She Who Dares, Wins.

Michelle Hands
  • 5.0 (5)
  • Careers
  • Biweekly

Tired of playing by the rules? The She Who Dares Wins podcast is for the women who reject convention, challenge expectations, and carve their own damn way through life. Hosted by Michelle Hands, former construction engineer turned fearless storyteller,this podcast dives deep into the raw, unfiltered journeys of women who refuse to fit the mold. If you've ever battled imposter syndrome, hesitated to take a risk, or felt the pressure to conform, this is your space. Expect bold conversations with trailblazers, adventurers, and industry disruptors who share their real stories of breaking barriers, building confidence, and rewriting success on their own terms. 🚀 What You'll Get: ✔️ No-fluff, high-impact conversations with women pushing boundaries ✔️ First-time experience stories & unconventional career pivots ✔️ Tactical steps to crush fear & own your confidence ✔️ Insights into thriving in male-dominated spaces ✔️ The perfect mix of adventure, risk-taking, and personal growth This isn't your typical self-help show—it’s a call to action for women who want more. More adventure. More freedom. More hell yes moments. Tune in and join a community of unstoppable women who dare to win. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 4d ago

    From “You Can’t” to Fighter Pilot: Mandy Hickson on Grit, Allyship and Flying the Tornado (Re-run)

    This Remembrance week, we’re bringing back one of my favourite conversations from the archive. Mandy Hickson was one of the first women to fly the Tornado GR4 on the front line with the Royal Air Force. She went from the air cadets to the cockpit of a fast jet, in a world that was never built with her in mind, and she’s now a speaker and author who helps people find their resilience and lead with purpose. In this episode, Mandy talks honestly about walking into a male-dominated world and earning her place in it. She explains why the right allies made all the difference, and how she kept hold of who she was without blending in. We also get into why failure isn’t the opposite of success, and why grit only really kicks in when you’re clear on your purpose. If anyone has ever told you “you can’t”, this one’s for you. ✨ IN THIS EPISODE: From air cadets to fast jets: how Mandy found her way into the RAFBeing one of the first women flying the Tornado GR4 on the front lineWhy allyship matters, and what good allies actually look likeStaying yourself in an environment that wants you to conformFailure as a stepping stone, not a full stopWhy resilience is tied to purposeChanging a system from the inside💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER: “The world doesn’t need more people to blend in. What it needs is people to radiate and to shine.” “Resilience and that grit... are tied into purpose.” “Once you’re into a system, my goodness, you can fight it from within.” 🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS: Sign up for the newsletter to get your weekly inbox dares: www.shewhodareswins.comJoin the Dare Club communityBecome a Patreon member for all bonus episodes: https://www.patreon.com/cw/shewhodareswins🎙️ WANT MORE? Squash Falconer: the first British woman to paraglide off the summit of Mont Blanc, on Everest and finding one more step.Adele Dobler: going from feeling lost to saving lives as an air ambulance helicopter pilot.💌 LOVE THIS EPISODE? Subscribe on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts.Leave a 5⭐ review. It helps more women discover these stories.Watch all episodes on YouTube. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  2. Nov 3

    Complex PTSD, Sobriety and Reinventing Your Career with Emily

    Emily spent years in a high-pressure London marketing job, quietly living with complex PTSD she didn't know she had, and using alcohol to cope. When everything came to a head, her best mate staged an intervention, and Emily walked away from the career she'd built to start again, outdoors. In this episode of She Who Dares Wins, Emily shares her journey from breakdown to bushcraft ranger, rescuing seal pups in Ireland, adopting the stray dog who helped ground her through flashbacks, and becoming a drone pilot for Forestry England and head of drones for Lowland Rescue. In this episode: • Recognising complex PTSD, and how alcohol can mask it • Why leaving a career isn't failing, it's a rebrand and a relaunch • How nature and animals support recovery from trauma • Losing her brother at 40, and why she no longer waits to live • The reality of volunteering in search and rescue • Spotting burnout early, and why her camper van is non-negotiable • Ten years sober, and why your best years can come after 35 If you've ever felt stuck in a life that doesn't fit, or wondered whether it's too late to start again, this one's for you. Don't miss the bonus episode, where Emily dares you to be audacious. CONTENT NOTE This episode includes discussion of complex PTSD, trauma including assault, alcohol dependency, suicide and bereavement. If anything in this episode affects you, support is available: • Samaritans: call 116 123 (free, 24/7) or visit samaritans.org • Shout: text SHOUT to 85258 (free, 24/7 text support) • Mind: mind.org.uk If you're in immediate danger, call 999. LINKS She Who Dares Wins: www.shewhodareswins.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  3. Oct 26

