire entrepreneur. Her $53 million exit from Love Home Swap, extensive board positions, and strategic investments in female-led funds demonstrate long-term wealth creation.

She has also founded and chaired high-value enterprises such as AllBright, WJV LLP and The Better Menopause. In addition, her role as Co-Chair of the Invest in Women Taskforce positions her among the UK’s top investors driving gender-balanced capital growth.

Debbie Wosskow’s Leadership Philosophy

Purpose and Resilience

Debbie’s leadership approach is anchored in determination and transparency. She often shares that she was “at rock bottom” following her divorce and career challenges but channelled that adversity into Love Home Swap.

Her core philosophy:

• Work is salvation and structure.

• Surround yourself with the right people.

• Believe the sun will shine again.

Advocacy for Women

Her life’s mission is to put more wealth in women’s hands. Through The Better Menopause and the Invest in Women Taskforce, she continues to build ecosystems where women thrive financially and professionally.

Recent News and Professional Highlights

• 2023–2024: Appointed Co-Chair of the Invest in Women Taskforce.

• 2024: Joined Channel 4 as Non-Executive Director.

• 2023: Launched The Better Menopause and WJV LLP.

• 2022: Exited AllBright after four successful years.

• 2017: Sold Love Home Swap for $53 million.

In interviews, Debbie emphasises that she measures success not just in financial returns but in “impact—how many women have access to opportunity, capital and confidence because of what we build.”

Public Persona and Influence

Debbie Wosskow is highly active on LinkedIn and Instagram (@debbiewosskow), sharing posts that blend business insights with personal honesty. She describes Ibiza as her “safe place”, reflecting on both celebrations and recovery periods there.

Her followers admire her for combining ambition with authenticity—she is equally at home in a board meeting, boxing gym, or school event.

She has become a role model for working mothers, female founders, and mid-life professionals redefining success on their own terms.

Legacy and Impact

Debbie Wosskow’s impact extends far beyond entrepreneurship. She has:

• Pioneered female representation in venture capital.

• Advocated for policy change around female entrepreneurship in the UK.

• Built platforms that amplify women’s voices.

• Normalised discussions about menopause, wellness and mental health at work.

Her initiatives have inspired a generation of women to pursue business ownership, leadership and financial independence.

Conclusion: Debbie Wosskow – A Blueprint for Modern Entrepreneurship

Debbie Wosskow OBE embodies the modern British entrepreneur: strategic, empathetic and impact-driven. Her career journey from Sheffield to Oxford to global boardrooms reflects resilience and purpose. Through ventures like Love Home Swap, AllBright and The Better Menopause, she has built an empire of empowerment.

Her personal story – from single mother to investor, from divorce to blended family, from stress to strength – is a powerful reminder that success can coexist with authenticity. Debbie Wosskow’s mission to place more wealth and influence in women’s hands cements her status as a transformative leader in the UK and beyond.

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