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What Investors Really Look For in Female Founders

by admin | Feb 2, 2026 | Entrepreneur, Female Entrepreneur

What actually makes a founder investable – and why hustle culture may be working against women.

In this episode of the Power Of Women Podcast, Di Gillett sits down with Dan Copsey – entrepreneur, investor, and Group CEO, to unpack what investors really assess when backing founders, particularly women.

This is not a surface-level conversation about confidence or pitching harder.

Dan reveals why honesty beats hype, why performative hustle culture is a red flag, and why many of the most investable female founders are undervaluing what they already bring to the table.

From founder-investor dynamics to gender bias in startup rooms, this episode delivers an unfiltered investor lens every ambitious woman in business needs to hear.

You’ll hear:

Why honesty is the #1 trait investors look for

The biggest red flags investors see in pitches

Why hustle culture is failing founders – especially women

What female founders are doing right but not articulating

How motherhood, life load and leadership are undervalued assets

What makes an investor–founder relationship succeed long-term

How to know when your business is truly ready to scale.

Dan’s advice:

Lead with who you are, not just what you’re building

Hustle culture is not a credibility signal

Don’t take money from the wrong investor

Protect your equity early

Be transparent about your full life load

Build sustainability into your success

Choose investors who bring more than money.

Dan said:

“Honesty is the single most important trait in a founder.”

“Hustle culture distracts from the true core of entrepreneurship.”

“If an investor can’t add value to your life, they’re not the right investor.”

📖 Read the full transcript of this conversation here 👇

FULL TRANSCRIPT:

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (00:02)

There’s a lot of sharks in the water out there, especially at the moment. They’ll want to take a lot of equity off you very quickly and people can get really lost in the fact that, cool, we’re half a million dollars, but maybe you’re losing some.

DI GILLETT [Host] (00:14)

Nothing’s

for nothing.

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (00:15)

An investor-founder relationship is almost like another personal relationship. You need to find the right person, need to find the right team. They need to add value to your life, just like a husband or a wife with no value to their partner’s life. You’ve got to work well together.

DI GILLETT [Host] (00:32)

One word that defines a great founder. Biggest red flag in a pitch.

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (00:35)

Honest.

arrows that go up. I watched her go and I’m you are unbelievable. You are unbelievable. And when I first met her, she was like, she’d had a bad day. And I met her through a networking group and she walked in and she sort of just unloaded on the entire group. And I remember grabbing her at the dinner afterwards and saying, hey, don’t give up. Don’t give up. I said, the reason why they are treating you like that is because they’re scared of you.

My name is Dan Copsey I’m a very driven entrepreneur. ⁓ I’ve had many experiences in my professional and personal life and I really enjoy ⁓ working with different people and being involved with people. think people, it doesn’t matter what you do in life. I think being around the right people and being part of, know, ⁓ and having good people to work with and take on the journey is what I really enjoy.

⁓ So yeah, so just a very driven, driven entrepreneur. think my father, I heard my father over say to a friend of his one day, Dan will either be flat broke or he’ll be a multimillionaire, but either way he’s going to keep going. So that’s, that’s who I am.

DI GILLETT [Host] (01:50)

Have you ever wondered what really makes an investor say yes? Is it the idea, the founder, or something less tangible such as conviction? I’m Di Gillett and welcome to the Power Of Women podcast. And what I love about this platform is the opportunity to showcase and celebrate the strength, resilience, and achievements of women from all walks of life. And joining me today is Dan Copsey.

And as you’ve already heard, is an Australian entrepreneur. He’s an investor and group CEO of TMSPC, which oversees a portfolio of advertising agencies, hospitality ventures, and not-for-profit initiatives. Dan’s coordinated more than 10 businesses, serving as an advisor to numerous founders and executives. And he championed social impact through projects like Partners in Progress Foundation and the Health CoLab.

He’s passionate about resilience, work-life balance, and building businesses for good. And with so many founders looking to scale or secure investment, Dan’s insights into what it takes to make a founder investable couldn’t be more timely. Dan Copsey, welcome to the Power Of Women podcast.

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (03:10)

I am privileged to be here. I very, very privileged to be here. I’ve been looking forward to this for a couple of weeks now ever since when I started talking.

DI GILLETT [Host] (03:20)

Thank

you. Brilliant. Before we dive into investing and scaling, you’ve built and co-founded and invested multiple ventures. So what landed you in that entrepreneurial space in the first place? Was it that line your father said?

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (03:38)

My father said that many years after I started all my multiple ventures. I think some people are born to work for people and then some people just aren’t made to work for people and they need to be blazing their own trail, so to speak. And I think that’s where I’ve landed. Although I’ve spent the earlier part of my career

you know, working for other founders and their businesses. I always found that within those roles that I really treated the business like it was my own. And I really, you know, and that was where my work ethic developed. But I think being an entrepreneur, someone asked me this a couple of weeks ago, what does being an entrepreneur means? You and I just said freedom. That’s it. It’s freedom. ⁓

You talk about work-life balance. I call myself semi-retired at the moment. I have a country of happiness and more time outside mowing the lawns than anything else. So, ⁓ but, just that once it’s very hard to build a business and it’s very hard to build successful businesses. And I tell you, it’s very hard to build multiple successful businesses. But once you get into that rhythm and once you once you have those wins,

And once you start building, it’s very addictive. It is very addictive and what it can do for you, your lifestyle. And it’s not, I’m not talking about making millions of dollars or anything like that, but what it does create for you within your life is, I don’t think you can replicate that anywhere else. And it allows you to really chart your own goal. I was listening to Simon Sinek this morning in an interview he was doing with a comedian.

And Simon says his works all about what the goal is at the end, not so much the journey. And he finds a lot of people focus on the journey and they get to the end bit and they realize it was the wrong goal. So I really, I really like that. And I really like that being able to work that goal backwards. You know, like you should do in wealth planning or business, a business plan or anything else. Why shouldn’t you do that in your life too? So I think that if you do that, and that’s, that’s why being an entrepreneur and

and doing what I do, you know, it allows me to do all that and that’s what I really enjoy and why I’ve ended up here.

DI GILLETT [Host] (06:06)

Dan, had ⁓ another entrepreneur, Mandy Gunzberger, the podcast last year and she has scaled five business successfully and sold a couple of those on. And she tells the story of she then after selling one of her

more recent businesses went back to the role of employee and she was fired three times. Shocked the first two times, not shocked the third time. Do you think entrepreneurs make good employees or are they wired differently?

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (06:38)

I think the real entrepreneurs are wired differently. was once told, I’ve been told by several ⁓ director, know, highly placed sort of director friends of mine that I’m unemployable ⁓ to them because they would need a team around just to manage me. So, ⁓ but I guess that’s the thing though, like, you you think about just the Australian economy alone, where would the Australian economy be without entrepreneurs?

you know, entrepreneurs who want to go out and start businesses and even if it’s just as small as a small lawn mowing business or a makeup business or something like that, that’s an entrepreneur that is creating a macro economy that might be employing someone, it might be employing someone who necessarily couldn’t be employed anywhere else, you ⁓ I think, you know, one of the big things that was really learned over the last, I don’t know,

Even I mean not just through the pandemic but prior to the pandemic it was already starting to change, know, the flexibility in the workplace and things like that. You know, I think, you know, big corporates struggle to they say they want to give that balance but they struggle with it, think. So just a rigid framework when you get the smaller entrepreneurs, most of our employees in two of our businesses, you know, all work remotely.

So, you know, and I don’t really want to know when someone’s got a doctor’s appointment and I don’t want to know when someone’s going to take the kids to school, pick the kids up, go and do it. Go and do it. As long as the work’s getting done and the clients are happy and everything like that and the bills are getting paid, then I’m happy.

DI GILLETT [Host] (08:18)

I think there’s a nimbleness in the entrepreneurial business compared to corporate too. mean, corporations spend hours and hours around boardroom tables strategizing and it takes a long time to get any inertia to move things on. I think that the speed of entrepreneurial business is really quite contagious if that’s your thing. ⁓

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (08:41)

100

% correct and it’s one of the hardest things to keep within your business as you grow it and as you scale and you become bigger it’s one of the hardest things is to be able to keep that nimbleness and that you know that level of productivity and whatever else you want to call it know that fast action and being able to action things

DI GILLETT [Host] (09:01)

It’s the magic of what made them great and then the scale and all the operational processes come in and it loses what was the whole point in the first place.

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (09:13)

And I think you can get, well, in my opinion, excuse me, you can get too big. And that’s not for me. mean, we have quite a large number of head count across all our businesses, but I don’t want to be this hugely global corporation where I don’t know who’s working within my business and what skillset they are and what footy team they’re bearing for. That to me is quite important to be able to talk to all our employees on each level.

And I think that proves in itself too, we have some very long tenured employees, we have staff that have been with us ⁓ since the beginning and they’re still with us. So I think that speaks volumes in itself.

DI GILLETT [Host] (09:56)

Yeah. So what lessons stand out the most in terms of getting a startup off the ground?

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (10:03)

Don’t say yes to everything. I think that’s one mistake that a lot of entrepreneurs ⁓ make. They say yes to everything, ⁓ which I think in the end, it’s very early. It’s very easy for me to say that now being established and having clients and everything like that. And I can pick and choose the type of clients that we want to chase or we want to work with and things like that. And it’s not as easy in the early days. But I think selling your soul. ⁓

to a client and over delivering in the early days can really hurt you ⁓ over the long term because that expectation is set and then your worth is not what it should be ⁓ and then you struggle to upsell based on that and whatnot. So I think saying yes and it’s a mistake we made right in the start because we were keen to get every client we could ⁓ and get every little bit of revenue at the door. So we were happy to say yes to anyone and I think

looking back on it now, there’s probably about 10 clients that I wouldn’t have taken on again, ⁓ just because of certain circumstances and stuff like that. I think saying yes to people, ⁓ think it needs to be a very considered approach. Stick to your guns, stick to your worth, stick to your values. I think that’s pretty important in those early days, I think. ⁓ And if you can do that, it’s like ⁓ working through a bad economy. If you can work through a bad economy and

and hold your business and bring it out the other side, you’re going to be much stronger for it on the other side.

DI GILLETT [Host] (11:34)

Yeah, I think that’s right. So having worn the hat of both founder and investor, how’s that shaped your view on how you assess opportunities today?

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (11:47)

So we always look at the founder first. When I say we, I’m talking about myself and Alex and Adam, my business partners, but we always look at the founder first and what type of person or people they are. And I think the biggest misconception around entrepreneurship and founders and starting a business and everything like that over the last

10 years has been this hustle culture. And the hustle culture of, you you having to wake up at 5 a.m. and have a cold blunge and, you know, and then grind all day and things like that. I’m like…

DI GILLETT [Host] (12:27)

I’m going to blame you guys for that.

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (12:29)

Yeah,

well, that’s fine. That’s fine. That’s fine. You know, and look, I have a sauna and I enjoy sauna and what I’m not a plunge for a cold plunge, but it’s not it’s not, you know, this hustle culture that is is brought in into entrepreneurship is really distracting, I think, to what, you know, founders and the true the true core of a founder and what they should be like. So I always, you know, I like to

you know like to invest and we like to work with honest people, transparent people ⁓ I don’t want to know and I don’t need to know on your socials that you got up at 5am and and did a cold plunge and a run and then you and then you did your emails that’s I don’t to me to me that’s you know can be can be very off-putting yeah so we looked like to look at the really the the who the people are who the person and what their background is you know

DI GILLETT [Host] (13:23)

How do you do that due diligence, Dan? How do you actually get to know them?

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (13:27)

You speak to them. You speak to them. I won’t invest in business. We won’t go near a business. We have two very core principle frameworks that we work around when we invest. One is that we need to be able to add ourselves as a group, need to be able to add value to the business. We don’t like to be a passive investor. We like to be involved. And depending on what the startup or the business requires, we like to be able to fill a role and add value where we can.

So we don’t like to just throw money at things and then sit back and let someone else do it. We want to make sure that we can be part of the team and add some value to the journey if we can. And then two, it’s all about the founder. If we can’t sit down and like I said, I like to say break bread with the founder and have a meal, have a drink, have a beer, whatever it may be, and really chat and really get to know who they are, their family, you know.

where they’ve come from, know, what sort of upbringing or those things all, all, you it does, it does, you know, it really does. And I think not a lot of people sit down and actually get into the nitty gritty of it. It’s great that you might have the next AI startup, whatever it is, but you know, what’s your family like? You know, do you have children? know, to me, to me, you know, that’s, you know, and I don’t want to know why you want to

DI GILLETT [Host] (14:29)

love you a lot.

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (14:53)

you know, gender, stereotypia at all, but anything like that. But like, you know, a woman who has three children and also is involved in the startup, to me is a very worthwhile risk to take on investment business if she can do all of that. You know,

DI GILLETT [Host] (15:10)

Juggle all of that,

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (15:12)

⁓ You just go back and you look at, I like to term you coming from good stock. I like to know what people’s parents are like, what their family was like, things like that. You meet a lot of people who, I mean, I came from very middle class. My mom was a teacher, my father was a police, I have two brothers, and they’re quite successful in their own rights, both of them.

⁓ We had good values instilled in us. We all had law mowing jobs or paper delivery jobs early on in life. We all worked at Safeway back in the early days and whatnot. ⁓ My mom came from the country, so she brought a lot of good country value with her and her bigger family. My dad was a policeman, so he had all that sort of…

respect the law and everything like that, which I think is very important. you know, I would like to think that I’m, you know, a good investment for ⁓ a potential ⁓ investor. And I like to sort of go around and try and find people like that behind great ideas, because I think, you know, the other ones that are investors, sorry, entrepreneurs will make mistakes, business people will make mistakes, money will be lost. ⁓ Startups won’t get off the ground and everything like that. But I think

if it’s all done with good intentions, with the right people, I think that gives the best opportunity to get off the ground. And we’ve lost money on investments and that happens as part of the journey.

DI GILLETT [Host] (16:48)

Yeah, and I would say equally to an entrepreneur to be doing the due diligence back on the people that they’re looking to get into bed with. And I say that whether you’re a candidate going through an employment process to join an organization and people complain about how many times they have to meet or how many people they have to meet. And I say that’s actually the good scenario. You want to be able to lift the lid.

and get to know who you’re getting in bed with. I think all of that works both ways and it’s critical that it works both ways.

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (17:23)

It’s 100%. And you know, knowing your background day and you know, I was listening to you on the James Stewart podcast, you know, the other morning to like, you know, how you how you have to operate in that space. And we have a recruitment agency, the good crowd, and Ben and Arby and the team that run that they spend a lot of time making sure that you know, the candidate knows who they’re interviewing for and vice versa and things like that, because you can’t just mash these people together and hope it all works on paper, it’s not going to work because a lot of

synergies there and you know I’ve had the same thing employing people over the years you know we’ve got to make sure that we’re bringing the right person ⁓ into the ecosystem, into the culture that we’ve built or that we’re trying to build you know and it’s you know it’s like trying to you know put a puzzle together at the entire time but that’s the same yeah like you know any founder out there needs to be doing the research on the investors because a lot of different type of investors out there too you know.

DI GILLETT [Host] (18:23)

Some might want to invest to build and some might want to lean it down to sell it at a maximum profit and that looks very different.

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (18:32)

PE companies, private equity, want to come in and flip around, turn around. They’ll be looking over your shoulder the entire time. They want to take a lot of equity off the table. Especially when you’re in that very early stage, founding, you want some very founder friendly ⁓ investment terms. ⁓ And you’re probably not going to find that through a PE company, but you will find that through like a high net worth individual who looks at it goes, hey, this is a great idea. Yeah, I’m keen to give you some money, but I also want to value, I can bring you my networks here and I can help you with this and help you with that.

and not take a lot of equity off the table because I know if it gets to going where it needs to go then that little bit of equity they get at start will be worth much more down the track anyway.

DI GILLETT [Host] (19:13)

Yeah,

that’s right. So in balancing sort of burnout and balance, probably two things entrepreneurs really do struggle with because the hard yards to get something off the ground and particularly if you’re passionate about it and it’s your baby, you’re inclined to really get into the weeds. What’s your experience taught you though about being sustainable on an ongoing and longer term?

on the basis of energy and output and commitment.

