My guest today is Stacey, the owner of Stacey Dimitriou Coaching and the founder of Alpha Women Rising, a free Facebook Community celebrating female Strength, Confidence and Resilience.

Stacey previously founded and managed a successful seven figure events business for 13 years with her husband Jim, while juggling their two children. After selling Divine Events, Stacey enjoyed being a stay at home mum for seven years, and then the seven-year business itch hit! She began teaching women how to reclaim their confidence through their courage and saw the immense impact women’s empowerment has on our society as a whole.

In today’s episode we discuss the myths of being an entrepreneur, including getting to the heart of the mindset you need to be successful. We also chatted about how you create confidence and “craughing”, not to be confused with crafting.

• [3.16] Stacey’s superpower: walking away when something doesn’t work for her. I love this because my philosophy is “the happiness is in the leaving”.
• [7.07] Stacey quit and walked away from her graduate programme 20 years ago to start her chair cover business. Stacey’s husband was mortified, he could have passed out.
• [11.16] She couldn’t sew, but she bought 5,000m of fabric and started making 400 chair covers by hand. I’m going to jump into this. 
• [12.17] The trigger to sell the successful events company: They had far exceeded goals; they had two children and sacrificed a lot and when the little one was three Stacey said: “I cannot do this anymore.”
• [16.15] Entrepreneurs feed off risk. A good entrepreneur is addicted to risk.
• [17.50] The myths Stacey wants to squash about being an entrepreneur: The propaganda of how many figures, it matters how much profit you are making. 
• [20.15] Re-adjusting a current position to make it work better. Massive change is not always necessary. Look at all different options to make a change. It’s tweaking sometimes. 
• [26.40] Being an entrepreneur, the first three years, is like an apprenticeship. Being realistic and being ok with not getting it right. Look for the humour in everything.
• [27.35] The “craugh”: half laughing, half crying.
• [28.16] Whether starting a business or a new position, have at the forefront your values and how are they being fulfilled.
• [32.50] Stacey’s tips for building confidence. The small easy to follow equation. Everyone has faced a fear and observed it, looking back is what gives you the confidence to do something similar. Fear + courage = confidence.
• [34.36] Every woman is an Alpha Woman. That makes some people cringe. Someone who stands in her power, who leads. Without Alpha cannot have anything else. Find your genius zone and lead in your own life.
• [38.58] Alpha Women Rising Facebook Group if you want to talk about it and rub shoulders digitally with other Alpha Women. Diverse backgrounds, ages, work places – allowed, if they choose, to be vulnerable. Conversations around topics perhaps we cannot talk about, but in a light-hearted way.
• [40.13] Vulnerability and confidence – you cannot be in a true place of confidence without being vulnerable. Gives us credibility when we are raw and open and vulnerable. The capacity for soft and strong.

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