Farrah Storr

Biography

Farrah Storr is Head of Substack International, leading the recruitment and support of writers across the newsletter platform's global expansion. An award-winning magazine editor and author, Farrah is also a prominent voice on inequality, social mobility and overcoming barriers to success. She combines her personal story with an exploration of creativity, resilience and leadership.

Throughout her editorial career, Farrah has turned struggling publications into category leaders. At Women's Health UK, she launched the title from scratch with a team of three and built the magazine from an unknown brand with a small budget into the most successful women's magazine launch of the previous 25 years. The British Society of Magazine Editors named her New Editor of the Year in recognition. She followed this success with the appointment as Editor-in-Chief of Cosmopolitan UK, where she turned the struggling-yet-celebrated title into the best-selling UK women's glossy over the course of her four-year tenure. Then as Editor-in-Chief of ELLE UK, she achieved her mission to balance luxury with accessibly and attract more diverse talent to media. She partnered the magazine with the Social Mobility Commission to create a landmark mentorship programme, discovering the next generation of creative talent from economically challenged areas to contribute to the September issue.

Beyond her editorial roles, Farrah has worked extensive to support social mobility and diversity. She was appointed Commissioner of the Social Mobility Commission, and joined the Board of the National Theatre. She has been recognised as one of the 1,000 most powerful people in Britain by The Guardian and was included in the Evening Standard's Progress 1000 list of London's most influential people. She has won Editor of the Year at the British Society of Magazine Editors Awards and the Professional Publishers Association Awards multiple times. As a journalist, she has undertaken investigative reporting on global issues, from undercover investigations into cosmetic surgery to reporting from inside luxury fashion houses.

Farrah is also the author of The Discomfort Zone: How to Get What You Want by Living Fearlessly, which examines how challenge and hardship can unlock human potential. The book introduces the 'BMD (Brief Moments of Discomfort)' concept, showing how breaking through uncomfortable situations, from asking for difficult feedback to delivering presentations to pursuing ambitious goals, inspires growth and development. She describes these moments as "like HIIT training for your life," demonstrating that nothing is insurmountable when broken into manageable pieces. The book combines practical exercises with examples from high achievers across sport, media and business.

Brought up in Salford, Greater Manchester, she has channelled her background into advocacy for social mobility and diversity in media.Farrah explores how individuals and organisations can use discomfort as a catalyst for growth and transformation, and how pushing beyond comfort zones creates lasting change. Incorporating her own story of going from growing up in Salford to leading some of the best-known brands in print media, she addresses inequality in society and the media, and the importance of widening access and opportunity in elite sectors. She also looks at the role of leaders in shaping culture and narrative, and demonstrates how overcoming barriers, personal or systemic, is essential to unlocking potential.