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (19:44)

First of all, have a good partner. Whether you have a good wife, a good husband, you need a good partner and they need to understand what you’re doing. I’m very lucky in the fact that my wife was very understanding and she’s been along for the journey, the highs and the lows. And she’s still here today, which is amazing. you know, she’s, we don’t have children, but she’s, you know, she has her own sort of high pressure corporate job herself. So, you know, to,

to coincide that with the journey that I, and I’m not just taking myself on it, I’m taking her on it with me. So, to be part of that. ⁓ The other thing that I learned along the way is ⁓ you need to look after yourself physically. That is one of the biggest things that ⁓ I learned along the way. I think, suddenly enough, I you and I used to, I still train with Will, I believe you used to train with Will.

DI GILLETT [Host] (20:40)

used to change with Will, yeah, not anymore. I’m in the old people’s gym now. what I call Kesa, no offence to Kesa, but I do call it

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (20:50)

should be there as well. But anyway, ⁓ so but we’ll one thing will will taught me in those ⁓ in the early days of training with him is, is he’s not so much about getting in there to move weights for the sake of moving weights, it was to get in there to move your body and get your mind going. And that was, you know, if a good a really good gym session or run or walk or whatever it may be physical exercise, right?

DI GILLETT [Host] (21:13)

You’ve got to build it into your schedule. It’s a non-negotiable.

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (21:17)

Yeah,

after, So I, I, I do, I train three times a week just in the gym. Nothing crazy. Yeah. Yeah. I also walk an average of 12,000 steps a day, but I build that.

DI GILLETT [Host] (21:23)

⁓ on the same track Dan, it’s exactly same. But weight training and resistance training is an absolute must, particularly as we get older. And mentally it opens up your mind after you leave your desk or whatever meetings you’ve been in.

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (21:47)

Yeah, and the third thing that I found out of my journey too is just be careful around alcohol, alcohols, even if you’re just a social drinker, you know, it just, can vary, it can give you a lot of brain fog. And people don’t notice that. you know, I remember at the start of 2020 before we even knew what the pandemic was, I actually

made a New Year’s resolution to give up drinking for the year. Because I just had this inkling that 2020 was going to be a big year for me, for my business, everything like that. So I’m like, you know what, I don’t want that distraction. So I gave up drinking. Well, it was fantastic. And everyone just thought it was, how can you not be drinking? We’re all sitting at home doing nothing for that entire year. How can you not be drinking and things like that?

DI GILLETT [Host] (22:30)

What did that feel like?

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (22:42)

Um, I just, I, the clarity that it gives you was unbelievable. I wasn’t a drinker beforehand. You know, I’d go out to dinner, we’d have a bottle of wine, you know, whatever. I’ve never been a big beer drinker, I might have a bottle of wine or a cocktail or whatever it may be. But I did notice after that year, um, after 2020, um, when I did start, you know, I’ll pick up drinking and that it had reduced right down. It reduced right down to the fact that I hardly drink now.

⁓

DI GILLETT [Host] (23:12)

And it’s not until you take something out that you know, and I know I’ve done much the same and it’s only the occasional drink in a social setting and the wine industry is probably struggling with a lot of people making the same decision though because we’re not drinking at home or drinking as much.

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (23:33)

We see that through the pubs that we’ve been involved in over the journey into like, you know, the intake of alcohol has dropped considerably.

DI GILLETT [Host] (23:39)

As an investor, you subtly looking at all of these things in, so I mean, I, I think going out to dinner, yeah, cause I think going out to dinner is never just going out to dinner. think, you know, you’re, you’re clearly being assessed in that process of how you handle yourself. Is, that not the case?

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (24:00)

I look for the party bit. I look for the party bit because the party bit, you know, I’ve seen that over my journey, you know, I spent my early 20s and whatnot in nightclubs and as everyone else did, you can tell things and tell those things about people. And I want to make sure that people are asking for money or for investment for the right reasons too, not that it’s going to.

fuel a lifestyle over here and what not. And I think that’s regardless of the lifestyle that fuels if it’s drugs or alcohol or, you know, fast cars or whatever. think there’s a there’s a time to have all that. But, you know, I think you need to show you being respectful and transparent with the money that’s been given to you to run a business. like I’ve seen so many insolvencies over the last three or four years, businesses that have gone into administration or liquidation.

And you see the amount of wages that directors are paying themselves and tax bills that they’re running up. I’m just, my mind boggles at some of that. the businesses that are two or three years old and the directors are taking $250,000 a year out. Plus there’s a Tesla in there. It’s unbelievable.

DI GILLETT [Host] (25:13)

I started with the wrong raisin.

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (25:15)

Exactly, exactly. I mean, I sat on $50,000 a year for the first seven years, if not more. So, you you’re getting into it for the wrong reasons, I think.

DI GILLETT [Host] (25:27)

Okay. Well coming up, we’re going to talk about the gender divide in the startup world and what’s shifting it and what isn’t and why most investable founders typically don’t look like the stereotype.

If you’re loving the Power of Women podcasts, be sure to jump onto our YouTube channel and hit that subscribe button to ensure you never miss an episode. I’m talking with Dan Copsey, entrepreneur, investor and advocate of women in business. Dan, let’s talk about the gender divide in entrepreneurship. From where you sit as an investor, what do you see as the biggest challenges?

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (26:10)

Factful there’s more male founders out there than female founder. Yeah, that’s just how it is and you know, right wrong or indifferent. That’s just how it is. I think My advice to I’ve done some work I’ve do a lot of work with female founders and and even just in advisory positions and probably the the ladies that I you know that I’m just advising for and I have one particular

company that I won’t mention who they are but they’re fantastic these two ladies right they are in the HR space they have one has two children the other one has three children one of them her husband’s another founder and he’s going to running a tech company and the other one they’ve a lot going on and I just look at these two and I go you are very intelligent super intelligent very driven right but lack confidence in a room and

DI GILLETT [Host] (26:56)

going on.

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (27:09)

And I look around and I just like, guys, I would listen to what you guys have to say all day long every day. think you’re both fantastic. Like, and I know other people would once you get out there. I really think sometimes, you know, I just it’s a it’s a real lack of confidence sometimes, which but then I started looking at it go, why is that? So maybe but then I was I was in ⁓ a networking group with these with one of these ladies.

DI GILLETT [Host] (27:11)

extraordinary.

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (27:40)

And I looked around at the rest of the group and this lady, she probably very similar age to me, know, sort of mid forties. And then I’ll look around at the rest of the group and they were like quite older than us, you know, and a lot of a lot very male dominated. And I’m like, right. And I just saw how those sort of blokes acted in that scenario. They were talking over everyone over their opinions and this and that, whatever. And then you just see ⁓ the this lady

⁓ just sort of, you know, just sit there and listen and just disappear into it. I thought you’ve, you’re more intelligent than these guys and you’ve got more to say than these guys. These guys are just verbal diarrhea almost like coming up with what they’re saying and nothing original, no original thoughts and whatnot. I you’ve got all this you should. And I actually pulled her aside afterwards. I said, you have to interject yourself in there and just really, you know, get the elbows out and push through. And I said, it’s really sad that you have to do that.

But that’s how it is, right? You’ve got my support and I’m sure you have other people’s support. But, you know, and then I watched this same lady in another environment where the general age was probably a lot lower than our age. you know, not Gen Z, but sort of that millennial in between there. I’m actually millennial. I was 1981, but I call myself Gen X because I just amused.

DI GILLETT [Host] (29:02)

I’m actually a boomer Dan, but there you go.

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (29:06)

I like the music generation X is better, so I’ll try to do anyway.

DI GILLETT [Host] (29:10)

Well,

I’m on the cusp.

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (29:13)

But

there are millennials in this group and it was funny because she really got into that group and could really, you know, and she really dominated, but was part of the conversation.

DI GILLETT [Host] (29:22)

But

she felt intimidated generationally.

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (29:25)

Yeah, and I just thought is this this is this a thing and and it makes a lot of sense like when you go back and I mean listening to some of your stories the other day with James Stewart like you know you’ve probably had some of that and I listened to it was funny that same morning I listened to your podcast I listened to Mark Boris interview Ida butt rose and

Yeah, it’s great. And she’s like no nonsense lady who but she’s she’s been shaped like that over the years of dealing with, you know, the Packers and whatnot is older.

DI GILLETT [Host] (29:58)

circumstances start to create the character so maybe maybe what you’re observing is somebody who just hasn’t had enough runs on the board yet to shape her

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (30:07)

Yeah, but you see it around a lot. ⁓ know, and I know we’re going to talk about Jess and Bri in a moment too, those two ladies are fantastic. Like, back those guys every day of the week. They are just unbelievable. it’s almost, ⁓ it would be very threatening to be in a room with them if you are sort of like ⁓ anyone, female or male, that was sort of, you know,

DI GILLETT [Host] (30:34)

I think a very strong, confident and then a tall female is more intimidating to me than any male could ever be.

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (30:44)

100 % 100 % % Yeah, yeah. Look, I just, you know, I want to support the founder, male or female based on who they are and what they’re bringing to the table. But a lot of the time, you know, when we do come across female founders, you really look at them, know, are they a mother? What else have they got going on in life? Because females carry the majority of the household with them.

DI GILLETT [Host] (30:46)

always felt that way.

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (31:14)

you know, traditionally, like always have, right, you know, ⁓ you know, if they have children, they’re dealing with, you know, if they’ve got three children, they’re dealing with three sets of emotions, three sets of personalities, not to mention their husband, you know, add a fourth one into the mix. So they’re carrying all that. Then, you know, there’s a lot of things to do in the household and whether the household is split in the mail helps with, you know, the housework or whatever, however it looks, you know, they’re bearing a lot more.

Yeah. And you just think, and you want to do a startup on the back of that, like 100 % I’m backing you every day of the week. Cause you know, like anyone who has, I think you’re slightly insane. That’s great. Cause you need a little bit of that to be an entrepreneur. Let’s go. Let’s say I’m on board with that every day of the week. I it’s just fantastic. I mean, I watch it. My mom wasn’t an entrepreneur, but she, she raised three boys. She worked full time the entire time. Um, and you know, everything around my dad, you know, he was

like I mean he was always, my dad was very good. was always around the house. Yeah but he did a lot of shift work and very stressful you know and like you know he was in the highway patrol and whatnot so a lot of there’s a lot of trauma issues and whatnot that he would have experienced every time so a lot to bring home too you know into the home environment and then for the mother to sort of like you know navigate all of that too so there’s lot going on but then I thought well my mom could have probably run a business very easily.

on top of everything I actually did.

DI GILLETT [Host] (32:41)

Maybe that’s where your genes have come from.

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (32:45)

I’m

dead. But you know, it’s, I just, yeah, I just, I just think, ⁓ just, sometimes you just, and I see them, I see it more often than I would like, these very intelligent entrepreneurial women, and they’re just not putting themselves out there as much as they should, I think.

DI GILLETT [Host] (33:04)

I’ve had a number of podcast conversations about this. I’ve got, we’ve just done one with with Shori Archibald and I did one at the end of last year with Carly Lyon and it is a common point that so many people are good at putting their brand or their business out there but not themselves. So it is a very, very common point. But I mean we talk about

⁓ female founders, the difficulties in raising capital and the reluctance they find at various turns of individuals investing in them. But conversely, what strengths or differentiators do you see women bring to the table that they should be putting forward in their pitch or in their deck or just the whole

storytelling of why invest in me as a female founder.

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (34:04)

Well, I think just to go back on what we just talked about, like I wouldn’t laugh if I saw a female founders resume and says I have three kids and this is what I do with these children and that’s a job. That’s a ⁓ part of my career. Like, because I would just go, there are some serious life skills in there that you are developing and putting to use. Right. So that’s a whole job and career. So, you know, I would, you know, I would encourage, I would encourage female founders to talk about, to talk about that sort of stuff.

DI GILLETT [Host] (34:24)

That’s job one.

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (34:34)

being a mother, being, you know, all those sort of things that they have to do. That’s the life skills that you developed through during doing that is unbelievable. And so I think that’s one of the big things that people don’t think about when they look at females.

DI GILLETT [Host] (34:48)

So bring the whole person to the table.

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (34:50)

Bring

the whole person to the table because that is what essentially well from where we sit that’s what we would invest in. That whole person. You know bring it to the table who you are right because there’s going to be times right when and I’ve seen it there’s going to be times when it does get too much right you know kids might be acting up or there might be a problem with the kids or whatever and everything it’s can be extremely overwhelming right and you’ve got you’re going to have moments where it gets too much right.

But you need to, the team around you needs to know like, hey, that’s, I’m not just here being an entrepreneur and a founder. I’ve also got this whole career going at home that I’m dealing with from, you know, the time I stop here and go there. And as an entrepreneur and a founder, especially the way we deal across the globe at the moment, we’re a very global community now, you know, there’s no time to switch off.

being an entrepreneur, there’s no time to switch off. you know, people are trying to get at you all days of the week, know, and technology allows Adam and whatever else. So, you know, just to see these women go and manage that and manage home, you’re just like, wow, that’s, you know, it’s unbelievable. So and you just have to, I think as a, as a male, right, involved with these female type founders, these female founders, you have to be very supportive of that. You have to recognize that.

and you can’t go, oh, what do mean? You’ve got to go home and deal with the kids or can’t someone else do that or can’t you get a nanny or whatever? You’ve got to be supportive of that. If you don’t realize that when you’re going in, then you’re in the wrong investment working whatever relation.

DI GILLETT [Host] (36:27)

I think conversely the entrepreneur needs to put it all on the table up front because you can go in and declare everything, it’s very difficult to try and add it in after the event because that looks like you’ve been withholding. So I think laying it bare from the outset is the only way to go.

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (36:48)

Yeah, yeah, yeah. Look, you know, I work with a founder at the moment. She’s a founder in the construction space. She’s an amazing lady. ⁓ And she and her partner ⁓ have just had a little baby. So they’ve got a little baby girl. And she’s working in an industry which is so male dominated and so skewed against her from the start. It’s unbelievable. ⁓ And then she’s also a mother.

And she got a very supportive partner. He’s fantastic, right? But he he’s not the entrepreneurial drive that she is, you know, and I just I watch her go and I you are unbelievable. You’re unbelievable. And when I first met her, she was like she’d had a bad day and I met her through a networking group and she walked in and she sort of just unloaded on the entire group. And I remember grabbing her at the dinner afterwards and say, hey, don’t give up. Don’t give up. I said the reason why they are treating you like that is because they’re scared of you. That is it.

They’re scared of you and how you operate and how quickly you will make them all look silly. That’s just that’s just the truth. And I’ve been in that industry. been in the construction space and I’ve seen what female entrepreneurs and how quickly they could dominate that space. Right. And said, you’re you’re copying a lot because people are scared of you in that space. Don’t give up. And then we formed a very good friendship. Yeah. And I was just like, you know, just don’t give up. Whatever you do, don’t give up because then they win. Right. And it’s you know, that’s

DI GILLETT [Host] (38:07)

Good observation. ⁓

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (38:15)

And it can be a game for a lot of people. don’t realize, they don’t realize to, you know, when you get those male dominated industries and you start putting a lot of pressure on a female, especially a female founder, she has to go home and she’s got to deal with that. But then she might have children. So she’s got to deal with all that. Like it’s a huge emotional load to take on, you know, professionally, personally, the whole life.

DI GILLETT [Host] (38:38)

Yeah, it’s good training ground, Some of those badly behaved blokes in the workplace might be a walk in the park.

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (38:46)

It’s a great skill to have. It’s a great skill to have, you know. So, you know, they become unbelievable negotiators because they go from negotiating with a four-year-old in the morning to negotiating with a 44-year-old in the afternoon.

DI GILLETT [Host] (38:59)

But there might not be a lot of difference sometimes.

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (39:01)

I’ll win both those arguments, I think with a cookie. So yeah, it’s just like, you know, I just, there are so many, so many wonderful, super intelligent, super driven female founders, especially in the Australian ecosystem, especially in Melbourne, right? That I don’t think get the exposure that the kudos. Yeah, it’s amazing, you know.

DI GILLETT [Host] (39:28)

And you’re working with a few of those at the moment. You’re working with a couple of powerhouse female founders, those behind Frank Boddy and Willow and Blake. What did they get right that other female founders could learn from?

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (39:44)

They just never took no for an answer. two, they are fantastic. They’re like yin and yang. Jess is unbelievable. She’s, you know, the penultimate out there, you know, found a leader. ⁓ know, she’s on panels. She has a great network and she’s out there and people, you know, listen to her and value what she has to say. then,

DI GILLETT [Host] (40:08)

Distinct

to the woman who wasn’t confident to speak up, Jess has been visible.

