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As a part of the Morning Lazziness sequence highlighting empowering girls who’re making a outstanding impression with their concepts, I had the pleasure of interviewing Chantelle Botha.
Identified globally as The Catalyst, Chantelle is an unapologetic power for transformation and authenticity. Removed from the everyday motivational speaker, she’s an Id Architect who dismantles outdated paradigms and awakens audiences to their fact—from the bed room to the boardroom and past.
Her journey from the depths of dependancy and self-abandonment to radical reinvention makes her residing proof of what’s potential once we cease hiding and begin residing unapologetically. Chantelle’s signature framework, the (se)X-Issue, flips the script on confidence and management—not about intercourse, however about self. For her, authenticity isn’t one thing you study; it’s one thing you bear in mind beneath the conditioning and roles you’ve been performing.
Because the founding father of Phoenix and writer of Phoenix Rising, Chantelle leads a worldwide motion of private reinvention. Together with her fiery, straight-shooting fashion, she blends provocative truths with deep compassion—delivering the “kick within the butt with a great deal of love” that sparks lasting change.
When she’s not on stage or teaching, you’ll possible discover her chasing journey across the globe. And one factor’s sure—her ever-changing hairstyles are as daring and dynamic because the message she carries.
On this interview, she talks in regards to the obstacles she’s overcome, the milestones she’s achieved, and the knowledge she’s gained alongside the best way.
What impressed your leap into entrepreneurship, and what private experiences sparked the concept behind your present enterprise?
After twenty years of attempting to suit the company mould I used to be finished. I had dabbled in entrepreneurship a number of instances and my CV seemed like a hop scotch course. I lastly bought to the purpose the place I knew I needed to make it work – there was no plan B. I decided that I’ll by no means work for a company once more.
After all it actually helped that the final job I held was essentially the most difficult. I labored for a younger boastful man who had simply been promoted into administration, and him and I clashed horribly. There wasn’t a day that we didn’t butt heads, that he didn’t inform me how incompetent I used to be, that he tried to wrestle me into submission to HIS method of doing issues. It was actually powerful beginning a enterprise from a spot of shattered confidence, however the want to not ever expertise that once more was the factor that fuelled me then, and continues to gasoline me at present.
Personally, my life had been characterised by transformation. Twice recovered addict, single mother, a number of totally different addresses – by the point I cleaned up from my second dependancy I began learning private development and improvement. I couldn’t lead the transformations I now lead with out having first finished the work myself.
And that’s to not say “the work” is ever finished… that’s what I really like about development – there are all the time new layers to uncover and new territories to discover.
What core drawback does your corporation remedy, significantly for girls or underserved communities—and the way does your method stand out in at present’s aggressive area?
I assist individuals navigate transformation from the within out by constructing integrity – wholeness. Which means that my purchasers go on to realize the issues they by no means thought potential – whether or not it’s a profession pivot, beginning their very own enterprise, or simply changing into one of the best model of themselves.
Though I work with organisations, I’ve a coronary heart for girls and run a number of programmes geared toward serving to girls get out of their very own method, eradicate the disgrace that has held them again and step into the female energy.
My method is exclusive because it was based by way of my sexual awakening. I learnt that our life power is essentially the most artistic and brave vitality we possess, but we stifle it and bury it below a cloak of disgrace. There may be unbelievable energy and creativity locked beneath this cloak – if solely we’d dare to raise the covers.
What had been among the hardest obstacles you confronted early in your journey as a lady entrepreneur, and the way did you navigate by way of them?
I’ve by no means preferred the “girls” motion, so I by no means thought-about the challenges I confronted within the early days as being as a result of the truth that I’m a WOMAN entrepreneur. However having gone by way of my private Phoenix second, I now see that my challenges had been certainly about my being a lady.
You see, us gals are likely to second guess ourselves an entire lot! Due to our innate nurturing nature, we sacrifice our wants and needs for our youngsters, our households, and by extension – our vocations. I used to be no totally different. It took a confrontation with my sensuality to acknowledge that my entire life had been about efficiency, versus my pleasure.
At present, the extra I lean into my pleasure, the extra life and enterprise flows with ease. And I get to empower different girls to do the identical – how cool is that?
When the going will get powerful, what retains you grounded and motivated to maintain pushing ahead?
That call that I made again in 2019. I’ll by no means work for a boss once more. There isn’t a plan B.
That’s to not say my enterprise hasn’t gone by way of immense change within the final 6 years as I’ve grown. I wrote an article simply final week referred to as “6 years, 3 symbols, 1 fact” which traces my model journey. Right here’s the article if you happen to’d prefer to read it.
I’m single and don’t have a fall again. I realized way back that no-one is coming to avoid wasting me. If I need success, it’s as much as me. This can be a central a part of my message to my purchasers too – solely YOU can create the life you need to reside. So cease blaming, cease making excuses and simply do it already.
