The post Christmas feature: 4 SHE friends and where they are today! appeared first on SHE.

The post Have you heard about Lela Land? appeared first on SHE.

******

Leanne, you are a familiar face locally having appeared in the media a number of times. Tell us more about where you’re at in your career right now? 

At the moment, I’m fully focused on launching my second 6 Weeks Strong Challenge, which kicks off tomorrow Saturday 7 November. I created the first one back in September, and the response was overwhelming – I couldn’t stop even if I wanted to! So by popular demand, registrations are currently open to join this next cycle. I’ve been sharing some of the reviews and transformations on my socials these past few days, all from the team that I now call my second family. The team spirit on our Facebook group is infectious and so motivating, and having them see results in as little as six weeks is something I’m very proud of.

In a nutshell, summarize your plight to get to this point. What were some of the obstacles you encountered along the way? 

The biggest obstacle was definitely back in 2017 – taking the decision to start my own business by opening Warehouse. I had definitely underestimated what owning your own business entails. Until then, all I’d known is being a teacher at school and a trainer in other gyms – both of which are demanding jobs in their own right of course. However, I very quickly realised that running your own business brings a whole host of other elements to the job which I had to get up to speed on!

What has been the most rewarding part of your journey so far? 

Seeing my community grow at Warehouse. It’s my own space, which I’ve opened up to such a wonderful team of people who have made it their second home.

So yes, the most rewarding part of my journey is watching that community grow and watching my clients achieve their goals. That’s what makes it worth the lack of sleep and the stress.

Another, more recent moment that was quite rewarding came as a direct result of the Covid lockdown. This made me face my biggest fear as a business owner: not being able to pay my loan from monthly income. The thought had always kept me up at night, and sure enough, that time came when all our income dried up. It was a terrifying experience, but also so rewarding – it came, and went, and I’m still here, and I now know that I’m the only person standing between myself and my obligations. I’ve become immune to petty stresses, and I now understand that the bigger picture is so much more important. The lockdown gave me a whole different vision and perspective on how to tackle daily situations and obstacles.

Who or what has been your greatest inspiration? 

My mother. Ever since I was a young kid, I used to see so much potential in her, but she was never given the opportunity to shine. She was always into sport, waking up before everyone else to fit in her walk, still being back in time to have everyone’s breakfast ready (we’re five siblings).

She inspires me because I want to make her proud of me. The way I see it, my mother is living vicariously through me and my siblings to achieve all that she wants for us, so I want to make that happen for her. Our success is her success.

She takes such pride in the work that she does, whether it’s raising us, her grandkids or earning her keep on the farm. She’s hardworking, had a lot of obstacles come her way, and was always strong and determined. This was always inspiring to me – especially seeing her work hand in hand with my dad. The two of them have been my inspiration from a very young age.

Later on, when I met David, I started to realize that it is possible to be a good team with someone else in life because I had seen my parents do it for so many years. They started from scratch, and their teamwork was something that amazed me. I never wished to become rich or famous, I only wished to find that someone that I can be a team with, to make anything work.

Sure enough, Dave has been the one who pushed me to open Warehouse and grow my business. Nowadays he’s taken over as my daily source of motivation and inspiration from a business perspective.

You were crowned the 2018 AND 2019 WFF bikini champion. How did this come about? What reactions did you receive from the public?

Honestly? Sometimes I need to remind myself that it happened. I’ve won twice so far. Both times, I was overwhelmed by emotion not only because of my personal achievements but also because I was flying the Maltese flag – something I never thought I’d manage to do for my country. However, ever since I won the first time, I’ve always felt a responsibility to constantly motivate and inspire those around me, both at my gym and people I meet day to day, to better themselves and reach their goals.

Your passion for fitness has led you to explore many paths, what events helped shape your lifestyle and career? (i.e. your charity work, teaching)

What immediately comes to mind is the first public challenge I ever took on which was joining the KC9 team for the Kilimanjaro Challenge which I loved doing. Soon after I opened my own studio, Warehouse, which is now my second home. From then on, it’s been a roller coaster of competitions – it all started with participating and winning the WFF National Championships in Malta. Then I took on Europe, and still defend that title today as WFF Bikini Pro Champion. Competing in World Championships and placing in the top 5 twice were also huge milestones.