    Dealing with Uncertainty (Without Pretending There’s a Quick Fix)

    We’re halfway through Season 5, so this week it’s just me: no guest, no script, and fresh out of a therapy session. I’m talking about something that’s been quietly holding me back since I started building She Who Dares Wins full-time, and that’s uncertainty. I spent years on construction sites where things went wrong every day, and I thrived on it. But it turns out that handling uncertainty on a job site is very different from handling it when it’s tied to you, your achievements and the thing you’re building. In this episode I share how that showed up for me. I kept going back and forth on the clothing line because I’d told myself it would be the “stable income”. I kept reaching for a Plan B, and I fell into exhausting loops of going back to things I didn’t really want to do. I won’t pretend there are three easy steps to fix it, because there aren’t. What I can share is what’s helping: slowing down, checking why I’m making a decision, and learning to trust myself when things go wrong. And if you take one thing from this episode: the incredible women who sit on the sofa didn’t have it all figured out either. You’re not alone. In this episode What’s new at She Who Dares Wins: the film production side and the launch of Dare ClubOur first Dare: a cold-water dip and sauna challenge (coming soon to YouTube)Why a career in engineering didn’t prepare me for uncertainty in my own businessADHD, high stakes, and the flip side nobody talks about: paralysis and second-guessingThe clothing line, Plan Bs, and confusing “certainty” with what I actually wantWhy trying to fix uncertainty is impossible, and why knowing you’re sensitive to it helpsSlowing down and asking: am I doing this out of fear, or for the right reasons?How many of us give up on a new career too soon because of that horrible feelingWhat every guest’s story has in common: you get through it, with a win or a lessonKey takeaways Uncertainty in business is unavoidable and will always feel uncomfortable. The aim is to get used to the feeling, not to make it go away.Notice when a decision is really an attempt to create certainty rather than something that fits what you want.Building trust with yourself, and accepting that things will go wrong, takes a lot of the pressure off.Sometimes understanding why something shows up is enough, without needing to fix it.Join Dare Club Dare Club is our new community that gets women out of their comfort zones, with a Dare series on YouTube and in-person events planned for 2027. Sign up at www.shewhodareswins.com to get the weekly newsletter every Wednesday, with a mini dare and a few things that brought me joy that week. Watch on YouTube Every episode is also on YouTube. Search She Who Dares Wins Podcast to see the conversations in full. Coming up A wonderful guest next week, more fabulous guests to finish Season 5, and then we start shooting Season 6! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  4. Oct 13

    The Olympian Who Never Planned to Be One : Steph Kessell's Story

    In this episode of She Who Dares Wiggles, I'm joined by Stephanie, Olympic marathon runner, one-to-one run coach and mum. She never dreamed of the Olympics, but after a marathon ballot she expected to lose, a pandemic and a run of injuries, she ended up on the start line in Tokyo. We talk about the races, the setbacks, and why starting her own business may have been the bigger dare. Timestamps 0:00 From Hedge Fund Admin to Olympic Marathoner 1:35 The Biggest Dare: Starting a Coaching Business 3:24 Early Athletic Roots and School Sports 8:02 The Berlin Marathon Ballot That Changed Everything 12:34 Chasing the Olympic Qualifying Standard 15:09 Valencia: A High-Stakes Olympic Qualifier 24:21 The Olympic Trials at Kew Gardens 39:10 Running the Olympics with a Fractured Shin 💬 KEY TAKEAWAYS - You don't need a big dream to end up somewhere extraordinary. Small steps add up. - You won't tick off every training session, and that's okay. Flexibility beats perfection. - Get a diagnosis, make a plan, and use cross-training to stay fit through injury. - Stand in your value when you start something new. Prices can rise without losing clients. - Accountability helps: bring a friend along to the thing you've been putting off. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  5. Oct 6

