In this episode of The LeadHer Shift, I sit down with Ciara Lewis, Founder & CEO of Fierce & Fearless, to talk about what it really takes to lead in spaces that weren’t designed for you.

Ciara shares how she went from a quiet girl in school to a woman holding her own—and outshining—male peers in the high-pressure world of auto sales. Her story is layered with moments of resilience, realignment, and revelation. From navigating male-dominated workplaces to launching a powerful women’s magazine (coming July 2025!), Ciara’s leadership journey is anything but linear.

But what stood out most?

👉 Her unwavering decision to show up anyway

👉 Her belief that vulnerability can be curated, not performed

👉 And her reminder that confidence isn’t always loud—it’s lived

We talked about:

• Overcoming environments designed to dim your light
• Being underestimated—and overdelivering with grace
• What her grandmother taught her about picking battles
• Why the “quiet ones” are often the fiercest leaders of all

If you’ve ever questioned your worth in a space that didn’t see you…

If you’ve ever chosen to stay when it felt easier to shrink…

If you’re ready to be fierce and fearless on your own terms…

🎧 This episode is for you.

Take a listen to learn more about Ciara, and how a movement is being birthed as we speak.

Show Notes Below:

Alian Ollivierre [00:00:00]:

Welcome to the Lead Her Shift podcast. This is what I like to call a safe space. A space for bold women building their power, presence, and purpose from the inside out. A space where we explore what it means to lead with clarity, courage, and conviction. So wherever you are in the world. Hey, I'm your host, Alian Olivierre, and I am super honoured that you're tuning in today. So now today I want to let you guys know who I have on the call. I have Ciara Lewis, an accomplished entrepreneur and the visionary CEO and founder of Fierce and Fearless.

Alian Ollivierre [00:00:54]:

Let's just repeat that. Fierce and Fearless proudly unveils the arrival of the Fierce and Fearless Entrepreneur magazine. I can't wait to dig deeper into what this magazine is all about. Slated to release in July 2025. So just around the corner, guys. This transformative publication is set to inspire, inform, and empower women at every stage of their professional journey. I can't wait to sign up. Available on all major platforms, this magazine represents a pivotal advancement in the women's empowerment sector.

Alian Ollivierre [00:01:36]:

Welcome, Ciara. Thank you so much for being a guest on our podcast. I want to learn so much more about you, the woman. So if we could take just a moment, watch. Why? Why Fierce and Fearless? What brought us here?

Ciara Lewis [00:01:59]:

A lot. So growing up, I was always one of the quiet ones, even in school, but I managed to be friends with pretty much everybody. I didn't really meet a stranger.

Alian Ollivierre [00:02:14]:

Right.

Ciara Lewis [00:02:14]:

And going. I started working young, so my first job was a clown. And I think just from starting there and growing into other careers is how I really started to see how women were perceived in society. After that, I started venturing off into jobs that were managed by men. And that was really what said, you know, the big awe moment.

Alian Ollivierre [00:02:43]:

Yeah.

Ciara Lewis [00:02:44]:

And I said, you know, this. This can't be. This cannot be how we're treated in society or how we're viewed. The first time I noticed it and had an issue was when I worked at a car lot. I'm not sure what that man had against me, but I was the sole female sales associate there. And I think the issue was they thought that they could get part of my sales because they thought I didn't know what I was doing or I wasn't good enough to do it. On my. Unfortunately, that was not the case because I'm definitely one of those, like, try me if you want to.

Ciara Lewis [00:03:19]:

And when you tell me I can't do something, I'm definitely going to make sure I find a way to do it. So I ended up being the only person that could Actually get the trucks off the lot. That literally drove them in insane. Had a couple of headbutts with the, the owner, which is eventually why I ended up leaving. Funny, because he actually tried to ask me to come back several years ago when he came back, but I was just like, no, I'll never do that again. However, I went on to be selected to this program. One million and one black women with Goldman and Sachs.

Alian Ollivierre [00:03:57]:

Nice.

Ciara Lewis [00:03:57]:

And that right there just let me know how powerful we are as women and how we've got to come together and stop this, this feud, this contest. It's not necessary. And you know, we can do so much more when we work together rather than when we work against each other. And that is the reason I said fierce and fearless on top of. I know that there are several women out here who have been through probably a whole lot that they're not willing to mention. I am a domestic abuse survivor, and I shouldn't say survivors if like, he tried to kill me, but I went through domestic, a domestic situation. And, and I feel like a lot of times women, they don't want to speak on that or they, they let that take away from them when that, that's really what empowers you. You know, you just gotta find the, the strength within you and the ability to keep moving and knowing that you're not alone.

