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Do What You Love interview – Samantha Collins

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What is your big dream for 2016 – and beyond? Do you have one? Women’s leadership expert, executive coach, international speaker and author Dr. Samantha Collins, believes that we all have something that we want to achieve. Whether it’s getting promoted, taking a new course, strengthening your relationships, doing more for charity, finding a fulfilling job, turning your hobby into a business, or boosting your health and happiness, Dr. Sam is living proof that dreams can come true.

At 21, Dr. Sam had her world turned upside down when her mother committed suicide. Her life spiralled out of control until one day she was mistaken for being homeless having passed out on a train station platform. A few years later, and after being fired from her dream job, she made the biggest decision of her life. With no experience, money or network and driven by pure will, she would build an award-winning business from scratch.

Fast forward to today and Dr. Sam’s not for profit organisation, Aspire, has helped to develop over 20,000 women business leaders, and provided mentoring to over a million women across the globe. As a result she has been crowned one of the ‘Top 200 Women to Impact Business & Industry’ by Her Majesty the Queen and is now a global voice on women as leaders in their life, work and world.

We caught up with her to get her top tips for living the life we want and we hope her answers inspire you to aspire to even greater things in the future… ~ Rachel

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1. How are you ‘doing what you love’?

I am CEO of Aspire, a social business I created when I was 30, 14 years ago. I love it and it doesn’t feel like work at all. I get to focus every day on making a difference and most of the time I can work from home in my PJs!

2. Tell us about Aspire and what inspired you to set it up…

The Aspire Foundation offers women and men with a corporate or small business background the opportunity to give something back by mentoring aspiring women from the charities and social enterprises sector. We believe that if more women gain business, social and economic freedom, the world will become a more equal, ethical and balanced place.

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Our goal is to make a difference to 1 billion women by 2020. We do this through mentoring ‘MAD’ – ‘Making A Difference’ women working in charities and social enterprises around the world that are already making a difference to women and girls. Our vision is to create a positive ripple of change by providing mentoring to women to help them make even more of a difference to even more girls and women worldwide.

3. What made you pledge to help 1 billion women by 2020? 

Complete madness probably! I believe in big goals and transparent accountability.

Mentoring over coffeeA mentoring session over coffee

4. How did you come to be an award-winning women’s leadership expert, coach, and mentor?

Good question, I have no idea! I’ve always tried to do my best and make a difference.

5. Who are your biggest role models – both personally and in the business world? 

My mother (who died by suicide when I was 21), Anita Roddick – founder of the Body Shop, my adopted daughter – Grace – from DR Congo, my two sons, and Adam Warby, the CEO of Avanade and also one of my mentors.

6. You seem to have it all, and do it all. How do you balance such a demanding and successful career with your family life? 

My career isn’t demanding, it’s fun. I work about 30 hours a week and the rest is a mum and sleep combo. I do like to sleep! My family life is far more demanding than my work life as I’m a mum of three who are 6, 6 and 7.

7. Talk us through a day in your life…

5am: I enjoy coffee in my PJs and do some meditation. It’s my quiet time and often get some work done and catch up with emails from the UK team.

6 – 7.30am: the kids get up one by one and all hell starts to break loose! once we’ve all had breakfast and got dressed, we pack lunch boxes and bags, and leave the house with the boys screaming and fighting!

7.30am – 12.30pm: I make telephone calls, have online meetings, work on the design of events, catch up with emails and sometimes go out for walk with my hubby, who also works from home. Then it’s off to the school gates to pick up the kids.

1.30pm onwards: family time – homework, play, beach, dinner, baths, etc.

9.30 pm: it’s happily off to bed.

8. What are the biggest pressures on women today? How do they differ from those faced by our mothers’ generation?

We are in a transitional time. Women everywhere are questioning whether they want to be a CEO or a parent, have kids or not, work in a corporation or work for themselves. The pressures to be perfect are intense, and unfair. My mother’s generation were 80s women getting back into the workforce. It was exciting and new. women were empowered. They could have it all. Then reality hit in the 90s and 2000s and now everyone is wondering whether it’s worth it.

