Breaking Barriers: Women, Business, and the Power of Dyslexia
For International Women’s day I wanted to share Wendy’s story and highlight female talent.
Dyslexia is often misunderstood in the workplace, viewed as a challenge rather than a unique advantage. For women in business, especially those with neurodivergent traits, the professional landscape can feel like an uphill battle. But as Wendy Kier’s journey proves, dyslexia can be a driving force for resilience, innovation, and success.
Wendy’s Story: Overcoming the Odds
Wendy Kier’s early experiences with dyslexia were marked by struggle and misunderstanding. Diagnosed late in her teens, she faced an education system unprepared to support neurodivergent minds. Leaving school at 15 with minimal qualifications, her only formal certification being in woodwork, she entered the workforce with no clear career path.
Like many young people at the time, Wendy took part in Youth Training Schemes (YTS), which provided on-the-job training. This style of employment and training suited Wendy as there was minimal requirement for literacy skills. She worked in retail, photography, and catering, but none of these roles led to long-term career stability. Without structured support for her dyslexia, she struggled with workplace communication, written tasks, and the rigid expectations of traditional employment.
One of her longest-standing jobs was working for the YWCA, where she took on the role of a deputy director, although, in reality, this meant handling the day-to-day operations, placing residents, and maintaining the facilities. Despite being in a position of responsibility, and enjoying the role, Wendy still felt like she was drifting from job to job, unable to find an environment that truly supported her way of thinking.
Seeking change, she travelled for several years before deciding to pursue youth and community work, a field where she felt she could make a real impact. But the obstacles were far from over.
The Struggle for Understanding in the Workplace
Wendy’s passion for helping others led her into the youth work and health and social care sectors. However, despite the fact that these industries are built around empathy and inclusion, Wendy encountered a shocking lack of understanding from her employers when it came to her dyslexia.
At first, her workplaces seemed accommodating. They provided assistive technology and computers. But the real problem wasn’t the tools; it was the culture. Beyond the basic adjustments, there was no real understanding of how dyslexia personally affected Wendy around communication, workflow, or the way she processed information.
Managers often misinterpreted her direct communication style as blunt or rude. Short emails were criticised, she talks about not realising the use of capital letters were taken as shouting, and her struggles with written clarity led to constant misunderstandings. Rather than working with her to develop strategies, Wendy’s employers dismissed her concerns and placed the burden of adaptation entirely on her.
The pressure to conform to neurotypical expectations became overwhelming. As many individuals with dyslexia, she found herself over compensating. She worked longer hours than anyone else, arriving first and leaving last, desperately trying to prove herself. But no matter how hard she worked; she was never truly accepted. Eventually, the situation deteriorated into outright discrimination.
When she finally spoke up about the unfair treatment, she found herself being pushed out. HR was uninterested, management ignored her concerns, and eventually, her entire workplace turned against her. Feeling trapped in an impossible situation, Wendy did the only thing she could, she walked out.
The experience left her deeply shaken. Not only had she lost her job, but she had been dehumanised in an industry that was supposed to care for people. Determined not to let the system break her, she took legal action, suing for disability discrimination. The battle was necessary, but it was also retraumatising.
After going through yet another cycle of exclusion and misunderstanding, Wendy made a life-changing decision: she would never work for someone else again.
This decision led her to finally find self-employment, first as a life coach, and eventually as the founder of EmpowerAI™, a business that helps neurodivergent entrepreneurs use AI to level the playing field and all solopreneurs to enhance their workflows and efficiency.
Barred from Higher Education: Fighting for a Place
Leading up to this change in career, determined to gain formal qualifications, Wendy applied to several universities to study youth and community work. But despite her passion and experience, she was repeatedly rejected due to her dyslexia. Universities dismissed her applications, claiming that her spelling was too poor for academic study.
Her breakthrough came when the youth service she worked for partnered with a university, they sponsored candidates for higher education. Even then, the admissions panel was reluctant, until a woman who knew Wendy personally fought for her place, arguing that her abilities far exceeded what was reflected in her written work.
That fight was worth it. Wendy not only completed her course but graduated at the top of her class, a powerful rebuttal to those who had underestimated her potential.