What every day habits or non-negotiable routines aid you keep targeted, creatively energized, and balanced as a founder?
Ever observed simply what number of articles, podcasts, books and so forth there are on the market telling you precisely why THIS morning routine will get you the place you’re going?
It’s not mistaken recommendation in precept, however the place it falls flat is that individuals will observe technique blindly with scant regard for what’s occurring of their heads. I imagine success is 20% technique and 80% psychology, so you may observe “morning routines” until you’re blue within the face – it aint gonna deliver the change you’re after.
My non-negotiable is to work on my ideas and emotions each day. When I’m working in gratitude and presence, it’s simple to enter circulation. But when I’m following a guidelines of prescriptive routines, it’s empty.
Change is effected once we FEEL. It’s the sentiments that create the ideas that result in the behaviours that may transfer the needle on our objectives.
I take pleasure in operating, swimming within the ocean, journalling, meditation, genuine motion, dance, and absolutely anything that occurs in nature. However nothing is prescriptive, and I train my purchasers this too. Discover the factor that you just want at present, the factor that makes you’re feeling good. And it’s okay if that’s totally different each day.
What’s been the best development lever for buying new purchasers or increasing your buyer base?
Within the early days I might have stated LinkedIn – I grew my following by way of natural posts to 70k. However I’ve misplaced curiosity in social media. It doesn’t really feel as aligned because it as soon as did. It feels too performative. I do know there’s worth in social media, however proper now, I’d reasonably share genuine information about my e book, my retreat and actual transformation versus assembly a prescribed metric of posting for the sake of posting.
Proper now, my greatest lever is my e book, Phoenix Rising. From a enterprise perspective, this has given me a brand new layer of credibility and is increasing my shopper base every day. I converse on integrity, authenticity, wholeness in your id – and I couldn’t do this except I’ve lived that journey.
I’ve constructed my December Retreat and my month-to-month lady’s membership tribe, Reclaim the Flame out of this. The e book is a narrative on reclaiming my energy by way of liberating my sexual story.
It’s an uncommon e book with some juicy deliciousness for individuals who are interested by my experiences, but it surely’s actually a e book designed to confront each perception you’ve ever held. It’s the important thing to letting go of disgrace and residing as your most genuine self. It’s freedom.
The e book is accessible here.
What branding or advertising and marketing resolution had the largest impression in elevating your corporation and constructing belief together with your viewers?
Once more – undoubtedly the e book. However what flowed out of that was my resolution to rebrand the enterprise, beforehand referred to as Dragonfly to Phoenix.
The rebrand has solely simply occurred, and a few platforms nonetheless want work, so it’s far to early to say what the impression of the rebrand has been, however the early indicators are there.
With the rebrand, I’ve additionally launched my Id Map and Phoenix Blueprint. This speaks to the depths and layers that we traverse when navigating transformation in our lives. It’s a visible illustration of the myriad prospects, limitations and routes to success. My blueprint accommodates 81 totally different configurations to discover totally different points of private improvement and self-understanding. My Id Map has a spiral staircase within the center representing your DNA. The whole lot I’ve developed suggests limitless uniqueness – precisely as we’re.
Early days, but it surely’s taken me 6 years to craft these instruments, and so they deliver readability and confidence to the purchasers exploring working with me. It’s a physique of labor that I’ve curated by strolling by way of the fireplace myself – this isn’t textbook stuff. It’s actual.
And I do know that this takes my enterprise to the following stage.
How do you personally outline success—not simply as a enterprise proprietor, however as a lady residing a purpose-driven life?
Is it any shock that I’m going to inform you success to me is a sense? It’s nothing tangible, however one thing that sits deep inside my soul and permeates my whole being. That is the sensation I engineer, curate and increase each day.
That’s to not say I don’t have tangible markers of success. The whole lot we do in life begins in our minds and is made manifest in our actuality. So if I wake each day feeling unsuccessful, guess what sort of behaviour you’ll see me enacting that day?
I’m already profitable. My outer actuality remains to be taking part in a little bit of catch up, however I do know it’s assured – as a result of I create it each day.
Are you able to share a mistake or misstep that taught you a lesson you continue to carry with you at present?
Ooh sure! I’ve paid PLENTY college charges through the years, however my greatest mistake (and biggest blessing!) was bringing an investor on board.
I didn’t method this investor – he contacted me with a proposal that appeared like a very nice answer to assist me scale on the time. As a result of I imagine in synchronicity, I felt just like the universe was opening doorways for me that I didn’t even realise I needed open.
A couple of months into this new partnership, I began feeling like I had misplaced management of my enterprise, like I used to be working for a dreaded boss once more. I misplaced my vitality, my spark. And with it, I misplaced momentum on a whole lot of the plans I had beforehand been pursuing for the enterprise.