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (40:13)

Yeah, correct. then, Bri, Bri is a bit more introverted. She’s probably, you know, she’s the operational brain behind everything and works in behind the scenes. But again, those two have developed such a following. And I’ve watched them, I watched them, I watched them run an event recently, you know, it was fantastic. And you know, they have the ear of some wonderful, extremely powerful

people, you know, they had the editor in vogue at their recent event and she was just hanging off every word that they had to say. you ⁓ know, they just, you know, when the opportunity came to invest in their business and be a director alongside them, at first thing I said to them, when we sort of jumped on our first zoom to sort of all meet each other properly and have a chat and, you know, sort of get to know each other.

You know, it was all about, you know, I wanted to know about families and whatnot and their partners and what they all do and everything and their children and everything like that. And then I said to them, because they asked me, why do you want to be involved? said, why wouldn’t I want to be involved? Why wouldn’t I want to be involved? Look at you two. You’re like, you’re unbelievable.

DI GILLETT [Host] (41:27)

So it was people first that attracted you as an investor versus the idea?

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (41:31)

Yep, yep, 100%. Look, I’ve been around a long time. Their work speaks for itself. And I think not what they touch turns to gold, but I know they know how to work a product very well and get it to market. know, Frank Body started off as a case. ⁓ They started Frank Body as a case study for Willow and Blake. Frank Body turned into a hundred million dollar business. They started it just because they didn’t have any. They wanted to get a lot more work in that.

genre for Willow and Blake, but they didn’t actually have any runs on the board yet. So they went and started a small, you know, know, business and turned into a hundred million dollar business. mean,

DI GILLETT [Host] (42:11)

Yeah, well, that’s a hell of a side hustle, isn’t it?

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (42:15)

This is

last side hustle and you just watch them and you know, they have they have they both have both have two children. I’m pretty sure they both have two children. Yeah. You know, they have fantastically supportive husbands ⁓ and you know, but they make time for their family and they make time for ⁓ their professional side of things. And one of the first things I did with Jess early days is right. Cool. When can I not contact you? When is family time? Tell me when family time is so can respect that.

And she’s like, oh yeah, cool. is great. Cool. Well, I’ll just have a little note here and I, you if I’m trying to get hold of you or whatever, and it’s family time, then I’m not going to bug you. So, you know, cause that’s, um, I think that’s very important. Like I said earlier, you got to respect that you’re getting involved with, you know, um, female founders like that. need to respect that they have this other career going on outside.

DI GILLETT [Host] (43:05)

So I think in listening to that Dan, my takeaway for anybody listening is you’ve got to find a marriage between yourself and your investor because if you’re the opposite who’s on the phone at 6 in the morning and 10 at night, you’re probably not the right investor for the woman with family life and boundaries as well.

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (43:34)

Correct, yeah. An investor-founder relationship is almost like another personal relationship. You need to find the right person, you need to find the right team. They need to add value to your life, just like a husband or a wife would add value to their partner’s life. You’ve got to work well together. That’s exactly how an investor relationship should work. Don’t take on the investor just because they’ve got money.

Bring an investor on because they value what you’re doing, they value the type of person you are, and they can add value to what you’re doing, not just money, not just

DI GILLETT [Host] (44:08)

Yeah, that’s important. So for those who’ve already launched a business, are the key signals that a business is ready to scale? And then how do you know when it’s time to go out and seek that external investment?

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (44:24)

I think it all works down to the growth plans. We talked a little bit before Simon Sinek and how he looks at the goal and then works back from that. A lot of people work the other way around. I think to really pinpoint those points in your startup where you want it to, you know, this is the next stage. This is, I’m going to hire X amount of head count here and so on and so forth. think to have those goals clearly set out ⁓ is really, really important.

It’s depending on the product and the service and whatnot. It’s really hard to know when to scale. mean, like, you know, I take a lot of my businesses. I want to go from zero to hero very quickly. ⁓ And it’s all in our game in the agency world, like recruitment and advertising. It’s all about revenue. But the models changed considerably. Like we’re doing we’re doing a lot more revenue now with a lot less headcount, you know, and that’s not because of AI or anything like that. It’s just because we’re being smarter.

DI GILLETT [Host] (45:22)

Times

have changed.

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (45:23)

Yeah, and that’s just it. So to have those revenue points and be prepared, I think a lot of people are too scared to take on big opportunities as well. Like, know, fake it till you make it. You know, that’s, you know, I think, you know, if Alex and I and Adam and the team sort of hadn’t had that motto early days, fake it till you make it, we probably wouldn’t be where we are today. We said yes to a lot of things we probably shouldn’t have said yes to, but we made it work behind the scenes.

DI GILLETT [Host] (45:53)

how to do it afterwards. Yeah, and I think that’s a classic entrepreneurial trade. mean, the opportunities there, take it and work out the mechanics after the event.

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (46:03)

Yeah, yeah. So, you know, those big opportunities can come on. I think you just got to you got to know when the right opportunities in front of you, because that’s one that’s going to make you scale, you know, and take you to the next level. And then you scale along the way. Scaling is not all about just putting on headcount. It’s not always about just getting new clients and whatnot. It’s, you know, it’s about, you know, making sure that underlying operations in your business are working well, know, the finances working well, you’ve got enough funding, you know, if you want to take on investment.

Take on investment in the right frame of mind and the with the right attitude. I think don’t just take on investment, you know, because, you know, someone so wants to invest in you or you want to take some money off the table. What is that angle? Are you building whatever you’re building to sell it? Right. Cool. Well, then you might take some money off on the table along the way to sort of de-risk yourself. ⁓ But there’s a lot of sharks in the water out there, especially at the moment.

You know, they’ll want to take a lot of equity off you very quickly and people can get really lost in the fact that, cool, we’re half a million dollars, but maybe you’re losing 75. Yeah, So just find founder-friendly terms. That’s, know, someone who doesn’t want to take a lot of equity at the start or they want convertible notes or they’re going to…

DI GILLETT [Host] (47:10)

Thanks for

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (47:23)

sweat equity is a really good thing in the market at the moment we do a lot of that too rather than put cash in we’re putting services in so there’s a lot of that.

DI GILLETT [Host] (47:31)

I always love that because I think that shows the intention from both sides.

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (47:36)

That’s skin in the game, you know, for everyone and that’s important.

DI GILLETT [Host] (47:39)

Yeah,

yeah, brilliant. Well, Dan, thank you so much because I think it’s a, it’s often a world that is unknown to somebody starting out a business and whilst they understand investment and is probably the next stage in knowing how to approach it is not necessarily something that’s in everybody’s direct playbook. So,

I’ve got a couple of rapid fire questions for you if I could to wrap up today. One word that defines a great founder.

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (48:20)

Honest.

DI GILLETT [Host] (48:22)

Love that. Biggest red flag in a pitch.

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (48:25)

arrows that go up.

DI GILLETT [Host] (48:27)

And the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given.

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (48:36)

I’m going give you two here. So one was from an older gentleman that I know sort of family circles and he said to me early days, he goes, always be prepared to do every role in the business. Don’t hire someone until you absolutely necessarily have to be prepared to do every role in the business. And which has stuck with me a long way through my journey, which is kind of cool. And then the other one was you don’t know you’re getting bad advice until you get good advice. So always seek out the good advice.

And I think I think more of that is just make sure make sure you you’re not you’re not in a an echo chamber. Make sure you’re taking advice from lots of different angles and process it and you know because everyone’s going to be different. Everyone’s going to have different experiences going lonely on their own. you know some people just have their might have their little advisory board or table one person and that might not be the best advice. Go and seek out advice from everyone. You know and I think a true

DI GILLETT [Host] (49:33)

I think that’s life in general.

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (49:35)

It is, yeah, and I like this is one thing I do like to hang my hat on is that if anyone reaches out to me for a coffee or a chat or wants to ask a question, I’m all ears for it because there people who did that for me early days and it’s all about returning the favor and I think if you’re a true entrepreneur and you’re true business person and you’ve been on that journey, if you’re not doing that at some point or later on in journey and trying to impart that knowledge backwards or help out, then I don’t think you earn the right to be a true entrepreneur. So you should always be willing to.

you up into the community.

DI GILLETT [Host] (50:06)

Yeah brilliant. Dan thanks so much. If anybody wants to get in touch with you what’s the best way to reach out?

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (50:12)

LinkedIn, LinkedIn hit me up on LinkedIn. My the DMS always open come in. Yeah, as long as you’re not trying to sell me SEO from somewhere around the world. if you start off somewhere else, I’m all open to it.

DI GILLETT [Host] (50:25)

They

clog up my email every day of the week.

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (50:29)

Add me on LinkedIn. I’m in Melbourne and Sydney all the time, more than happy to catch up with anyone, jump on a Zoom. ⁓ The best part about what I do is meeting all the wonderful people. your network is your network, as they always say.

DI GILLETT [Host] (50:43)

Yeah, brilliant. Well, Dan, thank you so much. think the world of business startups is the domain for females. think COVID was the breaking point that saw so many more emerge around the world. And this type of discussion hopefully is helpful for an individual who’s thinking about how you go from that initial embryonic idea and start to build a bigger picture of where you want to go. So thank you so much for joining us.

DAN COPSEY [Guest] (51:13)

Thank you for having me on. It’s been wonderful. And I just wanted to say I was humbled listening the other day to your journey on James’s podcast. Oh, thank It was a timing that I came up and I actually reached out to James and said that I was coming on yours and what a small world. But I think you’re doing a wonderful thing and keep up all the good work. think it’s people like you that help open up.

⁓ The ecosystem for those founders, and especially those female founders that might lack the confidence and stuff like that, you’re exposing worlds to them that they didn’t know was there. And I think it’s just great for the entrepreneurial community to have people like you putting your content out like this. So well done.

DI GILLETT [Host] (51:59)

Thank you so much, Dan. Until next time.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction: Navigating the Shark-Infested Waters of Investment

05:58 The Entrepreneurial Spirit: Freedom and Challenges

11:47 Assessing Founders: The Human Element in Investment

17:53 Balancing Act: Sustainability in Entrepreneurship

24:53 The Gender Divide in Entrepreneurship: Challenges and Insights

27:40 Navigating Gender Dynamics in Professional Spaces

30:34 The Role of Female Founders in Business

33:31 The Unique Strengths of Female Entrepreneurs

36:48 Balancing Family and Entrepreneurship

39:01 Learning from Successful Female Founders

44:00 Understanding Investment and Scaling Strategies

Connect with Di:

Find Dan Copsey at:

Website https://dancopsey.com/media/

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/dancopsey/

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Disclaimer: https://powerofwomen.com.au/podcast-disclaimer/

Let’s Talk About Women’s Longevity: Why We Should Rethink Ageing & Healthspan

by admin | Jan 26, 2026 | Ageism, Female Empowerment, Health & Wellbeing, Women's Health

In this powerful and deeply relevant conversation, Di Gillett is joined by Maddy Dychtwald, globally recognised futurist, author, and co-founder of Age Wave – to talk about longevity and challenge outdated narratives around ageing, retirement, women’s health and relevance.

Women are living longer than ever before – yet spending more years in declining health. Maddy unpacks why lifespan is the least useful measure of ageing, why healthspan and brainspan matter far more, and how up to 90% of our long-term health outcomes are within our control.

This conversation goes well beyond theory. From inflammation, menopause, and Alzheimer’s risk, to workforce ageism, outdated retirement models, and the power of lifestyle choice, this episode is a call to reclaim agency – personally, professionally, and biologically.

This is not about anti-ageing.
It’s about ageing with authority, vitality, and intention.

We explore:

Why women are winning the longevity lottery, but paying a hidden price
The critical difference between lifespan, healthspan and brainspan
How inflammation accelerates ageing – and what actually reduces it
Why women are twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s
The outdated retirement model that no longer serves women or economies
Ageism as the last socially acceptable bias
Why older women are an untapped workforce advantage
How purpose, attitude, and social connection directly impact longevity
The lifestyle levers that matter most – beyond diet and exercise.

Key takeaways:

Up to 90% of health and wellbeing is influenced by lifestyle, environment, and access to science
Ageing well is not about genetics – it’s about epigenetics and choice
Health systems treat illness; longevity requires prevention
Muscle mass, inflammation reduction and social connection are non-negotiables
Retirement as we know it was designed for a world that no longer exists
Older women bring resilience, wisdom, and leadership – not obsolescence
Attitude toward ageing can extend life expectancy by up to 7.5 years.

Maddy said:

“We truly are becoming the CEOs of our own health and wellbeing.”

“Up to 90% of our health and wellbeing has to do with our lifestyle choices, our environment and the science that we have access to.”

“People associate the 70s and the 80s as being a time for falling apart. And I refuse to be that.”

📖 Read the full transcript of this conversation here 👇

FULL TRANSCRIPT:

MADDY DYCHTWALD: Guest (00:02)

On the very first day of the 20th century, average life expectancy was only 47. So inflammation is a huge deal. ⁓ It’s one of the what’s called hallmarks of aging. So in other words, it’s one of the factors that really create negative health spans. They tell us that up to 90%, 90 %?

of our health and wellbeing has to do with our lifestyle choices, our environment, and the science that we have access to. We have fewer young people entering the workforce ⁓ than we ever did before. So in many corporate environments, in many entrepreneurial environments, we need the older workers ⁓ just because we need those bodies. You know, get rid of the gluten, get rid of the dairy.

get rid of as much sugar as you can. So, you know, I did that. And by the way, that was the secret sauce.

Okay, so ⁓ I’ve been digging deep into aging, longevity, the new retirement for close to 40 years. 40 years, and that’s probably longer than some of your listeners have even been alive. And what I’ve really come to understand is that a couple things. First, we women, we are very different than men. And the way we age and we

behave in the second half of life very different than men. ⁓ The other thing that I came to really understand is that longevity, it’s been kind of like a bro thing up until now. Part of the reason I got so obsessed with really understanding aging and longevity is because when I looked at what books and information was out there,

It was mostly dominated by men. And I’m like, whoa, this is really wrong. We need to change this drama. We need to bring women into the fold and have us better understand how we can live better longer. And that’s really what I’m all about.

DI GILLETT: Host (02:27)

What if everything you’ve been told about aging is wrong? And what if the only thing standing in your way is the outdated narrative we’ve inherited? I’m Di Gillett and welcome to the Power of Women podcast. And what I love about this platform is the opportunity to showcase and celebrate the strength, resilience and achievements of women from all walks of life.

And today’s conversation is absolutely one of those that we all need to hear because we’re living through a longevity revolution, especially for women. And as today’s guest points out, we’re living longer than ever before. Women are outliving men by five years and 50 year old women today can expect another 35 years in life. But there is an uncomfortable truth because we’re living longer.

but we’re not living well. And the average woman spends the last 14 years of life in declining health despite science saying that 70 to 90 % of our longevity is within our control. My guest today is a global visionary who is rewriting the narrative of what it means to age as a woman. Maddy Dychtwald is a celebrated author, researcher,

and co-founder of Age Wave, the world’s leading consultancy on aging, retirement, and the future of longevity. And for more than 40 years, she’s studied how longer lives are reshaping identity, health, work, money, and purpose. And her book, Ageless Aging, is a blueprint for women not just to live longer, but to live better, stronger, sharper, and more empowered.

Maddy Dychtwald welcome to the Power of Women podcast.

MADDY DYCHTWALD: Guest (04:22)

Thanks Di it’s a pleasure to be here.

DI GILLETT: Host (04:25)

Fab. Maddy, I feel so privileged and I know you’ve mentioned that you’re going through a cleanse at the moment, which I think is terribly fitting with the lifestyle that you lead and are promoting. And you’re a subject matter expert on the topics of aging, longevity, brain span, lifespan, and you’ve been recognised by Forbes as one of the top 50 futurists globally.

What actually drew you to this work in the first place?

MADDY DYCHTWALD: Guest (05:00)

Believe it or not, it was just kind of by accident, which so many things in our lives happened by accident. I was working in Los Angeles as an actress, and I was an actress at the time, not an actor. I was lucky enough to be… I know, right? Very big distinction. And at the time, I was lucky enough to be employed all the time, doing a lot of television commercials, working on a soap opera.

And when I started to realize is I would go to auditions and they would talk to women who were like 30 plus as if they were over the hill. And I’m like, what, what, what’s going on here? What kind of reality is that, that women, once they hit a certain age, whether it be 30, 50, or even 70, that they no longer count, that they’re no longer relevant to their social.

lifestyle, workplace. ⁓ It just seemed so insane to me that I became really interested in it. And then coincidentally, I met my husband who had written a book about the demographic shifts, which he called age wave. So about the fact that we used to be a world where all the action was with younger people because that’s where the growth in the marketplace was.

but that it has really, we’ve seen a flip-flop. We’ve seen suddenly that while people in the younger age groups, ⁓ they used to be fast growing, ⁓ that’s where we’re seeing shrinking populations. And in the 50 plus population, we see them as the fastest growing populations. So the whole idea of what is old and what is young,

is beginning to shift as a result.