Ciara Lewis [00:04:58]:

Because I think that's what we feel like when that happens is we're alone and we're ashamed. And that does not have to be the case. So that's another reason why I chose fierce and fearless. Because, you know, I mean, we're women and I feel like we outdo anything that is given to us. We take a challenge regardless and we're always ready, even when we don't look ready already.

Alian Ollivierre [00:05:24]:

Listen, so you started off strong here because even when you were speaking, speaking about, okay, so we, we gotta break this down. You got the male dominated spaces where there's this expectation that they're the ones who lead, they're the ones who are domineering, they're the ones who kind of dictate how we exist in the space. They may not listen, they are not attentive, they don't really care that we are existing there. And then you have the other side where it's women who may not champion and celebrate each other and recognize how powerful we really are and understand that we are not just fruitful, but we multiply and we multiply constantly. Everything we are handed is duplicated and tripled. Right. And so how do you connect and exist with women understanding their power while at the same time being in spaces where men don't want to even acknowledge our power. Like what, what's that dynamic? How do we force ourselves or be fierce through those situations?

Ciara Lewis [00:06:43]:

You show up, you keep showing up. You, you never let whatever they are trying to create the environment to be like. You never let that take you down. You, you never let it show through. You, you show up just as fierce and as strong as you would. Even if we're not at that job or as if a woman or someone you know, nicer or at a higher standard was over the job, you go in and you do your job to the best of your ability, which as a women or as a woman, normally we take that, like I said, to the next step. Yeah. So you, you don't let it hinder you because eventually what's going to happen is that's going to speak so loudly, which is actually what happened at the next job I took after that.

Ciara Lewis [00:07:29]:

Actually, it happened at both jobs. But the second job, the man literally stopped because he seen what was happening, right. It was so loud that he understood what was happening. And we ended up having a personal one on one conversation about it. And he told me, I hear you, I see you. And if you would not have been responding in the manner you were responding, I would not have noticed that there is a problem. So you, you do not let them win. You keep going.

Ciara Lewis [00:08:02]:

You do what you're supposed to do. And eventually when they realize that you're unbothered by what it is they're trying to create or that mood they're trying to set, there one or two things are going to happen. They're either going to make the change because they're going to realize there's a problem, right. Or they're going to become so uncomfortable that it's going to come down to either somebody's going to stay or leave. You know what I'm saying? Like, you're either going to acknowledge how much I'm doing for you and this company or I'm going to go elsewhere. And at this point, you need to decide to take your pick of my value.

Alian Ollivierre [00:08:40]:

I think this is so powerful because I, I do feel like as women, we tend to adjust to what's happening in the space as opposed to just being ourselves authentically. And we tend to almost go in the shadows a little bit. And we are very much. Let me mold myself here and don't, don't show up where I'm like, label the angry woman, you know, or Maybe I'm a little too aggressive or, you know, we just should show up. But what do you. How do you even do that when you don't believe in yourself? In. I mean, I, I feel like you are super impressive because you've been, or it feels like you've been in a lot of male-dominated space basis. And I don't want the focus to be there, but I really want the focus to be like, is there ever a time where you didn't feel confident or.

Alian Ollivierre [00:09:42]:

Because, I mean, I know confidence takes time and it also takes the courage to step out in the first place. Right. But there were, I'm sure there were moments where you were like, should I even be courageous in this moment? Like, should I step out? What. What was that shift for you? Like, what was there a defining moment that you felt like, you know what, Enough is enough.

Ciara Lewis [00:10:08]:

Yes. The car. What? You know, the Car lot was my first major sales job.

Alian Ollivierre [00:10:17]:

Right.

Ciara Lewis [00:10:17]:

And I will say it was challenging when I realized that there was another female there. But she, she never really came to work. She didn't really even have to truly work to get the sales. And I'm not saying that in a bad way because what would happen is she was a beautiful woman, right. So of course a lot of people were attracted to her. They wanted to go to her. So when she would come to work, there was no doubt she was going to sell something that day. But was she truly selling it because she knew what she was doing? No.

