Q and A with Sashane from Portmore, Saint Catherine, Jamaica
“It does not matter what your color, shape, or size because it is about you and your purpose.”
Q: What are you passionate about?
A: I’m passionate about motivating and empowering people, especially late-blooming women like myself. I was always motivating and encouraging people from a young age, but when I looked at my struggles as a later bloomer, I realized that I could use my story to empower and motivate other women.
I love spending time with my family, especially my girls, watching anything about women empowerment and romantic movies, and just chilling at home. I am currently a full-time office manager, and I am a serial entrepreneur, published author, and an advocate for late bloomers. I am currently working on my second book and developing my motivation merch clothing line.
Q: What were your younger years like?
A: I was a late starter, but I never quit. I completed an associate of science degree in hospitality management, and I have certificates and diplomas in entrepreneurship, general administration, early childhood education, and coaching.
I came from a single-parent home with other siblings.
I always loved volunteering as a teenager. I am a former vice for the Portland Aides Committee Youth Group, Secretary of the Ascot Basic School, and Mentor with HEART/NSTA Trust and Women of Destiny Big Sister Little Sister mentorship program. This volunteering prepared me for where and who I am today. Because I’m more passionate about giving back. Today, I’m a part of the Women of Destiny family as an assistant mentorship coordinator.
Q: What is something valuable you’d like others to know?
A: I have learned that no matter how hard your journey gets, never give up on yourself because, with God, nothing is impossible once you put your mind and soul into it.
Never ever give up on yourself because you are here for a purpose, and your purpose will never die until you die. Keep going no matter what.
Q: What does feminism mean to you?
A: For me, feminism is about owning your space and claiming it BOLDLY. Confidence in oneself is key. It does not matter what your color, shape, or size because it is about you and your purpose.
MORE ABOUT SASHANE: I have been married for 10 years with three beautiful girls, aged 16, and twins seven years. My husband is my tower of strength, we are business partners, movie partners, prayer partners, and most of my go-to person.
Q and A with Heather V. from Northumberland, England, UK
“Each day, we have a choice to reach beyond, to do just enough, or to complain about our lot. Where we focus our energy goes. In my experience, the longer you resist the harder things become.”
Q: What are you passionate about?
A: I am passionate about so many things; the core being that every human being learns who they truly are and operates from that powerful place. I am passionate about humans helping humans and understanding that we are all the same in terms of energy and dust. I love coaching and serving folks in breaking through their limitations. It’s a beautiful and magical thing.
I am passionate about advanced techniques such as Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), hypnosis, provocative coaching, and intuitive coaching. I am passionate about continuous learning, spirituality, and consciousness and uncovering truth. I am passionate about securing a hopeful future for our children and future generations. I am passionate about freedom, Natural Law, and Free Speech. Freedom comes with massive courage and responsibility. I am not sure there are really that many people willing to take on freedom and all it requires.
I also have a love of writing and technology. I grew up in a town near Newcastle Upon Tyne in the UK at a time when computers were just becoming a thing. I decided that’s what I wanted to do and become a computer programmer. The subject was just being introduced to schools and I loved it. It was quite a struggle for me to achieve a role as a programmer. I finished school at a time when unemployment in the Northeast UK was at its highest. I got offered a job in a neighboring city for a Retail Bank, so I skipped college and a degree and moved away from my parents and family for work. I was 18 and embarking on my life under my own steam.
After a couple of years working in admin for banks, I transferred to the IT Department as a trainee programmer for a local building society and my IT career began. I worked in IT from trainee to VP of professional services for over 15 years. I then trained in business/executive coaching, NLP, and hypnosis and worked with women in business in London. I continued as a coach, trainer, and tech/business consultant over the next 20 years as life unfolded in extraordinary ways.
My career took me around the world and I worked for three years in South Africa, as well as training in India, USA, and Europe. I fell in love with South Africa–it felt like I had found home.
Q: What were your younger years like?
A: My father was very influential in my life and career. He was a very dominant man and really wanted me to have a career in accounting. I think computing was the next best thing. I think being the youngest in my family really challenged me to prove myself. I spent most of my early years believing I was stupid and not good enough, yet the desire to prove my family and myself wrong is what drove me into my IT career. As a woman, it was easy to use a lack of qualification as a reason not to give equal pay or officially promote me while I was actually fulfilling the role of a team leader. I decided to study for a master’s degree while working in order to remove that excuse. If an obstacle was put in front of me, I would find a way to overcome it. I had this fire in my belly to meet any challenge.
