Who am I…?
Self-visualising and goal setting is linked to increased confidence, development and desirable behaviour, yet only a fraction of people are thought to be self-aware.
We are solving that by asking aspirational women to look in their mental mirrors and ask, ‘Who am I? Who do I want to be?’
Camilla La Fleur, 40
Co-founder of UNIK SPACE
Sydney, Australia
Who am I?
“I am co-founder of fashion label UNIK SPACE, a mother of a 13-year-old girl and a nine-year old-boy, originally from Norway but moved to Sydney, Australia 13 years ago. I am a seeker; I love adventure and I really flourish on connections. I’ve surrounded myself with some very inspiring women. My group of girlfriends are all such incredible women, business owners, friends and partners. I’m constantly learning from them. I started UNIK SPACE with two of my best friends (Elin Marcic and Luci Hassen). We used to work in the same retail business for six years and it was a natural progression to start a project together.
“I feel incredibly lucky to build a business with them and together we’ve gathered a sisterhood I am very proud to be a part of. My mother was absolutely unwavering in her kindness and her gentle way of being. It was remarkable and I looked up to her the most out of everyone. She would tell me I could do anything in life, I just had to believe in myself. I am always passing this important empowering message on to my own children.”
Who do I want to be?
“I want to be as authentic as I can and really lean into who I am, going deeper and being curious about myself and others, and the world around me. I want to be grateful for the life I’m living, to be surrounded by so many people I love. I would like to keep creating and nourishing my business. I have a deep love for strong workmanship and interesting shapes and I am very excited to see what’s in the cards for this business of ours.
“Becoming a young mother while I was still studying slowed me down a little, which I am very grateful for today as it made me reflect on what I really wanted to accomplish in my career. It is not always easy to juggle family and work but it’s all about the simple things in life that make you appreciate slowing down after a big day at work.”
Dr Jacqualine Seckley, 45
Co-founder of HealthHubble
Bristol
Who am I?
“I am Dr Jacqualine Seckley, mum of two girls, partner to Steve, keen gardener, lover of craft and amateur photographer. I’m also the managing director and co-founder of HealthHubble. I was born in Somerset as a twin and grew up in Bath. My dad was Ghanaian and came to England to work as an NHS mental health nurse. He later became a senior lecturer and psychotherapist. From early in my childhood, my dad suffered kidney failure. He underwent two kidney transplants, which gave him eight precious years of freedom from dialysis. We finally lost him to cancer when I was 18. Just prior to his death, he taught me the most important lesson of my life: simply ‘to learn something from each and every day’, and that even the worst days are opportunities for learning and can help you grow.
“My mum, who was from Somerset, worked as a healthcare assistant in the NHS, and then as a social worker at the RNID. She taught me sign language at age eight and gave me a love of gardens and craft. When I was studying for my first degree, my mum suddenly became unwell and died of cancer; I was 21.
“Despite a difficult few years, I graduated with a first class honours in psychology. During my studies, I often worked in hospital as a healthcare assistant. By the end of my psychology degree, I’d decided to pursue a career in medicine. In 2005, I qualified as a doctor. Continuing my love of learning, I have completed the postgraduate membership in medicine (MRCP), and both membership (MRCEM) and fellowship (FRCEM) exams in emergency medicine. I have since had the privilege of working in several hospitals across the South West, working on the frontline in emergency medicine.”
Who do I want to be?
“I feel fortunate to be in the place I want to be. I have been really fortunate in having the opportunity to help patients first-hand during my 14-year NHS career. With many years of working on the frontline, making people better and saving lives, from very tiny babies upwards, I have now had the opportunity for a second career. I have started a business that I planned for so many years. This also gives me time to spend time with my growing daughters; being a good role model for them is really important to me. I know my business is one that will help many others look after their own health and wellness, and that of their loved ones. Working with the hustle and bustle of a busy A&E is really rewarding, so it’s possible that I would want to give back to the NHS again in the future.”
Inès Makula, 29
Co-founder of Made It podcast
London
Who am I?
“I’m Inès (Ee-Ness), half French, half Italian. I love to laugh and eat good food, I love my husband, my best friends and my family.
“I’m a podcaster, beauty expert and (newbie) entrepreneur. I’m an oversharer, who wants to help women feel more confident. I try never to take myself too seriously and always keep it real. I love connecting with new people. I love change, moving to a new city and meeting new friends. I’m also impatient, I need to learn how to listen more and when I’m hungry, tired or cold, you better not be around.”
Who do I want to be?
“After years of dreaming of other people’s lives and careers, I found the courage two years ago to quit what was, on paper, a great stable job in the beauty industry. Then I could focus on becoming the person I wanted to be and to create the life and career I always dreamed of.
