E9: Kathy Rhodes - K is for Kaleidoscope

In this episode of Her Time, Her Place, I sat down with Kathy Rhodes, founder of Held and Free, for a powerful conversation about purpose, resilience, and the path that led her from corporate marketing to social entrepreneurship. Kathy shares how an early academic opportunity shaped her curious, non-linear career, and how roles in PR, the Cancer Council, luxury brands in London, financial services, and business strategy all helped build the skills she uses today. Kathy opens up about the defining life moments that changed everything: the loss of close family members in the Laos plane crash, her own cervical cancer diagnosis during the pandemic, and the experience of watching a friend fall through the cracks during a crisis.That experience became the spark for Held and Free, a social enterprise and not-for-profit designed to support women in business through personal crisis so their livelihoods can continue. Kathy explains how the model works, why it matters, and how support, advice, and practical intervention can help women stay afloat when life gets hard.Along the way, she reflects on ADHD, late diagnosis, grief, strength, kindness, and why women need more than applause - the ones who “get the wipes” in the hard moments. Her closing insight, “K stands for Kaleidoscope,” is a beautiful reminder that every woman’s lived experience creates a unique and valuable contribution.This is an honest, moving, and huge hearted episode about building something bigger than yourself and standing in the gap for women who need it most.WebsitesHeld and Free - https://www.heldfree.com/Kathy Rhodes on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathy-rhodes/