In what ways does your new lifestyle brand “Team Leanne” service your clients? What are some of the results you’ve seen come from this? 

It all started because I constantly speak to clients and friends who are not happy with what they see in the mirror. I’ve been there myself, and I know that with the right structure, inspiration and motivation, anyone can see the results they long for. I also wanted to create a safe environment and a supportive community to help every individual work towards – and reach – their potential. So far, I’m thrilled with the way people have gravitated towards the concept, and the daily boost we give each other on the Facebook group is addictive!

How have you adapted to the changes brought on by Covid? 

Three words: I went online! It all started with giving free Instagram Live classes every day during April and May. This was important for me because I didn’t want to suddenly drop all my clients mid-way through their training – I wanted to stay in touch and support them through the uncertainty in my own way.

During this time, I bought the equipment and set myself up to host Zoom classes on my usual Warehouse schedule. Nowadays I have sessions at Warehouse and on Zoom simultaneously, offering everyone both options (while obviously following all health regulations for Warehouse).

Finally, I designed (and have just wrapped up) my first fully virtual 6 Weeks Strong Challenge, which supported all participants with daily motivation, meal plans, weekly shopping lists and of course, daily workouts.

I had never felt comfortable speaking to a camera before, but it’s quickly become my main approach and I love the flexibility that it offers my team!

A sense of community is what many of us (if not all) need right now. How would you say your business manages to achieve this? 

This sense of community is what inspired the name “Team Leanne.” The vibe at Warehouse, Field Fitness and in our online group is always team-driven. It’s never about “me” teaching “them”. It’s always about “us”. We train for and compete in races together. We share recipes. We motivate each other (they support me as much as I support them!). We are a team, in the true sense of the word.

Somehow, this sense of community has managed to grow organically with the business – we’re a team of hundreds of individuals, but we’ve never lost that vibe.

Do you have any advice for those who are looking to follow in your footsteps and start up their own fitness brand?

Don’t overthink it. If you feel it and believe that it has potential, go for it.

*Follow Leanne Bartolo on Facebook, Instagram, youtube and check out her website here.

The post Rising with the falls: Interview with local fitness entrepreneur Leanne Bartolo appeared first on SHE.

Dear friends,

We can never predict what decisions we would have to make somewhere beyond the horizon. For me, the time has come to part with a community I helped build and watched flourish. It hasn’t been easy to come to terms with, but after an eventful time with SHE, sounds are calling in a new direction.

I’ve enjoyed and gained valuable experience from working alongside my Co-founding partner Sass Woods for the last four years. Together we have developed a brand that would unite and support women, even, in some cases, change lives.

Because of this, I remain confident that following my departure as Co-Director, the community will strive for better and continue to grow a welcoming hub where ideas can be exchanged and lasting connections made.

Thank you to everyone who has come along to our events so far and embraced the space Sass and myself created both in the physical sense and more recently, online. To all of our guest speakers, friends, audience members and virtual followers, you have inspired us in so many ways and for this I will remain forever grateful.

Please keep supporting the SHE network and our collaborators, many of whom, small business owners with a desire to connect and succeed. Women championing women is what the community stands for and as it’s leader from today, Sass Woods, whose passion for the cause and her determination to take it on to a new level during trying times is nothing short of admirable.

With love and warmth I say goodbye as Co-Director of the SHE community, it is indeed a privilege to be part of the community’s history and feel hopeful that the connections made so far, will go the distance.

Julia (SHE Co-founder) X

** You can keep in touch with Julia via her Instagram account.

The post Open letter to the SHE community appeared first on SHE.

In a nutshell Jennifer, tell us a bit about you. What’s your background?

I started off my legal career eight years ago as a court lawyer, during which time I practiced mainly in family and general civil law. Six years ago, I made a transition to corporate law and practiced mainly company law and banking and finance. I have worked on a number of large transactions including advising on the acquisition of a Maltese bank, advising a major hotel in Malta on its bond issue and advising directors of listed, regulated and private companies on regulation, corporate governance and best industry practice. It all sounds more grandiose than it actually is in practice!

