In the Spotlight: Tracey Ward

We ask the tough questions of Tracey Ward

What’s the best bit of feedback you’ve ever had?

“You really have changed my life, I would never have backed myself and asked for anywhere near that number.”

This was a client of mine, Claire, who I coached and changed her mental program of herself and improved her self-image to a point she felt comfortable and worthy enough to ask for, negotiate, and get a 60K increase in her salary.

What’s your proudest moment?

Starting my own business and investing in me
Amicably divorcing from my husband of twenty years
Raising two beautiful children that have turned into beautiful adults, teenagers don’t have to be a proverbial pain in the backside
Climbing Mt Kinabalu 4095m with my beach bag, (I didn’t research properly and didn’t realise, it’s actually quite a climb!)
Being brave and emigrating to Australia from the UK on my own
Getting a 2:1 Honours Degree in Civil Engineering, not bad for someone who doesn’t like detail!

What’s your number one way to wind down?

Reading a great novel.

What’s the biggest challenge you face at work?

Detail stuff, typos, admin, accounting and Excel. I loathe Excel, it definitely wasn’t designed for my brain. All I can say is I outsource as much of this as I can and practise being kind to myself when typos appear on my marketing material.

What’s the best thing about being a soloist? And the worst thing?

Best: The Freedom and being in control of your own destiny
Worst: The loneliness at times.

What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve ever been given?

It’s never a lack of resources but always and lack of resourcefulness. I apply this daily, I love it as there is always a way if you are resourceful enough to find it.

Where and when do you have your best ideas?

I have ideas all the time, one thing I’m not short of and they are coming more frequently these days as I’m becoming more powerful in practising what I preach which is listen to and trust your instincts. I notice my best ideas come to me often when in conversations with others, often totally irrelevant to the conversation and especially when I don’t have a pen/paper/computer/phone to record them. My last great idea came to me in a ‘hot yoga’ class, which meant I had to try and knot my towel to remember my idea.

What would be your advice to aspiring soloists?

Just do it, there is never a ‘right’ time, it’s a bit like having children there is never a ‘right’ time so just get on and do it. The more you believe in yourself and your idea, the more successful you will be, avoid listening to naysayers, especially in the early days and they can come from unexpected quarters often people you feel would be your greatest ally, so just don’t listen.

Work with your instincts rather than your ego, your instincts have your back whereas your ego has its own back and it never works out well for you in the long run.

Be open minded to ideas, where you see the business today and where it might end up being could be very different to what you thought, be open to that journey.

Get a coach, mentor and don’t try and do it all on your own, having someone to pull you up on your thinking or keep you going on your thinking or even simply to congratulate you on what you are achieving, this support makes all the difference. I spent way too long thinking I had to do it on my own, my business partner is now my coach, he has a beautiful way of helping me see my world differently and he always keep me moving forward.

And finally, know when to quit with an idea, sometimes the best way forward with your business is to stop working on a particular idea. When you do that, firstly you’ll feel relieved and secondly you create space for a new exciting door to open.

What would your mum say is your greatest strength? And weakness?

My Mum would say I could talk my way out of a paper bag. She would say I have great instincts and a big kind heart. She would also say I don’t know the word tidy and eat far too quickly.

What inspires you most about your work?

I love making a positive difference in the lives of others, in particular I love empowering my female clients to grow. My Mother could have been so much more in her life but was restrained by societal norms and being a single mum. If I can help a woman shine and be the woman she was always meant to be, that makes me super happy.

What do you wear to work?

Bright colours. I love the energy that colours bring, not only to me but to those around me. And I wear big earrings, they remind me daily to have fun, that’s why I work for myself and not in a corporate role. It saddens me the lack of fun in the workplace these days.

And now comes the plug!

What is your business name?

I operate under my name Tracey Ward.

It’s taking me many years but I’m no longer hiding by working for someone else or hiding behind a company name, it’s been a really empowering change for me and that’s what I love helping other women do, to stop hiding and start shining.

What do you do? Who for?

I teach women how to achieve any goal they set for themselves especially their big financial goals. When a woman stops worrying about money, because they know they always have more than enough, they can really step into their power. I do this by re-programming how they think about themselves and their business, change your thinking and you’ll change your results.

I do this through a structured and guided 12 Step process, based on the principals of the Think and Grow Rich book, one of the best-selling books of all time that examines the power of personal beliefs, and the role that plays in personal success.

And where can we find out more about you?

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