DI GILLETT: Host (07:00)

How long ago was that that they were talking to 30 year olds with or purporting 30 year olds were were aging Maddy just to put a line a line

MADDY DYCHTWALD: Guest (07:11)

Sure,

that’s a good question. So I’m 75.

DI GILLETT: Host (07:16)

And look at you!

MADDY DYCHTWALD: Guest (07:18)

Well, thank you, I think. You know what, this is such a really difficult thing to talk about because you can look great at any age, at 60, at 90, at 42, and you can look horrible also at those ages, depending on the way you live your life and the science that you are able to have access to. So, you know, most of it is up to you, but not all of it.

So yeah, at the time, 50 was considered over the hill. In fact, Ken and I, my husband, when we started Age Wave, we would go into corporations that we were working with as keynote speakers to talk about the future of aging and longevity. And at that time, 50 was considered over the hill for women and men.

DI GILLETT: Host (08:11)

Yeah. And that’s been a big part of what I’m reporting on the podcast. I’m early 60s and you’ve now become my pinup for 70s. I think I’ve become look pretty amazing. But similarly to you, it’s been lifestyle choices behind that. that

MADDY DYCHTWALD: Guest (08:26)

yourself.

DI GILLETT: Host (08:35)

That is part of what I would love to explore in detail with you today, Maddy. Because you describe this as a point in time that it’s a longevity revolution. For the female listening, what exactly do you mean by that?

MADDY DYCHTWALD: Guest (08:54)

Okay, so throughout most of history, people really didn’t have the opportunity to age. They died. ⁓ In fact, you would see that it wasn’t until the 20th century that we saw average life expectancy begin to skyrocket. as an example, on the first day, well, actually, let’s try that again. On the very first day,

Of the 20th century, average life expectancy was only 47. 47. And by the last day of the 20th century, it had gone all the way up on average for women and men, the average went all the way up to 78. So think about, yeah, it’s like year longevity. What I think of as a longevity bonus.

DI GILLETT: Host (09:43)

Goosebumps, yeah. Literally got goosebumps.

MADDY DYCHTWALD: Guest (09:51)

30 extra years of life.

DI GILLETT: Host (09:54)

So how much of that do we contribute to medicine versus how we actually choose to live?

MADDY DYCHTWALD: Guest (10:01)

That is a great question. So a lot of the breakthroughs that happened in the 20th century had to do with science and medicine breakthroughs, had to do with antibiotics were suddenly very popular and accepted. ⁓ Sanitation, simple things like sanitation and refrigeration really helped us to live better longer. But today, the kinds of breakthroughs we see and the kind of breakthroughs we need

are very, very different than what they were then. Now, today, more lifestyle and environmental kinds of breakthroughs are needed. And I would say that the science is still evolving, so it puts a lot of pressure on the lifestyle choices we make. We truly are becoming the CEOs of our own health and wellbeing.

DI GILLETT: Host (10:55)

I love that framing. So the stats are really concerning, Maddy, because we’re living, as you’ve just pointed out, we’re definitely living longer than ever. Yet we’re spending more years in poor health. Where’s the disconnect happening?

MADDY DYCHTWALD: Guest (11:14)

Okay, so this is a very simple thing to understand. So just to put it into context, we used to think that genetics were our destiny, that it had nothing to do with the choices we made in our lives, that most of our 75 % of our health and wellbeing had to do with our genes. yeah, so that, okay, no problem. We don’t have to care about what we eat or if we exercise or.

what our sleep looks like and yada, yada, yada. But the most recent breakthroughs in science tell us a very different story. They tell us that up to 90%, 90 % of our health and wellbeing has to do with our lifestyle choices, our environment and the science that we have access to. Now that’s literally a breakthrough kind of

concept that we are in charge of our own health and well-being and that the choices we make make a difference in not only how long we live but in how well we live and that is huge. That has to do with our health span and our brain span as well as the number of years or our lifespan.

DI GILLETT: Host (12:33)

Why are so many people ignorant to this? know you’re out there, you’re going and doing presentations. What is the reason? And I’m going to focus on women being the power of women, Maddy, but why is there such a large cohort that just don’t know this?

MADDY DYCHTWALD: Guest (12:53)

That is the million dollar question. Actually, it’s the trillion dollar question because that’s how much it’s costing us in terms of our health and well-being on a personal level, on a societal level. It’s a huge number.

DI GILLETT: Host (13:07)

So that was my question, what is the cost of not knowing and it’s trillion.

MADDY DYCHTWALD: Guest (13:11)

The cost is enormous and part of the problem, part of the challenge, I should say challenge, is that we’ve created a health system in our country that is really a sick care system rather than a healthcare system. So we’re not so great about preventing disease. We are fantastic at treating disease once it happens.

DI GILLETT: Host (13:39)

we’re the same. Yeah. It’s that band-aid approach to everything of let’s let’s approach the the cure-all after the event rather than preventing the event. That is such a ridiculous mindset for intelligent people to come to.

MADDY DYCHTWALD: Guest (13:55)

Yeah, but you know what? A lot of people just don’t know, don’t understand. Also, some people just don’t care and they don’t necessarily like trust the science.

DI GILLETT: Host (14:06)

Can I be not to be a conspiracy theorist, but is it commercially advantageous to keep the system running as healthcare?

MADDY DYCHTWALD: Guest (14:16)

I think there’s a lot of frustration with the healthcare system by not just patients, but people who work in the healthcare system. Now, I want to be really clear that most of the people who work in healthcare are very well-meaning and they want to do a good job, but they’ve been taught to do things in a way that no longer is effective.

And I think that that’s the rub. mean, the average doctor spends 15 minutes at most with a patient. I mean, how can you get anything accomplished in those 15 minutes? ⁓ It’s just not conceivable. yeah, it’s integrated into the system. So, which means even more so that each and every one of us needs to understand that there is a solution.

And the solution is, by the way, this kind of holistic recipe. It’s not just about one thing, but it’s about things like sleep and exercise and nutrition and social connections. ⁓ Your work life really matters. mean, all these things work together. They don’t exist in silos. Now, I know this is really hard to kind of keep in your mind without a visual, but

When I set out to write Ageless Aging, I reached out to my network of experts, which are top experts, researchers, scientists, physicians. And I was surprised that, first I was surprised that almost everyone got back to me. So there was like 90 people that got back to me. But besides that, I was surprised to see there was a lot of agreement about what works, what doesn’t work. So, yeah.

I think that ultimately it is. We know what works and it’s not about your genes, it’s about turning the good genes on and turning the bad genes off. That’s called epigenetics.

DI GILLETT: Host (16:10)

Good starting point.

Yeah. Now you mentioned ⁓ social connection. Yes. And there must be an interface between social connection and the fact that we are still wedded to a 1980s, an 1880s version of retirement. Because retirement is one of these things that does absolutely lead to social

disconnection because it’s the point where so many people come together. Why are we so outdated in how we’re hanging on to this whole view of what is the retirement age and when we call time on our careers?

MADDY DYCHTWALD: Guest (17:08)

That’s a very complicated question. Let me try to pull some of the threads on that. You’re right. 1880s Otto von Bismarck was the one who created the first pension program for Europe. And at the time, average life expectancy was only 47. And he chose the number 65 as retirement age. So think about that for a minute. He was a very

DI GILLETT: Host (17:34)

Until

you died.

MADDY DYCHTWALD: Guest (17:36)

Yeah, exactly. It was not meant to be for anyone, for very few people. ⁓ Let’s fast forward to today where average life expectancy has skyrocketed all the way up to in the US, 78. It’s even higher in Australia, in Great Britain, and a lot of other countries. And what we see is that because we’ve been wedded to a system that was put into place

such a long time ago, it is creating incredible stress on our government and our governments. mean, it’s global issue, not just in the United States and then on us individually, because as you pointed out so beautifully, Dee, ⁓ the workplace happens to be a great place for socialization. Just to put it into a context.

My company Age Wave, we do a lot of research. And one of the questions we’ve asked in a very recent study that we put out there was we asked retirees and we asked pre-retirees, what are you going to miss most about the workplace? So we asked pre-retirees, people who are still working, and they said, we’re going to miss the money. And when you think about it, that makes a lot of sense. I mean,

Living on a fixed income seems overwhelming and seems like, know, wow, if I could delay that for a little while, that would be a smart move. So that makes sense. However, when we asked retirees, they had a very different answer. They said it was the social connections. The money still mattered, but the social connections soared.

DI GILLETT: Host (19:27)

And those in the workplace just hadn’t imagined it because they hadn’t experienced it and they didn’t. That was yeah.

MADDY DYCHTWALD: Guest (19:32)

Exactly.

Because of COVID, we saw a lot of people stay home to work and we’re beginning to see that change. People are going back into the workplace. Why? Because they’re finding that they missed the social connection, the brainstorming, the ideas that you can come up with as a group rather than being single-minded.

DI GILLETT: Host (19:57)

Yeah, I can understand that. We’re having the same experience here in Australia, Maddy. what happens to a woman cognitively, psychologically, physically, when she gives up work and it’s before time, it might have been imposed upon her or they pulled the pin or they’ve simply lost their job?

MADDY DYCHTWALD: Guest (20:20)

Interestingly, while we know that women have won the longevity lottery, mean, we live longer than men, as you pointed out, in every country, ⁓ actually in every species. So it’s not just in humans.

DI GILLETT: Host (20:35)

That’s so yeah. Yeah. There you go

MADDY DYCHTWALD: Guest (20:38)

Yeah, but we spend more years in retirement than men. And the impact that that has is pretty dramatic. ⁓ First, we’re taking off time along the way to care give our children.

DI GILLETT: Host (20:53)

So we’ve got broken income in retirement savings.

MADDY DYCHTWALD: Guest (20:57)

That’s That’s exactly right. Yeah. You know the answer. Yeah. We’re not getting the pensions that we should. We’re not getting the social security that we should. Then we retire early, oftentimes because we could be married if we are married or partnered to someone who’s a little bit older than us who might be getting sick and need us to care for them. ⁓ Add to that.

DI GILLETT: Host (21:23)

This

lottery is looking pretty shabby at the moment.

MADDY DYCHTWALD: Guest (21:26)

Oh, I can make it even worse. I won’t try to make it worse because women are incredibly having the information that you can be in charge of your own health and well-being and that you can find mechanisms to stay socially active and full of a sense of purpose and take the right steps to live better longer. Not only does that feel empowering, it can increase our vitality.

our mental energy and our sense of purpose and wellbeing. So yeah, I would tell every single woman out there and I talk about it in Ageless Aging, ⁓ there’s some hacks, there’s some steps that each and every one of us ought to take to live better longer, especially women.

DI GILLETT: Host (22:18)

And you’re a pin up for that, Maddy, because you’re, I mean, but you are, you’re professionally engaged, you’re out there in the community, you’re following, and we’ll get to that in some more detail if we could, some lifestyle protocols that are improving your longevity and wellbeing, the importance being the two things together.

Could I ask if you had the opportunity, and I’m sure you do to an extent in the work that you’re doing, but if you could sit down in front of CEOs and hiring managers in organizations across the marketplace, what would you be telling them about retirement and the older workforce?

MADDY DYCHTWALD: Guest (23:11)

Mm.

See, that’s a simple but complicated question. For one thing, we have fewer young people entering the workforce ⁓ than we ever did before. So in many corporate environments, in many entrepreneurial environments, we need the older workers ⁓ just because we need those bodies. Second, exactly. Older workers.

There’s some stereotypes that they’re not tech savvy. That is not true at all. ⁓ There’s some stereotypes that don’t really take into account the fact that they have wisdom and accumulated experience that can be of value to not just themselves and their company, but to their coworkers, especially to younger workers. And what we’ve seen is there’s this great opportunity

for older workers to mentor young ones and younger ones to mentor older ones because they can share skills. And it’s very empowering for everyone. So I think that there’s these misconceptions and concepts that older workers do not have wisdom, which is totally false, that they are not resilient. And in fact, studies have shown that

The older we get, the more resilience we get. So we’re able to handle stress far better than younger people. And we know that, you we’ve been through a lot. We’ve been through COVID, we’ve been through up turns and down turns in the marketplace. We’ve been sick, we’ve cared for older adults, younger children. We’ve seen it all. So we know that we can not only get through it, but that we can…

actually prevail and do well. And I think that having that kind of a mindset is an incredibly valuable tool for any worker and that corporate leaders who don’t take advantage of it are going to be losing out come the next decade.

DI GILLETT: Host (25:27)

And I think on that aging piece, Maddy, too, with wisdom, we’ve only got to look at indigenous cultures around the world who actually value elders as distinct to how we seem to do in first world cultures. We’ve got a lot to learn.

MADDY DYCHTWALD: Guest (25:44)

That’s right. That’s right. And we have not learned the lesson well. mean, this one ism that is still very acceptable is ageism, especially aimed at women, especially something that I call lookism, the idea that, well, if you don’t look a certain way, we don’t want you around.

DI GILLETT: Host (26:05)

Well, we all know gray for men is applauded, gray for women is criticized. Proud to palm. Yeah, yeah, so we know that. Well, coming up, how inflammation actually accelerates aging and why women are twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s.

If you’re loving the Power of Women podcasts, be sure to jump onto our YouTube channel and hit that subscribe button to ensure you never miss an episode. I’m talking with Maddy Dychtwald, globally renowned futurist and subject matter expert about extending our health span, our brain span and our lifespan. Maddy, you write that lifespan is the least meaningful.

measure of aging and that health span and brain span are actually what matters. Why are we still focusing then on the wrong matrix?

MADDY DYCHTWALD: Guest (27:05)

I think the idea, okay, let me try this another way. Here we are in the 21st century and there are a lot of what I call tech bros who are at the leading edge of longevity and they’re great. I mean, they’re really, they wanna see how long they can live and they haven’t necessarily connected it with the idea of how well they can live.

So they’re investing a lot of dollars and a lot of time and a lot of energy into extending lifespan or life expectancy, which we’ve done a pretty good job of. Let’s be honest about it. However, there is a total disconnect between lifespan and health span and as well brain span. And let me tell you what I mean by that. How span it’s really simple. The number of healthy years that you live. So in

The US also in Australia, by the way The average person spends the last 12 years of their lives in a cascade of poor health things simple as aches and pains ⁓ heart disease ⁓ All kinds of chronic degenerative diseases of strokes people are frightened of strokes worst of all

Alzheimer’s disease and I’ve seen it firsthand. My mom, yes. I mean, when you see someone suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, it not only breaks your heart, it scares you to death.

DI GILLETT: Host (28:33)

have on.

That’s

right. Yeah, that’s right. How much has, and that’s an interesting point, Maddy, how much has watching your parents in the generation before you sparked you and motivated the actions that you’re taking?

MADDY DYCHTWALD: Guest (29:01)

No, it’s a great deal. I would just say that, you know, watching my mom, my husband, Ken, his mom also suffered from Alzheimer’s disease and it manifested very differently in each of our parents. But watching both of them was, it was heartbreaking. And we became, Ken and I both became advocates for, let’s not see how many great caregivers we can get, which is important, but there are a lot of people

doing that work. Instead, we wanted to help fund the research to find a cure for Alzheimer’s disease. And you know what? We still haven’t found a cure.

DI GILLETT: Host (29:44)

So let’s get into a conversation we could then about inflammation because I think that’s, there’s a direct correlation here. What are we doing in living our lives that is the trigger to this inflammation in our body that’s leading to our aches and pains, that’s leading to the cognitive decline? Is there one or two significant areas you could highlight?

for us.

MADDY DYCHTWALD: Guest (30:16)

Okay, me, so inflammation is a huge deal. ⁓ It’s one of the, what’s called hallmarks of aging. So in other words, it’s one of the factors that really create negative health spans and brain spans in your life, no matter who you are. And what’s so beautiful about inflammation is a lot of it is within our control. So I’ll use myself as an example. ⁓

seven years ago, was experiencing excruciating hip pain. And I’m a huge exerciser, which by the way is probably the best thing that I do for myself. But I was like limping around to the point where my son turned around and said to me, mom, what’s with you? You look like you’re 90 years old, get yourself to the doctor. So I did and I tried everything. I tried ⁓ just, know, cortisone treatments and.