Ciara Lewis [00:10:47]:

And I'm not saying anything against her because again, she was a beautiful woman. She had a beautiful voice. But see, the men knew that and they took advantage of that. And she was so blind, she didn't realize it because she didn't realize her beauty was what was really keeping her pushing at that job. And they would talk about her in such a way when she wasn't around that it would just sicken me because I'm thinking, you know, if she only knew this is what you all were doing when you. When she wasn't here, I'm pretty sure it would change so much for her and how she came to work.

Alian Ollivierre [00:11:23]:

Yeah.

Ciara Lewis [00:11:24]:

And eventually she ended up quitting. And so again, that just left me. But yeah, there were definitely times that, you know, I came to work and I was like, I'm not sure if I should be doing this, especially because like I said, they are so quick to pin us against one another. And she was a little bit older than me at the time. Right. So obviously she's carrying and, and looking a little bit different than I'm looking when I first come on the scene because I was still young.

Alian Ollivierre [00:11:55]:

Yeah.

Ciara Lewis [00:11:57]:

So at first I thought, okay, am I going to be able to actually sell? Am I? You know, I let all these thoughts start going through my head until one day I told myself, and actually, I'll tell you, I had a client come up and tell me that you don't have to look a certain way.

Alian Ollivierre [00:12:14]:

Right.

Ciara Lewis [00:12:14]:

To do your job. He said, I can tell that you know what you're doing, you know, about the cars. He. You know your way around a car, and that is going to be what makes you the best salesperson here at this lot. And so from that day forward, that's what I had to tell myself. It's not about the look. It's about my character, my knowledge, and how I carry myself when I'm approaching and speaking with a client. And so once I knew that you couldn't stop me, I knew exactly how to approach each cell.

Ciara Lewis [00:12:48]:

I knew how to close myself. I had gotten so good that the financial manager was actually wanting to teach me how to literally do myself from start, all the way to finish paperwork and all. I just didn't want to take on all that responsibility because it was a lot, you know, on the paperwork end.

Alian Ollivierre [00:13:08]:

Yeah.

Ciara Lewis [00:13:08]:

But, yeah, I definitely had that breaking moment. I definitely had that moment to where I felt discouraged. I felt like I wasn't worthy enough to be in that position. I felt like I couldn't do it. And then that changed for me.

Alian Ollivierre [00:13:24]:

Nice. And so I hear all of this. These stories and these conversations about, you know, who may have stepped in and shared thoughts with you. And from that alone. Sierra. I know. I feel like I know the answer to this question, but I'm gonna ask it anyway. Do you feel like you are a leader?

Ciara Lewis [00:13:46]:

I do.

Alian Ollivierre [00:13:47]:

I. Why? Why, though? Like, what. What brought you to that?

Ciara Lewis [00:13:53]:

I feel like. And I think I get a lot of this from my grandma. My mom has the same tendency, but my grandma was really just one of these women that I don't care where we were. Everyone was attracted to her. He, like, just random people would come up to her and share their story or, you know, cry or just, you know, And I started having that problem. And at first, I didn't realize, you know, what was going on. But then it came to my attention that I must carry such an energy that people feel safe coming to me.

Alian Ollivierre [00:14:26]:

Yeah.

Ciara Lewis [00:14:27]:

And talking to me or sharing whatever or even taking advice for me. And this literally started happening to me in every job that I went to. Like, I, I remember having that. This was my, my best moment in my whole entire career. The car lot. Again, I had this older couple, they were from Florida. They had phoned in an inquiry.

Alian Ollivierre [00:14:53]:

Okay.

Ciara Lewis [00:14:54]:

And a lot of times the phone inquiries, they don't always go through. Right. Especially if they're coming out of state.

Alian Ollivierre [00:15:00]:

All right.

Ciara Lewis [00:15:00]:

This man literally wanted to custom build his car. This, I was the first one that actually built a full car, top to bottom. Oh. For a client.

Alian Ollivierre [00:15:09]:

Okay.

Ciara Lewis [00:15:10]:

Now, everybody kept saying, oh, I bet he don't show up. I bet he don't. Blah, blah, blah. This man showed up to the car lot with his wife with cash.

Alian Ollivierre [00:15:20]:

Nice.

Ciara Lewis [00:15:21]:

And not only did the man show up to get his car, it had been a minute since I had my aunt tried to teach me how to drive a stick when I was younger. That, that was kind of how I started learning to drive. But that's not how I drove after the fact, if that makes sense. Like, I was on an automatic.

Alian Ollivierre [00:15:38]:

Right.

Ciara Lewis [00:15:39]:

So it had been a minute. I wasn't comfortable. This man literally trusted me enough that he wanted me to drive his car.