I think being the youngest also taught me to read people and situations. I had three brothers and a sister, so the dynamic growing up was always fluctuating. Some of my siblings were master manipulators and being able to spot this was one way to survive and keep from being at the wrong end of any conflict. That helped me in my leadership roles and as a coach. Being able to read people and understand the structure of their thinking was a powerful tool to have.
In my teenage years, I studied Judo. I do think that helped me in not only reading people but also getting comfortable being the minority female in a male-dominated world. That experience of really served me for my time in IT. I kind of got on with things and looked for ways around any blocks rather than playing the victim or sexism card.
Did it always work? No. The boys’ network can be a powerful force and I feel fowl of that on occasion during my career. That was one of the main reasons for moving away from IT in any sort of leadership role and retraining in coaching.
I now coach online entrepreneurs and assist them with technology and systems. I have a particular focus on the revolution that is taking place with AI, Web3, Blockchain, NFTs, etc., and how entrepreneurs can learn to use the technology to differentiate themselves, grow their businesses, and make life easier. At the same time, becoming aware of the potential pitfalls.
Q: What is something valuable you’d like others to know?
A: Don’t give up on your dreams. The journey to what you want is rarely a straight line, and often the universe wants to give you more than you’ve asked for. Don’t get too attached to the how of things.
The difference between effort and struggle is that struggle is effort with attachment. Learn to like yourself and respect yourself.
Build routines, habits, and systems in your life that nurture you, honor you, and stretch you to keep growing and becoming.
Find something greater than you, something that gives your life meaning and a ‘why’ that keeps you alive and passionate.
I cared for both of my parents until their deaths ( over four years). Honor them, love them, refuse to take anything personally, and accept that they are flawed people, just as we all are.
Treat those you love as if it’s their last day, and resolve issues as soon as you can. You really never know the minute.
Release survivor’s guilt by focusing on the ‘why’ that you are still around. The Creator never makes mistakes. You count. Your life counts. Be the best you can be.
I know life is challenging. I know there can be so many things thrown at you that you might think you can’t take it anymore. When you ask yourself Why me?” just know there is a bigger purpose for you and you just don’t see it yet.
We’re all in the university of life. We’re on an apprenticeship for the future version of ourselves. Each day, we have a choice to reach beyond, to do just enough, or to complain about our lot. Where we focus our energy goes. In my experience, the longer you resist the harder things become.
Learn about yourself and don’t give up on you. Know how you prefer to operate and stick to your way when it works for you. Don’t change for others because they don’t understand your perspective or system. If something works for you, stick with it.
The person who insists you do something that goes against your better judgment is rarely around when things go very wrong. In my experience, you’ll be alone to pick up the pieces.
Keep your boundaries, be true to you, and learn what you truly love. Then do more of it.
Look after your body because it’s the only one you’ve got. Look after your mind and your soul and find peace and grace in each day. Make friends with your intuition and learn to trust it. It really is there to make life easier. Following it when you really don’t know why can turn your life into a magical mystery tour.
Q: What does feminism mean to you?
A: This is an interesting question. I used to believe it was about equality and being rewarded on a level playing field. I have discovered so much about the true origins of feminism, and I now have a very different perspective. I feel it’s about having a choice. It feels like our choices have been eroded over the years without us realizing it. I feel women have been gaslighted into a position of having to work just to make ends meet. I would like to see a world where everyone is paid enough for the work they do so that mothers can make the choice to be full-time mothers if they want to, without being judged. So that women aren’t working three jobs just to survive while trying to bring up their children.
I got it wrong. I am one of the women who thought she was paving the way for others, when really, I was paving the way for the government to double its labor force and double its tax income. An unpopular view I’m sure until you dig a bit deeper. The truth was a wake-up call for me.
Embrace the feminine, make choices on your terms, and resist being gaslighted by a system that has been set up to disenfranchise women under the guise of feminism.
I love women. I celebrate women, and I want to see us make choices based on a full understanding of what got us to where we are today. I want women to thrive. I want our daughters to have more choices than anyone. Without sacrificing their divine feminine to fit someone else’s agenda.
Q and A with Michelle from Dubai, United Arab Emirates
“…I tell my children every day: “You do you! Do not care about what others think.”
Q: What are you passionate about?
A: Last year, I started a management consulting agency that focuses on business process management and organizational efficiency. I wanted to start my own business for a longer time and within consulting but wasn’t sure what area to focus on.