You’ve worked for large companies including BNF Bank plc as company secretary. How has the experience helped your career so far?

Working with large companies has given me the experience of having to analyse and solve day-to-day issues that companies face. This helped me gain exposure on a whole range of legal problems that any business may encounter on a daily basis. Apart from the legal perspective, it also revealed how different management styles could impact a whole business and how important it is to empower and value each and every employee. When employees feel disillusioned and undervalued, the whole business suffers and is not able to grow effectively.

What made you decide to go it alone and set up your own legal firm?

It became obvious to me that small businesses, creatives and entrepreneurs have difficulty in accessing quality legal advice at transparent rates. Cost certainty is essential at the start-up phases of a business, as is affordability. I therefore wanted to create a firm that is focused on my key values which are providing legal services based on transparency, simplicity, approachability and empowerment.

My goal is also to change people’s mindsets about approaching a lawyer such that a business should be proactive in getting legal advice rather than reactive. Being proactive means that problems are nipped in the bud and are not left unsolved until they become bigger issues. I felt that bringing about this change of mindset couldn’t be done in a traditional law firm setting, and so, I have set up a modern law practice based on these four values.

Have there been any influential figures who’ve encouraged you to follow your entrepreneurial ambition?

My parents have always encouraged me and supported me to follow my passions and instilled values of hard work in me that have allowed me to pursue my goals.

What makes you stand out from traditional law firms?

Shaw Legal moves away from the traditional hourly billing model and places emphasis on being proactive. We create tailored-made packages with the aim of offering support which is personalised to the client’s business. The packages are the business set up package, the contract package and the brand protection package which are all designed to enable business owners and entrepreneurs to be more proactive in managing the legal implications of their business.

We also offer a subscription service at a fixed monthly flat fee at a price that small businesses can afford. Apart from cost-certainty, clients can be rest assured that they have a lawyer who is by their side to ensure that legal issues are solved before they become a problem.

We work remotely and therefore are able to offer flexibility to clients to communicate with us without having to visit an office.

Why do you think creatives and small businesses need more support with legal issues?

Mistakes of a legal nature can wipe out a small business. This is often overlooked when starting a business as there is a lot of excitement around the idea, growing that idea and making it successful. Creatives and small businesses are in a position that larger companies do not encounter, and that is not having the constant access to a legal team or a lawyer. In my experience I noticed that businesses who do not have access to a legal team hesitate to contact a lawyer, and this sometimes makes small problems worse.

I created the subscription model precisely to remove this uncertainty, so that when a legal question arises, or clarity is needed on a particular legal issue, it is easy to get in touch with a lawyer. Apart from needing this ongoing legal support, small businesses also want a more predictable legal budget. Being able to budget legal expenses makes it easier to plan and grow a business.

You say you would like to focus on the female market specifically. Tell us more.

Female entrepreneurs face more barriers than men in business. I myself have been in situations where I have been treated differently to male counterparts. This is often not intended to be malicious as people do not even realise they are doing it. The problem is still there however. Having experienced this myself, my goal is to provide legal support that helps to empower women in business through education on their legal position and through providing a compassionate sounding board. I too am in the start-up phase of my own business and I have found a lot of support from women who understand the subtle biases that women in business face. My goal is to pass on my support to female entrepreneurs so that they can feel confident and know and understand the value of their work. Through this support and in collaboration with networks such as SHE, women can feel inspired to grow their business in an authentic way!

Do you have any advice for small business owners who feel they have been pushed back by the pandemic and are not sure where to start from a legal stand-point?

Small business owners should ensure that their legal positions are safeguarded, and this could be as simple as having solid legal foundations to help them run their businesses as smoothly as possible. A small business lawyer can actually help grow a client’s business in this respect. This may sound counterintuitive as lawyers are typically resorted to when a problem arises, and this is where a mindset change is needed. However, having a strong legal basis actually helps businesses to avoid problems. Education for small business owners is also paramount and my goal is to assist clients by explaining the law in such a way that the business owner feels confident and able to understand his / her legal position. This enables the business owner to make solid decisions about their company and helps to create maximum growth at a minimum risk.

