She Who Dares, Wins.

Today, we’re diving into a conversation that so many women in their 30s and 40s are quietly living through, but rarely saying out loud.I’m joined again by Jenni, who you might remember from a previous episode, and this time we’re going deeper into what it really looks like to have a non-linear career, a late ADHD diagnosis, and, as Jenni discovered, autism traits on top of it all.If you’ve ever looked at your CV and thought,“Why can’t I just stick to one thing like everyone else?”or woken up already telling yourself you’re behind before the day has even started…this episode is for you.We talk about:The shame spiral of changing jobs, careers, and directionsHow a late diagnosis of ADHD and autism can trigger both grief and massive reliefWhy so many women in chaotic, high-pressure jobs — like policing, construction, and close protection — only realise later that their brains were never “the problem”And how to start moving from self-criticism to self-acceptance, without trying to “fix” who you areThis is an honest, vulnerable, and, at times, very funny conversation between two women who absolutely do not fit the traditional career box — and have finally stopped apologising for it.So, if you’ve ever felt “too much”, “all over the place”, or secretly broken…take a breath, grab a cuppa, and let this be your reminder:you are not broken, and you are definitely not alone.Let’s dive in.

n this episode of She Dares Wins, Michelle is joined by sisters Mary and Teddy – two women who’ve carved wildly different but equally daring paths from the same family roots.Mary is a fibrous plasterer working in heritage buildings and a trailblazer in a centuries‑old, male‑dominated trade. Teddy is a dental therapist who walked away from a high‑flying corporate role to work in rural Nicaragua, where she eventually met her husband.Together they talk about risk, resilience, sisterhood, and what it really looks like to choose the daring route when nothing is guaranteed.Key Takeaways & Timestamps[00:02:47] Daring stories: quitting jobs & choosing riskTeddy shares how she quit a prestigious international dental job and followed her heart to Nicaragua.Mary explains her mantra: “take the risk or lose the chance” and why she always chooses the dare over the safe option.[00:03:28] Motorway breakdown & battery change – live ‘she dares, she wins’The chaotic journey to the studio: Teddy’s car breaking down on the motorway.Mary diagnosing the battery, buying tools, negotiating with highway maintenance and changing the battery at the roadside in minutes.[00:08:02] 500 toothbrushes & an NGO in NicaraguaTeddy’s decision to travel with a suitcase of toothbrushes to support an NGO dental project.Staying six months instead of three weeks, travelling the country, and eventually deciding to quit her corporate role.How this led to meeting her husband and redefining success.[00:14:06] Mary’s path in a family trade – from “embarrassed” to expertGrowing up around the family fibrous plastering business and returning after having her daughter.Being a woman in a male‑dominated heritage trade when it “wasn’t fashionable.”Deciding not just to be a female plasterer, but to be the best and “better than the boys.”[00:17:16] Resilience, single motherhood & mental strengthMary on being knocked down in work and personal life and still getting up every time.Balancing running the business, raising her daughter alone, doing admin late at night and still choosing this life for the freedom it brings.How challenges that would be “massive” to others now feel manageable.[00:21:16] Representation, role models & social mediaHow Mary’s Instagram makes her visible to young girls who now see a woman on the tools as normal.Her daughter questioning words like “firemen” and assuming women run building sites.The importance of seeing someone who looks like you doing the thing you dream of.[00:31:12] What they’d tell their younger selves (and why they wouldn’t change the hard bits)Both reflecting on mistakes, especially around relationships and risk.Teddy’s intense experience with a brownie in Amsterdam, how it surfaced unresolved trauma, and why she says “go to therapy before you have a brownie (or just don’t do them).”The idea that the painful chapters were necessary to become who they are now.[00:39:25] The craft: heritage ceilings, the Guild & teaching the next generationMary explains decorative mouldings and working on stately homes and castles.Her role in the Guild (founded 1509), becoming the youngest and only female journeyman so far, and the rarity of female master plasterers.Running workshops, Airbnb experiences and college sessions – creating safe learning spaces where no question is stupid.[00:49:24] Identity, calling & coming home to yourselfTeddy’s current RAF clinic role and living on base in Lincolnshire.The identity crisis of moving to rural Nicaragua: language, culture, lifestyle all changing at once.Realising not every part of her “old self” has to die – some passions and projects are meant to be carried forward into the new life.Join Dare Club

If you’ve ever felt like you’re ticking all the right boxes but living the wrong life, this episode is your permission slip to stop being “the good girl” and start being who you really are.In this mash‑up episode, you’ll hear from:Meg – life coach, on shedding good girl conditioning and surviving the falloutZoe – mindset coach, on the pressure to “find your purpose”Lucy Spraggan – musician & author, on delusional confidence, manifestation, and radical authenticityYou’ll be guided from people‑pleasing and burnout to purpose without pressure, community support, and owning your raw, unapologetic self.What You’ll Learn (Your Personal Journey)By the end of this episode, you’ll move through these stages:Recognising the Good Girl Identity Isn’t Really YouAllowing Yourself to Outgrow the Life You BuiltFinding Purpose Without Crushing Yourself With PressureRewiring Your Mindset So You Stop Beating Yourself UpFinding Your People So You Don’t Have to Do It AloneOwning Delusional Confidence & Backing Your Big DreamsLiving as Your Most Authentic Self (Even When It’s Messy)If this episode resonates with you come join us at the Dare club community

