Join host Eve in a powerful, wide-ranging conversation with global explorer, founder, and strategic investor Sophie Ballagh. With over two decades spent leading thousands of people through the Earth’s most extreme environments—from the High Arctic to Antarctica—Sophie brings a unique perspective on leadership, resilience, and conscious decision-making into the business world.

In this episode, Sophie and Eve break down what it truly means to live intentionally and challenge the modern concept of "greenwashing" with a much more human term coined by Sophie: "Green Wishing." They dive into the gap between wanting to make a change and taking real action, discussing how we can all use our personal agency to make a collective difference.

Sophie also shares the personal journey that led her to co-found Harrington Road, a business dedicated to helping families navigate major, emotional life transitions like downsizing and deceased estates by redefining the relationship between purpose and profit.

If you are looking to step out of autopilot, understand the "honest maths" of your impact, and find the courage to choose the hard things on purpose, this conversation is a must-watch.

Key Topics Covered:

• 00:00 – Introduction to Sophie Ballagh: Global Adventurer turned Business Founder
• 01:33 – Growing up in New Zealand & finding a passion for outdoor education
• 07:07 – The serendipitous 16-day journey that led Sophie to Antarctica
• 10:44 – The "Honest Maths" of our environmental footprint and the positive impact bucket
• 16:21 – Overcoming the trap of convenience and reclaiming individual agency
• 21:19 – What is "Green Wishing" and how do we bridge the gap to real action?
• 25:28 – What moves us into long-term action: Fire in the belly and deep connection
• 27:46 – Aligning purpose and profit through Harrington Road
• 33:09 – What living intentionally looks like on a daily basis
• 36:40 – A final message to listeners: Using your voice to force change

Connect with Sophie Ballagh:

• Find Sophie on social media to keep up with her latest insights on intentional living and entrepreneurship.

About the Podcast:

Project Emerald is focused on reclaiming personal power, one conscious choice at a time. Subscribe for more deeply resonant conversations with innovators, change-makers, and leaders who choose to live with high intentionality.

If you enjoyed this conversation, please hit the Like button, leave a comment with your own "green wish," and Subscribe for more episodes!

#SophieBallagh #ProjectEmerald #GreenWishing #IntentionalLiving #Sustainability #Antarctica #ConsciousEntrepreneurship #Leadership #HarringtonRoad

What happens when life forces you to slow down?

For Sharon Harvey, the answer wasn't giving up - it was rebuilding her life with more intention than ever before.

After a challenging childhood, decades of business experience, raising a family, and facing a life-changing brain condition, Sharon discovered that success isn't measured by titles, income or possessions. It's measured by creating a life that feels true to who you are.

Today she's the founder of Shakes and Ladders in Cygnet, Tasmania - a unique community space where nutritional shakes, indoor plants, preloved fashion and genuine human connection come together under one roof.

In this honest and uplifting conversation, Sharon shares how illness changed her perspective, why second-hand shopping has always been part of her life, and how she's blended everything that brings her joy into one business.

If you've ever questioned what success really looks like, or wondered whether it's too late to start again, this conversation is for you.

• Growing up with very little and learning resilience
• The three pivotal moments that shaped Sharon's life
• How a life-changing health diagnosis transformed her outlook
• Why personal responsibility matters alongside modern medicine
• Building a business around purpose instead of profit
• The surprising joy of preloved fashion and conscious consumption
• Why collaboration always beats competition
• What it really means to live intentionally

One of my favourite moments was when Sharon said that she had finally realised she didn't need to choose between all the things she loved - she could bring them together in one place. It feels like Sharon is redefinig success on her terms, and I am so happy for her.

If this conversation resonates with you, please like, subscribe and share it with someone who needs to hear it. Every conversation helps us grow this movement towards more intentional living.

Connect with Sharon Harvey & Shakes and Ladders

Cygnet, Tasmania

About The Project Emerald Collective

The Project Emerald Collective is more than a marketplace, we're a movement towards intentional living.

Each week we sit down with inspiring founders, creatives, researchers and changemakers to explore what it really means to take your power back, live intentionally, and make choices that align with who you truly are.

New conversations every week. Join us in the meantime, for community, connection and bonus resources via https://www.skool.com/learn-to-trust-the-process-2733/about

#IntentionalLiving #SecondHandFashion #CircularFashion #PrelovedFashion #Sustainability #Mindset #PersonalGrowth #SmallBusiness #Tasmania #WomenInBusiness #ConsciousConsumption #ProjectEmeraldCollective

What if creativity isn't something we're born with—but something we choose to notice?

In this episode of The Project Emerald Collective, I sit down with Chelsea Upham, artist and founder of Frogmouth Designs, whose work is built on one simple belief:

Nothing is ever truly finished.

