Woman Wednesday: Catriona


Q and A with Catriona from Scotland, living in Berlin, Germany

“When I gave up architecture after studying for seven years, people thought I was crazy, but I knew it wasn’t right for me. And I followed that feeling, and I have ended up in a place I would never have imagined, but it’s exactly where I’m meant to be!”


Q: What are you passionate about? 

A: I come from a background in architecture, and I loved studying it as it was a way to think about how to design the world to create healthier, happier people. After university, I travelled to Vietnam to teach English and I started a community called, “Leading Women,” which ran public speaking events for female speakers to talk about important issues.

I am incredibly passionate about empowering women and [promoting] gender equality for everyone. Since moving back to Europe, I began an Instagram page about female empowerment and, over the months, I moved into more content about sex as I felt it was one of the biggest taboos for women and I really believe that women deserve pleasure and to not be shamed for their sexuality. So basically, my passion is people, humanity, and self-love, and empowerment, and my way of teaching that is through open and honest content around sex, health, and our bodies.
I create content for social media, my website, and through workshops and courses. And my current big passion is teaching women self pleasure
.


Q: What were your younger years like?

A: My early life definitely inspired me a lot. I was my dad’s sole carer from age 14, as he had Alzheimer’s disease. My mum and dad had split up and it really pushed me to grow up and also gave me a lot of compassion for people and [I learned] to treasure life when you can live it because it can be taken away so easily.


Q: What is something valuable you’d like others to know?

A: What I believe people could learn is to listen to your gut and your heart, and let life take you where you’re meant to go, and to accept change. We all have plans, and even if we’re doing everything right, we have to chose to be happy and follow what is right within us, even if it’s taking you off the stable path. When I gave up architecture after studying for seven years, people thought I was crazy, but I knew it wasn’t right for me. And I followed that feeling, and I have ended up in a place I would never have imagined, but it’s exactly where I’m meant to be! Also, don’t stress too much about changing careers or earning a lot of money or owning a house by 30; these don’t necessarily make you happy or give you personal success. Do something that fills you with satisfaction and pays the bills, and you’re on the right path.


Q: What does feminism mean to you? 

A: Feminism is about equal opportunities for everyone, regardless of gender and letting go of limiting ideas of what it means to be a man or a woman. It’s absolutely about female empowerment, but it’s also about giving men the space to express their emotions and so many more things.


MORE FROM CATRIONA: If you’d like to discover your sexuality and love your body more in a community with other supportive women, follow me on Instagram @weareungirls. Also, I’m running a self-love and pleasure course and teaching live workshops on this.

Thank you for reading!

I’d love to connect with you! 🙂

CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW CATRIONA ON INSTA.

Thoughts, questions, or comments?

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Woman Wednesday: Elaine T.


Q and A with Elaine T., Nassau, Bahamas

“I have learned to never ignore your passion. When you are walking in your purpose, your passion will indeed bring value to those you are meant to serve.”


Q: What are you passionate about? 

A: I am passionate about the art of writing. My father took the television away from my siblings and I when we were very young. We were only allowed to read books! Because of this, I am familiar with what a good book is comprised of! This love for reading sparked my imagination and also generated a love for writing. I like to think of my writing as a divine energy that travels from the spiritual realm and into the physical through the portal of my fingers. This is why I started Authors in Action. Through courses, coaching, and ghostwriting, we help our clients to achieve their author potential through the power of self-publishing. I absolutely love the look of pure excitement on my clients’ faces when they hold their book in their hands for the first time. Watching them experience that “I can’t believe I did this!” moment is special and beyond uplifting. I was motivated to start Authors in Action due to the many who wanted to become published authors. I’m currently working on separating my coaching and ghostwriting into two separate entities. I have decided to do this because my ghostwriting packages are the most popular. Lots of executives, pastors, founders, etc. have amazing skills and knowledge that need to be shared with the world; however, they don’t have time to write! It brings me joy to help them be able to add another stream of income to their dynasty, share their knowledge, and achieve their goal of becoming a published author.


