She Who Dares, Wins.

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

In this Thursday mini-dare, Michelle shares a deeply personal update and a powerful life design tool to help you reimagine your future.After two years of running She Who Dares Wins alongside a part-time construction job, Michelle finally took the leap and quit the role that was quietly draining her energy and keeping her tied to an industry that no longer served her. That decision led her back to a note she’d written in a old notebook: the Odyssey method.Originally developed at Stanford’s Life Design Lab by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans, the Odyssey method is a practical, science-backed way to imagine and design multiple possible futures – not just one “perfect” path.In this episode, Michelle walks you through:Why she quit her part-time construction job and how it freed up energy for a life that feels more alignedWhat the Odyssey method is and how it links to manifestation, neuroplasticity, and the way our brains spot new opportunitiesThe problem with chasing one perfect plan and how functional fixedness keeps us stuckHow to sketch out three 5-year life paths:Path 1: Your current life, but the A+ versionPath 2: The pivot path if your current industry disappearedPath 3: The wild card path you’d choose if money, fear, and other people’s opinions didn’t matterThe four questions to rate each path: resources, likeability, confidence, and coherence with your valuesHow Michelle’s own “path three” led to the podcast, studio, film work, and clothing range that built She Who Dares WinsThis week’s dare:Spend 15 minutes a day sketching out your three Odyssey paths. Give each one a six-word title, plot the milestones, and notice what excites you most—especially in your wild card path. Then ask: What tiny version of path three can I start today, without quitting my job?Michelle would love to hear your Path 3:Tag her on socials and share your wild card lifeOr email your three paths and six-word titlesDare Club – Doors Opening April 29If you love these Thursday dares and you’re ready for deeper support, Michelle is launching Dare Club on April 29 – an online community for women who want to become the boldest, most daring version of themselves.As a founding member (only 50 spots), you’ll get:Locked-in lifetime pricing (quarterly or yearly options)Live sessions with incredible guests and expertsHot-seat coaching to get clear on your story and next stepsA supportive community of women who “get it” and are also designing braver livesSpots are limited to the first 50 founding members.Head to shewhodareswins.com to learn more and join Dare Club before doors close www.shewhodareswins.comResources MentionedBook on the science of manifestation Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill How to Design Your Life by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans

In this powerful episode of She Who Dares Wins, Michelle is joined by Sophie, a trail runner and adventurer who traded everyday comfort for an intense social and survival experiment on a Maldivian desert island.Sophie explains how:A lifetime of running, from competitive school races to joyful trail running after university, set the foundation for bigger adventures.A wild night on the dance floor at Love Trails festival – googly eyes, sequins, and all – led to meeting Danny and joining his crew on a 10‑day, 208‑mile run across Iceland.That Iceland experience became the gateway to something even more extreme: a “human experiment” where 20 people were dropped on a desert island for six days, with only two days of survival training.Together, Michelle and Sophie explore:Survival skills & the reality of ‘paradise’The basics of surviving on an atoll: coconuts, fish, and crabs as the only real food sources.Learning to climb coconut trees, use palm fronds for shelter, and build “questionable” ladders.Spear fishing, line fishing with makeshift plastic‑bottle rods, and using crabs as bait.Food, ethics, and our disconnection from where food comes fromThe emotional impact of killing the animals you eat and facing that reality head‑on.Why wasting a single fish felt so heavy when you’d speared it yourself.How the experience shifted Sophie’s relationship with meat, fish, and supermarket food back home.Hunger, morale, and the “emergency rice” dilemmaThe physical and mental crash around day two as the group struggled with heat, exertion, and very few calories.The group vote to bring in emergency rice, and how simply knowing there was a back‑up completely changed morale.The fascinating “tribes” that formed between rice eaters vs. non‑rice eaters, and what that revealed about identity and pride.Community, leadership and group dynamicsHow the group decided to appoint Kelly, an Alaskan hunter and fisher, as a leader – and what it means to “lead from the back”.The challenge of finding enough food for 20 people vs. surviving alone.How everyone eventually “found their groove” and unique role in the micro‑society on the island.Phones, presence, and creative freedomWhat happens when you are suddenly phone‑free and offline: the initial withdrawal, then complete freedom.Discovering how much time and joy re‑appears when you’re carving coconuts, playing games, swimming and simply talking – with no schedule and no notifications.The struggle of bringing those lessons back into a “normal” life that’s busy, structured and always online.Deep connection and telling the truth about yourselfWhy deep, face‑to‑face connection around a campfire is nothing like “social media connection”.How the island gave people space to tell their real stories, share things they’d held in for years, and be met without judgment.Sophie’s biggest personal takeaway: the confidence that she can show up as her full, slightly weird, authentic self and still be accepted.The episode closes with a powerful reflection on what Sophie will leave on the island, what she’ll bring home, and how adventures like this can remind us what really matters: presence, people, and permission to be ourselves.To find out more about the experiment and see if you can joing the next one - shoot sophie a message on Instagram @street_sophie For the running adventures check out https://greatsilkrun.com/

