Dame Stephanie “Steve” Shirley: Technology, Innovation & Changing the Future of Work

Dame Stephanie “Steve” Shirley is a pioneering figure in technology whose career challenged traditional ideas about software companies and workplace culture. In 1962, she founded Freelance Programmers, a software firm built around innovative practices and a workforce that was primarily women.

Her story reflects a commitment to creating opportunities, supporting others, and using technology as a force for positive change. After a groundbreaking career in software, she dedicated much of her time to giving back to society.

In this episode:

  • Founding Freelance Programmers
  • Women in technology leadership
  • Innovative workplace practices
  • The history of software entrepreneurship
  • Giving back through technology

Topics: technology, software industry, women in tech, entrepreneurship, innovation, leadership

Roundabout: Creative Chaos is a podcast hosted by Tammy Coron exploring creativity, design, and technology. Listen at https://roundaboutcreativechaos.com and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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Dame Stephanie Shirley
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Dame Stephanie Shirley

Stephanie boarded the Kindertransport from Vienna to London at age five in 1939, then in 1962 built a software company from her dining table — staffed almost entirely by women working from home — that reached a valuation of $3 billion and made more than 70 of its staff millionaires. She gave away nearly £70 million before her death in August 2025.

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