Q: What were your younger years like?

A: I grew up on books. I did not experience television until about four years ago. My school years consisted of my classmates laughing hysterically whenever I admitted that my family and I didn’t have a television. Yes, it was embarrassing, but now I am grateful. I didn’t experience being on the computer unsupervised until my senior high school days back in 2003. These were days when my mom allowed us to sneak in an hour or two whenever my dad was at work. Thanks Mummy! I loved shows like Desperate Housewives, Downton Abbey, and later on a series called Revenge. I still loved books. I will always embrace a good book. My favorite childhood authors were Enid Blyton, Ronald Dahl, Anne Martin, and Carolyn Keene. These authors took me on many memorable journeys through my imagination. This creativity translated across into my writing and gave me a newfound love and a unique way to express myself. In addition to reading, I did professional ballet classes. My father says this was one of the hobbies I took extremely seriously. Many may not know that I have completed the American Academy of Ballet Examinations with mostly gold medals straight up to level twelve which is pointe work. I was trained through Virtue Dance Academy in The Bahamas and was judged once a year by The American Academy of Ballet. This was the perfect school for me as they did acting and Christian stage performance also. Dance and writing are similar for me as I consider them both to be a presentation of energy flowing from another world into reality.


Q: What is something valuable you’d like others to know?

A: I have learned to never ignore your passion. My passion has always been writing; however, I was encouraged by a guidance counselor to pick a more “realistic” career. I was told that I would not be able to make a living if I chose the path of writing. My income so far for the month of March 2021 is 9k. May I add that the month isn’t over yet (as I’m writing this). I would like to encourage you to trust your passion. Money should never be the driving force behind what it is you choose to do; however, when you are walking in your purpose, your passion will indeed bring value to those you are meant to serve. As long as you bring about an outstanding result, wealth will follow. Why? Because people will indeed pay you for the results you are able to give them. You will absolutely give excellent results if you are passionate about what you do. No matter how small your dream seems, still pursue it. You may not see the full vision at first, but eventually, you will come to discover that your passion is connected to your purpose. Trust the passion God gave you. It is He who will use it to achieve His purpose for your life.


Q: What does feminism mean to you? 

A: I believe a woman can be independent; however, having a partner is valuable. I have always found the concept of teamwork beautiful—one team working towards one goal. I feel a husband and wife who are two whole people walking in their purpose and impacting the world together is a force to be reckoned with. Respect, love, empowerment and bravery of both parties is crucial. At the end of the day, we are all human beings—none better than the other. If a husband and wife are stuck on a deserted island, they both need to operate as a team to survive. His strength is needed to build a shelter. Her endurance is valuable when hunting food. Each has brought something unique to the table. Each has something different yet valuable to offer. Both are equally great because both have something exceptional to offer. Yes, some may say you can do it alone, but I am a huge fan of teamwork and so, this is where I stand on the subject. It is possible alone, but it is even better using teamwork. This is just my opinion and how I feel although many may disagree.


MORE ABOUT ELAINE:

I was born and raised in Nassau, Bahamas. I absolutely love island hopping and visiting our local resorts. I have two sons—ages seven and four. They both adore cars, Amazon, and taking long drives. The eldest hates reading while the youngest began reading at the age of two and loves it. Like all kids, they are both different but equally special.

Thank you for reading!

I’d love to connect with you! 🙂

Click here for my website.

Thoughts, questions, or comments?

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Woman Wednesday: Courtney R.


Q and A with Courtney R., Vancouver, Washington

“We all need a great circle of empowering strong women to push us on all the hard days but also celebrate our wins.”


Q: What are you passionate about? 

A: I’m a mom of three; two boys ages 13 and 11, and a girl age 6. My kids are my whole world. I own a women’s clothing store in Vancouver, Washington, and we specialize in size inclusivity and ethnic fashion. All things girlie is who I am; I love personal shopping and styling my clients and myself (give me all the fun hot tools to play with my hair all day and bright lipstick because it’s a staple) because showing up feeling my best is important. It also empowers other women to do the same.