In this episode, Michelle sits down with Helen and Marcella, the duo behind the first ever all‑British female team to finish the Dakar Rally – in a Land Rover they built themselves in a shed, affectionately named Purdy.They share the hilarious, gritty and frankly unbelievable story of how two “normal” women in their 50s went from a chance meeting in rural France to surviving one of the toughest motorsport events in the world.In this episode, we talk about:How it all startedMoving to France, a chaotic first meeting, and how wine + turning 50 led to saying “yes” to Dakar.Building Purdy in a shedBuying a rough Defender off eBay, turning it into a Dakar‑spec car, and battling electrics and wiring gremlins.Funding the dreamSelling cars, jewellery and dipping into a pension, plus the reality of chasing sponsorship when no one knows you.Life at DakarThe moving “town” of the bivouac, zero sleep, mixing with factory teams and legends, and surviving with minimal spares and one young mechanic.On‑stage chaosReading road books, driving dunes and rock‑fields, double punctures on the final day, and almost not making the finish.The unfiltered realitySpider bites, stomach upsets, desert toilet logistics and an escalating obsession with bananas.Friendship & being firstHow they avoided falling out, what deep trust in the car looks like, and what it means to be the first all‑British female team to finish Dakar.Why you should listenIf you’ve ever thought “I’m too old”, “I’m too normal” or “that’s for people with money and connections”, this episode will mess with that narrative in the best way.It’s about:Audacity – deciding to do something wildly beyond your comfort zoneGraft – building the car, finding the money, fixing it when it catches fireGrit and humour – dealing with spiders, sand, sponsors and squits, and still laughingFriendship – trusting someone else with your life, your dream and your worst daysCheck out Be right Back events: Join Dare club: www.shewhodareswins.comShop Merch: www.shewhodareswins.com

This week’s dare is inspired by my incredible previous guest, Abbi Pulling from the F1 Academy. In our conversation, Abbi said something that stopped me in my tracks:“My goal this year is to be more arrogant.”In this mini episode, we unpack what that really means – and no, it’s not about being rude, entitled, or steamrolling people. It’s about backing yourself out loud.In this episode, I talk about:Reframing “arrogance”Why we need to redefine arrogance as unapologetically backing your skills, ideas, and decisions – especially for women who are often overqualified and under-assertive.Self-efficacy and the psychology of confidenceHow your belief that you can handle a task (self-efficacy) affects whether you speak up, try, and bounce back – and how behavior can actually create confidence.The 10% rule: your dare for the next 7 daysOne simple challenge: choose a situation where you’d usually shrink, and act 10% more “arrogant” instead. Not 200% – just 10%.Examples might be:Speaking up in a meeting instead of staying quietCorrecting mis-credit and saying, “Actually, I led that project”Naming your real rates or boundaries without apologisingStretching your comfort zone (without tipping into panic)Why feeling uncomfortable doesn’t mean you’re doing it wrong – it usually just means you’re stepping outside your old script and letting your nervous system recalibrate.Reflection prompts to journal on:Where in my life am I most underestimating myself?What am I quietly excellent at that nobody sees because I keep hiding it?If I was 10% more arrogant this week, what would I do differently?This week’s dareFor the next 7 days:👉 Pick one real situation where you’d usually shrink.👉 Act 10% more arrogant – in the best possible way.👉 Back yourself a little louder than you usually would.You don’t have to grow a giant ego. You just have to stop pretending you are less than you are.Come and tell me what you didI would love to hear how you get on with this dare.DM me on Instagram and tell me what you triedOr tag me in your Stories and share your 10% more arrogant momentDare Club is coming…We are just weeks away from the launch of Dare Club on 28th April – my new online paid community for women who want to live a more daring life.Inside Dare Club you’ll get:Live webinars with previous and new guestsA sisterhood community if you haven’t found your tribe yetOngoing mini dares, tools, and conversations to help you be more daringWe’re starting with 50 founding members who will get a locked-in lifetime price.👉 Head to shewhodareswins.com and click on Dare Club to join the waiting list👉 Or comment “dare club” on any of my Instagram posts and I’ll DM you the link

