”Windows of Joy.” Series 4, Episode 6. Sophy Norris in conversation with Natalie Abou-Alwan, Author of How To Navigate Your Career Like a Legend

Our first podcast of 2026 is a candid conversation about being a woman in a highly corporate environment and the importance of sharing our life experiences so that we can all learn from them.

In this Episode our host Sophy Norris speaks to former lawyer and GC, and now first-time author, Natalie Abou-Alwan.

Natalie is a London-based lawyer with over 25 years of experience across leading City and Wall Street firms, multi-national giants such as JPMorgan, Chase Bank and BP p.l.c., as well as smaller businesses. She is recognised in the Legal500 GC Powerlist as a Rising Star. She is a respected voice in the international energy sector, and beyond her legal work, Natalie has served as a charity trustee and adviser, and actively mentors professionals across a diverse range of backgrounds.

Natalie also has a passion for arts and creativity in all their forms, a passion which has recently been realised in the publication of her first book – How to Navigate Your Career Like a Legend. More than a book, it is a companion to anyone seeking to make their mark in the corporate world, peppered with practical advice, stories from Natalie’s own career and her own illustrations.

This fascinating conversation covers:

• Being fuelled by negative feedback and experience, and why learning from challenging times is so impactful
• Recognising there is only so much we can control, so stop worrying about the rest of it!
• Why drive and success includes working hard, and why our biggest competitor is ourselves
• Putting oversleves in other people's shoes is a woman's superpower
• The importance of finding balance in our working lives, fuelling our passions and finding windows of joy
• How we dress and look can boost confidence and resilience
• Managing tricky advances in the workplace, and understanding who has your back
• And having the clarity to see that difficult situations are often not about you, but about the other person/people involved
• The importance of self-compassion, of having time to manage outside forces at work, but put them on the clock, and move forward
• Why networking can feel like a loaded word, but it is not cheating; it is helping you grow
• And how networking needs to be supported in the workplace, at all levels and across all diversities
• Managing toxic workplaces, taking power back and not giving it away

• Home - lollipop mentoring
• Look Good Feel Better
• Smart Works
• The Dangerous Women Collective | LinkedIn
• LinkedIn - Sophy Norris
• LinkedIn - Natalie Abou-Alwan
• How to Navigate Your Career Like A Legend on Amazon