One of the challenges that is faced by small businesses / entrepreneurs at the moment is ensuring that clients pay on time. A good business lawyer would be able to assist with this. First of all, creatives and entrepreneurs must always value the work that they do – this sets the right tone with clients and paying on time becomes easier. Another important point is setting clear expectations, and this can be done by having a strong contract in place. A contract should be a mutual agreement between parties and should not be overly biased to one party’s favour. Clear expectations ensure that there is less chance of conflict, or if there is a potential conflict, this can be fixed early on.

How do you foresee small businesses evolving in a post-Covid world?

Although the pandemic has created uncertainty for businesses, this does not mean that they won’t thrive in a post-Covid world! There are several support schemes being offered by the Government, and are based on reducing business costs, stimulating domestic consumption and providing direct support for businesses. Support ranges from rent and utility bill subsidies, real estate schemes such as tax and duty cuts as well as more direct support such as the wage supplement scheme. It is clear that governments are investing heavily in domestic businesses and the pandemic has opened people’s eyes to a different way of working, away from the confines of an office. The post-Covid world will probably see people become more innovative and authentic with the businesses they wish to create.

What is the best way for potential clients to reach you?

They may schedule a free consultation on my website https://shaw.legal or send an email on [email protected]

The post Empowerment for business owners: An interview with “Shaw Legal” founder – Jennifer Shaw appeared first on SHE.

Over the past decade, she has worked internationally creating ROI focused digital strategies encompassing every channel in the digital space.

In this interview, we explore more about the woman behind the brands Rebekah Kamsky Photography and Little Isle Studio whose passion for helping female start-ups is what drives her.

******

You are the sole founder of a photography and digital marketing business, how do you manage to stay on top of the load?

The beauty of working in digital marketing and photography is that they are very complementary of each other. So, often when I work with a client I can give them a complete experience where together we can take a seed of an idea and turn it into a brand, a website, a photoshoot, social media campaign and bring all of the elements to life. There is no getting lost in translation from one provider to the other and this is something that most clients really value when working with me.

I’m regimental with my working day and working hours and have set up efficient processes and use several tools which I have learnt over the years to ensure I have the best time management in place. I have a good morning routine which keeps me sane and ensures that I remain creative and up to speed with what’s going on, and furthermore allows me to disconnect. It wasn’t always easy and at times it still isn’t easy, but I am constantly learning and growing and finding new ways of doing things.

I never over commit and always accept work that I know I can deliver on and will enjoy doing as it will align with my own values. When you’re enjoying the work it some how keeps things in flow.

What are the kinds of services you offer at Little Isle Studio?

At Little Isle Studio we are intentionally working with passionate, committed and driven businesses, creatives and entrepreneurs to outfit their business with stunning, timeless and functional design and all types of digital marketing support. This includes digital marketing strategy development, social media planning and content creation, website design and development, branding as well as photography. While it is lead by myself, I have now built a team of creative freelancers who are called in on a project by project basis. Our studio is also listed as an accredited supplier of the EU Scheme. Which means we can also support businesses and startups in getting funding for website creation through EU projects such as the ERDF business grant scheme.

Furthermore, In the last two years I’ve also added mentorship to the list of my services and it’s a space that I’m really passionate about and excited to see grow.

Something that a lot of people don’t know also is that every year a percentage of our profits contribute towards https://theschoolfund.org/ and OneGirl.org to help fund scholarships for high potential students who can’t afford to attend school. We are also working closely with the founder of a school for a rural community in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Thus when someone chooses to work with Little Isle Studio they are contributing and having a direct impact on helping out someone else in the world.

Who are some of the female brands you’ve worked with. What is it that draws you to this particular clientele?

Probably because I am a female founder myself, I’m extremely passionate about supporting and uplifting other women. I love knowing I can help someone realize their dreams because I also know what it feels like when someone helps me achieve my own.

Some female driven brands I have worked with, whether in photography, digital marketing or website design include: Pippa Toledo, L’Allee, The Dressing Room Malta, Bijou Michiko, Alaria, Saz Mifsud, Active Spirit, Cycle Seeds, Gaia and Nina, and Amy Camilleri Zahra.

You’ve worked internationally throughout your career of over 10 years. What are some of the skills you’ve learnt and implement in your work today?