Alian Ollivierre [00:15:49]:

Nice.

Ciara Lewis [00:15:51]:

Because he wanted me to not have, I guess he could feel that I was in that male dominant spirit space, and he wanted me to feel confident enough to drive a stick if I, if ever needed. And he said, this be the best thing you take away today because I'm going to make sure that this is something you can do moving forward as a saleswoman at a car lot.

Alian Ollivierre [00:16:14]:

Nice.

Ciara Lewis [00:16:15]:

And I got behind that seat and I actually was able to, I, I, I was relaxed because the man literally put that in me that I could do it, and I managed to do it.

Alian Ollivierre [00:16:30]:

That's actually pretty, pretty powerful because especially when you have not been doing something for so long, it's just the activity, right? And it's not just only you believing in yourself in that moment, but someone else trusting. You see that level of trust that, that someone puts, and, and, and you're like, well, if they trust me, well, I must trust me too, you know, kind of thing. And I love that. And I love also that. I don't know, you could tell me if I'm wrong, but it feels like a restorative moment where, you know, you're in this male dominate his space. But then another male kind of presents this opportunity, and you're like, oh, well, you're not all that bad, aren't you? You know, kind of thing. So I really hear that. But I also hear there's a lot of dynamic and powerful women that have been in your life.

Alian Ollivierre [00:17:28]:

So I hear grandmother, I hear aunt. And I'm just curious, like, what are some of the good lessons that really came from the powerful women in your life about leadership? What are some things you could share?

Ciara Lewis [00:17:45]:

I can definitely tell you. My grandma always try to tell me, pick your battles wisely, because I can tell you, growing up, I was a spitfire. It did not take much for me to get upset, Right? And, you know, she told me that eventually I would learn it, and I. I have finally learned it. But she would always tell me that, you know, getting upset was not always going to solve my problem and that it was only going to take more time and energy away from me.

Alian Ollivierre [00:18:20]:

Right.

Ciara Lewis [00:18:21]:

Than what I was investing into the anger and the argument. And so it took me a while. Like I said, it took me a long while to really understand what she was trying to tell me in that moment. And, of course, you know, my mom, my favorite, she would always tell me, don't put all your eggs in one basket.

Alian Ollivierre...

Welcome to the LeadHer Shift podcast, where host Alian Ollivierre creates a safe, honest space for bold women building power, presence, and purpose from the inside out. In this deeply personal kickoff to a new season, Alian opens up about the defining moments of her last five years—including her journey through motherhood, professional pivots, and inner transformation. She shares how the LeadHer Shift movement was born from her own search for authentic leadership, and how reclaiming her voice became not just a personal revival, but an invitation for all women to step into clarity, courage, and conviction.

This episode explores the messy, sometimes isolating process of identity shifts, the power of inner awareness, and the transition from performative confidence to fully embodied leadership. Alian highlights that true authority and presence begin with the work within—and invites listeners to join her and a community of trailblazing women for strategies, stories, and support as they navigate their own leadership journeys. If you’ve ever felt invisible, doubted your ambition, or wondered if your leadership truly matters, this episode is for you. You’re not alone, and your story is ready to be heard.

• Welcome message and purpose of the podcast
• Emphasis on a safe space for bold women building power, presence, and purpose
• Introduction of the host, Alian Ollivierre
• Setting the stage for a deeply personal episode and a new era of the podcast

• Sharing of deeply personal experiences from the last five years
• The feeling of urgency to share her gifts and reconnect with listeners
• The concept of “shift” and how her experiences may mirror those of the audience

• Owning credentials and titles but feeling her voice was not fully her own
• Experiences of shrinking in rooms and hesitating to take up space
• Specific example from a United Nations meeting: withholding critical questions and experiencing self-doubt

• Recognizing the difference between capability and capacity
• Acknowledging a lack of inner permission to hold space and be fully present

• Shifts occurring in 2020: the global pandemic and the birth of her child
• Transition into motherhood: joy, grief, and isolation
• Navigating the emotional complexities and identity questions of being a new mother

• Unexpected loss of ambition and redefining success in simple terms
• The struggle with self-doubt, feeling unworthy, and the erosion of former passions

• Rebuilding herself, piece by piece, after intense life changes
• Using metaphors like “clearing the bush” to describe the process of self-renewal
• Questioning, “Who am I becoming?” versus trying to reclaim her past self

