From Education to Every Cherry: Big stories with fewer barriers with Emma Steel, Head of Every Cherry (Sweet Cherry Publishing)

Emma Steel started her career in teaching and went on to be a Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (known as a SENCO to those in the know). But how did her journey lead her to award-winning independent children’s publisher Sweet Cherry, and how did her experiences feed into the founding of their Every Cherry, their innovative imprint that focuses on bringing high quality reading material to people with a range of learning disabilities and difficulties?

In this fascinating conversation, we speak to Emma about her route from teaching to publishing and how she constantly – and successfully – balances the needs of students and teachers with those of the industry.

Show notes

About Emma

Emma Steel is a Qualified Teacher with seventeen years of experience. She has worked in a variety of SEND schools in the Midlands in roles such as a Teacher, Manager and SENCO. Her passion for – and experience of – education has led her to feel that young people with disabilities really struggle to access engaging and inclusive books. More recently, working as part of a dedicated team at Sweet Cherry Publishing, she has created an imprint solely for people with special educational needs and disabilities – Every Cherry. Emma has also recently won a Publishers Association 2024 People of Publishing Award.

About The BookMachine Podcast

The BookMachine Podcast: Conversations in Publishing shines a light on the unsung heroes of the publishing industry, sharing the career journeys of inspiring people across all departments – from production and marketing, to design, AI, Bookfluencers and more.