Still, the challenges didn’t end there. Later in her journey, she attempted to pursue a Master’s in Health and Social Care through the Open University. She excelled in coursework, scoring around 90% on assignments. However, when it came to the exam, a format heavily reliant on traditional test-taking, she received just 3%. This clear disparity in scores should have been identified and addressed. Wendy felt that although she was given extra time, it simply wasn’t the right answer to support her needs in exams. Again, this is an indication of maladaptive reasonable adjustments because a blanket accommodation was made, rather than looking at the individual’s needs.
Despite the unfairness of the system, Wendy took the experience in stride. She had already learned what she needed, and she refused to let a flawed testing process define her intelligence or capabilities. Instead, she turned her focus to self-education and entrepreneurship, investing in countless courses to build her skills on her own terms.
Dyslexia as a Strength in Business
While many might see dyslexia as a limitation, Wendy recognised its hidden strengths. She discovered that her dyslexic mind was wired for problem-solving, seeing patterns, connections, and solutions that others might miss. Whenever she saw a barrier, she found a way around it. This truly demonstrates Wendy’s powerful resilience. This natural ability to think outside the box led her to explore the world of AI, where she saw an opportunity not just for herself, but for others like her.
However, her journey into self-employment wasn’t easy. When she first became a life coach, Wendy excelled in understanding people, offering deep insights, and helping clients through personal transformation. Her natural empathy, ability to connect the dots, and unique way of thinking made her a powerful coach. But despite being highly skilled in supporting others, she struggled with the business side of things.
Marketing, sales, structuring offers, and creating content felt overwhelming. Like many new business owners, she didn’t know what she didn’t know, but for Wendy, her dyslexia added an extra layer of challenge. The process of writing promotional materials, managing admin tasks, and navigating complex business strategies felt like hitting a brick wall. Without the right systems in place, she found herself stuck, frustrated, and unable to scale.
This experience was a turning point. Wendy realised that intelligence and talent alone weren’t enough, she needed the right tools to bridge the gap between her strengths and the practical demands of running a business. That’s when she discovered AI, and everything changed.
With AI, she could quickly structure her thoughts, articulate her expertise, and create content without the barriers that had held her back. What once took hours of mental effort could now be streamlined in minutes. The technology didn’t replace her skills, it unlocked her potential.
This revelation became the foundation of EmpowerAI™, her business dedicated to helping other entrepreneurs use AI to overcome their struggles and thrive in business.
EmpowerAI™: Transforming Business for Entrepreneurs
Wendy’s latest venture, EmpowerAI™, is a testament to the power of innovation and adaptability. Recognising that AI could bridge the communication and organisational gaps she once struggled with, she built a business that helps entrepreneurs, harness AI to streamline their work. It is a benefit to all but creates a level playing for neurodivergent individuals.
AI has become a game-changer for Wendy. It allows her to articulate ideas quickly, structure her thoughts, and create content without the usual barriers that dyslexia presents. Through EmpowerAI™, she helps others use AI as a personal assistant, creating tailored solutions that enhance communication, workflow, and business strategy.
Her vision is clear: AI should not replace human intelligence, but amplify it. For neurodivergent professionals, AI can act as a virtual team, helping with everything from written communication to strategic planning. She feels that AI should be part of the reasonable adjustment support package for all neurodivergent employees. In fact. she’d go so far as to say it should be a package provided by Access to Work.
She feels there are still concerns around AI which are very misunderstood and at the represent time, this is creating barriers for employers to offer this to employees. She feels more training and awareness is required for employers, as the benefits it offers employees is phenomenal.
The Future of Work: A Call for Change
Wendy’s story is a powerful reminder that workplaces need to move beyond surface-level accommodations. Providing dyslexic employees with software tools is not enough, true inclusion requires understanding, flexibility, and a shift in mindset.
For women in business, particularly those with neurodivergent traits, the journey may be tougher, but it is far from impossible. Wendy’s success with EmpowerAI™ highlights the importance of embracing our differences, leveraging technology, and creating our own paths when traditional structures fail us.
Final Thoughts
Dyslexia does not have to be a limitation, some call it a superpower, others might not stretch that far in their description. Women like Wendy Kier prove that with the right tools, mindset, and resilience, neurodivergence can be an asset in business. As AI continues to evolve, it offers new opportunities for those who think differently to thrive in ways they never thought possible.
If Wendy’s story resonates with you, consider exploring EmpowerAI™ and discover how AI can transform your workflow, boost your confidence, and help you achieve your business goals, on your own terms.