Growing up in rural Maine, Chelsea learned early how to repair, reuse and create with what she had. Today, after moving across the world to Perth, she's transforming discarded blankets, tablecloths and forgotten furniture into one-of-a-kind wearable art—proving that beauty often hides in the places most people overlook.

But this conversation isn't just about fashion.

It's about creativity.

It's about courage.

It's about trusting yourself enough to build a life that feels like your own.

Together we explore:

• Why limitations often become our greatest creative advantage
• How learning to see possibility changes everything
• Why repairing is about more than clothing
• The surprising lessons teenagers are teaching Chelsea about creativity
• Moving from Maine to Perth and starting over from scratch
• Why authenticity is more powerful than fitting in
• How upcycling can change the way we see the world

One of my favourite moments is when Chelsea says:

"Be your truest self. Wear what you want to wear. Design what you want to design. Just keep doing it."

It's a reminder that taking your power back isn't about becoming someone new.

It's about giving yourself permission to become more of who you've always been.

💚 If this conversation inspired you, please like, subscribe and share it with someone who needs to hear it.

🎧 Listen on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

📸 Instagram: @frogmouthdesigns

🌿 Website: https://projectemerald.com.au

🎙️ The Project Emerald Collective Podcast

📸 Instagram: @project_emerald

💼 LinkedIn: Project Emerald

💚 Join our community for exclusive podcast bonuses, behind-the-scenes content and deeper conversations around intentional living.

#ProjectEmerald #FrogmouthDesigns #CircularFashion #SlowFashion #Upcycling #CreativeLiving #IntentionalLiving #SustainableFashion #WomenInBusiness #TakeYourPowerBack #CreativeWomen #Podcast

What if the most sustainable thing in your wardrobe isn't something you buy...

...it's learning to love what you already own?

In this episode of The Project Emerald Collective, I sit down with Hazel Law, founder of The Curated Wardrobe and Director of the Circular Fashion Festival, to explore why our relationship with clothing has so little to do with fashion—and everything to do with identity.

What began as an environmental awakening during the Black Summer bushfires evolved into a movement helping thousands of women rethink the way they shop, dress and see themselves.

This conversation goes far beyond second-hand fashion.

It's about questioning the stories we've been sold.

It's about rejecting autopilot.

It's about remembering that we have agency.

Together we explore:

Why Australia has become the world's biggest consumer of fashion
The surprising emotional reasons we hold onto clothes we never wear
How a 12-month shopping ban completely changed Hazel's life
Why confidence isn't found in buying more
The hidden connection between clothing, identity and body image
How circular fashion is about community, not sacrifice
Why challenging the status quo is one of the most powerful things a woman can do

One of my favourite moments is when Hazel says:

"Once the veil has been lifted, it can't be unseen."

Because that's exactly what happens when you begin questioning the messages you've always accepted about fashion, beauty and consumption.

This conversation isn't about telling you what not to do.

It's an invitation to ask better questions.

What do you actually want to wear?

What makes you feel confident?

What choices are you making simply because you've always made them?

If you've ever felt overwhelmed by your wardrobe, pressured to keep

buying, or sensed there must be another way, this episode is for you.

If you enjoyed this conversation, please like, subscribe and share it with someone who's ready to step off the treadmill of overconsumption and start living more intentionally.

Listen on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

Instagram: @thecuratedwardrobe.au

Circular Fashion Festival

Website: https://projectemerald.com.au

The Project Emerald Collective Podcast

Instagram: @project_emerald

LinkedIn: Project Emerald

Join our community for exclusive podcast bonuses, behind-the-scenes content and deeper conversations around intentional living.

#ProjectEmerald #HazelLaw #CircularFashion #IntentionalLiving #TakeYourPowerBack #SlowFashion #ConsciousStyle #TheCuratedWardrobe #CircularFashionFestival #WomenInBusiness #SustainableFashion #Podcast

In this episode of The Project Emerald Collective, I sit down with Lea Klein, founder of Sustylable Label, to explore the connection between confidence, creativity and conscious fashion.

Growing up in East Germany, Lea learned from an early age to value what she already had. That mindset has shaped every chapter of her journey—from costume and stage design, to sustainable event styling, and now creating custom-made slow fashion designed to be worn and loved for years.

Rather than chasing trends, Lea believes clothing should help us feel more like ourselves.

Together we explore:
Why sustainability starts with self-awareness, not shopping

Designing clothes to fit people—not forcing people to fit clothes

Why confidence has nothing to do with designer labels

The hidden cost of fast fashion and the importance of transparency

How learning to repair, reuse and rethink clothing empowers us

Motherhood, creativity and finding the courage to live in alignment
Why buying less—but choosing better—can completely change our relationship with fashion

One of my favourite moments from our conversation is when Lea says:

"Don't question your body. Find clothing that celebrates it."

