Solopreneur of the Year 2025: “Resilience in Love”
On 10th October 2025, at the stunning Coombe Abbey Hotel in Coventry, something truly unexpected happened.
It was nearing the end of the Woman Who Awards ceremony. When I arrived that morning, I never expected to win - in fact, I was still processing the fact that I’d even been named a finalist.
I remember the moment I found out. I had just opened the email and saw the words “You’re a finalist.” I ran upstairs screaming, “I’m a finalist! I’m a finalist!” My mum, who was just about to jump in the shower, came running out in absolute panic - she thought I was shouting “I’m on fire!” 😂 Once she realised, we both just burst out laughing. Little did I know, that was just the beginning.
When I walked into the ballroom at Coombe Abbey, surrounded by women with such powerful stories and incredible businesses, I felt genuinely proud just to be among them. That alone felt like a win.
As the ceremony drew to a close, I felt calm and content. Inspired, even. Then Sandra Garlick MBE took the microphone to announce one final award.
She called up photographer John Cleary from Be More Visible to present it. He looked down at the card, smiled, and said, “Jaya…” - he wasn’t quite sure how to say my last name, but honestly, it didn’t matter. All I heard was Jaya, and my head just floated somewhere up in the clouds.
Woman Who Awards - Solopreneur of the Year 2025
I was absolutely stunned.
That was the moment I was named Solopreneur of the Year 2025.
The Judges’ Words
“Jaya is a teacher, SEND advocate, writer and founder of Bamboo. She is a solo parent to a daughter and pre-verbal autistic son. Having walked the path with purpose, Jaya now supports every student to feel seen and gives them the courage to start on their own path.
Jaya's enthusiasm, professionalism, openness and knowledge totally shone through. When asked why she wanted to win, the judges loved her response: ‘Resilience in Love.’”
Those words moved me deeply - because Resilience in Love isn’t just something I said; it’s something I’ve lived. It’s what Bamboo (Elevate. Balance. Learn.) stands for, and it’s what keeps me going on the hardest days.
What This Moment Means
This award isn’t just about me. Well, maybe a little - I shall embrace this moment for the rest of my life! But, it’s also about every family I’ve supported, every student who’s found their voice, and every parent who’s ever been told “no” and kept going anyway.
It’s about my daughter, who reminds me to dance through life, and my son, whose journey inspired the creation of Bamboo (Elevate. Balance. Learn.).
To be recognised as Solopreneur of the Year is an honour, but more than that, it’s proof that purpose-led, heart-led work truly matters.
From Bamboo Learn to Bamboo Balance and Bamboo Elevate, every part of this mission is rooted in one belief:
When you nurture growth with love, you can change the way the world learns.
This award is a reminder that you can build something meaningful; even from scratch, even alone, even while raising two children - when you lead with love.
💚 Resilience in Love - always.