• Separating and honoring various roles: mother, wife, daughter, leader
• Development of a stronger, more grounded, and intentional self
• Deepening spirituality and clarity of purpose

• Launching the podcast in 2020 as an act of reclamation and alignment
• The transformation of the podcast from a space for shared perspectives to a declaration of leadership

• Realization that inner work is foundational to authentic leadership
• Defining inner awareness: knowing your worth and truth before external validation
• Understanding outer authority as the public manifestation of inner work

• The distinction between performative confidence and truly owning confidence
• Teaching a formula for moving from inner awareness to outer authority
• Sharing an example of her team succeeding independently as evidence of true leadership impact

• Plans for bringing powerful female leaders, founders, and creatives onto the show
• Topics to be covered: mindset, identity, visibility, power, and authentic leadership
• Commitment to delivering actionable strategies and reminders of women’s intrinsic power

• Encouragement for women experiencing doubt, confusion, or identity shifts
• Assurance that they are not alone and their leadership matters
• Call to share the episode and connect via the podcast’s website

Episode 9 of LeadHer Shift features Alecia, who has dedicated her life to excelling beyond the norms of her society and thriving to lead each step of the way. 

She is passionate about innovation, human rights, and developing an agile working space that creates impact.

Take a listen to learn more about Alecia, and how she's passionate about making sure companies take a 360 look at culture, process, and management, considering that shifts are inevitable and consistent in these uncertain times.

Episode 8 of LeadHer Shift features Kim, who has dedicated her life to serving others as a Human Resources Professional.

She describes herself as self-made, and all her accolades are centered around being hungry to develop and support others.

Kim's main desire is to change lives and believes that leadership should always change those lives positively.

Take a listen to learn more about Kim, and how she's passionate about making sure companies connect their team's talent with the vision of the company so that the mission is fulfilled.

Episode 7 of LeadHer Shift features Francoise, who has dedicated her life to serving others within the feminist space, one conversation at a time.

She has had tremendous experiences through a gender lens and holds firm to the belief that it's impossible for one to lead without community.

As such, Francoise stays true to her belief that if you are a leader, it's for others to highlight that as factual.

Take a listen to learn more about Francoise, and how she took the time to discover her passion for serving others.

Episode 6 of LeadHer Shift features Angela Walker, who has dedicated her life to helping singles and couples design relationship strategies that are comprehensive and customized for their specific relationship needs.

After leading through bad relationships and marinating on ineffective communication styles, over the years, it was key for her to share with others what to say, when to say it, and how you say things to build healthy relationships.

Take a listen to learn more about Angela, her learnt behaviours along the way, and how she took the time to discover teaching in the way that serves others.

Episode 5 of LeadHer Shift features Kaus Sharma, who has spent the last two years building a business from the ground up, after working for years as a journalist and copy-write specialist.

With taking that bold step she's now leading the charge to help others live intentionally, with a constant reminder, even to herself, that imposter syndrome does not serve the greater good.

Take a listen to learn more about Kaus, her adventures along the way, and how she is taking the time to discover herself as a leader.

Episode 4 of LeadHer Shift features Karen Arthur, who has adjusted her life to ensure her happiness is maintained, by going from being a teacher to now a fashion designer.

Karen shares that after 28 years as a teacher, she just was not happy, and she took the leap that was way overdue to take care of her anxiety and depression, to rediscover her love for fashion in her own way.

Take a listen to learn more about Karen, the purpose behind her fashion, and how she leads others towards finding their happy.

Episode 3 of LeadHer Shift features Kelly Abanda, who is an adventure coach that shares the shift she had when she went from a corporate job to touring 27 countries to find her happy.

Kelly shares that after spending 15+ years within the corporate and non-profit sector she felt stuck and unhappy.  She refused to let life overpower her desire to be free. What started out as a 3-month hiatus to discover her next steps in her career, turned in to 3-years of pure "MAGIC", as she likes to call it.

Take a listen to learn more about Kelly's adventure and how she leads others towards that level of success, by connecting with people.

Episode 2 of LeadHer Shift features April Graham, a mindset coach who shares key shifts she's made from childhood trauma and major academic triumphs to the success of leading her life to freedom, as a coach, successful business owner and non-profit leader.

This Leading Lady, who has persevered, has earned four college degrees, manages a successful childcare business, and has earned a host of recognitions and distinctions in the field of education. Many who know her inquire about the possibility of her success when considering the odds that were stacked against her.

Take a listen to learn more about what obstacles shaped this dynamic woman you hear today.