It's a powerful reminder that the goal isn't to fit into fashion—it's to find fashion that fits you.

If you've ever felt pressured to keep up with trends, questioned your style, or wondered whether there was a more intentional way to get dressed each day, this conversation is for you.

Subscribe for weekly conversations exploring intentional living, conscious choices and the women redefining success on their own terms.
Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

Connect with Lea Klein
Instagram:
@sustylablelabel
@sustylable.lea

Connect with Project Emerald
Website: https://projectemerald.com.au
Podcast: The Project Emerald Collective
Instagram: @project_emerald
LinkedIn: Project Emerald

Join our community for exclusive podcast bonuses, behind-the-scenes content and deeper conversations around intentional living.
#ProjectEmerald #SustylableLabel #SlowFashion #CircularFashion #IntentionalLiving #SustainableFashion #FashionRevolution #ConsciousStyle #WomenInBusiness #CreativeWomen #CircularEconomy #Podcast #TakeYourPowerBack

projectemerald.com.au

Discover Sustainable Shopping with Emerald App

Discover sustainable shopping with Emerald. Join changemakers today! Revolutionize upcycled fashion, save money, and make a positive impact. Download now!

This week on the Project Emerald Collective Podcast, I sit down with Cass Taaffe, who left behind a 20-year corporate career, travelled solo through Europe for 14 months, and walked two Caminos across Spain.

At first glance, this conversation is about travel.

But it quickly becomes something much deeper.

It's about burnout.

 It's about learning to trust yourself again.

 And it's about quietening what Cass calls our "internal committee"—the constant stream of thoughts telling us what we should do, what everyone else expects, and why we're not enough.

One step at a time, the Camino taught Cass something many of us spend a lifetime searching for:

How to hear her own voice again.

If you've ever felt overwhelmed, burnt out, disconnected from yourself, or wondered if there's another way to live, I think this conversation will really resonate.

In this episode we explore:

Why Cass walked away from a successful corporate career

What two Caminos across Spain taught her about resilience, intuition and trust

The surprising power of silence and slowing down

How to recognise your own "internal committee"

Why burnout isn't something to push through

The relationship between simplicity, presence and intentional living

Why taking your power back often starts with one small, conscious choice

This conversation reminded me that intentional living isn't about changing your whole life overnight.

It's about creating enough space to hear yourself.
And then having the courage to take the next step.
One conscious choice at a time.

If you enjoyed this conversation, I'd love your support.
Like this video. Tell us in the comments: When was the last time you truly heard yourself? Subscribe to the channel as we continue growing a movement of women choosing to live more intentionally.

About Project Emerald Collective

Project Emerald Collective is more than a marketplace.
We're a movement helping women reconnect with themselves so they can make more intentional choices with their time, money, energy and lives.

Through honest conversations with inspiring women, we're exploring what it really means to take your power back—one conscious choice at a time.

What happens when life forces you to slow down?

For Sharon Harvey, the answer wasn't giving up - it was rebuilding her life with more intention than ever before.

After a challenging childhood, decades of business experience, raising a family, and facing a life-changing brain condition, Sharon discovered that success isn't measured by titles, income or possessions. It's measured by creating a life that feels true to who you are.

Today she's the founder of Shakes and Ladders in Cygnet, Tasmania - a unique community space where nutritional shakes, indoor plants, preloved fashion and genuine human connection come together under one roof.

In this honest and uplifting conversation, Sharon shares how illness changed her perspective, why second-hand shopping has always been part of her life, and how she's blended everything that brings her joy into one business.

If you've ever questioned what success really looks like, or wondered whether it's too late to start again, this conversation is for you.

• Growing up with very little and learning resilience
• The three pivotal moments that shaped Sharon's life
• How a life-changing health diagnosis transformed her outlook
• Why personal responsibility matters alongside modern medicine
• Building a business around purpose instead of profit
• The surprising joy of preloved fashion and conscious consumption
• Why collaboration always beats competition
• What it really means to live intentionally

One of my favourite moments was when Sharon said that she had finally realised she didn't need to choose between all the things she loved - she could bring them together in one place. It feels like Sharon is redefinig success on her terms, and I am so happy for her.

If this conversation resonates with you, please like, subscribe and share it with someone who needs to hear it. Every conversation helps us grow this movement towards more intentional living.

Connect with Sharon Harvey & Shakes and Ladders

Cygnet, Tasmania

About The Project Emerald Collective

The Project Emerald Collective is more than a marketplace, we're a movement towards intentional living.

Each week we sit down with inspiring founders, creatives, researchers and changemakers to explore what it really means to take your power back, live intentionally, and make choices that align with who you truly are.