During COVID-19, as for many others, I did a lot of reflection on my career in startups and corporations and saw a clear path ahead. In the general span of my career, I have always been drawn to bigger improvement projects and implementation of digital transformation and worked with these as my passion projects. Hence the most obvious choice for me was to start a consultancy that does exactly that!
Optimer is a boutique Scandinavian business process management and organizational efficiency consultancy. We operate with a client-centric and transparent approach, our team of 25 expert specialists (including contracted professionals) ensures personalized attention to your unique needs.
Our services include Process Mapping, Process Improvement, CRM/ERP optimization, SaaS implementation, and sustainable practices integration. We work with you as a trusted partner for driving impactful change.
Besides my professional work, I realized the need to also do something more expressive and different and found I have a love of baking and making customized cakes! This helps me to take my mind off stress in general as I focus completely on the creative process. It always amazes me what I have made. I am self-taught and would love to take some professional courses, should time permit.
Q: What were your younger years like?
A: I am from a mixed family of a Danish mother and an Indian father, born in Copenhagen, Denmark. When I was three years old, my father realized that school started much later in Denmark than in India and, therefore, moved the family to India so I could attend school. I remember snippets of this early time in my life, and it’s not with fondness. Yearly, we bounced back and forth as one parent would be homesick. Later in my teens, when my parents divorced, I settled in Copenhagen.
Living in such different countries gave me a great perspective and started me off on my expat mindset and journey. Since then, I have lived in Melbourne, Australia, where I did my bachelor’s, worked in London and Cambridge, managed a software company in Dubai, relocated to Saudi where I lived in both Riyadh and Jeddah and had my two kids, moved to Brussels where I worked for Mastercard, and then lastly back to Dubai.
Q: What is something valuable you’d like others to know?
A: Take chances and make mistakes! Lots of them. If you really feel for something, do it! Do it no matter how unlikely it may seem. Unlikely things can happen all the time. And like I tell my children every day: “You do you! Do not care about what others think.” It’s our daily mantra. I wish someone had been whispering or shouting this in my ear when I was young and naive.
Q: What does feminism mean to you?
A: To believe in oneself and stand up for yourself and other women that need it. Create equality in all aspects needed.
To be honest, I have a love/hate relationship with this word [feminism] as it serves as a constant reminder that we are still so far from where we ought to be. Being Scandinavian where there is a bit more equality when it comes to parenting, maternity/paternity leave, etc, and a different culture overall, living now in the Middle East for eleven years, I see that things are moving but very slowly.
I decided that I want to be a bigger part of the solution and am doing what I can to support women. I mentor young women and female entrepreneurs so that they can move forward in their businesses and ventures. Also, as the CEO of Optimer Consulting, under UN Women and UN Global Compact, I am a registered signatory for the Women’s Empowerment Principles (WEPs).
The WEP is a set of Principles offering guidance to businesses on how to advance gender equality and women’s empowerment in the workplace, marketplace, and community. Established by UN Women [https://www.unwomen.org/en/partnerships] and UN Global Compact, the WEPs are informed by international labor and human rights standards and grounded in the recognition that businesses have a stake in, and responsibility for, gender equality and women’s empowerment.
Thank you for reading! Please feel free to connect on LinkedIn, follow me on other social media, and get in touch if I can help with mentoring or taking your business to the next level.
Q and A with Kelsey from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
“You don’t have to know how to start creating your dream life—start anyway. Be an inspired idiot.”
Q: What are you passionate about?
A: I’ve always had a feeling in my gut that I was put on this earth to do something big and have an impact on people, which probably explains why the 9-5 corporate life never felt quite right for me.
I’ve been a creative soul since I started walking. My dad still has my first-ever “artwork” taped to his toolbox in the garage—a masterpiece of macaroni noodles and glitter glue. Not really knowing what I wanted to do after high school, I pursued that creative drive and got accepted to the School of Fine Arts.
It was at the School of Fine Arts that I realized that while being artistic was a fun hobby, what I actually had a real drive for was writing. This really came to fruition when I made my ballsiest move yet: running off to live in Thailand solo for 6+ months. Let me explain…
Not many of us really know who we are at 20 years old, but this was a quality about myself that I really wasn’t proud of. I’d depended too much on relationships that weren’t good for me, and I really didn’t know how to like myself enough to be alone. I’d even go as far as to say that I was afraid of being alone.