I tried going to physical therapy. I tried stem cells. I tried PRP. I did it all. And all of it worked for a very short time. And finally got an MRI and I learned that I was bone on bone in both my hips. I had been born with hip dysplasia and I didn’t know that, you know. Today they do something about it with an infant, but for me, like nobody knew.

even what hip dysplasia was 75 years ago. So, you know, I became hysterical. My doctor said to me, you need to get hip replacements. So I did my research, found a doctor to do a double hip replacement, both hips at once, but he couldn’t take me for three months. And so I said to him, what should I do in the meantime? And he says, well, get a cane. And I’m like,

Okay, that’s a great idea as a last resort, but it’s not the way I that’s not the visual I have of myself. So I reached out to my network of people, people like Mark Hyman and Andy Weil, and I said, what should I do? And they told me, you’ve got to fight inflammation. It’s that simple. And they told me number one, get out an anti inflammatory diet. So it’s not that hard.

I was already eating pretty healthy, it’s, you know, get rid of the gluten, get rid of the dairy, get rid of as much sugar as you can. So, you know, I did that. And by the way, that was the secret sauce. I also did a few other things, but that was the secret sauce. I started meditating, started visualization. All of these things worked, but within six weeks, I think mostly through the diet and I continued exercising, but through the diet.

I no longer had any pain at all in my hips. It all went away. I looked at my biomarkers through blood tests, no inflammation in my body whatsoever. So it is something that is within our control. So I would advise anyone who has those aches and pains or dealing with diabetes or heart disease, try an anti-inflammatory diet. It may sound really hard. It’s not.

DI GILLETT: Host (33:39)

And if you don’t believe Maddy, I came to the same realization only three years after you, Maddy, with the same thing. I was having six monthly PRP on my hip. I was booked in for hip replacement on one hip, but kept it at bay with PRP. Then during COVID, I don’t have hip dysplasia, but I have a lifetime of skiing and horse riding accidents that have caught up with me. ⁓

and bone on bone. had bunion pain. I ended up in hospital during COVID. And the blessing was with nerve pain, they couldn’t operate because of COVID restrictions. But then six months later, I too came to the realization that inflammation was my kryptonite, fueled by my love of sugar. And I

And I went cold turkey on sugar, which as you know, means you go cold turkey on nearly all processed food. Yep. And I’ve, I’ve not had PRP since I have not had, I have, I have ⁓ nerve atrophy on, on, on a numb leg because clearly my, my nerve was, was trapped, but I don’t have the bunion pain. I don’t have the aches. I don’t have the pain. I don’t have the sugar bloating that I used to have.

MADDY DYCHTWALD: Guest (34:39)

almost everything.

DI GILLETT: Host (35:03)

visually because it was causing this build up of bloating in your system. it’s a no-brainer and it’s just a commitment to doing it.

MADDY DYCHTWALD: Guest (35:17)

It is, it’s a big commitment. know, there were two people that I respect greatly. I’m always asked, where do I begin? And there’s two different points of view. ⁓ One of the physicians at Mayo Clinic told me, well, pick one way to get started with it’s, you know, exercise or what you eat or your sleep, whatever seems easy, start there. And then you’re going to have some success.

and you can start incrementally adding other ingredients from that holistic recipe. On the other hand, ⁓ I’m friends with Dr. Dean Ornish and Dean said to me, no, I would not do that at all. I would say do it all at once. And then within three weeks, you’re gonna feel so different, so much better that you’ll be highly committed. you know, there’s two different ways to skin a cat.

DI GILLETT: Host (36:16)

So women are twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s. Why is that?

MADDY DYCHTWALD: Guest (36:26)

Okay, so I don’t think that we know the answer to that, but we do know that it is in fact true. I think that you can blame menopause a little bit. I think that when women go through menopause and they’re not doing hormone replacement therapy, there’s some radical things that go on in your body. There’s been this assumption in the past

that the symptoms of menopause were just uncomfortable and suffer through it. But in fact, that is not true. They are not just symptoms. There are things that change in your body that have detrimental effect on your health, including the shrinking of gray matter in your brain. And you do not want that happening. And so I. The new.

black box prescription for menopause really does include hormone replacement unless, unless there’s a big unless unless you have reproductive cancers running in your family.

DI GILLETT: Host (37:41)

Yeah, I what what is the acceptance of HRT like in the US I know Australia’s Australia’s still mixed. I mean, I’ve I’m I’m 61 and I’ve been on HRT for the better part of of 20 years and even with my health care providers, it’s still controversial because I I don’t follow mainstream medicine I follow

compounding medicine for my HRT and I get wrapped over the knuckles for it regularly but I’ll take that as my choice. How are women accepting the fact that HRT is important in the US?

MADDY DYCHTWALD: Guest (38:29)

Okay, well, this is a very complicated question, but the simple answer is things are getting better. ⁓ As you know, there was this huge study, the Women’s Health Initiative that was done. And it’s important to keep in mind that in the study, they were looking at women all over the age of 60. and they were using, ⁓ they weren’t using bioidentical hormones, they were using synthetic

hormones. In fact, they were using hormones ⁓ that were derived from a horse’s urine. So if that’s what you want to put in your body, don’t expect great results. And they didn’t get great results. What they found, they stopped the study because a lot of women who were in the study were getting heart disease rather than being protected from it. So that was what many gynecologists and regular doctors have

based their knowledge on. So they’re well-meaning. So it’s not like they mean to mess us up, but in fact they are messing us up. So the more recent science tells a very different story. Number one, you need to start hormone replacement early like you did. ⁓ You want it to start early. You can’t go into it at age 60. That is a no-no. ⁓ Second, you don’t want to use synthetic hormones. You want to use bioidentical hormones.

And yeah, those are two really important pieces of the puzzle. knowing that that is the science that is being talked about now. However, in the United States, it’s still not, it’s just beginning to open the door to the conversation. So women who are on the cutting edge of knowledge and information, they know it, they’re doing it, they’re great.

The average woman in the United States feels a tremendous amount of confusion and ⁓ fear, a lot of fear around it.

DI GILLETT: Host (40:38)

With good reason.

MADDY DYCHTWALD: Guest (40:40)

Absolutely, and I don’t blame them. But I have spoken to some of the top menopause specialists in our country, ⁓ and they have a different story. They say, yes, yes, you do want to have hormone replacement. And some of them even suggest that it’s just progesterone that is the problem for women who have reproductive cancer running in their families.

So you don’t take the progesterone and there are things you can do instead of taking the progesterone.

DI GILLETT: Host (41:18)

Yeah. Maddy, you’ve said it’s not just ⁓ sleep and diet and exercise. And I think we’ve touched on all of those, albeit we haven’t really delved into sleep today. But what are the less obvious levers that women aren’t paying attention to that we should be?

MADDY DYCHTWALD: Guest (41:39)

Well, we talked a little bit about social connection, and I think that we need to just underline the fact that loneliness is the equivalent of smoking 15 cigarettes a day. So.

DI GILLETT: Host (41:51)

Can repeat that? Loneliness? That is extraordinary.

MADDY DYCHTWALD: Guest (41:56)

Yeah, it’s the equivalent of smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Yeah, so you need to take it seriously. And this whole idea of sense of purpose, ⁓ we talk about it as a nice to have, but what we’re beginning to recognize is that it’s a biological imperative, that there actually are deep connections between your brain health

DI GILLETT: Host (42:01)

Wow.

MADDY DYCHTWALD: Guest (42:24)

and having a sense of purpose. again, you don’t have to be starting a podcast or a nonprofit to be having a sense of purpose. You may not even have to go back into the workplace. Maybe it’s just walking your dog in the morning or taking care of your grandchildren. I mean, you don’t want to dictate to people how they get a sense of purpose. It’s different for everyone. So that’s something. But the one that I love the most is this idea of our attitude because

Attitude doesn’t cost a penny and it doesn’t take a lot of time, but there have been studies that have done Dr. Becca Levy from Yale was the famous longitudinal study in the US in the Midwest. She learned that having a positive attitude about your own aging and the aging of those around you can add up to seven and a half years to your lifespan and can improve your cardiovascular health.

by 40%. I mean, imagine that.

DI GILLETT: Host (43:26)

That’s extraordinary. But there has to be a correlation between that and having a sense of purpose. Attitude and sense of purpose are intertwined.

MADDY DYCHTWALD: Guest (43:37)

See, I think all of these things are intertwined. if you, by the way, money has something to do with it as well, finances, you if you don’t, using money as an example, if you don’t have your financial house in order, ⁓ your cortisol levels are going to go through the roof. You’re not going to be able to sleep at night. You’re probably going to eat a lot of processed foods instead of the healthy ones.

DI GILLETT: Host (43:56)

Okay.

MADDY DYCHTWALD: Guest (44:06)

I mean, there’s just…

DI GILLETT: Host (44:07)

cool.

MADDY DYCHTWALD: Guest (44:10)

It is, it’s a virtuous circle.

DI GILLETT: Host (44:14)

So with all of that in mind, is there a specific insight from these experts that you’ve been working with that’s actually changed how you’ve lived your life?

MADDY DYCHTWALD: Guest (44:25)

Yeah, first of all, I’m very happy that I’ve always been big into exercise. But one of the things that I didn’t really realize was the importance of building muscle mass. ⁓ It’s critical as one gets older. think that recognizing the fact that sarcopenia or loss of muscle mass begins as early as in your 30s.

So you need that strengthening exercises. You need to build it into your life. In fact, ⁓ one of the physicians that I interviewed for ageless aging told me that he believed that muscle strength should be a new vital sign, similar to our heart rate and our blood pressure. That’s how important it is. So that was a big aha. What else? think as you get older, that’s

you need more protein and I think that message I mean if you go on social media it’s all over the place yeah it is and

DI GILLETT: Host (45:29)

There’s good protein and there’s bad protein.

MADDY DYCHTWALD: Guest (45:32)

That’s

exactly right. And getting into a precursor to an amino acid that ⁓ builds protein, I think is a little bit more of an efficient way of building protein than eating gobs of protein.

DI GILLETT: Host (45:48)

Yeah. Yeah.

MADDY DYCHTWALD: Guest (45:50)

You could never meet all your protein needs if you just like gobble down a lot of protein.

DI GILLETT: Host (45:56)

Yeah, and of course there’s different forms of protein being vegetable and animal.

MADDY DYCHTWALD: Guest (46:03)

That’s right. There’s one other thing that I need to underline for you that really I did change now that I’m really thinking it through. ⁓ I used to love having a glass of wine with dinner every night. And the most recent science tells us that even small amounts of alcohol can be toxic for your health, especially your brain health.

DI GILLETT: Host (46:27)

I was at a function earlier in the week and there were 20 people in this room and it was the first time I saw the majority of people go for non-alcoholic options. Now that’s probably got a high sugar component so there’s, you know, choose your…

MADDY DYCHTWALD: Guest (46:48)

I know,

there’s a trade-off, if I’m gonna have sugar, I might as well have alcohol.

DI GILLETT: Host (46:51)

Yeah, but it was very interesting. And I know in talking to people in the hospitality industry across the country, that the consumption of alcohol, particularly with the younger generation coming through, has gone down. So the message is getting through somewhere. It’s a slow, slow burn. Maddy.

Thank you so much. I’ve got a couple of rapid fire questions if I could throw them at you. One word you want women to associate with aging.

MADDY DYCHTWALD: Guest (47:30)

⁓ Empowerment.

DI GILLETT: Host (47:33)

A daily non-negotiable for your own lifespan.

MADDY DYCHTWALD: Guest (47:38)

Exercise.

DI GILLETT: Host (47:39)

Yeah. The most surprising thing longevity research has taught you.

MADDY DYCHTWALD: Guest (47:47)

that I’m the CEO of My Own Health.

DI GILLETT: Host (47:51)

and a belief about aging you once held that you no longer do.

MADDY DYCHTWALD: Guest (47:57)

You know, I guess the one thing that kind of surprises me and that I wasn’t expecting was that ageism is real and it’s out there and everyone experiences it. And so when people say to me, my God, you look so young. You know, I don’t take that as a necessarily.

DI GILLETT: Host (48:20)

How does that land with you? Does that feel positive and a compliment or does that feel annoying and some other negative thought?

MADDY DYCHTWALD: Guest (48:33)

I feel like it’s a social moray from another century. I think that, you know, this is one version of 75 and part of that and a big part of that has to do with the way I live my life. And it’s reflected in the way I look. mean, exercise and diet and sleep and all of these things together contribute to

not just the way you feel, but the way you look. yeah, I feel like, yes, I look youthful, but I don’t look necessarily young.

DI GILLETT: Host (49:13)

Yeah, and I think that is such an important distinction. So if somebody said, I applaud you for the way in which you live your life, that would probably land better than somebody saying, you defy your age.

MADDY DYCHTWALD: Guest (49:29)

Makes me a little uncomfortable. just, um, I just did a LinkedIn post about it because we need to find ways to recognize that as we get older, we, there’s different forms of beauty and it’s, know, I mean, we’re not going to look like we looked when we were 20. I mean, there’s just no way. mean, we see you.

DI GILLETT: Host (49:52)

and you look vital and I think that’s probably what we don’t say when we’re we’re applauding somebody who who looks all of those things at at an age that we have traditionally didn’t associate with those traits.

MADDY DYCHTWALD: Guest (50:08)

You hit it right on the nose. I think that that is 100 % true. ⁓ People associate the 70s and the 80s as being a time for falling apart. And I refuse to be that, or I don’t want to be that. And I’m sure that I’m going to have to deal with some things that are going to be setbacks. But I do see a lot of people around me falling apart. ⁓

DI GILLETT: Host (50:37)

And that’s where the attitude comes in. That’s where you’re on the front foot in how you approach it. Maddy, this is such a valuable conversation and it’s one I could get lost in infinitum and I can see what has drawn you and your husband into it as a point of specialization and I absolutely applaud you for what you are doing and if you haven’t

found Maddy on LinkedIn, I suggest you do because her thought leadership pieces are so insightful and I’ve become ⁓ an avid reader of the insights that you’re putting out there. How else does somebody find you Maddy and the work that you’re doing?

MADDY DYCHTWALD: Guest (51:29)

Well, I’m not sure about Australia, but I do know that Ageless Aging became a national bestseller in the US and it’s available. Bookstores everywhere, Amazon of course, and they can also go to my website, agewave.com or maddydykewald.com.

DI GILLETT: Host (51:50)

Fantastic, fabulous. Well, if you haven’t got on to the health span longevity ⁓ area in terms of your pursuits of learning, I really suggest you do. And I suggest that you share this particular episode of podcast with somebody that you value, because that could just be the trigger to put it on your radar. Until next time.

Chapters:

00:00 The Longevity Revolution: Understanding Ageing

02:52 Women and Ageing: A Unique Perspective

06:00 The Shift in Retirement: Rethinking Age and Work

08:54 Lifestyle Choices: The Key to Health and Longevity

12:11 The Disconnect: Living Longer but Not Better

15:11 Social Connections and the Impact of Retirement

18:06 The Value of Older Workers in Today’s Workforce

20:57 Challenging Ageism: Embracing Wisdom and Experience

24:10 Health Span vs. Lifespan: What Really Matters

27:31 Lifespan vs. Healthspan: Understanding the Disconnect

29:44 The Impact of Inflammation on Health

36:16 Menopause and Its Effects on Women’s Health

41:39 The Importance of Social Connection and Purpose

44:25 Insights from Experts on Ageing and Health

Connect with Di:

Find Maddy Dychtwald at:

Website https://maddydychtwald.com/

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/maddydychtwald/

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/maddydychtwald/

💫 If this conversation shifted your thinking, share it with a woman you respect.

💫 Subscribe to the Power Of Women Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts — and join the conversation redefining what it means to age, lead and live well.

Your ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify keeps these stories alive.

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Disclaimer: https://powerofwomen.com.au/podcast-disclaimer/

Lead Through the Power of Your Story

by admin | Jan 19, 2026 | Female Empowerment, Female Leaders

Own your voice. Build networks that empower. Create a legacy that lasts.

The Power Of Women Podcast opens the 2026 season with a defining conversation on influence, voice, legacy and understanding the power of YOUR story.

In this episode, host Di Gillett sits down with global brand strategist and Powerful Steps founder Tory Archbold to explore the new rules of influence. Why women must own their voice, how empowered networks shape opportunity, and what it takes to build a legacy rooted in purpose and alignment.

