This article was first featured in Femeconomy.
16/10/2018 | Posted by Jade Collins in Female Leaders
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Jemimah Ashleigh is a Positioning Expert, specialising in positioning business owners as the ‘go-to’ expert in their field. She is an international keynote speaker, and has spoken at over 100 different events across Australia and the USA, crediting her background in podcasting, comedy and amateur theatre as essential elements in building her skills and enjoyment of speaking.
Jemimah‘s won numerous business awards, most recently she was named one of Australia’s Top 10 Female Entrepreneurs 2017 and a Woman to Watch in 2018. Her first book, ‘Position Me’ is planned for release in 2018.
WHAT IS A POSITIONING EXPERT, AND HOW DO YOU HELP BUSINESSES AND INDIVIDUALS?
I am Australia’s leading authority Positioning Expert and my role is to position business owners as the ‘go-to’ expert in their field. I do this in multiple ways including; branding, focusing on mindset, market positioning, digital marketing, social media, podcasting, writing a book and obtain high profile speaking opportunities for my clients.
This winning combinations set women up to excel in their businesses in less time and with greater efficiency.
IN 2018, YOU WILL BE SPEAKING INTERNATIONALLY ACROSS LOS ANGELES, USA AND SOUTH AFRICA. HOW HAS YOUR PROFESSIONAL SPEAKING CAREER EVOLVED, AND WHAT PREPARATION IS ESSENTIAL?
If you asked my family, I started speaking about 9 minutes after being born, however my first real legitimate time I started speaking was when I started podcasting.
I had always been drawn inadvertently to speaking. I’d done my Certificate 4 in training while working in the Government. I’d also started doing theatre, acting and learning improvisation comedy, but I realised I loved speaking once I started podcasting.
The things I have found essential are knowing your content, understanding that the audience want you to succeed and lots and lots of practice!
I always said yes to the opportunity to take the stage and learn my craft. Preparation is important, but you really need to learn your craft on stage in front of other people.
HOW HAS YOUR PREVIOUS CAREER IN LAW ENFORCEMENT INFLUENCED THE WAY YOU OPERATE AS AN ENTREPRENEUR?
I worked in law enforcement for over a decade and one of the positives that came out is that it is very hard to rattle me! I often speak about the benchmark for law enforcement being a bad day is if someone died. It makes the little things that happen in day to day of entrepreneurship; a failed program, a loss in profit, a typo in a social media post, really be put into perspective.
YOU ARE A VOCAL PROPONENT OF SELF CARE FOR BUSINESS OWNERS. SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE, AND YOUR TOP TIPS.
In 2015, I had my first panic attack. I had heard these terms ‘self care’ before, but I had no experience in putting myself first. After I hit bottom, I had to really learn what self-care looked like and deal with my burn out. This was a big journey and taught me a lot, but mostly that I was doing too much!
Similarly, in 2017, we saw a failure rate of 95% globally of business owners. With more courses, more freely available content and more coaches than ever before, this isn’t because of a lack of education or a lack of good ideas – it’s simply because we are burning out.
In this age where we have never been more accessible, we have to start drawing lines in the sand of our time and our mental energy.
You need to take self care time out for you. Hot baths, eating good food, exercise, getting a massage. Do whatever makes you feel like the very best version of you. You simply cannot pour from an empty cup.
Turn your phone OFF.
We have a no phone zone in our house for family dinner and social gatherings. I also sleep with my phone on silent and in the bathroom. We have not had one thing that could not wait til morning.
Minimum of 6 hours a night and napping is perfectly acceptable. You need to make sure that you are allowing your body to rejuvenate and your brain to literally repair.
YOUR GREATEST CHALLENGE?
I’ve had multiple challenges in business. I’ve lost a lot of money very publicly, I’ve publicly battled an anxiety disorder, failed at setting up courses but overall, challenges are part of the journey. They are part of the process and not something that can be avoided.
WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF?
So many things!
Being named one of the Top 10 Female Entrepreneurs in Australia was a big thing for me. Finding an article about me in Marie Claire magazine while I was on a Qantas plane was also amazing. A lot of it was public recognition, but the biggest thing was hitting SEND on my book manuscript. With so many hours of blood, sweat and tears being poured into this, it was incredible to hit send. I’m waiting for the print copy to hit my hands!
ADVICE FOR FUTURE FEMALE LEADERS?
Success is not finite. Someone else having success will not detract from you being successful. Women have been pitted against each other for long enough, it’s time to band together. We need to build each other up, rather than tear each other down. You are NOT in competition with anyone else!
ABOUT FEMECONOMY
You are the female economy. Whether you are a female consumer, business owner or a woman in the workforce, you can create gender equality by choosing female led brands.
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