So, I figured the best way to confront my fear of being alone would be to force myself to be lonely. FYI: if you go live in a foreign country where the people don’t look or talk like you, and then throw a 13-hour time difference into the mix—yeah, you’re going to feel lonely.
The way I made myself feel less alone and kept my loved ones updated on my day-to-day was by starting a blog. Honestly, it sort of changed my entire life.
I realized that I could lose myself in writing and that other people felt something from reading what I wrote. When I decided to “come out” about the real reason I’d run off to Thailand—to start recovering from bulimia—I did so in writing. And the response was bigger than I’d ever anticipated.
If I had to sum up what my biggest passion is today, it’s helping people see beyond their own limiting beliefs about changing how they’ve always been to become what they’ve always wanted to be. I started with myself, and now I have that conviction to move other people to do it too. Today, I use that passion to help people leave their 9-5 lives, get into shape, and get the absolute most out of this game we call life.
Q: What were your younger years like?
A: My upbringing was the typical middle-class story. My parents both worked full-time jobs, and my two sisters and I all went to post-secondary before landing stable jobs—you know the deal.
Honestly, I’m very happy to have grown up in the environment that I did because it taught me what I want, and don’t want, the rest of my life to look like.
I saw two incredible parents work hard for decades to provide for their daughters, so we could pursue our passions and really learn what it means to work for what we want. I saw what a real partnership looks like, and how sitting down for dinner together every night really does create a strong family. And I also saw that hard work does not equal financial freedom if you’re always clocking in for someone else.
If I hadn’t grown up the way I did, I wouldn’t be the woman I am today. Not to mention, I wouldn’t have had the privilege to grow up being best friends with the man who is now my fiancé.
Q: What is something valuable you’d like others to know?
A: I believe that the most powerful thing I can do is take full responsibility for who I am today. My happiness level is not a result of my boss, my mom, my lack of time, or my past relationships.
Your life today is what you’ve created it to be, and your upbringing really only matters so much in the grand scheme of things.
We all have our stories and traumas and events that have impacted our personalities, but staying stuck in those stories only does just that: keeps us stuck. And if the “ideal you” that you’ve always wanted to be is something different than what you are today, clinging to your stories will keep you from ever making that real.
In the hundreds of calls I’ve done with people who want to become their own boss and have real financial freedom, I’ve heard a handful of reasons over and over for why they can’t do it: “I don’t have time.” “I don’t know how.” “I’ll do this once I have more money.”
And all of these excuses really boil down to one thing, in my opinion: “I’m afraid to try.”
I’ve been that excuse-maker. I’ve been a skeptic. I’ve been filled from head-to-toe with self-doubt. And I’ve come to believe that once you feel clear on what you want your life to look like, and you commit to not settling for less than that, then nothing can stop you. The excuses get shoved aside.
You are your own problem, which means you’re also your solution. You don’t have to know how to start creating your dream life—start anyway. Be an inspired idiot.
Q: What does feminism mean to you?
A: Feminism, to me, is about empowering people to make choices about their lives and bodies regardless of societal pressure. It’s about oppressed people finding their voices, being vulnerable, and having the courage to go after what they want—no matter their gender or sexual orientation.
As much as a lot of us believe that we live in a world of equality today, I don’t believe we do. And as much as it sucks that we still have such a long way to go in all people being treated with equal respect, I actually think it creates an exciting opportunity.
Personally, when I achieve something that I’m insanely proud of…
Lifting more than double my body weight
Hearing that my newsletter or coaching call helped someone take the leap to leave their job
Having a 60% sales close rate
Achieving awards, scholarships, and career opportunities
I feel even more proud BECAUSE I’m a woman. Living in a world where women are still treated as less than men makes it SO much more gratifying when you see a woman succeed because you know that she persevered in spite of any pressures and prejudices.
MORE ABOUT KELSEY: If you’ve read this far, then you might find it amusing to know that this is why my partner and I called our brand “inspired idiots.” So many of us want more out of life than what we’ve settled for, but we’ve become accustomed to believing that it’s not realistic for us to have everything we want… -to be financially free -to have time to work on our bodies and feel good about ourselves -to have the freedom to travel the world.
But you truly do have the power to make your life look like whatever you want it to. And once you commit to that, you just need to be willing to be an inspired idiot for a while — someone who has no idea what they’re doing, but they know they’re going to keep trying until they figure it out.
I’m a proud Canadian! Just outside of Winnipeg, Manitoba! (not sure how proud I am of that part—just kidding!)