New conversations every week. Join us in the meantime, for community, connection and bonus resources via https://www.skool.com/learn-to-trust-the-process-2733/about

#IntentionalLiving #SecondHandFashion #CircularFashion #PrelovedFashion #Sustainability #Mindset #PersonalGrowth #SmallBusiness #Tasmania #WomenInBusiness #ConsciousConsumption #ProjectEmeraldCollective

Anastasia Gazis shares her journey, pivotal life moments, and the creation of the Slow Fashion Hub. She discusses intentional living, sustainable fashion, and the misconceptions surrounding it. The conversation covers topics related to sustainable fashion, personal style, community, and the role of intention in creating lasting change. It emphasizes the importance of small, intentional actions and the impact of community collaboration in the fashion industry.

Takeaways

• Intentional living is about aligning actions with values.
• Slow fashion involves making intentional choices, buying what is needed, and using natural materials.
• The fashion industry and consumers both play a role in sustainable fashion, and individual choices can make a significant impact. Intentional actions lead to sustainable change
• Community collaboration is essential for lasting change

Chapters

• 00:00 Anastasia's Journey and Pivotal Moments
• 05:37 Creating the Slow Fashion Hub
• 11:57 Living with Intention
• 22:41 Understanding Slow Fashion
• 33:16 Misconceptions About Sustainable Fashion
• 34:58 Sustainable Fashion and Industry Misconceptions
• 39:10 Fashion, Identity, and Authenticity
• 41:28 Personal Style and Life Seasons
• 43:26 Reconnecting with Style and Identity
• 44:53 Hope for the Future of Fashion
• 46:51 The Role of Community in Creating Change
• 48:13 Slow Fashion Hub and Community Action
• 53:13 Bringing People Together for a Shared Purpose
• 55:27 Vision for the Future of Sustainable Fashion
• 58:08 Advice and Takeaways for Women

What if the most powerful thing you could do for your life... was become a little more rebellious?

Not reckless.

Not angry.

Just willing to stop living by everyone else's expectations.

In this conversation, I sit down with community builder and marketer Pragathi Bansal, whose journey has taken her from India to London, from biotechnology to marketing, and from people-pleasing to living life entirely on her own terms.

What struck me most wasn't the countries she'd lived in or the career she'd built. It was her belief that every woman needs to be "a little more difficult."

Not because life should be harder, but because protecting your time, your energy and your dreams often requires saying no to what the world expects of you.

Together we explore what it means to trust yourself before anyone else does, build financial independence, embrace solo travel, create healthier boundaries, dress for yourself instead of other people, and discover who you become when you leave what's familiar.

One of my favourite moments comes when Pragathi says:

"You (Society) don't get to tell my story. I want to tell my story."

If you've ever felt like you're living according to someone else's rules, or waiting for permission to make a change, this conversation is your reminder that you already have everything you need to begin.

In this episode we explore:

• Why rebellion can be one of the greatest acts of self-respect
• The surprising freedom that comes with financial independence
• What solo travel teaches you about trusting yourself
• Changing careers without having everything figured out
• Building boundaries that protect your peace
• Conscious fashion, confidence and authentic self-expression
• Why curiosity may be one of your greatest strengths
• What it really means to take your power back

This conversation is for every woman who's ready to stop asking for permission and start writing her own story.

In this episode of The Project Emerald Collective, Eve sits down with health psychologist, naturopath and passionate circular fashion advocate Sharon Craggill to explore the powerful connection between identity, clothing, mental wellbeing and intentional living.

Together they unpack why the clothes we wear influence far more than our appearance. From confidence and nervous system regulation to mindfulness, natural fibres and the stories hidden within vintage clothing, this conversation challenges the way we think about fashion.

Sharon shares why she believes feeling good starts from within, why slowing down matters more than ever, and how reconnecting with nature, analogue living and your own intuition can transform your wellbeing.

Whether you're navigating a life transition, rediscovering your personal style, or simply craving a more intentional way of living, this episode will leave you seeing your wardrobe—and yourself—through a completely different lens.

• Why fashion is a form of self-expression
• The connection between clothing, confidence and mental wellbeing
• How stress and cortisol impact our bodies
• The gut-brain connection and holistic health
• Why natural fibres matter
• The hidden stories and energy behind vintage clothing
• How circular fashion supports both people and the planet
• Returning to analogue living in a digital world
• Practical ways to reconnect with yourself through mindfulness, nature and intentional choices
• What living intentionally really means
  

✨ If this conversation resonates with you, subscribe and join us as we explore how women can take their power back—one conscious choice at a time.

#IntentionalLiving #CircularFashion #MentalWellbeing #SlowFashion #Mindfulness #PersonalGrowth #ProjectEmeraldCollective #VintageStyle #SelfExpression #WomenSupportingWomen