    Find One More Step: The Everest Mindset for Hard Days With Squash Falconer

    This week on She Who Dares Wins, I'm joined by Squash: adventurer, speaker and high-performance coach. Squash grew up on a farm planning to be a vet, until a ski season, a view of Mont Blanc and a group of adventure-racing friends changed everything. We talk about how she bluffed her way into BBC and BMW backing to become the first British woman to paraglide off the summit of Mont Blanc, and what happened when she reached the top of Everest without doing what she'd set out to do. Then she gets honest about becoming a mum, the years that tested her most, and the simple tools that carried her through: breath, routine, the right people and one small next step. If you've ever felt you should be coping better, or you're waiting to see the whole path before you begin, this conversation is for you. KEY TAKEAWAYS - When you can't see the way, find one more step, and do it on repeat - A "failure" can still be the best story you tell - "And" is more useful than "but": you can be grateful and struggling at once - Other people often see your strengths before you do - Growth comes from discomfort, so say thank you to it - Small basics (breath, sleep, movement, a routine) hold up the big things IN THIS EPISODE 0:00 Welcome and the story behind the name "Squash" 1:14 Growing up on a farm and unconditional love 3:02 From farmer to future vet 5:34 The cow that changed her mind 6:59 A ski season and a view of Mont Blanc 10:34 Hitting the wall: "find one more step" 13:00 When did you last do something for the first time? 16:02 Nothing is ever wasted 19:39 Three dreams, one wild plan 22:57 Bluffing the BBC and BMW 24:10 Taking off from the top of Mont Blanc 28:05 "They don't make stuff up" 30:00 GoPro, debt and the Everest "failure" 33:57 Summit day and the way down 38:59 Public speaking and the energy before a talk 44:24 Motherhood: the part nobody posts about 46:25 Simple daily practices that actually work 50:25 The breath that changes everything 52:54 "If your knickers are right, your day goes right" 59:25 When things fall apart, they're falling together 1:04:04 The dare: leave everyone a gift QUOTES FROM THE EPISODE "The only thing you've got to do is find one more step and do it on repeat." "When you think you're done, you're nowhere near done." "If your knickers are right, your day goes right." THE DARE Squash's challenge to you: leave everyone you meet a little better than you found them, and have the one brave conversation you've been putting off. MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE - Mont Blanc and Mount Everest - The BBC, BMW and GoPro, who backed her early expeditions - The Salomon 36-hour adventure race - The Obstacle Is the Way (the book I mention, by Ryan Holiday) CONNECT WITH THE SHOW www.shewhodareswins.com Join Dare club: Here Become a Patreon member for all bonus episodes. If this episode helped you, send it to someone who needs a reminder that they're stronger than they think. A rating or review helps more women find the show. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  6. Sep 22

