If you’ve ever looked successful on the outside while barely holding it together on the inside, Deborah’s story will feel like a hand on your shoulder. We invite you into a candid, warm conversation with the youngest of the Wheeler sisters—co-owners of Dublin beauty salons and a skin clinic—about family loyalty, building a business from a kiosk to multiple locations, and the messy middle that never makes it to Instagram.

Deborah opens up about taking a bank loan at 22, earning her place beside her sisters, and being responsible for over 30 jobs—then watching COVID shutter doors for months. She doesn’t sugarcoat the fear or the grief; instead, she maps the habits that kept her moving: planning in uncertainty, adapting services, supporting a team, and accepting that some days you only manage the basics. Her mental health story runs deeper still. She explains panic attacks in plain language, shares what CBT and counselling taught her, and reveals the small rituals—lists before bed, ten-minute meditations, music escapes—that help her reset. Grief after her aunt’s death and a melanoma scare taught her to face mortality early; therapy gave her a way back to steady ground.

There’s light throughout: the joy of a Rome wedding with Wayne, the banter about making a moody man dance, and a love of skincare that’s really about dignity and care. We talk image retinol masks, glow powders, and why a fresh body scrub can lift a Tuesday. Deborah’s take on social media is refreshingly fair—respect for creators who do the hidden labour, and a personal plan to blend beauty with mental wellness content. Above all, she returns to a simple, powerful idea: happiness is perception and practice. You don’t fake positivity; you choose useful thoughts, protect your energy, and try again tomorrow.

If you’re a founder, creator, or anyone navigating anxiety while you carry others, this conversation will meet you where you are and leave you stronger. Listen, share it with someone who needs hope, and if it resonated, subscribe and leave a review—what lesson will you put into practice this week?

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