Amanda de Cadenet

My kids see feminism in action every day, and leading by imperfect example is how I'm raising them.

I've built 'The Conversation' from the ground up with no business training.

I've worked very hard on my self-esteem, and I know my value.

From the ages of 12 to 35 my body, not my mind, was my primary currency. My ideas, my humor, my curiosity - none of those were valued as much as my body, which preceded me into almost every room.

It doesn't matter how many people adore you or how skinny, successful, smart, talented, funny, kind, or compassionate you are. None of it matters if you don't see your wonderful self.

You never know how your kids are going to turn out. You can raise them with all the best intentions, and then they're own people, and they have their own inner conflicts. You just hope you've given them some good stuff to navigate with.

I tend to side with people who are considered the underdog. I have empathy.

As women, we're trying to be the best mothers and partners and have careers. We're trying to do so much. It's okay to say to other women, 'How do you do this?' Because I honestly don't know. The more we are honest, the more you realize we're all just trying to figure this out.

I think that the friendship that women share is so powerful. In fact, there's nothing quite like it. People talk about mother-child bonds, but I would argue that female friendship bond is also in a league unto its own.

From 12-year-old girls to 70-year-old matriarchs, I know hundreds of women who have some sort of body image issue. This is sad and seriously worrying, but it's true, and it's why I feel some kind of social responsibility to do what I can to show a variety of body types in fashion magazines.

I was put in White City children's home when I was 15.

The power that you have as a young woman, unless you have great self-esteem, is largely based on how the rest of the world reacts to you. And so it's kind of a superficial confidence that you have, you know?