Having worked in Melbourne, Australia as Head of Digital for a large agency for several years on very large and varied accounts, I really learnt a lot about the creative process, people management and how to find ways to deal with maximising time and budgets as efficiently as possible. I’ve been extremely lucky to have worked with some brilliant minds and incredible creatives over the years in all parts of the world.

The digital marketing world moves at a frightening speed with new updates and changes taking place daily. You need to be prepared for (and willing to embrace) change in your career too. To succeed it’s best to be someone who is not only open to change, but someone who thrives on it (and almost fears being stagnant).

Has Covid affected the way you do business? How so?

Yes, it hasn’t been easy. I obviously had to pivot quite a bit and focused all of my energy in helping support my clients get through this hard time.

Also, it’s been quite hard being a mum of a toddler and having to cope with working with 101 distractions a day. I’ve had to shift my hours to early morning and late evenings and find ways to cope with it all.

In some ways it has been extremely rewarding too as I have helped businesses who had to shut shop – re-open online and regain losses they would have otherwise incurred.

What would you say has been a win for you this year, given so much uncertainty?

When Covid first started I sort of resided in the fact that I would lose a lot of clients and that work would be hit hard. I’m quite a positive person, so I decided to shift my energy early in the day to opportunities that may exist even in times of crisis and challenge. That was a huge win for me because I was pleasantly surprised by the outcomes of my efforts to think outside the square and grow in times when I would have otherwise thought I might not even see any growth at all.

The biggest win of all though is as I mentioned earlier, is knowing that I could be of help to those facing extremely challenging times. Knowing that I offered some value and helped some businesses survive is a massive win for me personally.

You’ve often described what you do as a “holistic experience”. Tell us more.

The importance of digital strategy is not seeing things in ‘silos’, but seeing the holistic experience a consumer has on their customer journey and the many touch-points they can encounter your brand. Knowing these touch points means knowing how many opportunities there are out there for you to grow and succeed in each channel.

I’m a firm believer that digital marketing is not limited to just paid campaigns, and that an effective marketing strategy is not just one funnel, but a virtuous circle, where each part of the strategy feeds into the next.

Having studied business, graphic design, photography and having the experience of working in various digital roles means I can genuinely give my clients the comprehensive holistic insights and experience they need to really get the most out of every strategic workflow and campaign.

What is often the result (or results) of combining your skills in photography and graphic design?

It’s extremely helpful when you have someone who can combine the aesthetics of graphic design with the creative eye of photography. In today’s world most especially its absolutely crucial, when social media and digital, require so many visual elements and content. You simply need an extremely practical mindset to think ahead of all the elements you will require, with all the variations you will need your assets to include. For example, when doing a shoot at the back of my mind, I will not only be thinking about the beauty of the photo, but also about the clients needs for their website, their social media, the size variations of where they will have to upload their shots (e.g instagram, instagram stories, website landscapes, etc), the space they may need for graphic design elements and so many other aspects. It’s something my clients always say they are so grateful for having worked with me because I take a big bulk off their workload.

You’ve suggested having goals you’re consistently working towards, what are these?

I always set myself yearly goals, but pivot when I think they are unrealistic or when things change. Right now, my goals are to continue working with businesses that bring me joy and that I feel I can add value to. Also, to grow my mentorship programme and work closely with more female entrepreneurs. I’m also hoping to start a podcast at some point too.

In much the same way, my goal for the next year is to invest in myself, and take some further risks in my business which means growing the team and learning to delegate, and work with my own business mentor and build trust to maximise my own potential.

When I set my goals, I always check in with the following – Why am I doing what I do, does it bring me joy, does it meet my current lifestyle needs, is it aligned with my values, does it allow me to give back, and does it make me feel positive?

Our online Workshop – “Your Brand in a World of others” is coming up on the 30th September. What can participants expect from this live and interactive session?