“I have created (with my best friend) one of Italy’s most popular entrepreneurship podcasts: Made IT. We interview successful Italians and get them to share how they got to where they have, what obstacles they had to face and how they overcame them. We wanted to bring a positive contribution to our beloved country and to inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs and innovators.
“Having a positive impact on the world is something very close to my heart and at the moment, I’m working on launching a social marketplace that will take away all the stress of buying gifts and reduce the huge amount of waste that comes with unwanted gifts.
“Although I still have so far to go and so many dreams to accomplish, I am becoming the person I always wanted to be: kind, caring, brave and courageous.”
Heidi Hauer, 40
Health and life coach
Zurich, Switzerland
Who am I?
“I am Heidi – a lover of life, a seeker of truth, a believer in magic. My mission is to inspire female powerhouses and change-makers to live with intention and lead with impact.
“My coaching leverages the power of nutrition, is based on mindfulness practices, and embraces ancient and innate wisdom. As a holistic health and life coach, I help my clients to unlock the clarity, vision and self-awareness required to prioritise their needs and follow their dreams. Because nothing feels more amazing than living in alignment with your purpose!
“I’m host of The Heidi Hauer Podcast, for and about women and I’m author of The Queendom Within – a guide to rewriting your fairy tale and creating your own happily ever after.
“My qualifications include nutrition and coaching training combined with 20 years of corporate leadership experience. I’ve worked in Vienna, London, Brussels, and am currently based in beautiful Zurich/Switzerland.”
Who do I want to be?
“My aspiration is to guide individuals as well as positively influence teams and organisations. I want to advise and sit on boards of food, wellbeing, and healthy living start-ups and established companies. I plan to invest my money consciously and inspire others to do the same. Connecting others so that they can run businesses together with meaning and purpose will bring me pleasure. My dream is to build a foundation that supports a variety of issues that will make a difference to the planet.
“I aim to walk my path with a joyful heart and a peaceful mind. My promise to myself is to never compromise my inner peace and happiness for external success. I strive to nurture a loving and caring circle of friends, family members, and business partners who I can fully trust and have fun with. My dedication is directed towards creating a legacy that touches and transforms hearts and minds.”
Bukola Adisa, 38
Founder and CEO of Career Masterclass
St Albans, UK
Who am I?
“An advocate. An empath. A wife. A mum. The journey for me really began some years ago, as I sat in yet another meeting. I remember looking up and it struck me that every face around the table looked similar, in terms of gender and race, and they were different from me. I started questioning the lack of ethnically diverse representation in senior roles. It became a nagging question at the back of my mind. As I interacted with people from ethnically diverse backgrounds who were competent at their jobs, I wondered why they struggled to get promoted or noticed at work. I decided to do something about it, and that’s how Career Masterclass was born. I consider it my life’s calling to create room at the table for underrepresented professionals so they can have the careers of their dreams.”
Who do I want to be?
“I want to be a purpose-led, mission-focused leader. I want to be someone who is known for being kind, warm and generous with her time and insights. I also want to do all I can to help as many people as possible achieve their goals, especially in the area of career growth and advancement. Lastly and most importantly, I want to be at peace every day knowing I am making a small but significant contribution to a more equitable and just society.”
Lauren Cochrane, 43
Senior Fashion Writer at The Guardian and author of The Ten
London
Who am I?
“I’m a journalist based in London, where I spend most of my days at the laptop crafting stories and thoughts – some my own, some of other people – into what I hope are reasonably coherent sentences. My evenings are divided between a love of crime dramas (RIP Cassie Stuart), talking to the cat and – thrillingly – going out with friends. I am nothing without my connections to friends and family and value them fiercely.
“Writing my book, The Ten, made me think about my identity and how I express that – just like everyone else: through clothes. The focus of the book is the stories behind the fashion classics, those pieces you wear every day, like jeans, miniskirts, white T-shirts and LBDs. I thought about these pieces in my own life. How a particular miniskirt made me feel grown-up, and how I lived in a particular pair of jeans during lockdown. It made me realise we are all not one identity but there are loads of versions of you inside one body. Clothes – especially these classics – allow all of those versions, on different days, a moment out in the world.”
Who do I want to be?
“I have been thinking a lot about this over the last year or so. I think I would once have been pretty clear on my answer to this; it would have involved my career, getting to a certain place by a certain birthday, ticking boxes. That’s changed more recently. Now, I am much more concerned with a more holistic approach to life, and my goal, if I have one, would be to do what makes me happy but also to do things that I feel suit my values.
“This change has probably been brought about with age; there was a point where I realised job titles didn’t matter if you were miserable. I want to be part of change, however small. That could be by striving to be an effective anti-racist ally or an ally to LGBTQ groups, sharing stories that haven’t been covered, or writing about innovation that feels like it’s truly new. Who knows if that will work but trying is all part of the journey.”