Fempire Rising: Her Future, Her Voice

Fempire

Welcome to Fempire Rising, her Future, her voice, the podcast where women in business rise, lead and redefine success on their own terms. I'm Trudy Heins, and I'm the CEO of Fempire. I'm an entrepreneur and a business coach, and I believe when one woman rises, we all rise.   Each week we'll dive into real conversations about business, leadership, money and mindset, the highs, the lows, and everything In between, you'll hear stories of women who've turned their fire into focus, their fear into fuel  and their purpose into profit.If you're ready to build a business that gives you freedom, fulfillment, and financial confidence, then you are in the right place.  This is where passion meets purpose, and together we rise  because the future isn't just bright. The future is female.

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  1. Episode 1

    Season 4 | Episode 1 | The CEO Shift: From Operator to Leader

    Send us Fan Mail Season 4 of Fempire Rising begins with a conversation every business owner needs to hear. In this special panel episode, Trudy Heins is joined by Laura Connarty-Duncan, Karen Evans, and Dena Piro, three Fempire Certified Business Coaches with decades of combined experience across corporate leadership, business ownership and coaching. Together, they explore what it really means to make The CEO Shift. That point where working harder is no longer the answer, and stepping into leadership becomes the key to sustainable business growth. The panel shares personal stories of career pivots, leadership lessons, imposter moments, burnout, confidence, delegation and the realities of building businesses that don't rely on the owner doing everything. This conversation is practical, honest and full of commercial insight for women who are ready to stop operating in their business and start leading it. In this episode, Trudy, Laura, Karen and Dena discuss:  What The CEO Shift really means and why every business owner eventually reaches it.  The difference between being busy and being commercially effective.  Why so many women underestimate the value of their own experience.  Building confidence through action rather than waiting until you feel ready.  Delegation, systems and why they need to happen earlier than most business owners think.  The mindset shifts required to move from operator to leader.  The importance of boundaries, resilience and building a business that supports your life.  Practical advice for women who are ready to lead with more confidence and commercial clarity.  Episode Highlights 00:00 Welcome to Season 4: The CEO Shift 02:49 Meet the panel: Laura Connarty-Duncan, Karen Evans & Dena Piro 09:45 The first signs you've become the bottleneck 17:36 Why the CEO Shift starts with mindset 23:08 Delegation, outsourcing and letting go 28:38 Systems: Why you need them earlier than you think 34:33 Getting out of the day-to-day and leading strategically 39:53 Redefining success as a business owner 42:12 The one thing every CEO needs to stop doing 47:08 Turning decades of experience into a coaching business 53:12 Final advice for women making the CEO Shift Connect with our panel Laura Connarty-Duncan Founder & CEO Champion Women Karen Evans Founder & CEO Business By Design Coach Dena Piro Founder & CEO DP Business Coaching Find all of our Certified Business Coaches here Become a Fempire Certified Business Coach: If you're an experienced businesswoman ready to turn your knowledge into a profitable coaching business, learn more here Join the FEMPIRE Academy: Access practical business resources, masterclasses, templates and a community of women building commercially strong businesses here Support the show

    Season 4 | Episode 1 | The CEO Shift: From Operator to Leader

  2. Episode 2

    Season 4 | Episode 2 | From Adversity to CEO

    Send us Fan Mail Today, Trudy Heins sits down with Di Geddes, founder of Exceptional Care For You, a values-led disability and aged care business she started at 54 after rebuilding her life following breast cancer, divorce, workplace bullying, grief and years of caring for others. What began with a desire to make a difference has grown into a business employing more than 90 people, proving it's never too late to start again. Di shares how encouragement from clients, the support of mentors and learning to believe in herself gave her the confidence to take the leap into business. She reflects on the milestones that mattered most, from securing her first office to leading a growing team, and the mindset shifts required to transition from doing everything herself to becoming the CEO her business needed. Together, Trudy and Di explore values-led leadership, compassion in business, building culture, trusting others, setting boundaries, overcoming loneliness as a business owner, and redefining success beyond revenue alone. If you've ever questioned whether it's too late to start over, struggled to let go of control, or wondered what it really takes to lead a growing business, this conversation is for you. Connect with Di Geddes Di's book Episode Highlights 01:22 Meet Di Geddes 03:07 Rebuilding after cancer, divorce and adversity 05:50 Finding purpose through care 06:38 The mentor who encouraged Di to start her business 08:54 Strength, support and healing 11:20 Letting go of resentment 12:41 Starting a business at 54 14:20 Why positive feedback changed everything 15:40 The mindset shift from employee to business owner 19:04 Moving from operator to organisation 20:57 Scaling the business and thinking like a CEO 23:30 Building a business led by compassion 25:09 Looking beyond the NDIS headlines 26:14 Can compassion and profit coexist? 26:51 Hiring for values before skills 29:52 Boundaries, trust and leadership 32:28 Building your business tribe 35:38 Lessons in loyalty and leadership 38:31 What the CEO Shift really means 39:14 Redefining success and leadership 41:28 Designing a business that supports retirement 43:22 Why it's never too late to begin again 45:18 Final takeaways Become a Fempire Certified Business Coach If you're an experienced businesswoman ready to turn your knowledge into a profitable coaching business, we'd love to have a conversation. Click here to learn more Find a Fempire Certified Business Coach Looking for practical business support from a coach who understands the realities of business ownership? Find your coach here Join the FEMPIRE Academy Access practical business resources, masterclasses, templates, workbooks and a supportive community of women building commercially strong businesses. Join the Academy Connect with FEMPIRE Website Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Support the show