We parted methods, and this led to my enterprise very almost crashing down round me. I had no pipeline. No momentum. A diluted model. And almost zero revenue.
However this was the catalyst for my Phoenix second. The transformation that led to the e book and my success at present. I can’t assist however be immensely grateful for this very troublesome lesson in hindsight.
What’s your greatest recommendation for girls simply beginning out—particularly first-time entrepreneurs feeling overwhelmed or uncertain of their subsequent steps?
Simply begin. You’ll iterate on the best way. It doesn’t need to be good, and it’s actually in regards to the journey anyway, not the vacation spot. Cease making ready. Cease getting every part prepared. Cease attempting to be good. Simply get actually sincere with your self in regards to the subsequent factor that you really want and go after that.
Because the journey unfolds, you’ll discover the breadcrumbs alongside the best way – instinct, synchronicity, the issues that excite you, the issues that make you cringe. Align with what excites you, iterate and preserve going.
I’m a giant image thinker, so there are occasions when all my large concepts can overwhelm me virtually into paralysis. The place to start out? What to do? The way to do it?
That’s once we slim our imaginative and prescient. What would you like and what’s one small factor you are able to do at present to maneuver the needle. Easy.
How do you method threat and innovation, particularly when breaking new floor in a male-dominated or fast-changing trade?
I’m such an adrenaline junkie! It has taken me 40 years although to embrace that a part of me, and use it to my benefit in enterprise. Which means that I really like threat, I really like innovation, and alter is my center identify. It excites me!
I feel the time period “male-dominated trade” can generally be a mindset. Sure, I do know the statistics, but when I always bleat on about it, that turns into my actuality. I’m Chantelle. I’m distinctive. I’m the ONLY model of me that this world will ever see. And it’s my obligation to let the world the world see me, to serve, and to reside my function in true Chantelle-style.
The extra I alter me, the extra I develop me, and the extra I step into my very own wholeness, the much less the circumstances round me matter.
If you happen to lead a group, how do you foster a tradition of belief, inclusivity, collaboration, and development?
I employed somebody in that horrible 12 months after I almost misplaced every part, and it taught me one other priceless lesson about workers. I don’t need any. Ever. I work with unbiased contractors and freelancers. However I don’t ever need to “personal” individuals.
The individuals I work with come to me by way of mutual connections and thru relationships. I intention to have at the least one espresso chat with somebody fascinating each week and this builds my community internationally. It additionally permits me to get to know individuals lengthy earlier than I ever resolve to work with them.
What are the highest 5 mindset shifts or private practices that helped you overcome self-doubt and develop your confidence as a lady entrepreneur?
a. Embodiment. We can’t suppose our solution to a brand new way of life. We’ve to reside our method into a brand new method of being.
b. Emotions aren’t information. We base a lot of our lives on our emotions, however lots of them come from the tales we inform ourselves. After we grow to be curious in regards to the messages our emotions are sending us, we unlock the deeper meanings and create area for development.
c. Braveness rises in a cut up second however is gone simply as quick if we don’t act. Curiosity, braveness, and confidence are the keys on the coronary heart of my Phoenix blueprint. These aren’t simply phrases – they’re values I reside by.
d. My primary job at present is ME. If I don’t take the time to each construct and defend my vitality, I can’t present up as my greatest self. Once I sacrifice placing myself first due to the calls for on my calendar, my output is all the time subpar.
e. Sluggish is clean, and clean is quick. Busyness kills instinct, stops circulation in its tracks and stifles creation. Generally the calendar will get hectic, that’s after I decelerate essentially the most.
If you happen to may spark a worldwide motion by way of your work, what would it not be—and why is that mission significant to you?
I’ll – watch this area 😉
My world motion is about coming house to your self. Realising the facility you maintain inside. Studying to be entire. Residing in integrity. Connecting deeper than you ever imagined potential.
And in the end – entering into your full potential. However that’s not potential till you come house to your self and know your self intimately.
What’s a quote, philosophy, or guiding perception that shapes the way you lead, create, and reside each day?
“Cease asking why, Chan, and begin asking what subsequent.”
These had been the final phrases my dad spoke to me earlier than he left this earth. This was at a time after I was cleansing up from my second dependancy and I had burnt by way of each relationship that ever meant something to me. The one individual in my nook was dad – after which he left.
However he left me with these phrases. I’ve by no means forgotten them and by no means will. They had been instrumental in rebuilding my life from destruction. They had been what helped me begin the enterprise. They had been what bought me by way of that 12 months I almost misplaced it. They information me each morning in each the small choices and the large choices.
The place can our viewers join with you, discover your work, or observe your entrepreneurial journey on-line?
Listed here are a few hyperlinks:
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