Natasha Gladman is the founder of Flintlock, a strategic consultancy built from lived experience, resilience, and a deep understanding of what modern leadership truly demands. With a background in large corporates and a journey shaped by motherhood, ambition, and choice, Natasha’s story reflects the realities many women face when balancing career growth with personal fulfillment. Humans of Fuzia features her journey because it speaks directly to women across our 5M+ global community who are navigating leadership, redefining success, and courageously choosing what works for them.
Q: What inspired you to start your entrepreneurial journey?
I think it really stems from my upbringing. Both my parents had their own businesses, so I grew up seeing that drive, determination, and independence firsthand. That mindset stayed with me and naturally shaped how I approached my own career.
Q: How did Flintlock come into existence?
Flintlock came out of necessity. I was working in a corporate role at the time, with two young children, and the lack of flexibility made things incredibly difficult. Fourteen years ago, working partly from home wasn’t something that worked smoothly for anyone. I realised that if I wanted to continue doing meaningful, high-impact work while being present for my family, I needed to create something of my own. That’s when Flintlock was born—allowing me to take my corporate experience and apply it across different organisations in a more flexible way.
Q: What were some of the biggest challenges you faced while building your business?
Without question, the hardest part of running your own business is winning new work. Doing the work itself is often the easy part—clients are happy once you deliver. But finding that consistent pipeline of projects is extremely challenging. There’s no magic formula. We’ve tried almost everything, and ultimately it always comes back to relationships and networks. Most work comes from people who already know and trust you.
Q: What has been your proudest milestone so far?
Reaching the ten-year mark was huge. Surviving and growing through a decade—especially navigating COVID and completely pivoting what we offer—felt like a real achievement. I’m also proud that we work with a wide range of clients, from major FMCG and retail brands to smaller local businesses, and are able to deliver value across that spectrum.
Q: Do you work solo or with a team?
I’m absolutely a team player. I could never do this alone. I work with a brilliant group of associates—sometimes up to fifteen people depending on the project. Many of them have been with me for over five years. We have strategists, creatives, and on-the-ground marketers, which allows us to offer a full, well-rounded approach.
Q: How has your client base evolved over the years?
Interestingly, the number of active clients hasn’t changed much, but who those clients are has. We’re a strategy agency, and the kind of work we do is often needed only once every several years. That means projects are impactful but finite, so we’re always needing to refill the pipeline with new clients.
Q: What are your thoughts on women empowerment and leadership today?
Empowerment requires a support system. It’s much easier to be empowered when you don’t have caregiving responsibilities, but once children enter the picture, everything changes. I don’t believe there’s a perfect setup where nothing gives way—something always has to shift. For me, stepping out of corporate life and creating my own organisation allowed me to set my own rules and build a structure that worked for my life.
Q: What advice would you give to aspiring women leaders and entrepreneurs?
The most important thing is to be happy. The bravest thing you can do is to admit when something isn’t working and choose to change it. We often stay in situations because they’re familiar, but real courage lies in making different choices. When you’re happy, the people around you benefit too—when you’re not, no one really is.
Q: What does success mean to you today?
Success, both personally and professionally, is happiness—but happiness built on purpose. Feeling fulfilled, doing some good, helping others, having meaning in what you do. It’s not one thing; it’s a system of things working together.
“The bravest thing you can do is change what no longer makes you happy—because when you’re fulfilled, everyone around you feels it too.”
Connect with Natasha Gladman:
- LinkedIn: Tasha Gladman | LinkedIn
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