Uplift, the dynamic mentorship and networking initiative dedicated to advancing women in the cycling industry, has unveiled its latest endeavour: the ‘Meet the Mentor’ podcast series. This limited series, sponsored by Shimano, features candid conversations with influential female leaders from the global cycling sector. The inaugural episode premiered on March 2, 2026, following Uplift’s annual International Women’s Day meetup. (bikebiz.com)
The debut episode showcases Alexa Cunningham, Marketing Manager at Shimano, who delves into her journey within the cycling industry. The series aims to amplify the voices of women leaders, offering insights into career navigation, leadership challenges, and resilience strategies. These discussions are particularly pertinent in an industry where 71% of women have contemplated leaving, and representation remains limited, with women occupying just 8% of workshop roles and 19% of customer-facing positions, despite constituting 49% of the UK workforce. (bikebiz.com)
Rachael Burnside, Founder of Uplift and Head of PR & Social at SHIFT Active Media, expressed, “We want to reach more women than we’re able to mentor, and with Shimano’s support, this podcast amplifies the influential voices within our programme and shares their wisdom with the next generation of talent on a much larger scale.” (bikebiz.com)
Alexa Cunningham, Marketing Manager at Shimano and Uplift Mentor, added, “Amplifying women’s voices in cycling is essential to building a stronger, more inclusive industry. Shimano is proud to support the Meet the Mentor podcast and the incredible women who share their stories with honesty, passion, and purpose.” (bikebiz.com)
‘Meet the Mentor’ is available globally on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and YouTube. This initiative builds upon Uplift’s proven impact, which since September 2023 has supported 17 members into promotions or new roles, placed 120 mentees, and engaged over 2,500 attendees at live events worldwide. (bikebiz.com)
For those interested in exploring the series, the first episode featuring Alexa Cunningham is available on Spotify. (rephonic.com)