In this episode of She Who Dares Wins, Michelle sits down with Abbi Pulling – GB3 driver, F1 Academy champion and Nissan Formula E development driver – for a raw, funny and honest conversation about what it really takes to make it in motorsport.Abbi shares how a childhood spent at race tracks with her dad turned into a professional career, the brutal financial reality of racing, and why her goal this year is to “be more arrogant.” She opens up about mindset, burnout, social media, and the pressure of representing women in a male‑dominated sport – all while still just 22.If you’ve ever wrestled with self‑doubt, expectations or the cost (financial and emotional) of chasing a big dream, this one will hit home – whether you’re into racing or not.Key TakeawaysMindset over everything: Abbi’s turnaround season came when she stopped obsessing over expectations and focused on doing the best she could each weekend, reset from zero, and treating every result as data, not judgment.“Be more arrogant” (in a good way): Her goal is to back herself harder, trust her instincts, and speak up – especially when she knows she’s right on car setup and strategy.The real cost of racing: Moving from karts to cars can cost £100k+ a year on a budget, rising to £500k–£1m at higher levels – making sponsorship and creative funding absolutely critical.Female-only series as lifelines: W Series and F1 Academy didn’t just give visibility; they literally kept her career alive when funding ran out.Competing in mixed grids: Abbi’s raced boys and men her whole life; for her, gender matters less than mindset, performance and being at the front.Physical and mental load: Heat, fatigue and constant focus make racing a mental as much as a physical sport – the hardest part is making razor‑sharp decisions while exhausted.Representation and numbers game: More girls are entering at grassroots now, but it will take years before that shows as more women in F3, F2 and F1. It’s not “if” but when.Cars not built for women (yet): From steering wheels and pedals to seat inserts, most hardware is designed around a male body – small design changes could make a big difference.Life outside the paddock matters: Trips to the local pub, time with friends and her dog, and staying “a normal 22‑year‑old” keep her grounded and joyful.Fans really do fund the dream: Merch, fan engagement and community support have directly contributed to Abbi being able to race this season.Be right back adventuresJoin Dare ClubAbbi's Merch

