In this episode of the Powerful Stories podcast, I sit down with Vanessa Bell, who you might know from her Instagram account as Fashion to Farmer. I first met Vanessa on a virtual coffee date during lockdown a couple of years ago and have been so impressed with her story of transformation, from a successful career in fashion as a model to land guardian and one of the largest female landowners in Australia. 

Vanessa is passionate about supporting the environment by reducing landfill and microplastic pollution, and she decided to leverage the relationships she’d formed over decades to inspire a new generation to consider using wool. She is currently about to take her brand global, so watch this space.

We talk about how women can rise like a phoenix after being burnt to the ashes, rising back up to meet ourselves and become the women we are today. Vanessa shares how she focuses on self-care, saying she believes we need to nurture ourselves first and foremost.

I believe that life is about synchronicities and opportunities; and passing on the gifts we’ve been given through lived experience, and Vanessa really embraces this in her own life. I hope you love her story as much as I do. 

Much love,

Tory xox

[1:09] Vanessa shares her beginnings in the backstreets of Kings Cross in Sydney, when she approached an industry figure after a friend’s mum suggested she might be a good fit for modelling. She spent her twenties travelling and modelling, returning to Australia to work in finance and then media, before meeting her husband and becoming a farmer. 

[2:41] Vanessa found her career purpose when she embraced and owned her story. 

[4:31] When we first met, Vanessa was avoiding stepping forward and telling her story due to a fear of judgement. She began to understand we all have our own unique power, and for her, understanding the power of community and connection and leaning into a group of women that saw her, supported her and wanted the best for her gave her a sense of freedom to become who she is. Her journey through my Powerful Steps program gave her a newfound sense of vitality and creativity and today, Vanessa wants to use the contacts she’s forged through fashion to drive global change.

[7:10] When Vanessa first joined Powerful Steps, I asked her who would be the ultimate person she’d like to partner her brand with, and she replied, ‘Victoria Beckham’. Then, when she simply asked, magic began to unfold. Vanessa is in the process of launching her first capsule range of women’s knitwear in collaboration with a contact from Victoria’s team.

[12:32] Vanessa talks about life on the land, living on a cattle station on the mid-north coast of NSW, which is the largest landholding on the Eastern seaboard. She shares that synchronicity with nature is a healer for her, and mentions carbon farming and other projects she works on in addition to her core business.

[12:51] Vanessa opens up about the importance of getting back to our core, and overcoming negative narratives from the past. She believes we all have the capacity to change, and that it’s important to embrace change and learning, while leaning into the community for support. 

[14:44] We discuss the daily inner rituals Vanessa uses to maintain inner balance while being a wife, mum and business owner and entrepreneur driving impact, including grounding, deep breathing, gratitude, and being clear about her intentions at the beginning of the morning. She says self-care is not an indulgence, it’s a discipline. 

[18:09] Vanessa talks about a traumatic life experience in 2007 after which she went partially blind in her left eye for six months, and how this led her to realise we have choices and capacity for growth and change in our lives. Since this experience, Vanessa has been passionate about bringing vibrancy to the world. Life on the farm teaches her about animals’ capacity for love, and understanding that we’re all part of this source. 

[20:03] Vanessa discusses her plans to launch her capsule collection and share the message about choosing wool, reducing landfill and microplastics at a global level.

[20:56] She says that to stay in your power, you need to get back to the core of who you are, and you have a choice to ‘either cut to the core or rot to the core’. Vanessa recommends focusing on mindfulness, which she does through knitting, lawn-mowing and self-care. 

Want to know more about Vanessa?

 Website: www.vanessa-bell.com

Instagram: @fashiontofarmer

LinkedIn: Vanessa Bell

Are you ready to take a powerful step forward in business and in life? You can join Tory’s dynamic community of top female entrepreneurs by signing up to the Powerful Steps Coffee Challenge (it’s free!): https://powerful-steps.com/coffee-challenge/.

You can also connect with Tory Archbold and her offerings, including corporate keynote speaking, business mentoring and the popular Business Attraction Program, here:

Instagram: @powerfulsteps

LinkedIn: Powerful Steps by Tory Archbold

YouTube: Powerful Steps – YouTube

Business Attraction Program: click here

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