I went from earning 7 figures to financial ruin. I don’t want the same for you.

I was the first person in my family to earn 7 figures.

As the daughter of a refugee who lived in a white cloth UNRWA tent, this was no mean feat.

Not so much because of the starting from below zero aspect – because I am able to earn significant sums – but because of the social conditioning to look down on money. More on this, and how I invented my own rate card, another time.

Marry this with huge doses of social and global guilt, and my value being derived from being a workhorse – more robot than person, and you start to see how the money wasn’t (still isn’t) the focus.

But boy is it important. It equals choice, dignity (because you can leave a bad situation, won’t be poor in your later years), and enables me to create opportunity for others.

I lost it all.

Correction. I didn’t – someone else did.

The court appointed forensic accountant declared it a case of deceit and fraud. Courtesy of a person I – naively according to my lawyers – trusted ’till death do us part’ style.

And so, instead of having the options I worked insanely hard for at this stage of life, I have spent the last decade rebuilding, pivoting, keeping a home ticking over, and sporadically pursuing the legal side of things – held back by feeling hamstrung due to certain considerations (the ole ‘greater good’ blackmail thing).

Anyone who has been through this sort of thing will attest that it is exhausting and depleting – financially, emotionally, and in every way possible.

Why am I sharing this?

Because, along withe 7 figures that ‘disappeared’; my life’s savings, and all it meant in terms of options, plans, choice – is the trauma of being silenced. It is not a way to live.

Over the past few weeks I have been working with women who – for totally different reasons – have faced the same lost decade, and having to rebuild themselves and their life, while juggling other issues.

Women who realise – with a jolt – that they have roughly ten years to make up the earnings to see them through till the end of life.

I don’t believe this to be the case – meaning, there are ways of working and earning beyond then – capitalising on your expertise – but that too is for another time.

They came to me to help them raise their profile as a known expert in their field, so they can earn more, figure out their business, pivot, get unstuck. All the good stuff….

They don’t know about my experience, and that what they are going through resonates SO so much – they will if they read this.

To them I say thank you. Thank you for choosing to work with me as your coach, trainer, and sometimes mentor – but more importantly, thank you for getting me to woman up and drill down to this. To the reason I focus on women, the reason I created S.H.E. Strategy, the reason I spent a decade drilling down to women, money, and life.

Here you have it. This is my ‘why’:

Life isn’t fair.

Women are the biggest losers – in every group.

My wish is that women know what they are likely up against – even if they have happy marriages, and great support.

And have the toolbox to be able to do something about it – to mitigate ‘likely risk’ and outcome.

I believe in choice. Dignity. Equality.

Equality = equal outcome.

As long as women are more likely to die poor than men (3 times more – and that was before Covid), there is no equality.

On a personal level, this is a seismic moment for me – because I am sharing incredible personal information.

I believe I have the right to speak my truth, and am declaring that I will continue to chip away and share it.

Because I know that what I know will help. It will enable people like us to have clarity and calm. It will enable you to create space for hope can be reborn, along with a plan of action – getting you to increase your earning power, in a way that is doable, credible, comfortable, and sustainable.

I was once asked why I write about women and money – I gave a rubbish generic answer. Here is the truth: If I, a strong, capable, high earning workhorse of a woman, can become financially destitute, it can happen to anyone.

My message is not ‘don’t trust’. My message is: live well! And to do so, base your life and its key decisions on informed choice. Not guesswork or social conditioning – (tough one that).

Couple informed choice (ie knowing the facts of life for females) with the toolbox to :

Raise your profile. Sustain success. Lean into your earning potential.

And you’ll be on your way to the best possible outcome – for you and your unique life.

Where are you at? Which bit of this resonates? I’d love to hear your stories and perspective –

And of course, I’d be thrilled to work with you if we’re a great fit.

If you’d like to explore this, click here to book a call.

Here’s to your sustainable success.