In this episode of SHE Who Dares Wins, Michelle sits back down with Eva – bushcraft instructor, founder of Wilder Horizons CIC, and former contestant on the TV show Alone – to explore what it really looks like to rebuild your life from the ground up.From leaving the NHS and traditional employment, to moving into a caravan, to spending three dark winter months training in North Wales with seven other women, Eva shares a raw, honest look at self-employment, simplicity, female friendship and finding community in the outdoors.If you’ve ever thought, “I can’t do that” or felt left behind because your path doesn’t look like everyone else’s, this conversation is for you.In This Episode, We Talk AboutDaring to begin (again)Why Eva clung to traditional employment “with her fingernails”The crunch point where she realised she was doing a bad job for everyone – and had to choose herselfWhat the first year of full-time self-employment has really looked like (peaks, troughs and all)Calm over “career safety”How leaving the NHS shifted her day-to-day from constant adrenaline to a calmer nervous systemWhy she now values alignment and mental health over job titles, pensions and sick payCaravan life and living smallMoving from a two-bed flat into a tiny caravan with her partner… just as winter startedJuggling three part-time jobs, 4 a.m. commutes, and wondering, “What have I done?”The unexpected gifts of simple living: fewer bills, more outdoor space and learning what she actually needsStuff, screens and simplifyingLetting go of storage units, “just in case” boxes and the things she didn’t miss for a whole yearSwapping infinite Netflix choice for five charity-shop DVDs – and what that taught her about decision fatigue and delayed gratificationLoneliness, lost friendships and starting againThe quiet grief of friendships that fade when you step off the traditional life pathWhy it’s so hard to have honest conversations about “what went wrong” in friendshipsFeeling like you’re starting from scratch socially when your values and lifestyle changeFinding belonging in the outdoorsThree months in north Wales with the Outward Bound Trust and Berghaus:Living in a shared house with seven womenLong days in the cold and wet, learning navigation, rock skills and paddlingThe deep sense of community that formed from being together 24/7How intense shared experiences fast-track genuine connection and trustWomen-only spaces and why they matterTraining with female instructors and what changed when there were no men in the groupThe difference in energy, competition and confidence in women-only learning spacesWhy Eva chose to keep her bushcraft events women-only after hearing participant feedbackBushcraft as a doorway to courageWatching women come solo to events – sometimes for the first time doing anything just for themselvesHow lighting fires, carving wood and sleeping outside can unlock confidence far beyond the woodsThe ripple effect: course WhatsApp groups, new hiking buddies and women planning their own adventures togetherSafety, responsibility and the outdoor industryThe tension between qualified outdoor professionals and social-media-led “hike meetups”Why qualifications, recces and first aid still matter – even when you “just love hiking”Expansion and what’s next for Wilder HorizonsEva’s word of the year: ExpansionMoving from “doing everything myself” to hiring a community and adventure managerHer vision for employing and uplifting more women in the outdoor spaceJoin Dare club: www.shewhodareswins.com

In this raw, unscripted episode, Michelle shares what happened 24 hours after quitting her job in construction—a career she’s had for 18 years, including 17 years on site and the last two years working in social media for a construction firm.While working part-time, Michelle has been quietly building her lifelong dream: the She Who Dares Wins podcast. In this conversation, she opens up about:Why she finally decided to walk away from construction for goodHow her part-time role became a comfort blanket tied to her identity and self-worthThe emotional and practical challenges of balancing a “safe” job with a big dreamWhat it felt like in the first 24 hours after quitting—liberation, fear, and excitementWhy trusting your gut and “setting yourself free” can be the turning point in your lifeThis episode is for anyone who is unhappy in their job, working part-time while chasing a dream, or struggling to let go of a stable role that no longer feels right. Michelle shares honestly about money, fear, identity, and the reality that dreams take time—her podcast has been running for two years and is only now starting to feel ready to monetize.She also talks about the rebirth of this channel:Closing the door on construction contentKeeping her old videos as part of her story and journeyInviting you to come along for this new chapterIf you’ve been waiting for a sign to back yourself, this might be it.Key Topics CoveredLeaving an 18-year construction careerHybrid life: part-time job + part-time dreamIdentity and self-worth tied to your jobListening to the universe / your gut when it’s time to move onThe emotional mix of excitement vs. anxietyLetting go of the “comfort blanket” and taking a bet on yourselfThe rebirth of the channel and the next phase of She Who Dares WinsSuggested Timestamps (you can adjust based on final edit)00:00 – I just quit my jobMichelle opens with the news that she’s quit her job in construction.00:40 – 18 years in construction & the shift to social mediaBackground on her career and recent role in social media for a construction firm.01:20 – Building the She Who Dares Wins podcast on the sideHow she’s been growing the show while working part-time.02:10 – Why she decided to quitCulture, environment, identity, and the comfort blanket of a “safe” job.03:10 – The problem with hybrid roles and divided energyWhy part-time work still drains the energy needed to pursue a dream.04:10 – Trusting the universe and listening to her gutThe signs and feelings that pushed her to finally make the move.05:00 – 24 hours after quitting: how it really feelsLiberation, relief, and the surprising lack of panic—so far.05:45 – Excitement vs. anxietyHow similar they feel and why she’s choosing to see it as excitement.06:20 – A message to anyone unhappy in their jobEncouragement to trust your gut and set yourself free.07:00 – Closing the door on constructionOfficially ending her involvement in construction and keeping one toe out.07:40 – Channel rebirth & what’s nextWhy she’s not starting a new channel, how old videos fit into her story, and what the future content will look like.08:00 – Final thoughtsThank you to existing subscribers and an invitation to join the new journey.