    The 6:30 AM Sober Rave Movement: Quitting her Job to Dance and Bring Joy

    For twenty years, Leesa was deeply immersed in the corporate rat race—running global sales teams, traveling the world, and earning a living in a high-stakes, money-driven career. But behind the scenes, she was pushing herself to the absolute limit. When her mother passed away suddenly from lung cancer just nine months after diagnosis, and lockdown hit, Leesa faced a severe mental breakdown, burnout, and a prescription for one hundred and fifty milligrams of antidepressants that left her feeling like a zombie. Realizing life was far too short to stay trapped in a career that didn't serve her, she walked away from corporate sales with zero safety net. In this raw, liberating conversation, Leesa joins Michelle to share how a simple daily habit of "walking and talking" evolved into Rant and Ramble—a nationwide movement featuring sober coffee raves, holistic retreats, and vibrant community spaces. She opens up about the fear of stepping outside your comfort zone, overcoming imposter syndrome on social media, and how she helped her husband close his twenty-year electrical business to prioritize his mental health. From dancing sober at six thirty in the morning to discovering that true joy lies in stepping out of life's chaos, Leesa offers an inspiring roadmap for anyone ready to quit living on autopilot. ✨ IN THIS EPISODE: The Birth of Rant & Ramble: How sudden grief and late-night walking led to a grassroots movement.Antidepressants & Mental Breakdown: Navigating burnout and finding calm in sound baths.Stepping Out of the Chaos: Designing holistic day retreats to help women switch off their brains.The Early Morning Sober Coffee Rave: Launching a morning rave that defied her husband's doubts and drew hundreds of women.Ditching Binge Drinking: Why dancing sober at dawn is better than alcohol-fueled nights out.Walking Away from Decades in Corporate: Leaving high-stakes sales during lockdown and retraining to do eyelashes.Collaborating with Davina McCall & Viral Growth: Expanding coffee raves nationwide and handling rapid Instagram growth.Overcoming Imposter Syndrome & Social Media Pressure: Why unedited, real content beats pristine online formulas.Transforming Lives & Corporate Productivity: How morning raves build genuine human connection and calorie-burning joy.Supporting Her Husband's Radical Pivot: How Dan closed his long-standing business to protect his mental health.The Weekly Dare: Why you must step outside your comfort zone every single day. 💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER: On stepping out of corporate chaos: "Stepping out of the chaos of life, as a woman, we've got so many things to think about... to-do lists of endless. We are constantly thinking about everyone else. We put ourselves to the bottom of the list." On the power of sober dancing: "Dancing without a drink is actually better than dancing with a drink. Like when you dance on the morning and all them amazing songs are on... everyone's just literally letting go." On why life is too short for autopilot: "I've definitely changed my life so much since she's gone. It's weird that it's took her to go to realize like what life is actually all about... I was always so money driven... work was my life... now I am just living in the moment." 🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS: Follow Rant and Ramble on Instagram/Facebook: @RantAndRambleUKVisit the Rant and Ramble Website: www.rantandramble.co.ukFind upcoming Coffee Raves & Retreats on EventbriteSign up for the newsletter to get your weekly inbox dares: www.shewhodareswins.comJoin the Dare Club community 🎙️ WANT MORE? JoJo Kelly – An empowering discussion on walking away from a long broadcasting career to find creative freedom.Allie Bailey – Discusses sobriety, unpicking your identity from performance, and choosing core values over societal expectations. 💌 LOVE THIS EPISODE? Subscribe on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcastsLeave a five-star review – it helps more women discover these storiesWatch all episodes on YouTubeJoin Dare Club Now Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  7. Sep 15

    Bonus: The 5-Minute Bonus Dare for Long-Term Vitality: from Christine Hobson

    In this exclusive mini bonus episode, host Michelle Hands catches up with world-record endurance runner Christine Hobson to ask for one simple, powerful dare for women looking to take control of their health without feeling overwhelmed. Despite running marathons, Christine shares her startling discovery after wearing a continuous glucose monitor: even active athletes can experience major blood sugar spikes after regular meals. Christine reveals how experimenting with a simple 20-minute brisk walk straight after eating completely transformed her glucose levels and metabolic health. Together, Michelle and Christine unpack the power of compounding daily micro-habits, why walking around the block while listening to an audiobook beats sporadic workout intensity, and how stepping out your back gate into nature can bring you right back to basics. ✨ IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 – The 5-Minute Health Dare: Michelle asks Christine for a simple first step for women who want to prioritize their health.00:45 – The Continuous Glucose Monitor Shock: Why Christine was appalled to find her blood sugar spiking into diabetic ranges after ordinary meals.01:30 – Testing the 20-Minute Post-Meal Walk: How Christine experimented with 40-minute and 20-minute walks straight after lunch to flatten her glucose graph.02:30 – Compounding Small Habits Over Big Spikes: Why daily consistency with simple movement matters more than sporadic, intense workouts.03:45 – Reconnecting with Nature at Your Back Gate: Discovering stepping stones and glorious nature right outside her home after 10 years of passing it by.04:30 – Back to Basics: Why long-term health and graceful aging come down to the simple triad of food, walking, and sleep. 💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER: On the power of a daily walk: "I think if you're wanting to look after your health... then I think that a walk every day is incredible." On the impact of small, compounding daily habits: "That goes back to that thing we were talking about—that compound of just a small thing can have a huge effect." On why simple habits are hard to prioritize: "It sounds really simple, but it's amazingly hard to prioritize things when life gets in its way." On taking health back to basics: "It takes it back to basics, doesn't it? Like food, walking, sleep. 🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS: Zoe Continuous Glucose Monitor: The health testing device Christine used to track her metabolic response to meals.Sign up for the newsletter to get your weekly inbox dares: www.shewhodareswins.comJoin the Dare Club community 🎙️ WANT MORE? Christine Hobson Main Episode – Listen to Christine's full story of retiring at 60, running 125 marathons, securing an Antarctica Guinness World Record, and becoming a 72-year-old viral TikTok star.💌 LOVE THIS EPISODE? Subscribe on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcastsLeave a 5⭐ review – it helps more women discover these storiesWatch all episodes on YouTubeJoin Dare Club Now Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  8. Sep 8