Personal styling and shopping is what I do because fashion is for everyone and we always feel better when we like our outfit. The store was a dream I had with my best friend from middle school; that’s what bonded us. (Funny story) she didn’t like me but loved my outfit and her mom made her hang out with me [she laughs], we’ve now been best friends for over 17 years! I’m also the girl who loves to get dirty and camp (any outdoor activity hiking and swimming the river is what I do all summer here in the PNW, where I was born and raised). Count me in on long weekends with my girlfriends because we are the tribe we keep! We all need a great circle of empowering strong women to push us on all the hard days but also celebrate our wins. I love to travel. Hawaii is my favorite but Japan, Africa, New York, and Italy are on my long bucket list. I’m also a adrenaline junkie, so skydiving, roller coasters, all those things…count me in. My goal is to have my store in multiple locations where I can shop a little differently for each location. (Depending where its at…weather and all that).


Q: What were your younger years like?

A: I have one older brother. My parents are divorced, so childhood was different in each house. At my mom’s, I was an only child. At my dad’s, we had a blended family and I had a step brother and 2 step sisters. I was the oldest. I graduated from high school in 2007 and became a mom shortly after. I stayed home with my kids until I opened my boutique. Coming from a divorced home had its challenges, but it made me the strong, independent mother and friend I am today.


Q: What is something valuable you’d like others to know?

A: Being a business owner isn’t for the faint of heart, but if you always go back to your core values and stay humble, you can get through any hard day and you always appreciate the wins. (That’s what I’ve learned.) Believe came about because we wanted to inspire women to follow their dreams (that’s what we did), and when you put your whole heart into something, anything is possible.


Q: What does feminism mean to you? 

A: Feminism, to me, is rejecting stereotypes and expectations put in place centuries ago to keep women in their “place.” And replacing those expectations with love, acceptance, support, and encouragement. There are millions of women in the world and there are millions of ways to embody womanhood. Feminism is cheering for every woman in whatever way she chooses to be a woman.


Thank you for reading!

I’d love to connect with you! 🙂

Click here to shop and connect!

Thoughts, questions, or comments?

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Woman Wednesday: Mariam


Q and A with Mariam, Montreal, Canada

I seek out to channel the lessons I’ve learned from Khadija every day.”


Q: What are you passionate about? 

A: I love teaching. I’ve always loved teaching because of being able to help people go through breakthrough moments. It has been my passion from a very young age. Writing was always my coping mechanism. My parents were terminally ill since I was a kid, and I wrote poetry to cope with it.

So, I became an English teacher who also wrote copy on the side. Around 2 years ago, Bill 21 came into effect in Quebec, which prompted me to decide to start a business. I started writing copy full time. I realized I was actually developing most of their content strategy as well as doing their copy, and that is when I started studying it even more (I love studying) and ended up doing this full time. Within 3 months, I was able to make more than my 9-to-5 job and quit. Eventually, I started missing teaching. So now, I teach new entrepreneurs how to make a full-time income out of their business.


Q: What were your younger years like?

A: My upbringing was centered around the fact that my mom had breast cancer and my dad had lymphoma. My mom died when I was 16 from her second cancer and my father from his third when I was 25, so 2 years ago now. 

I’ve always loved writing and have always used that as a coping mechanism. In fact, I have a poetry collection coming out soon entitled, “Eulogy: Our Stories Put to Rest.”


Q: What is something valuable you’d like others to know?

A: That you can do anything you set your mind to! That you are literally the one that decides your faith. Focus on what you have control over and move forward collecting the tools (learn) you need for the outcome of your dreams. 


Q: What does feminism mean to you? 

A: Everything. When I was young, my father told me the story of Khadija RDA, a historical figure in Islamic heritage. She was a business owner and considered to be the mother of Islam. I was so fascinated by the fact that she had proposed to her husband, the Prophet in our tradition; she was one of the wealthiest individuals of her time and space and also one of the kindest. She was so ahead of her time! She would always put out a green cloth over her entry way so people would know to come to her if they needed help. I seek out to channel the lessons I’ve learned from Khadija every day.