In order for more women to get to positions of leadership, without sacrificing other parts of their lives, we have to change the way our organisations work. Many are stuck in the dark ages.

9. What are you most proud of? 

My kids. For me there is no greater legacy.

10. What does conscious leadership mean to you? How do make tough decisions when you’re faced with a crisis?

Be aware of your impact as a leader, to individuals, to the planet – in a crisis, I get very, very calm, almost cold. I go all logical and take things extremely step by step. I breath and I remember what’s important and why I am there. I do this because otherwise fear floods me and I can’t make any decisions. This has served me well from personal and business crisis to recently being caught in a war zone riot.

CaptureDr. Sam giving a presentation

11. How does it feel to be making a difference? 

Most of the time I feel like it’s not enough, and not fast enough. Then I have to regroup and focus on all the good things we do every day.

Sam with a groupTeam work for The Aspire Foundation

12. As 2015 draws to a close, what steps can we take to help us figure out how we can make a difference to our own lives – and to the world around us?

Take some “me time” to think about your passion and purpose. They are the secret to life. You don’t need to move to Syria, or start a non-profit (although you might), right now all you need is a piece of paper and a pen. To help you figure it out, start by reflecting on these things:

  • Analyse your M.A.D. aspirations. We often find it easier to create a plan for our day-to-day work, organisation, or team; but when it comes to us personally, to our own lives – not so much. Rather than writing out a list of New Year resolutions that quickly go on the back burner, discover the power of being honest with yourself. Instead, write a list of what’s currently working and not working in your life, career, relationships, and if you want to reach a little further, the wider world. Circle those areas that are working and think about what you truly want to achieve, if only you could find a way.
  • Discover your purpose. If we want to live a fulfilling existence it is essential to know not only what we’re doing, but why we’re doing it, and for whom to we want to make a difference. Asking yourself what you want your legacy to be is an exercise that may or may not happen overnight. But the importance of knowing the answer to this question, taking it head-on, cannot be understated.
  • Practice integrity and resilience. Make a list of your values and what you stand for. Look at the list often, and put it into daily practice. At the same time, try not to treat this list as inflexible; because as you (and the world) changes and grows, your values will also mature and gain dimension. But if you have regular difficulty standing up for what you believe in, or feel you aren’t as strong as you could be, it is a clue that you need to work on finding your purpose (see #2 above). Once you know that, resilience comes much more easily.
  • Love thy naysayers. The more “M.A.D.” you become, the bigger the difference you begin to make, the clearer you get on your purpose… the more naysayers will be attracted to you. It’s like a magnet. And surprisingly, many of the naysayers will be some of the smartest, most experienced, and well meaning people you know. Naysayers often express a mixture of love and fear – so the best way to deal with them is to hear them out openly and completely, reassure them that it will be okay, and then enlist them to help you accomplish it. Naysayers can become your greatest allies.
  • Be ruthless with your time. If you’re a woman, you’re probably doing too much for other people at the expense of yourself. The key is to learn to be a leader over your time. Start saying “no” to more things, more often. Say “no” to one thing, the next day say “no” to two things, and three the next day. You will be pleased to know it usually turns out okay, after the initial shock wears off from those people accustomed to diverting all your time. You will have a clearer head, and be able to live your life with more intention than before.

These baby steps, daily actions and retraining yourself to know your aspirations, remember your values, talents and purpose will help you put yourself in the best possible environment, and frame of mind, to be in a position to change the world one day at a time, from wherever in the world you are right now.

13. What’s next for you?

Definitely family time. I love the holiday season and then who knows for 2016! I am really looking forward to our MAD Global Leadership event in London in January.

For more information about Dr. Sam and her groundbreaking work read her book, Radio Heaven or connect with her on Twitter or Facebook. For more information about Aspire, or to get involved, visit The Aspire Foundation

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