Drawing on decades of experience building iconic brands and advising women globally, Tory shares the moments that shaped her leadership, what she attributes her success in business to, and why influence is no longer about noise, but about clarity, truth and impact.

You’ll hear :

How influence has evolved and what that means for women in 2026.
Why owning your voice changes how you lead and how you’re seen.
How to build networks that empower rather than diminish.
What legacy leadership looks like beyond career milestones.

Tory said:

“Your voice isn’t something you earn. It’s something you choose to use.”

“The right network doesn’t make you smaller, it expands who you’re becoming.”

“Legacy is built when influence is grounded in alignment, not approval.”

📖 Read the full transcript of this conversation here 👇

FULL TRANSCRIPT:

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (00:03)

And I had the opportunity to go and work in some of the biggest entertainment companies in the world in London on the working holiday visa. So I was exposed to George Lucas films, 20th Century Fox, MTV, Nickelodeon. Leaders listening right now lead through the power of your story. But don’t just put it there and go, ⁓ I launched Zara. That was such a long time ago, Di. People always ask me about it. But that’s not my story anymore.

DI GILLETT [Host] (00:29)

A moment that changed everything for you.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (00:32)

Mind Age Eth Experience.

DI GILLETT [Host] (00:34)

The most underrated skill for women in leadership. A belief you had to let go of to rise.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (00:37)

Self-belief.

People pleasing. You know, they were saying, but men judge us. I said, but you’re not putting yourself in the shoes of the men. Men also have stories. Men also have challenges and they feel that they’re going to be judged too.

So the top 1 % of female leaders around the world stand in their authentic truth. A happy heart is a magnet for miracles. Self-belief is your superpower.

DI GILLETT [Host] (01:12)

I’m Di Gillett and welcome to the Power Of Women Podcast. What I love about this platform is the opportunity to showcase and celebrate the strength, resilience and achievement of women from all walks of life. And that tapestry is getting richer as the community grows as we enter our third year. Can’t believe it. So join the conversation if you haven’t already.

Jump on to YouTube and subscribe to the channel there, or you can listen to us on any of the audible platforms. I am super excited though to start the new year with a very special guest. She hails from Sydney, but she is truly a global citizen these days, jumping between Riyadh, the US and Australia. She’s a woman whose name is synonymous with influence.

visibility, alignment and unapologetic leadership. But before I introduce her to you, let me ask you this. If you could change one thing in your life that stopped downplaying your voice and truly stepped into your power, what would that be? So every week I sit down with women who change the narrative in business, in leadership,

and in life. Women who don’t just rise, but more importantly, women who bring others along with them. And today’s guest is an exemplar of all of the aforementioned. Tory Archbold is the founder of Powerful Steps, a global platform activating the purpose, voice and leadership of high performing women across the globe.

She has built international brands, shaped cultural moments, and transformed the way women see themselves and their voice. And she does it in one unmistakable step of heart-led, high-impact truth. She’s a global strategist, a keynote speaker, and author of Self-Belief is Your Superpower, and the host of top-rating podcast, Powerful Stories.

Her mantra, lead with truth, partner with purpose, and build a legacy that outlives you. And today we’re going deep. We’re going to talk about how to elevate your voice, how to build networks that empower, and how to own your story with clarity, conviction, and alignment. Tory Archbold, welcome to the Power of Women podcast. ⁓

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (04:01)

so grateful to be here and what a welcome. Thank you Di.

DI GILLETT [Host] (04:05)

It’s taken a while, Tory, and it is so good to have you in the studio. Could we kick off today with your story because your story is pretty rich in its own way. Can you take us to some of those early defining moments?

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (04:22)

I love this question because everyone’s like, tell me your story, Tory.

DI GILLETT [Host] (04:30)

I’m sorry I didn’t quite get the string of that right.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (04:35)

So my story really started with rejection, if I’m completely honest with you, and a little bit of judgment thrown into the mix. So I like to say that I am a woman who jumped out of the box of expectations at a really young age and into a global world of opportunities.

DI GILLETT [Host] (04:43)

Mmm.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (04:59)

And I say that with my hand on my heart because I think when you reflect on the journey of who you are and where you come from, you really need to look at the highs, lows, and those game-changing moments. And one of the defining moments for me was when I started my first business, Tourstar, at 24 years of age. Very young. Very young. And I backed myself through self-belief. But also, I knew that I could ignite change.

And I wanted to create and build really powerful brands because, like many Australians, when you’re young in your early 20s, you’re schooled by the University of Life, not necessarily a degree, and you go and you explore the world. And I had the opportunity to go and work in some of the biggest entertainment companies in the world, in London, on the working holiday visa. So I was exposed to George Lucas films, 20th Century Fox, MTV, Nickelodeon, you know, the whole portfolio of Viacom.

And I fell in love with the power of storytelling. Absolutely loved it. And I thought, if there’s one thing that I can do that’s going to ignite change in this world, it’s going to be able to tap into the power of storytelling, but also take people on a journey. And I loved that. Like I was always an avid reader, you know, all the magazines, and I always loved the movies. But most importantly, I loved connecting with people.

And so when I came back to Australia, no one wanted to give me a job. Absolutely no one. I think that I was a little bit ahead of the times, but people didn’t recognize the depth of my knowledge and my capabilities. And I was actually okay with that because I always believe in life, you forge your own path. And so when it had coffee, because I couldn’t afford to take people lunch.

DI GILLETT [Host] (06:29)

You put that down too.

Of course.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (06:48)

And I always remember the advice like coffee not lunch because in those days coffee dates were $2 right? Yeah. It’s now some places in world. Yeah, $25 in some parts of the world to just buy someone a coffee but it was like a $2 exchange of energy and listening into what people needed and what I really recognized was that no one was tapping into what was happening on a global stage.

DI GILLETT [Host] (06:58)

be the price of lunch.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (07:14)

And I saw my laneway and I thought to myself, imagine if I could actually use the knowledge and the frameworks that I had been taught by what I would call wise souls who took me under their wing for those short stints in those incredible entertainment companies and actually transformed that into a business. And so I did. And it was called Tour Star. Started when I was 24. No money in the bank.

DI GILLETT [Host] (07:39)

Where does self-belief come from, Tory? Because that’s, you you say you come from, one of the words you said you come from is judgment. So how did you tap in and identify that self-belief so young?

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (07:52)

the judgment came from rejection over when I went for coffee dates and it was actually an ex-boyfriend, so let’s get really serious here. Who ended up running one of the biggest advertising agencies in this region for quite some time. He was more of a hero and a legend in the industry, but he just couldn’t see what I could see at that point in time. And when I went for the coffee date and said,

DI GILLETT [Host] (08:02)

I had that rejection.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (08:17)

team I’ll never forget it was in Bills in Crown Street and I said look I think I’m going to start my own agency I’m going to call it Torstar and it’s going to be a branding communications agency and it is going to attract the world’s top performing brands celebrities and influencers and he kind of looked at me and wanted to put me back in the box that my parents had placed me and he’s like I think you should go and you know finish that interior design degree so that you can go and be a really good homemaker.

DI GILLETT [Host] (08:42)

We wanted to keep you small.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (08:45)

Absolutely and white picket fence and that’d be it but I’d already said no to that by going to London. Yeah. And so I remember walking out of that coffee date so clearly in Crown Street and kind of like putting my hand in the air as a bit of a fuck you. ⁓

DI GILLETT [Host] (08:59)

And thank you for the momentum.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (09:01)

Thank

you and thank you and I’m going to use that to actually drive forward my idea and so I did and no one in Australia would give me the opportunity to work with their brands because of course I didn’t have a track record and so I called a friend in London and I said to her look this is my idea this is the agency that I want to create what do you think and she said to her it’s brilliant I’m going to introduce you to someone who actually became my first client you always need a marquee client when you step out on your own

And my first client was launching Megan Gayle’s The Face of David Jones. And from there, I mean, it was all just based on referrals because I anchored every decision that I made in that business and my three values, passion, integrity, delivery. I had the intent to create and build powerful brands, but most importantly, I was the woman that delivered. And so if you deliver and you’re magnetic and you’re

years are so creative and outside of the box and anyone else’s, what’s going to happen? You’re going to attract. But also when you attract, how do you retain? So my clients on average stay with me for eight and a half, nine years, which is unheard

DI GILLETT [Host] (10:02)

Cool.

That’s

know even if I had the good fortune of holding on to a client for three or four years in the search space before somebody knocked you off your perch, you’ve done well. So that’s incredible.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (10:24)

And I do want talk about knocking people off your perch because I remember when I was pregnant with my daughter Isabella and I went to see a client and I saw that someone had basically looked at my website, looked at the clients I had because these were in the early days of, know, my gosh, you’ve got to have a website, how do you promote yourself because you usually used to go in and hand over a presentation presented. I’m about to give birth.

And another woman who had started an agency, I remember it was this one client, then I went to the next client, then the next client, and sitting on all of their desks was a presentation from her saying why she was better than me.

DI GILLETT [Host] (11:03)

and she saw your pregnancy as a moment of weakness.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (11:06)

Correct, but it actually was a moment of strength. What is that? Give it back, you know. All of the things.

DI GILLETT [Host] (11:14)

What is that in the world of sisterhood? Because that is very blatantly taking the decision to stamp on somebody’s parade.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (11:25)

It absolutely is and that same woman used to come up as a plus one to my events with the media and hand out her business cards at my events. I mean, I looked at that situation, I thought, okay, she wants what I have. Yeah.

DI GILLETT [Host] (11:40)

So she’s already on the back foot she’s chasing?

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (11:43)

She wants what I have, but she’s not me. And for anyone listening to these podcasts, always remember, like, you are unique. You have a unique footprint. She can’t be me. And it didn’t dampen what was a stellar career. And I ended up attracting the best of the best.

DI GILLETT [Host] (12:03)

And I love that you say that because there were a few critics when I first decided to call my podcast Power of Women because I had actually secured the domain name Power of Women 10 years earlier with an idea that I was going to build some purpose-led female platform. And I said, well, that’s true. If I Google Power of Women, there’s a few in the marketplace, not as many as you might think.

But there’s only one power of women with diagelate.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (12:34)

Correct. And you are the star of the show. You are the leader of your own destiny. And you know, as Oprah said, I saw her in Sydney last night. She said, lead yourself. Lead yourself. Rise up as yourself. And so I’ve always lived by that motto as well. And I was an Oprah fan, you know, I’m sure you were as well. We were young. She leans into the heart, not ego.

DI GILLETT [Host] (12:45)

Mmmmm ⁓

Absolutely.

Yeah.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (13:02)

And so I think that if you believe in an idea and you believe that you can step into it, that’s your intent, that’s your purpose. All you need to do is anchor it back to your values and it’s the ripple effect.

DI GILLETT [Host] (13:13)

With Torstar, it was incredibly successful, but you walked away after what was it, 20 years. not because the business was on a downward trajectory. You walked away at the top of its power. What led to that?

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (13:30)

my intuition. The secret whispers of life. ⁓

DI GILLETT [Host] (13:35)

⁓

One of my favourite things that so many women don’t acknowledge or listen to.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (13:42)

the secret whispers of life. So I knew that I had a story that I wasn’t telling. And while I was really good at creating and building brands and obviously telling the stories of global businesses, but also CEOs, board directors, founders, like the best of the best, I like to call them the top 1%, at the same time I wasn’t being honest about who I was. And so there was this niggly feeling inside of me,

And I remember it actually came from the movie, Hard Loser Guy in 10 Days.

DI GILLETT [Host] (14:17)

As distinct to my pretty woman experience in Sydney only recently of not being allowed into a luxury boutique. See, we’ve all got a movie.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (14:24)

We’ve all got a baby. So my daughter and I, Bella, we’re in LA and I had just won the keys to freedom through standing up and winning full custody in a non-contact order in the Federal Circuit Court of Australia. So I think I’m one of three percent of women that self represent and actually successful, successful in the sense that it was 12 years. It almost broke me.

But I came through that tunnel and saw the light and was completely happy. And my daughter was young at the age and we’d been watching on repeat this Matthew McConaughey movie. And I said to I think it’s ready, well it’s time for me to start dating. But I only had five days free in my diary.

DI GILLETT [Host] (15:08)

And was Matthew your pin-up of what you wanted do? he wasn’t! Because he would have been mine!

He actually wasn’t! have been mine!

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (15:15)

Before we were due to hop on a flight back to Sydney from LA, we actually bumped into him in the park. Like this is like serendipity, the way this all turns out. And it was all about my daughter saying, Mom, I want a picture with Matthew. And I said, well, that’s not what you really do, because I work with a lot of people like that. If you never take photos with them, it was my golden rule. And ⁓ she said, well, can you ask him? Can you ask him? And I felt so uncomfortable. So I asked him and he said, no.

Sorry, no. And then we kind of, no, he was just like, no, photos, no photos. But then do you know what the crazy thing was? Then this paparazzi guy comes along and takes his photos. And I looked back and I was like, you’re saying no to like my daughter is under 10 and yes to the paparazzi. And then of course it was like Matthew McConnachie on Venice beach working out. And I thought that’s, that was the reason. And I was okay with that. But anyway, we actually decided to use that for fuel to the fire.

DI GILLETT [Host] (15:47)

A southern drool?

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (16:14)

And when I came back to Australia, I was on Bumble and I decided that I was going to date six guys in five days and learn about myself die. And I learned more about myself from dating five different guys than I did in a lifetime. And so I started to understand the power of is tour style what I really want?

Do I really want to be around all of these so-called celebrities and power brokers who sometimes aren’t showing the heart and the empathy and they can disappoint us? And what if I actually dug deep and looked at what my story was and how that can help other people? Now, ironically, Matthew went on to do Greenlights and it’s a book I absolutely love.

DI GILLETT [Host] (16:48)

And they can disappoint you.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (17:05)

And I do think that that moment in time where our paths crossed, it was maybe not a great time for him. And I was actually coming out of the tunnel into the light. So I was stepping up into what he is. Ultimately, he’s done so much for so many people by sharing the power of his story. But I look at that time and I think to myself, who have I not worked with? What are the things that I want to wrap up? What am I going to do with the 22 staff that I have? How are we going to pay forward my…

DI GILLETT [Host] (17:11)

Yeah

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (17:33)

knowledge and what’s the legacy piece going to look like. It wasn’t TORSTAR and I was 44 years old and I shut the doors. I had an offer on the table to sell and I said no to the money and yes to myself. Best decision of my life.

DI GILLETT [Host] (17:36)

and it wasn’t tossed.

Because selling meant you had to go with it. And cuffed.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (17:51)

Handcuffs?

And I don’t like handcuffs. I like creating and delivering impact.

DI GILLETT [Host] (17:55)

Everyone

And neither does our audience.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (18:00)

Through the heart, not the ego. And, you know, my last three clients were Drew Barrymore, Steve Madden, and Victoria’s Secret, three of the top brands out of the US. But they each taught me something about myself to give me the confidence to walk away because I was no longer afraid of judgment.

DI GILLETT [Host] (18:21)

Yeah, you got there at 44. I think I said to my husband earlier that day, and I did have a guest on the show last year who said she was a late bloomer. And I actually think I’m a late bloomer too. I’m now early 60s, but I think I really stepped into who I am visually, emotionally.

in every respect when I hit 50.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (18:54)

I mentor so many incredible women and right now I’m mentoring a beautiful lady who’s about to turn 70. And she’s worked with every major star you can think of in Hollywood. And she’s looking at me as her mentor to show her what does her legacy piece look like.

DI GILLETT [Host] (19:14)

because she’s done it for others and she’s done nothing for others. I remember that lesson, Tory. You mentioned something not dissimilar to me.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (19:16)

nothing for herself so she’s gone back to her

Yeah.

Tap into the power of your story and who would have known that it had a naked chairman. You know, your story, there were all of these twists and turns to who you are as a woman. And one of the gifts of LinkedIn for me is connecting with women like you, who now have the confidence to share their story. Because now when you look at who you’re interviewing, you look at the caliber, you look at the vibration.

DI GILLETT [Host] (19:47)

Absolutely.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (19:48)

It’s

because you actually stood in your power and owned it. Because when we first met, you didn’t own it. You didn’t.

DI GILLETT [Host] (19:56)

was giving it away. I had it, but I actually think I was giving it away. were. I don’t know whether that’s generosity or stupidity, but I’m not going to ask you to answer that. It’s It was a decision.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (20:01)

But now you’re owning it.