    Bonus Episode: paralysing trap of external noise, strategising, and losing your true voice

    In this completely raw, unscripted, and single-take solo episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on a massive internal battle I’ve been fighting over the last six months: the paralyzing trap of external noise, over-strategizing, and quietly losing your true voice in the social media scroll. After 2.5 years of hosting this show and building a career on storytelling—from construction site cabins to high-production film sets—I recently realized I had fallen into a dangerous vortex. I was buying the courses, reading the books, obsessing over "traditional business formulas," and trying to force my creative brain into boxes where it just didn't fit. In the pursuit of perfection, I forgot who I was, how I wanted to show up, and why I started this journey in the first place. In this episode, I share the exact steps I took to break out of creative paralysis: 🧠 The ADHD Diagnosis: How understanding my brain's wiring finally allowed me to challenge my toxic inner narratives and stop looking externally for validation. 📴 The Digital Detox: Why scrolling social media is actively starving your creativity, and the science behind why our brains need to slow down to let gut instincts breathe. ⚡ Unpopular Business Advice: Why a successful business broker friend taught me that true success is built on bold risk-taking, not rigid corporate processes. 🎥 The Birth of She Who Dares Wins Productions: Why standard "podcast clips" don't tell real stories, and how I'm shifting back to my true love of filmmaking to share human journeys in a bigger way. If you are currently over-analyzing, stuck in procrastination, or drowning in the pressure of trying to get things "perfect" before you launch, this video is your wake-up call to sit with yourself, shut out the noise, and trust your gut. The answer doesn't lie in another online course. The answer lies within. Now, let's start daring. 📍 Chapters 00:00 - The Spitball Session: Why I’m Not Editing This Video 01:15 - My Story: From the Construction Site to the Mic 02:40 - Sucked Into the "Social Media Vortex" 04:30 - The Trap of Over-Strategizing & Buying Into the Formula 06:45 - The Truth About My ADHD Diagnosis & Internal Battles 08:50 - The Creative Reset: Journaling & Disconnecting the Dopamine Loop 11:20 - Unpopular Business Advice: Risk-Taking vs. Over-Processing 13:40 - The Birth of She Who Dares Wins Productions 15:45 - Putting Down the Phone & Reconnecting With Nature 18:10 - The Weekly Dare: The Answer Lies Within Join Dare club: www.shewhodareswins.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

Tired of playing by the rules? The She Who Dares Wins podcast is for the women who reject convention, challenge expectations, and carve their own damn way through life. Hosted by Michelle Hands, former construction engineer turned fearless storyteller,this podcast dives deep into the raw, unfiltered journeys of women who refuse to fit the mold. If you've ever battled imposter syndrome, hesitated to take a risk, or felt the pressure to conform, this is your space. Expect bold conversations with trailblazers, adventurers, and industry disruptors who share their real stories of breaking barriers, building confidence, and rewriting success on their own terms. 🚀 What You'll Get: ✔️ No-fluff, high-impact conversations with women pushing boundaries ✔️ First-time experience stories & unconventional career pivots ✔️ Tactical steps to crush fear & own your confidence ✔️ Insights into thriving in male-dominated spaces ✔️ The perfect mix of adventure, risk-taking, and personal growth This isn't your typical self-help show—it’s a call to action for women who want more. More adventure. More freedom. More hell yes moments. Tune in and join a community of unstoppable women who dare to win. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    Michelle Hands
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    222
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Michelle Hands
  • Show Website
    She Who Dares, Wins.

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