Burnout, a €16M Deal, and Losing It All—The Moment That Changed Everything
How You See Yourself Is Who You Become
I never saw myself as a failure.
I was a high achiever—rising fast through the corporate ranks, delivering a speech at the House of Lords, receiving invitations to Downing Street, St. James’s Palace, and The Treasury. I wasn’t just successful; I was making an impact
When I left corporate to start my first solo business venture—a destination spa in Ireland—I played full out. I spent a year searching for the perfect location, attracted a globally renowned team (some who worked for nothing just to be part of it), and secured an investment offer of €16 million from none other than George Bush’s personal banker in the States.
Everything was working like magic.
Until it wasn’t.
Sitting by the pool, cocktail in hand, the call came. I’d lost planning permission.
I went to appeal. Lost that too.
I’d invested everything—money, time, my soul. And now, it was gone.
I didn’t just lose a business. I lost me.
For the first time, I saw myself as a failure. And that image dictated everything that followed.
I hid away. I buried myself in other people’s businesses, helping them succeed while avoiding my own reflection. I was so ashamed that I even changed my name—after building my entire career under my maiden name, I switched to my married name. I couldn’t face anyone, least of all myself.
And with that identity shift came weight gain. Not overnight, but steadily, as I sank deeper into the belief that I was no longer someone who achieved great things.
It wasn’t until years later, when my son told me he was considering moving to the States, that I woke up.
I had poured everything into him, into supporting others, while I ignored my own desires, my own purpose, my own life.
At the same time, all those years of stress had taken their toll—I was grinding my teeth so much I needed surgery. But when I arrived at the hospital, I was told my BMI was too high to be safely sedated.
I had become someone I no longer recognised.
That was my moment. The moment I took hold of the reins.
I lost the weight I needed for surgery. But I didn’t stop there. I cleaned up my diet, upped my exercise, and over time, I dropped over seven stone.
And just like that, I saw myself differently.
Not just as someone who had lost weight—but as a powerful, purposeful woman. A woman who wasn’t here to shrink, to hide, to play small.
A woman who was here to lead.
Because here’s the truth: How you see yourself is who you become.
And this is why I do what I do.
Women don’t just need strategy. They don’t just need action plans.
They need to see themselves as visionary leaders.
They need to own who they are becoming, embody the next-level version of themselves, and align their businesses with that version.
I spent years operating in my masculine—pushing, proving, striving. And yes, it got me results. But it also burnt me out, made me feel empty, and ultimately, led to my downfall.
Real success—sustainable, fulfilling success—requires both.
Masculine energy—structure, action, execution.
Feminine energy—vision, passion, intuition.
When we merge the two, that’s when the magic happens.
That’s when we build businesses that don’t just grow—but thrive.
That’s when we create impact, income, and influence.
That’s when we become who we were meant to be.
If you’re ready to shift how you see yourself, step into your next-level self, and build a business that aligns with your biggest, boldest vision—let’s talk.
Because what got you here won’t get you there.
And the next version of you is waiting.