Yeah, it’s generosity. But I know since we have that time together and watching your journey now and the impact that you create, it’s extraordinary. And you are one of those top 1 % women that I talk about because you’re in alignment, your soul’s happy, your heart’s happy. Absolutely. And your voice means something to other people. And that’s what we call the ripple effect. That’s the legacy of who we are as women.

DI GILLETT [Host] (20:40)

But does it still surprise you, because I know it still surprises me with some of the feedback that comes back of thanking you for sharing and putting it out there. That still feels very new and unfamiliar to me. Does that dissipate or change with time or is that revelation a revelation every time?

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (21:02)

It just makes me happy. It makes me so happy that you can crack open the hearts of female leaders. And that when you meet them, and then when you see them a few years later, I mean, last night after Oprah, I had so many women I hadn’t seen that I mentored through COVID, even from regional Australia, coming up and hugging me and saying, Tory, you’ve changed my life. And I always say, no, you just called me. And all you did.

was follow the frameworks and you did the work, which is why you are there. But I always say, thank you, you know, thank you for acknowledging that, but it was actually you.

DI GILLETT [Host] (21:41)

Mm. Mm. I love that. Now, you have a book, Self-Belief is Your Superpower, that you released some time ago. I believe you’re working on a new book. Can you tell us anything about it?

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (21:53)

I am.

My legacy, my way. Because, Di, I feel that when we get to the halfway mark of our lives, like so many of the listeners as well, we’re looking at how can we give back? How can what we’ve been taught or we’ve learned along the highway of life apply to the next generation? Or how can we actually give others the confidence to navigate challenging situations? And so when I teach others, I also teach myself.

DI GILLETT [Host] (21:58)

I love it.

Mmm.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (22:24)

And I realized that this year that there was a big milestone in my life when my father died. And I was estranged for many, many years from him, not because I didn’t love him, but because our values didn’t align. And integrity is one of them. Integrity is really important to me. And he knows the reason why I walked away. And he asked for forgiveness in front of my daughter, which was a really big healing moment for me.

And so when he passed and I did a post on Instagram saying that, you know, this is why he was in my life for some time, but this is what I’ve learned from it, everyone started commenting and they jumped in and I had a phone call from the CEO of the time of Hello Sunshine when I was in West Hollywood hosting an event a couple of weeks later for Powerful Steps. And she said to me, Tory, that’s what we call the ripple effect.

DI GILLETT [Host] (23:04)

jumped in.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (23:20)

Honesty from women is such a rare thing and I’d met her a few years beforehand.

DI GILLETT [Host] (23:26)

extraordinary. Honesty from women. What’s the decision to hold back?

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (23:32)

They’re afraid of the truth. They’re afraid of what people will think of them. It’s a judgment piece that we spoke about. And she knew the back end of my story of how I’d won full custody, how I’d created this business, how I’d attracted all of these brands. And she said to me, you know, that story is pretty extraordinary. She said, but I think you’ve got another story. Tory. And I said, ⁓ I think I do. And she said, I think it’s time to tell it.

And I was going to Saudi Arabia, my husband’s based in Riyadh, I now live there with him. And she said, I want you to go to the desert and ride it. And so I’m about to wrap it up. And yeah, my story will go into film and a whole lot of vertical. I’m very excited.

DI GILLETT [Host] (24:15)

Very exciting.

Brilliant. I look forward to being at the launch, could be in Riyadh ⁓

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (24:25)

all around the world. It’s manifested.

DI GILLETT [Host] (24:28)

There we go. I will clear my diary. Now, Forbes wrote, she leads with heart and healing what corporate women crave right now. What do you think corporate women are missing? Because there’s a lot of leadership issues going on in the marketplace and there’s a lot of business women who listen to this podcast.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (24:52)

Women are afraid of standing in their truth when they’re in corporates for fear of judgment, fear of not getting that promotion, fear of what their team will think, fear of if they actually think someone discovers something about them that doesn’t align with company values. But actually it’s the opposite. It is the complete opposite because I explained this when I was doing the opening keynote for the Salesforce Female Lead Program the other day in Sydney.

And, you know, they were saying, but men judge us. I said, but you’re not putting yourself in the shoes of the men. Men also have stories. Men also have challenges and they feel that they’re going to be judged too. So if you strip it all back and you’re honest with each other, imagine the magic you can create. One of my biggest posts on Instagram, it went viral. It’s sitting at about 80,000 organic views right now. And it’s me crying.

And it’s me finding out that my dad’s ashes had been left at the crematorium. After four and a half months, my sisters had left him there. After they uninvited me to a funeral, we might…

But I give this as an example because my intuition at the time was like video this moment when the New South Wales government on compassionate grounds gave me access to 1,030 medical documents so that I could actually access the truth of what happened. And so when I found out, it wasn’t because my sisters told me how my dad passed, it wasn’t that the executives of the will told me how my dad passed even though I was next of kin.

It was through the kindness of this incredible man ⁓ from the New South Wales government and I just watched myself just film this moment. It was just like my intuition saying it and I was spot on and I’m sharing this because it’s related to corporate women in Australia. That did not change corporate women or corporate businesses booking me into the next year for keynotes around the world.

DI GILLETT [Host] (26:54)

Mmm.

how they.

Because it wasn’t seen as weakness.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (27:07)

It wasn’t a weakness, it was a strength because I was in my authentic truth and I was distressed. I was crying. But I’ve actually pinned that to the top of my Instagram because I think it’s a powerful reminder to any female leader anywhere in the world that the raw and authentic moments are the most powerful. Gone are the glossy days when you turn up with the airbrushing, which you and I have both done.

because of course that we you know we grew up in magazine media and you know all of those things

DI GILLETT [Host] (27:41)

The

real power is in vulnerabilities.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (27:44)

want it. And then on LinkedIn, you know, I might be in different parts of the world and saying I’m going on a coffee date and people would be like, but Tory, you’re wearing your workout gear. I’m like, so what? Some of the most powerful coffee dates in my life have been with women like Shelly’s Alice, who created the female quotient and who through acts of kindness and coffee dates says to me, Tory, we can create magic together.

DI GILLETT [Host] (28:10)

and you’re in your gym gear.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (28:12)

And so is she. And she’s like, Tory, help yourself to coffee in my house and I’m going to fly to Australia and I’m going to see what you’ve created with Powerful Steps. Now, she wasn’t judging me on what I wore. She wasn’t judging me that my skin might have been a little bit blotchy. So for corporate women who are struggling right now, don’t be afraid to share those moments because every strong woman in the world has those moments.

DI GILLETT [Host] (28:38)

We’ve come a long way from the 1980s power suit. Thank God for that. ⁓

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (28:44)

Mine were all given away.

DI GILLETT [Host] (28:48)

Well, coming up, we’re going to shift gears into two big themes that every woman in leadership needs right now. Firstly, how to elevate your voice and how to build networks that empower. Back soon.

If you’re loving the Power of Women podcasts, be sure to jump onto our YouTube channel and hit that subscribe button to ensure you never miss an episode.

So you’re listening to the Power of Women podcast and if you’re enjoying the show, jump on and follow us on any of the podcast platforms. I’m joined today by Tory Archbold, brand builder, cultural activist and powerful advocate for women owning their voice. Tory, when a woman says, I want my voice to be heard, what’s the step to do that?

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (29:43)

The first step is getting out of your own way. It’s like, get out of your own way. Well, I knew you had such an incredible story, but it was getting it in writing. So when you own your story, you own your power. It’s pretty simple. But most women don’t hit pause and they don’t give back to themselves to truly know the power of their story.

DI GILLETT [Host] (29:46)

There you go. think that’s what you said to me.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (30:08)

So the ones that actually hit pause, invest the time in getting to know themselves, right from the start, are the ones that are the high vibrational women that can walk into any room anywhere around the world and people will say yes.

DI GILLETT [Host] (30:23)

That’s a really interesting point and I know I came out of a de facto relationships a couple of years before I met my husband 20 years ago. And I had to really stop and that was the first time I truly paused because I’d gone from one average relationship to another and it was like, just a second, what’s wrong? Because I don’t think there’s anything wrong with me. There’s something wrong with what I’m doing.

And of two years of purposely staying single, I recognised that I had allowed men to choose me rather than me to do the choosing. And that was the turning point. And it was early 40s actually. So I say I didn’t step into my parents until I was 50, but I didn’t get to know myself until I was 40, which then gave me the foundations to step up.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (31:21)

Jitko Queen, I am with you.

DI GILLETT [Host] (31:24)

There you go. You

too got married later in life like I did.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (31:28)

Yeah,

46 for the first time.

DI GILLETT [Host] (31:31)

and I was 41. Yeah. Highly recommend holding off.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (31:34)

I know. And just, you know, about telling your story. I remember when I had a copywriter when I was first starting Powerful Steps and she said, Tory, you need to do your bio. And she actually put in it that Drew Barrymore ended my career. And I thought, oh my gosh, I can’t say that, but it was actually true. But in a good way. When he clicked on it, it was a good way. But she also said in there, and I got married for the first time at 46. And I said, why are you putting that in there?

And she said, you watch the women will slide into your DMS and you’ll build a business. And I thought no one commented, but we did talk about corporate women and being afraid of the truth. And my DMS were jam packed with women saying, I can’t believe that you got married for the first time at 46. How is that possible? And if you actually

DI GILLETT [Host] (32:27)

wasn’t a criticism.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (32:28)

It wasn’t. was like, how did you meet your match? So it actually opened up a whole lot of other conversations. And if you Google my name now, normally one of the top three things that come up is Tory Archibald’s husband. People are desperate to know like, who’s the husband? but my husband’s name is Craig. And he’s my soulmate.

DI GILLETT [Host] (32:39)

at 46.

Isn’t that interesting? That’s how you take control of the narrative.

I love you.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (32:56)

And hopefully we have this happily ever after scenario like you and George.

DI GILLETT [Host] (33:01)

Well, I think so because we’ve done the work before we embarked on them. So how does a woman begin to own her story in a way that’s, and importantly, because there’s so much ⁓ unauthentic information out there. mean, think social media is allowed for it. How does she do it in a safe and authentic manner?

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (33:26)

She actually clears her diary and she says to herself, I’m going to open a Google Doc. I’m going to follow Tory’s five-point story framework. And it’s really simple. So you are writing your own hero’s journey. Yeah. So point one of your story when you’re writing is like, who are you? What kind of a family did you grow up in? What were the dynamics? Where were you living? What are your core memories? The second part is, well,

DI GILLETT [Host] (33:43)

Mmm.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (33:56)

When you left school, what did you want to become? So I always talk, you know, in interviews or when I’m coaching people now, and I said it in this interview as well, everyone wanted to box me. And I jumped out of the box and I went to London and I worked with the world’s best entertainment companies. But then in part three of your story is how you’re using that to step into your success story. So your success story is always, you know, what are three things that you became so brilliant at that nobody can take away from you?

But give me some facts. Give me some juice. So I always talk about the fact that, you know, Zara, I launched Zara into Australia. 22,000 people, a million dollars on, you know, the day of launch. But it wasn’t about me, it was about the collective team, right? So when I’m writing in the story, I give examples like that. Then it’s always success with a little bit of survival. So what people don’t realize about me, and when you’re thinking about writing your own story,

is well, what did you survive when you’re at the top of your game? Because everyone had a child. Yeah, your naked chairman. So mine was an ex-partner like the father of my child where I was stalked, harassed and intimidated for up to 100 touch points a day. I was one of the first women in New South Wales to get an AVO around people that actually target you online. And so when you look at all of these things, no one knew that part of my story because

DI GILLETT [Host] (34:59)

And that’s my naked chairman.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (35:25)

part four of my story, is a game-changing moment, which I like to call like the fuck you from the universe. So when you’re writing it, it’s like, well, what is it? You had burnout, I had burnout, I had a near-death experience. And so, you know, 72 hours before I was due on a flight to London to host some global media, my appendix burst. I ended up with septicemia. I lost eight kilos in five days. I had 12 rounds of antibiotics.

and I did not get better until that surgeon said to me, Tory, you don’t know how to be happy. I said, what do you mean? What is happiness? And he handed me a piece of paper and on it was a happy heart as a magnet for miracles. So when I’m writing a magnet, he handed that to me. And it’s now because I share it with everyone.

DI GILLETT [Host] (36:04)

We it.

I know it’s a phrase you use but it was given to you.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (36:12)

from the surgeon who saved my life. And it’s also helped thousands of women around the world because I share it willingly. in that Google Doc, when you’re writing a story, think about those moments. Who helped you navigate them? I also recognise in point four of my story that I was an ultimate people pleaser. And also, was surrounded by takers who did not believe in a mutual exchange of energy. So if I was going to get better, if I was going to get that happy heart, what was I going to strip out of my life?

to it into alignment, to listen to my gut instinct, to shut my business, to say no to the multi-million dollar offers to buy my tour star, and to actually go, well, I deserve love. So part five of my story was fast-tracked really quickly. I found my soulmate, thanks to Matthew McConaughey.

DI GILLETT [Host] (37:00)

And it wasn’t Matthew McConaughey.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (37:02)

What’s

it? What husband’s name’s Craig? And I shut my business and I stepped into my power. So how do people own their story? It’s taking the time to do that, but your story’s not over once you’ve written it. So I know my story really well. I’m able to articulate it in business, in social settings, on coffee dates, everywhere. And I’m so crystal clear and I’m known for certain things.

Like storytelling, yeah? Coffee dating. I’m also known for my survival story. There are so many parts to it, but I know it inside out, which makes me a brilliant leader. Because I can meet anyone and I can see what is going to touch their heart and their soul and take them to the next level, because it’s likely I might have experienced something because I’m tapping into my story that relates to them.

Now a couple of weeks ago I went back to a place called Kamalea in Thailand, Koh Samui, and it was actually a place that I’ve now been to nine times. And believe it or not, I’m coached by this amazing Buddhist monk called Sujay. And he is, I mean, he has my heart on so many levels. And during the two weeks that I was there working on my book and what I’m going to do with my story writes,

I actually went back to my five point story framework because my story’s not over.

DI GILLETT [Host] (38:27)

must agree that because this is being augmented all the time.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (38:32)

So leaders listening right now, lead through the power of your story. But don’t just put it there and go, I launched Sara. That was such a long time ago, Di. People always ask me about it. But that’s not my story anymore. My story is like who we are here. so don’t forget that you walking, talking encyclopedia, who is a female leader.

DI GILLETT [Host] (38:53)

So keep writing.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (38:58)

who can create and deliver impact around the world, but you can never do that if you don’t own the power of who you are.

DI GILLETT [Host] (39:05)

I was asked the other day how people would describe me when they first meet me and potentially it’s aloof or distant. And there is something in, and I suggest even in your own story with Tour Star, you were successful and people put you at a distance on a pedestal unattainable. But once you started to share your story, you’ve humanised

the individual and now people want to engage and reach out. And ⁓ I’m finding that in releasing these drip feeds in my story and there’s much more to come. Not all of it’s probably fit for publishing, but there’s a lot more to come. But in humanising the name and revealing something about yourself, people want to engage because you’ve humanised the brand.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (40:00)

course. I’ll give you a really good example. When I had that near-death experience back in 2013, there was only one photo of me that was actually taken by an ex-boyfriend at the time. And his dad actually saved my life before I got to the hospital. So I will always be very grateful for that. But I never wanted to share that picture. And so…

many media publications when I started sharing the power of my story would say to me, you have a photo? And I’d say, no, I don’t have one.

DI GILLETT [Host] (40:31)

Knowing full well that you did.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (40:33)

I had a double chin in the photo. I thought to myself, and I was like carrying extra weight, which actually, by the way, saved my life because losing eight kilos in days. I needed the fat, right? So I look at it all now and I can see why ⁓ that was a positive. But I just thought I can’t share a photo of me with a double chin. Then when I was going through what was happening with My Legacy My Way and the family dynamics that came after my father died, when I was actually given permission,

DI GILLETT [Host] (40:43)

something in

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (41:03)

to actually share the truth of my background and my story, which will obviously come out next year, I thought to myself, Tory, honestly, get out of your own way. Who cares that you have a double chin? And so I decided to post it on LinkedIn. And it’s now had almost 60,000 impressions. There’s over 270 women and men from around the world actually sharing their own stories of burnout.

But what I did with that story, and I think this is really important when you do share parts of your story that are real and raw, you have to be authentic. So I said I didn’t want to post this because I had a double chin. Now in the comments, people are like, but I love your double chin and I’ve got a double chin and this is what happened to me. I thought this is earlier. But I also, when you share a personal story, I always include three

DI GILLETT [Host] (41:52)

My tonight party!