Here’s what you can expect from this wonderful workshop:

? The Algorithm – Why is it always changing? Is it always changing? Why is it so hard? What should I be doing?
? Brand Assessment – Identifying your voice.
? The importance of knowing your content pillars in social media
? Understanding how to use these pillars in the context of your brand presence on social media
? Using competitor insights to your advantage
? How to be consistent and make the best use of time management
? How to overcome content blocks
? Influencers – Should I work with them? How can I work with them? What approach to take.
? When you hit a content block – hacks to overcome
? The importance of video
? Tools I use constantly and why I think they can be valuable for you too
? Your other digital components – tying into your core brand and digital strategy
? The importance of having a holistic strategy

What is your biggest marketing obstacle at the moment? Let’s tackle it together! I’m excited to see you all at the workshop!
Thanks again to SHE for this wonderful opportunity.

Get your tickets for “Your Brand in a World of Others” online workshop here.

The post Pathways to success: An interview with Little Isle Studio founder Becky Kamsky appeared first on SHE.

As we prepare to welcome Emma back to lead a virtual workshop – Charge Up Your Ambition on the 16th September 2020, we put to her a set of questions to gain more insight into the woman behind A Life I Choose and the influence she has and indeed has had, over many of us the last few years.

*****

Emma, you’ve come a long way since first appearing on our panel back in February 2018. Tell us what it was like for you to start up at the very beginning. What inspired you to do so?

That panel was a lot of fun and I met so many wonderful people!

Starting up at the beginning felt like a lot of experimenting. I hadn’t yet developed a clear vision for A Life I Choose – it was more of a gut-feeling and I followed that all the way and I still do. All I knew was that I wanted to share what I had gained through my own journey of personal development with others. I had no thought of a business at the time or of how to make money, I just wanted to dialogue with people about all things therapy and personal growth.

What events have been the most transformational in your career so far?

There was a time when A Life I Choose was starting to become more recognizable, but I struggled to make it financially profitable, and I felt so dis-empowered and frustrated by this that I committed to myself to find a way, whatever it took, to transform A Life I Choose from a blog into a thriving business.

I had no idea what I was doing as I had never done it before, so I got mentors. I invested more money than I had into seeking guidance from the best mentors I could possibly find, I flew overseas to work with them and I researched people who were successful and I studied their stories.

Following my intuition, I applied the strategies that I felt would work best and within 1 year, my practice was full and I had increased my income by 800%. So, the most transformative events have been those moments when I’ve made a decision to change something; those moments when I committed to myself to figure out something that I’ve never done before. There’ve been several of these events. This is just an example.

Do you believe that mentors are needed to support budding entrepreneurs?

Absolutely. Entrepreneurship is a game of constant learning. A business is either growing or dying, and in order to grow, you need to be on the edge of your comfort zone, stretching yourself, learning new things. To learn, you need teachers – whether virtual or in-person. This is where mentors come in.

So, mentors aren’t just necessary for budding entrepreneurs, they’re necessary even for seasoned entrepreneurs.

It’s important that you choose your mentors wisely. Don’t just settle for whoever is closest to you; choose the people who are generating the results that you want and then go learn from them. Also, be willing to pay for their input whether it’s through your time, your energy, or your money. Giving to them, ultimately is an investment in yourself, because you’ll be learning big time. And choose mentors who challenge you. Being challenged by someone who wants to see you succeed is a real gift.

Are there any particular individuals/mentors who have helped guide you along your path?

Tony Robbins is a massive mentor for me; especially when it comes to personal transformation and business. I’ve invested a lot into learning from him and being mentored by his coaches. Other mentors of mine include:

Esther Perel, who I’ve learned from in her online supervision sessions – she’s taught me immensely about the process of therapy and relationship dynamics.

Lidija Pecotic who is local, was a game-changer in my life. I wouldn’t have got to where I am today without her teaching me the processes of healing and therapy.

Alex & Mimi Ikonn, Seth Godin, Joe Dispenza, Sara Blakely…the list goes on and on. There are so many amazing people to learn from, and we have access to some of the greatest minds on our planet thanks to the internet, so we’re never limited. Anything we need to learn, we just have to look for it and it’s out there.

Personal development and mindset change are themes which feature prominently in your work. Why so?

80% of success is due to mindset, 20% is strategy. You can have the most amazing strategy, but if your mindset focusses on “problems” (which the majority of people do), you’ll have one hell of a hard time growing your business.