In this solo episode, Michelle shares the honest, unglamorous reality of walking away from a “safe” 17-year career in construction to back herself fully with She Who Dares Wins. This one’s for the women in their 40s who feel like they’re “too far in” to start again—but know deep down they’re meant for more.In this episode, we cover:What it really feels like to leave a career that shaped your identityThe messy in-between: fear, self-sabotage, ADHD, and shiny-object distractionsHow coaching and inner work helped Michelle finally bet on herselfWhy it’s never too late to pivot, start a business, or rewrite your storyA dare for you if you’re 40+ and craving a life and career that fit who you are nowIf you’ve been waiting for a sign to back yourself, this is it!Join The Dare Club community now! www.shewhodareswins.comShop the clothing www.shewhodareswins.com

In this week’s Dare Day episode, Michelle gets radically honest about perfectionism, pressure, and what it really takes to launch something new without burning out.She shares the behind-the-scenes of launching Dare Club—not with a flawless 12‑month plan and perfect branding, but with zero expectations, messy action, and a focus on who she wants to become rather than how many spots she sells.You’ll hear about:The “perfection prison” – how overplanning, tweaking, and “just one more change” keeps you safely stuck and never launchingSelf-handicapping 101 – why spending months in prep mode is actually a defence mechanism against vulnerability and potential failureThe science of low expectations – how high expectations can crash your dopamine and self-worth, and why lowering the bar protects your creative energyProcess over outcome – shifting your focus from “Will this sell out?” to “I’m the kind of person who launches things”The “human startup” approach – launching before it’s perfect so real people can help you shape what it becomesAt the end of the episode, Michelle gives you a simple but powerful dare:Pick one thing you’ve been polishing for too long—a newsletter, product, video, conversation, or post—and launch it as C‑minus work. The win is doing the thing, not the outcome.You’ll also hear what Dare Club is, who it’s for, and how it can help you become your most daring self inside a safe, supportive community—with guest sessions, hot seats, and space to realign who you are with who you want to be.Dare of the Week:Choose one project you’ve been overthinking and launch it with zero expectations. Let the win be that you showed up and did it.Links & Mentions:Dare Club: a community to help you redefine who you are and become your most daring self www.shewhodareswins.comShe Who Dares Wins: clothing, podcast, live events and more – visit shewhodareswins.com

In this episode of She Who Dares Wins, Michelle sits down with long‑distance trekker and world‑record holder Lindsey, whose life has been completely transformed by nature, fear, and radical honesty. Once running an interior design business and working 100‑hour weeks, Lindsey used the forced pause of Covid to reassess everything her work, her relationships, and the life she was “supposed” to want. She opens up about walking away from two marriages impacted by addiction, leaving with “absolutely nothing,” and choosing her mental health and truth over the safety of staying.Lindsey then takes us on her 6,137‑mile trek around the entire coastline of Great Britain 298 days, marathon and ultra distances, no ferries, no shortcut bridges and shares how living 67% of her life outdoors has completely rewired her nervous system, priorities, and definition of “enough.” We talk about extreme fear and presence on Wales’ infamous Crib Goch ridge, the unexpected kindness of strangers, and why she believes nature is “nutrition” for anxiety, depression, and burnout.Timestamps[0:00:00] – Crib Goch & the “Live It Now” ListLindsey introduces her recent Crib Goch ridge adventure in Wales, explains her “live it now list” (not a bucket list), and describes how facing that extreme exposure forced her into total presence and calm.[0:06:24] – Covid, Overwork & the Decision to Change EverythingLindsey shares how working 100-hour weeks in her interior design business and the forced pause of Covid helped her reconnect with her kids, nature, and her own happiness — and led to a complete life and career pivot at 40.[0:10:19] – Addiction, Leaving with Nothing & Choosing HerselfShe opens up about two marriages impacted by addiction, her coping mechanisms, and the terrifying choice to walk away with “absolutely nothing” in order to protect her mental health and live in alignment with her truth.[0:17:02] – The 6,137-Mile Trek Around Great BritainLindsey breaks down planning and walking the full coastline of Great Britain: 298 days, no ferries, no shortcut bridges, marathon and ultra-distance days, and how that journey completely rewired what she values.[0:21:35] – Kindness on the Trail & How People Showed UpFrom gifted hostel beds to strangers offering water and walking alongside her, Lindsey talks about over 160 free nights, 700+ companions, and how the trek restored her faith in human kindness.[0:28:07] – Nature as Daily Nutrition & Mental HealthA deep dive into how much time we really spend indoors, what 4,800 hours outside did to her nervous system, and why she believes nature is “nutrition” and a key missing piece in anxiety and depression.[0:41:27] – She Who Dares Wins Camp & Women’s Outdoor ExperiencesMichelle shares plans for the She Who Dares Wins camping event (wild swimming, bushcraft, campfire connection), and Lindsey reflects on why stripping back comfort and getting outside is so powerful for women.[0:43:34] – Kilimanjaro in 24 Hours: The Next Big ChallengeLindsey introduces her all-women world-record attempt to summit and descend Kilimanjaro in 24 hours: team dynamics, breathwork and altitude training, prep climbs, and learning to let others see “all of her.”[0:54:36] – Your Dare from Lindsey: Face One Fear This MonthIn the bonus segment, Lindsey sets a practical dare for listeners: pick one fear from the last month and face it head-on. She and Michelle talk about micro-fears (emails, conversations, small decisions), fear of failure, and how tiny brave acts compound into real transformation.Join Dare Club www.shewhodareswins.com