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (42:01)

leadership lessons. So I said, what you may not know is at the time I had this top agency, these were my clients, these were the brands, these were the results that I was living and breathing and investing all my time in. I was also a single mom in the family law court system. And I was really in the battle of my life. So I was going back to that five point story and I was setting up the hero’s journey

so that it would actually land in people’s hearts so that they could actually take affirmative action. That’s what leaders do, right? But then the three takeaways I said, and what you may not know is while I was lying in this hospital bed in the ICU afterwards, is that three men did these three separate things to me. Number one, my data access, my financial records without my permission, which is illegal in Australia.

Number two, the man who saved my life asked me for $6,000 to pay off his credit card. And number three, the father of my child sent me a text saying, I thought I’d see you’re a bit sure in the city morning, Harold. So I am at my most vulnerable. The battle of my life and these three men kept going and no one knew. So when you’re giving your story to the world,

DI GILLETT [Host] (43:07)

And they can’t go.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (43:20)

Give it with intent. And my intent was to show, sure, I’ve worked with all of these incredible people around the world, but I’m human just like you.

DI GILLETT [Host] (43:29)

And shit has happened. Shit.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (43:31)

has gone down. But guess what? Through that shit has come the greatest gifts of my life. And when I look at those three men, actually said in that post, thank them.

That was like I thanked them and I still am grateful for them doing what they did because I would not be here today on your podcast if they didn’t.

DI GILLETT [Host] (43:53)

And that is a little like my story, Tory, with the alopecia journey where I lost all my hair and the cruelness of, ⁓ and I referenced it in some of my storytelling of my then line manager, when on the one day I rang in and said, I can’t do this because I looked, I felt like I looked like a freak show with a few strands of hair left. And instead of saying, take the time you need, he said, why?

Aren’t you coping? Which nearly drove me off the edge. But it was the absolute anger out of not letting somebody else define where I was at that I pulled myself back and found some purpose in the whole thing, similarly. And isn’t it interesting what nearly kills us makes us stronger literally.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (44:26)

Of course.

does. Literally. want to share what Sujay said to me a couple of weeks ago because I was coaching a few women in a group the other day and I remember Sujay saying to me with everything that I’d been through this year, I was still showing up on LinkedIn. So the first thing he said to me is, he said, we’ve all been following your journey and we’re so inspired. And I said, thank you. But why? And he said, you always show up. And I said, but Sujay, this is what’s really happening behind the scenes.

And he said, oh my gosh. And he’s known me for a very long time and helped me through some of the darkest times of my life. And he started by saying what I’d been through was a nine out of 10. And when we finished, it was a 9.75 out of 10. And I thought, oh my gosh, but what is the key learning here? And he said, Tory, you need to learn to get angry. And I said, I’m not angry. I’m disappointed. I’m disappointed that humans behave like this.

And then a couple of days later, something came through where I had to prove my value.

DI GILLETT [Host] (45:49)

you stop for a second? A Buddhist monk saying you need to get angry. Now, because they probably normally say to me you need to temper the anger.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (45:54)

I’ll explain.

Yeah, no. He said to me, ⁓ anger is confidence and confidence is going to fuel the legacy that is going to transform your story into helping millions of people, Tory, and I you to get angry. ⁓

DI GILLETT [Host] (46:13)

I just kept saying to you, I’m disappointed.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (46:15)

But

then something came through where I was asked to prove my value of something that I contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars to. made me angry because I thought, how am I supposed to explain that this is my contribution? is just not okay with me. And I went back in and I sat on his chair and I said, I’m angry. And he said,

DI GILLETT [Host] (46:26)

make you angry?

She can’t

Hallelujah

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (46:44)

Yeah,

he said, good. He said that is the confidence that is going to carry you forward. ⁓ Anger is confidence.

DI GILLETT [Host] (46:53)

How do women build networks that empower them and know that they’re in a safe space and who they’re surrounded by?

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (47:01)

So number one, you’ve got to go back to your story, which is what we’ve just talked about. Because why would people connect with you if they don’t know who you are? How are they going to know that your values are aligned? How are they going to know that what you’ve experienced in business or life is a match for where they’re at? Because networking is about a mutual exchange of energy. It’s not about, ⁓ I want you to do this for me, but I’m not going to give you anything in return.

DI GILLETT [Host] (47:25)

And we’ve all experienced those people, we still do.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (47:28)

Correct, it’s not life, it’s not life. networking for me started with that $2 coffee date philosophy. And I’ve been doing this for 25 years now.

DI GILLETT [Host] (47:38)

euro in Paris, but that’s okay.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (47:40)

It’s okay, that’s wild, right? Wait until you come to Riyadh and visit us, the Evian is $40. $40 in a nice restaurant for Evian Water, because it’s like their wine. So here you go. But going back to networking, at a young age, I recognized the value of helping others without asking for anything in exchange. And so all my life, I’ve had three coffee dates a week.

DI GILLETT [Host] (47:48)

⁓ my god.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (48:10)

One with someone I know, one with someone I want to partner with, and one with someone completely outside my comfort zone, which is how I’ve landed the biggest opportunities of my life. Because what I’m doing is I’m placing my energy, my story, and what I can give to others, asking nothing in return into the energy and the aura of others. It’s magnetic. It is magnetic. And so it’s very rare that I get ghosted.

DI GILLETT [Host] (48:29)

But it’s a very clever BD strike.

Mm-hmm.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (48:41)

The last person that ghosted me was my sister. It wasn’t a business person. She ghosted me when I’m like, how did our father die? Refused to tell me. Still to this day, refused to tell me. So I’m okay being ghosted by people like that. It doesn’t bother me. ⁓ But I also think that when you understand the power of your story, you can connect with anyone in the world. You can walk into any room anywhere in the world and people will say yes. And I will tell you this one thing about networking. LinkedIn is your best friend.

I agree with over a billion impressions per month. The most extraordinary opportunities landed my DMs every single week. Every single week. I am so thankful. So Yeah, we did. Because I saw what you were doing. Yeah. Yeah. And I was like, I want to know this woman. And you were like, me too. And so I wanted to know you because I could see what you were doing with the podcast. Yeah. And I could see the kinds of questions, the type of women you’re attracting. And I was like, this is someone I’d like in my orbit.

DI GILLETT [Host] (49:39)

Hmm.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (49:39)

But it’s very rare for me to reach out like that. takes a special woman and you are one of those. thank you. It does. Thank you. But put that in other people’s shoes as well. Yeah. Think about when people that are working in a high vibration want to have something to do with you. about.

DI GILLETT [Host] (49:57)

How do I be accessible?

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (49:59)

How do I be of service? How can I help them?

DI GILLETT [Host] (50:04)

Now that ⁓ is a really interesting thing because coming up ⁓ on Two Weeks Time is an episode with Maddie Dijkveld. Now Maddie is one of the top ten futurists in the world and specialises in ageing along with her husband and ageless ageing. She’s mid-70s, looks younger than me and it’s not through

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (50:19)

incredible

DI GILLETT [Host] (50:33)

potions or surgery, it’s through a life ⁓ well lived and lived with purpose. But when I reached Aunt Maddie, who I also engaged with through LinkedIn, she said, absolutely, I’m there. And when we did and we prerecorded because we don’t do this show live as much as we like to, but we don’t. But I said to her, are you comfortable

with the line of questions that we’re going to cover off today. And she said, I’m here to service what you need. Of course. And I nearly fell off my chair.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (51:11)

Yeah. But why would you say yes to a podcast if you’re not going to share what you know? Yeah. But that is the only reason.

DI GILLETT [Host] (51:17)

It was so like, and I’m in awe of this woman and it’s like.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (51:23)

She’s a high vibrational woman. And you know, high vibrational women know that the more you share, the more you receive. And so there’s this thing, and we did touch on it earlier about the sisterhood and people not wanting to share because they’re afraid that someone’s going to take a slice of their pie. That’s actually not true. The more you give without any expectation in return, the more you receive back. And the more you can then reinvest in other people.

DI GILLETT [Host] (51:32)

Absolutely.

Mmm.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (51:52)

and create a ripple effect. So anyone wanting to go on your podcast and they’re listening to this and they’re thinking, I want to be a leader, having conversation with Dai, my question to them is, what are you giving? And do you understand Dai’s audience? Is it an energetic match? Because you don’t go on a podcast unless you know that that audience is going to receive something from you. Because energy is time and time is money. ⁓

DI GILLETT [Host] (52:18)

Absolutely.

Absolutely. And that has been a learning curve, Tory, without question, because unfortunately not everybody thinks that way, but we are getting better at identifying that. So tell me, you’re living really in a global sense. You’re based in Riyadh, but you’re between the US, Riyadh and Australia. Spending time in…

in those different regions. What is different and what is similar in the women that you are meeting across those three regions?

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (52:52)

Women want to have a voice no matter where they are in the world. I mean that’s the biggest driver and it also gives me the greatest happiness to know that because I can contribute to them having a voice. That’s really important to me. ⁓ Look, we’re talking about coffee dates. In Riyadh in Saudi Arabia a lot of people have cake dates. Cake dates. ⁓

DI GILLETT [Host] (52:55)

Hmm.

I saw you write about them.

sugar-free

world that’s not going to work.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (53:22)

They do have some sugar-free cakes over there well. ⁓ for them, it is around the art of conversation. They’ll have coffee dates up until 3 a.m. in the morning because it’s a big coffee culture. So I love being in Riyadh because there are some, what I would call, some exceptional leaders over there that understand that it’s the art of conversation. How can we help each other? And most importantly, they’re saying to me, Tory, how can we have a voice around the world and how can you help us get it? So happy to be a part of that equation.

⁓ In LA, look, people don’t dress up. Like I said, I met Shelly when we were both in workout outfits.

DI GILLETT [Host] (53:58)

Well, I don’t think they do here now. COVID was the tipping point.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (54:02)

Yeah, and I find in LA as well people don’t drink, which is fantastic. love so coffee dating or tea dating, you know, that’s definitely the way to go to connect. They’re definitely time poor because it takes so long to get between places. So you really want to be somewhere or be at a point where you meet someone and they just invite you into their home. You always know when someone invites you into their home in LA that…

Genuine. is going to happen and that’s happened to me a lot of times. Yeah. This past year and I’ve been greatly appreciated of that. Yeah. ⁓ Then Australia. Look, we are massive drinking culture and being in different… clearly because in Saudi we drink no alcohol. Yeah. And your mindset is so clear and you can go…

DI GILLETT [Host] (54:44)

You can see that by contrast.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (54:55)

and really use that mindset for the greater good. Whereas I find it this time of year and even going into the new year when this podcast comes out. pace yourself. If you don’t pace yourself and hit pause and give back to yourself, you will burn out. I’ll tell you one thing, when I’ve arrived back in Chichester, everyone’s like, can we have a drink with you? And I’m like, I’m not drinking. And then I’ll only coffee date before 11 o’clock because I don’t like being wired after then. So I’m quite happy to have a tea date.

DI GILLETT [Host] (55:08)

without question.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (55:24)

Or I’ll say, come for a walk and talk. I need to get my body moving. So the way people network in different parts of the world can go anything from a cake to a home networking experience with, and normally their assistant will take notes while you’re in the meeting with them in their home. And then everything just gets fast tracked or they’ll be on WhatsApp connecting you to all the moves and shakers and this is what needs to happen. And then you will do that for them.

⁓ But I think in Australia we all need to pause.

DI GILLETT [Host] (55:55)

And I think we also, I mean, I know I had five, I got back from Sydney last week and I’d had five events. Now five nights out knocks most people off their perch. But the difference was I only drank at one of those events and not a lot. just had one or two glasses. And you wake up completely refreshed. in Australia, unfortunately, it takes confidence to say, thank you, but I don’t drink. Could I just have a sparkling water or?

whatever it may be and people still look at you and there’s a judgement in that, I don’t care. But we need to get on board with this idea and as I learnt from talking with Maddy Dijkveld and ⁓ I suggest you listen to that episode coming up in a couple of weeks time, unfortunately we now know there is no good amount of alcohol.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (56:50)

No, that’s not. all bad. It’s terrible. So I was lucky enough many years ago to work with a man called Ben Branson and he created Seedlip, which was the first non-alcoholic drink in the world. I, when I always had these international guests,

instead of having a driver drive them around, I would always drive them around because I always knew that the conversations would be so dynamic. I remember we were driving to one of the media interviews together and we going through the city and I said, did all of this start? And I mean, he had some wild times, know, some incredible stories with Kate Moss and, know, that whole hard partying time.

you know, in London during those wild years and I understood it and he just said to me, my life had to stop. I had to hit pause. But he said, but he said to me, I created this drink so people would think that I was drinking a gin and tonic. People would think that I was drinking a dirty martini. And he was very clever with his marketing because he went to all of the Michelin star restaurants around the world.

DI GILLETT [Host] (57:40)

who killed himself.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (57:58)

And he said to them, I want to create a difference in the world. Can we create bespoke cocktails with my product and serve them to your clients and see if they can notice a difference? And a lot of them didn’t. And that’s how it started. And I think the business ended up selling for close to a billion to GRGO. But the words of wisdom from him, and I really want everyone to take that forward is,

that if you’re afraid of judgement, just order it. I mean, there’s so many non-alcoholic drinks out there. No one knows it differently.

DI GILLETT [Host] (58:31)

I know, I know and I discovered that in the events of last week. Tory, such a generous conversation. I’ve got a couple of rapid fire questions to wrap up. We could. A moment that changed everything for you.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (58:45)

We need you.

Mind Age Eth Experience.

DI GILLETT [Host] (58:52)

The most underrated skill for women in leadership. A belief you had to let go of to rise. A daily ritual you never skip.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (58:56)

self-belief.

People-pleasing?

my morning shower ritual and my evening shower ritual which ends with gratitude.

DI GILLETT [Host] (59:09)

one message you want every woman to hear today.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (59:13)

You are enough. That’s very powerful word.

DI GILLETT [Host] (59:18)

There we have it. There

we have it. So when’s the book out, the new book and all of this exciting stuff that’s going on?

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (59:26)

So we can’t actually put a date on that right now. Okay, it’s coming. we are in negotiation phase and I always say that it’s about the right partners. Yep. And we are speaking to several people, but it needs to be an energy match. Yes. And I don’t want anyone to butcher my story, my truth, my authenticity for clickbait or dollars. It’s not about that. The reason why I’m sharing it is to create a legacy.

and an impact and an opportunity for others to view challenges as opportunities.

DI GILLETT [Host] (59:58)

Brilliant.

So if somebody wants to engage your services like I did, how do they find you, Tory?

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (1:00:06)

powerful-steps.com or DM me on LinkedIn. Tory Archibald. Like I’m on LinkedIn. I answer. I am not a bot. I turn up for half an hour religiously every single day on LinkedIn. There we go. And I like comment and engage with people. Yeah. Yeah. But don’t spam me and sell me something because that’s just not for me.

DI GILLETT [Host] (1:00:27)

I’ve had enough of SEO spamming. ⁓

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (1:00:30)

don’t get it anymore because I think I’m so brutal with archive delete box. It doesn’t come. I’ve got the aura.

DI GILLETT [Host] (1:00:36)

that it just doesn’t come in.

Brilliant. Well, Tory’s joined us from Riyadh and I’m sure she’ll be heading back there in not too distant future. But what a fantastic way to start 2026 with such an insightful, impactful and powerful conversation. Thank you, Tory. Lovely to have you in the studio. It’s been an absolute pleasure.

TORY ARCHBOLD [Guest] (1:01:03)

Thank you. I just for you and your listeners, the impact that you are creating with what you have actually put forward to the universe to uplift other women and to teach them new skills and to teach them to get out of their own way is extraordinary. And I just want to take a moment to say thank you for doing that because I would not have hopped on a 6am flight to be here if I didn’t believe in the power of what you have created. And I say that

authentically and genuinely and be proud and go forward and conquer because this is just the start of something special. you.

DI GILLETT [Host] (1:01:41)

Thank you so much.

We’ll see you again next week.

Chapters:

00:00 The Power of Storytelling in Leadership

04:05 Defining Moments and Self-Belief

10:10 Navigating Rejection and Building a Brand

17:48 Walking Away at the Peak: Intuition and Legacy

24:52 Authenticity in Corporate Leadership

29:03 Elevating Your Voice and Empowering Networks

31:34 Owning Your Narrative

39:05 The Power of Storytelling

47:01 Building Empowering Networks

55:51 Cultural Differences in Networking

58:50 Final Thoughts and Reflections

Connect with Di: