She Who Dares, Wins.

Michelle has spent the last two years interviewing incredible women on the She Who Dares Wins podcast, but today she steps behind the mic solo for the Season 4 finale. After spending a decade navigating the chaotic, male-dominated world of construction as a freelance engineer—while simultaneously juggling side hustles like filmmaking, a plumbing chemical business, and a clothing line—she thought she was just naturally wired for chaos.But a life of extreme chaos isn't without its mental hurdles. From masking her emotions as a child to living constantly in a "fight or flight" mode to survive moving from project to project, she was unknowingly chasing dopamine. After facing severe burnout that landed her in the hospital and navigating the intense imposter syndrome of quitting her safety-net job to go full-time with her podcast, she realized she could no longer ignore her struggles. Just two weeks ago, she received an official ADHD diagnosis, a revelation that is incredibly common for women in their 40s experiencing hormonal shifts.Now, she is laying it all out there. It is a deeply personal account of her time in construction, the exhausting reality of masking, and how what many label an "ADHD superpower" can actually be the exact thing driving you to absolute burnout. It takes listeners on a journey into why our brains chase shiny new objects, the reality of double-checking everything out of a paralyzing fear of failure, and the immense relief of finally understanding how your mind works.In this episode, we delve into Michelle's official diagnosis and what it has taught her. We discuss her transition from film school to a construction site, how she navigated being the only woman on the job, the moment she realized she was burning out, and the exciting new "doubting to daring" format launching in Season 5.✨ IN THIS EPISODE:00:00 Introduction to the Season 4 Finale and a personal update04:15 Childhood masking and surviving school as the "funny one"10:30 Film school in LA to surviving a baptism of fire in construction16:45 Chasing dopamine: side hustles, chemical businesses, and fight-or-flight mode23:20 The reality of being the only female engineer on site and battling imposter syndrome30:10 Navigating motherhood, severe burnout, and the hospital visit that changed everything34:50 Sacking the safety net, going all-in on the podcast, and facing self-doubt39:15 The assessment process and the profound relief of a late ADHD diagnosis45:30 What’s next: Season 5, Dare Club, and moving from "doubting to daring"💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER:On the exhaustion of the "superpower" myth: "I was in fight or flight mode for the majority of my career... People are always like, 'Yeah, it's a superpower. It's amazing.' It can be, but it also can get you to this point where you are absolutely exhausted and burnt out."On the relief of an official diagnosis: "The things that you have beaten yourself up about over the years and made a joke of, made light of, is actually something that is not really coped with well in society... Somebody to tell you that your brain works differently and you just have this sense of relief of like, Okay."🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS:Sign up for the newsletter to get your weekly dares: www.shewhodareswins.comJoin the Dare Club community: A space where daring outruns doubting🎙️ WANT MORE?Jenny - our deep dive into the realities of ADHD, Autism, and understanding neurodivergence: hereAmanda Perry - discusses unlocking ADHD in business, survival, and triumph: here💌 LOVE THIS EPISODE?Subscribe on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcastsLeave a 5⭐ review – it helps more people discover these storiesWatch all Episodes on YoutubeJoin Dare Club NowWhat are the specific signs of burnout you experienced?Join Dare Club To Chat with other women who have similar experiences

Megan Hine is a wilderness guide, survivalist, and TV producer whose career is the stuff of Hollywood movies. From wild camping alone at 11 years old in Snowdonia to handling King Cobras and rigging stunts out of helicopters for major TV shows, she has spent her life making the inaccessible accessible.But a life of extreme adventure isn't without its mental hurdles. Despite hanging out of helicopters for work, Megan developed a terrifying phobia of them—which she actively cured by learning to fly a paramotor so she could understand air currents. She also had to navigate a heavily male-dominated industry, realizing early on that she would have to work twice as hard to get the same recognition as her male counterparts.Now, she has written a book detailing her experiences. It is a deeply personal account of her time in the wild, exploring the psychology of survival, the therapeutic benefits of nature, and how we can train our brains to handle everyday situations. It takes readers on a journey into why our bodies naturally crave comfort, and how pushing past that biological urge is the ultimate key to resilience.In this episode, we delve into Megan’s incredible career and what it has taught her. We discuss the psychology of fear, her encounters with deadly predators in extreme environments, how she handles high-profile celebrities who refuse safety gear, and why, as a society, we need to stop taking the easy route and start getting uncomfortable.✨ IN THIS EPISODE:00:00 Introduction and claiming the small wins02:01 A childhood in Snowdonia and solo camping at 1104:18 How a free beer led to a career in bushcraft07:37 Navigating the "boys' club" and working twice as hard09:42 Curing a paralyzing fear of helicopters12:33 How to build your own outdoor experience and qualifications15:57 The biology of comfort: why we instinctively take the easy route18:50 A terrifying encounter with a Mountain King Cobra22:07 Working with celebrities and enforcing boundaries24:36 Taking responsibility and getting out of your own way💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER:On the biology of procrastination and fear: "If you study the behavior of any animal, it's all like survival is about efficiency and conservation of energy... It's ingrained in our very makeup to take easier options... but resilience is built through taking on challenges."On the great equalizer of the outdoors: "Nature doesn't discriminate, doesn't care what your walk, where you're from, what your background is... you are going to perform in the way nature performs."🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS:Megan's audiobook (as mentioned in the episode) is available to listen to now.Megan is a proud ambassador for the Scouts Skills for Life programJoin the She Who Dares Wins community🎙️ WANT MORE?Allie Bailey - discusses outrunning self-hate, the myth of self-sabotage, and how to conquer the brutal internal monologue holding you back: hereVanessa Ruck - from a devastating accident and a hospital bed to the Dakar Rally, redefining limits and setting audacious goals before you are ready: here💌 LOVE THIS EPISODE?Subscribe on Spotify, Apple or wherever you get your podcastsLeave a 5⭐ review – it helps more people discover these storiesWatch all Episodes on Youtube Join Dare Club Now

In this episode of She Who Dares Wins, Michelle sits down with Sara, an author and cold water swim guide who has rebuilt her life through divorce, grief, major surgeries, and a near-death experience on the operating table.From being told she’d never “make it” as a freelancer, to years of rejection before finally landing a book deal, Sara shares how cold water, community, and storytelling helped her find courage, connection, and a new chapter in her 60s.This one is for anyone who feels “too ordinary,” too late, or scared to put their work out into the world.Key Takeaways Life is short – act now, not “one day”Facing heart surgery, failed operations, and grief taught Sara to stop postponing the things that matter.Cold water as medicineA 10-degree lake became her way back to the outdoors, easing pain, rebuilding confidence, and reconnecting with her body and mind.Community over competitionThe cold-water swimming world gave her supportive connection she never found in more competitive sports.Social media is a tool, not the measure of your worthInstagram can be frustrating, but breaks, boundaries, and real-life connections matter more than algorithms.Rejection doesn’t mean your story doesn’t matterYears of “no” eventually led to a book deal – and readers now message her to say her stories helped them be braver.Dreams feel different when they come truePublishing a book was a lifelong dream, but the reality came without fanfare – just the question: “What now?”Boundaries change everythingLearning to say no, choose better people, and set limits helped her finally find the right kind of support.Dare: stop hiding your workIf you want to write, submit something – a pitch, a manuscript, a competition entry. Expect rejection, celebrate small wins, and get your words out of your laptop and into the world.Are you ready to stop dounting yourself and become more daring like our guests? Join Dare Club now!

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