“My story is a bit scattered, but one important lesson I want people to take away from it is to not be discouraged by others’ judgments or let them hinder you from pursuing your dreams in life.”
Q: What are you passionate about?
A: Since my teenage years, my dream has always been to become a boiler maker in metal fabrication. After finishing high school in year 10, I pursued a pre-apprenticeship to speed up the qualification process by two years. As I completed my second year at TAFE, I secured a job doing Fifo and had everything set up for the next chapter of my life. However, everything came to a halt when I found out I was pregnant with our first child at the age of 17. This put my career on hold as we welcomed our first baby when I was 18. We were young and had very little, but my partner managed to get a job as a Trade Assistant in the mines doing Fifo. We ended up moving to a town called Hopetoun, and shortly after, we had a girl. As our family continued to grow, we decided to move back to our previous location to be closer to our family. My partner worked his way up the ranks and landed a 4/1 roster up north. It was challenging, but he made all the sacrifices for the sake of our family’s future.
Fast forward a few years and five babies later, we found ourselves in a comfortable position in life. However, I had a lingering desire to get back into the workforce. At the age of 28, having not worked since I was 17, it was difficult to re-enter the metal fabrication field. I also wanted to be present for our kids, so I postponed pursuing my passion. One day, as I was browsing through courses and considering the direction technology was heading, I realized that qualifying as a digital marketer would be a great opportunity. This is where I discovered my true passion. I worked diligently and launched my agency this year. It started off slow, but once I secured my first client, the rest followed. I dedicated my free time to building trust with my clients, and now I am able to not only help my partner but also fund our family vacations, all while working from the comfort of my home.
Q: What were your younger years like?
A: In my younger years, it was just my mum and me. I come from a big family of nine, but there is a significant age gap between my siblings and me. As a result, I grew up feeling like an only child at home. My parents separated when I was young, but I didn’t feel much impact from it in my life. At the age of 6, my mum met my stepfather, who I believe was a godsend. He has played a pivotal role in shaping the woman I am today and has always been my biggest supporter. He helped me with my education and even guided me through parenthood. He taught me the difference between right and wrong and showed me everything I know. My education was a bit unstable as I struggled with being associated with the wrong crowd. However, I had a school principal who never gave up on me. He guided me towards the right path so that I could make something of myself. I am eternally grateful for his guidance and his refusal to give up on me. During this time, I also managed to secure a weekend job as a kitchen hand in a local pub. This experience taught me a lot about responsibility and teamwork. By the age of 14, I had worked my way up the ladder and earned a full position working alongside the chef. I was responsible for fryer duties and even began organizing shifts and workers. We lived in a small town in the bush, on a farm, and it was truly the best. Now that I live in the city, I am grateful for the upbringing I had. City life and farm life are two very different lifestyles.
Q: What is something valuable you’d like others to know?
A: My story is a bit scattered, but one important lesson I want people to take away from it is to not be discouraged by others’ judgments or let them hinder you from pursuing your dreams in life. I had many people doubting me, saying that what I was doing was a waste of time and money and that I would never achieve anything. However, I proved them wrong. I didn’t really care about their opinions; I did what I needed to do to create a better future for my family. You are never too young or too old to start something new. Believe in yourself, and everything else will fall into place. Remember, you are the only one who can change your own story.
Q: What does feminism mean to you?
A: Feminism encompasses the quest for equality and justice, aiming to provide equal opportunities for all individuals to flourish. It confronts the hierarchies that confine us due to gender and advocates for the rights and acknowledgment of marginalized groups. To me, feminism also embraces personal autonomy and the appreciation of diverse life choices. It is a call to actively dismantle obstacles and foster inclusivity in all aspects of existence.
MORE ABOUT SARIAH: Thank you for reading my story! I tried my best to fit it in without writing a book on my life. I feel so humbled I get to share a bit about myself and what I do with other like-minded women. I help small to medium-sized businesses, and I enjoy combining my skills in digital marketing and Magnetic Mind Coaching to help businesses increase their lead and sales flow by 3-5 times using proven marketing systems. My approach is based on The TAP System, which was developed by The Digital Marketing School. This group of entrepreneurs currently invests over $500,000 per month in advertising with profitable outcomes.
Upon learning this system, I realized that many businesses complicate their lead-generation process unnecessarily. If you are ready to take control of the number of leads and sales entering your business, the TAP system is the perfect solution for you.
Let’s get connected and create a Structured Emotional Clarity Clear Vision marketing game plan that aligns with your desired end result.
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