I am a strong woman that has always taken care of herself. That is the backbone of my story. In fact, my life today on Facebook is about the 3 lessons I’ve learned from amazing women. And, I will be focusing on Audrey Hepburn, Khadija RDA (historical figure in Islamic heritage), and my mom.


Thank you for reading!

MORE ABOUT MARIAM: I drive my company and my everyday life on empathy. It is at the core of my philosophy and my business. I set goals to give back. In fact, I have a mastermind coming up next week. 100% of ticket sales is directly going to fund food baskets for families in need.


I’d love to connect with you! 🙂

Thoughts, questions, or comments?

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Woman Wednesday: Nicole


Q and A with Nicole, Spokane, Wa

“There are going to be a lot of people who don’t like you, not because you’re a bad person, but because there is something you have that they want.”


Q: What are you passionate about? 

A: I am super passionate about supporting women in business and being able to live a life full of ands. When we grow up, I think a lot of society teaches that we can’t have it all. I want to prove we can balance happiness, success, freedom, family, and money just fine with the right support and strategies! When it came to starting my marketing agency, Diedrich Marketing Strategies, I was passionate about be of service! I knew I wanted to make good money, but the impact I could make on women-owned businesses mattered more to me. This moral has tremendously changed the landscape of my business and also help me reach the goals I was wanting. Now that I get to support clients daily on their visibility, I wanted to start something completely new! Even though COVID-19 set us back a bit this year, we will be hosting a virtual and in-person retreat in Lake Tahoe from September 6th—9th. This retreat will be all about our amazing women-in-business speakers supporting other women in growing their multi 6-figure businesses! Currently, I just have a waitlist link for those who are wanting to buy tickets! And here it is; people need to confirm their subscription though through their email. Sign up here.


Q: What were your younger years like?

A: Growing up, I struggled with being bullied more so because I was never afraid to stick out. I loved being in school and knowing the answers. I worked hard to be accomplished in academics and graduated with my AAS the same time I graduated high school. I’ve always been probably too mature for my age, so being young never really interested me. Now, I wish I could go back and enjoy it a little more. My parents were a huge part of my life and helped me grow into a stable and successful woman, but they definitely dealt with some attitude along the way. I’ve never been someone to take opinions as facts, so I’ve always rubbed people the wrong way at times, and I still do. But owning a business does have its perks! Something I learned over the years, especially when I was younger, is that I didn’t need a lot of people in my life. I’m a firm believer in keeping your circle small and being around people who make you better. I always knew I wanted to go out and do big things when I was younger. But I believed that route would be from being a famous news anchor or actress/singer. Those dreams haven’t come true, but my business’ success is my most prized possession. To know I grew the business from my knowledge and no one’s monetary support is everything. It has helped me realize that no matter what, if we want something bad enough, we will go out and make it happen.


Q: What is something valuable you’d like others to know?

A: There are going to be a lot of people who don’t like you, not because you’re a bad person, but because there is something you have that they want. Try not to take this personal. And trust me, it’s very hard to do. But once you realize a lot of the hate we receive in life usually has nothing to do with us, it helps you continue to grow and try to do better not just for yourself but to prove to others they can do it too. I’ve realized that good relationships are very hard to find, so when you do find them, hold onto them. For most of us, our natural instinct is to be selfish, so if you can find your path living to serve others and not just yourself, you’ll realize true happiness and the reason you were put on this earth!


Q: What does feminism mean to you? 

A: Feminism, to me, means standing up for equity and sharing how women have every ability to create their dream lives alone, let alone create it with an amazing partner. I’m passionate about supporting as many women business owners as I possibly can and so, have created multiple FB groups for ladies to learn how to market! If you’re looking for support with marketing and Facebook ads for free, I’d love to have you join us here.


Thank you for reading!


I’d love to connect with you! 🙂

Thoughts, questions, or comments?

Let us know! Comment below! 🙂