50% of businesses die in their first 4 years, and another 40% die in the next 5. And the ones who survive aren’t necessarily thriving, many are just surviving. A lot of people put not reaching the results they want down to luck and circumstance – they’ll say that they had a bad year, or that the economy wasn’t right or no one was listening to them. But if you are fully committed to your outcome, you’ll find a way no matter what. What’s important is that you constantly train yourself to shift your focus from “problem” to “solution”.

Your mind will go to problems and that’s not a bad thing; it’s important to identify what’s not working. But whatever you focus on grows, so when you get stuck on the problem, you create more of it. You need to get into the habit of asking yourself, “Even with this challenge, what’s my outcome and how am I going to get there?” And whenever your mind tells you, “I don’t know”, you answer it with, “If I did know, what would I do?”

Your work mostly involves helping others to discover their potential and develop a healthier way of thinking and living. Can you think of a time when you needed this guidance/healing yourself?

For sure. I study what I study because I needed to learn it. When I was in my teens I had an eating disorder and I struggled with anxiety and depression. In my 20s, I was diagnosed with a chronic physical condition and the general medical consensus was that there wasn’t much to do about it but live with the agony and take medication. At 30, I had a stroke.

I found myself feeling very lost at several moments in my life, and my way out was always through learning and growth. It became really clear to me at a young age that my life was my responsibility and that no one was going to bring me the results I wanted on a silver platter. I had to go out and create them for myself. Also, my parents have a kick-ass work ethic and that rubbed off on me.

I’m super grateful that life has challenged me in every way that it has because I’ve learned not to take it for granted. It could end at any moment, so I’m not going to waste it.

What advice would you give to others who’ve experienced similar?

Don’t stay alone. Get the best mentors you can possibly find. Whether in person, or virtually, choose people who will challenge you to find the strength within yourself to create the quality of life that you want. That’s what you want ultimately – you don’t want someone else to save you, you want to save yourself.

We’ve always been in awe of the energy your bring to your audiences, so much so that you almost make it look effortless. Tell us in a few words, what it takes to plan your annual event the A Life I Choose “New Year’s Evolution”?

Thank you! It’s not effortless! 😀 It takes a lot of energy and months of planning, but it’s totally worth it every time someone tells me, “I set this target at your workshop and I achieved it.” I’ve seen people participate in races they never thought they’d be able to, I’ve seen people start their own really cool businesses, I’ve even seen people on the verge of relationship breakdown, recommit to and reignite their passion for each other. The transformation is incredible, and the fun we have together is infectious!

How do you intend to transfer some of this knowledge and passion into your upcoming SHE workshop – Charge Up your ambition on the 16th September?

Through my work (and my own experience of building A Life I Choose), I know that people struggle most when they don’t have a clear vision for what they want. When we haven’t chosen a desired outcome for our work, we end up reacting to everyone else’s demands of us and we end up exhausted, frustrated and unfulfilled.

There’s nothing that gives me more satisfaction than guiding people to connect with themselves and their big dreams and creating a pathway to the career they desire. I’m super excited to share this with you all at the workshop and also to meeting all the passionate people there!

For tickets to Charge Up Your Ambition Online! Click here.

Do you have any words of wisdom for those searching for a better life plan during these times of grave uncertainty?

Remember that it’s not our circumstances that determine our fate, it’s our psychology, so always shift your focus from problem to solution. Ask yourself, “Even with these limitations, how can I deliver utmost value so that I can generate the results that I want?” Then, commit to your outcome no matter what, and when your strategy doesn’t work, no problem, adjust it and have fun.

**Towards the end of 2020, Emma will be launching her first digital course through A Life I Choose that will lead you to create a kick-ass career you’ll love! To stay up to date, follow her on her socials; Instagram, Facebook and Youtube

The post Where Focus Goes, Energy Flows: Interview with A Life I Choose Founder Emma Hogg appeared first on SHE.

The post Greening the Grey: Interview with the ladies behind Vivacity appeared first on SHE.

The post A welcome space: Experiencing the Zen Entrepreneurs Women’s Group appeared first on SHE.

The post Post-lockdown trends: Diary of a mum entrepreneur appeared first on SHE.