    Season 4 | Episode 2 | From Adversity to CEO

  3. Episode 3

    Season 4 | Episode 3 | Disruption, Delegation and Building a Business That Doesn't Depend on You

    Send us Fan Mail Today, Trudy Heins sits down with Dionne Malush, co-owner of Realty ONE Group Gold Standard in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to explore what it really takes to build a business that can grow beyond its founder. After losing her first business following a difficult partnership, Dionne rebuilt from the ground up, combining her background in graphic design and marketing with real estate to create one of the fastest-growing brokerages in her region. What began as a bold decision to challenge the traditional real estate model has grown into a business of around 200 agents, built on authentic leadership, innovation and a willingness to do things differently. Together, Trudy and Dionne discuss disrupting an established industry, building a strong personal brand, learning to delegate, trusting others to lead, and making the mindset shift from doing everything yourself to building a business that doesn't depend on you. If you've ever struggled to let go of control, worried about whether your business could survive without you, or wondered what it really takes to become the CEO your business needs, this conversation is for you. Connect with Dionne Malush LinkedIn Episode Highlights 01:02 Meet Dionne Malush 02:06 Losing her first business and starting again 04:54 Why real estate became the next chapter 06:01 Challenging the traditional brokerage model 08:27 Why disruption creates opportunity 12:33 Building an authentic personal brand online 17:02 Hiring a COO and learning to delegate 23:15 Letting go to build a business beyond yourself 24:35 Communication, trust and leadership 26:13 Why women need to build their personal brand 29:06 Stop worrying about what other people think 31:44 Leading through personal adversity 33:27 Faith, mindset and resilience 35:44 Why taking action beats waiting for confidence 37:24 Season 4 Quickfire Questions 44:36 Legacy and final takeaways Become a Fempire Certified Business Coach If you're an experienced businesswoman ready to turn your knowledge into a profitable coaching business, we'd love to have a conversation. Click here to learn more Find a Fempire Certified Business Coach Looking for practical business support from a coach who understands the realities of business ownership? Find your coach here Join the Fempire Academy Access practical business resources, masterclasses, templates, playbooks and a supportive community of women building stronger, more profitable businesses. Join the Academy Connect with FEMPIRE Website Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Support the show

    Season 4 | Episode 3 | Disruption, Delegation and Building a Business That Doesn't Depend on You

  4. Episode 4

    Season 4 | Episode 4 | Building a Business Bigger Than Yourself

    Send us Fan Mail Today, Trudy Heins sits down with Sam Bell, founder of Courageous Girls Club, to explore what it really takes to build a business bigger than yourself. What began with just eight girls gathered around Sam's dining room table has grown into a national organisation, licensing programs across Australia to help young girls build confidence, courage and resilience. As the business expanded, Sam faced the challenge every founder eventually encounters: how do you stop being the person who does everything and become the leader who enables others to carry your vision? Together, Trudy and Sam discuss the transition from operator to CEO, the power of licensing, protecting your intellectual property, documenting systems, building the right team, and learning to let go so your business can continue to grow without depending solely on you. If you've ever wondered how to scale a service-based business, struggled to delegate, or wanted to create a business that makes an impact beyond your own time and effort, this conversation is for you. Connect with Sam Bell Website: Courageous Girls Club LinkedIn: Sam Bell Episode Highlights 02:35 How Courageous Girls Club began 05:11 The experiences that shaped Sam's mission 09:39 Building confidence instead of simply tackling bullying 15:43 Why licensing became the path to growth 20:36 Redefining success and building a business that fits your life 23:07 Stepping into the role of CEO 25:40 Letting go so your business can grow 31:04 What every business owner should know about licensing 33:56 Leadership, authenticity and building the right culture 38:44 Giving yourself permission to lead 43:22 Why you have to back yourself 45:05 Season 4 Quickfire Questions 47:42 Final thoughts and takeaways Become a Fempire Certified Business Coach If you're an experienced businesswoman ready to turn your knowledge into a profitable coaching business, we'd love to have a conversation. Click here to learn more Find a Fempire Certified Business Coach Looking for practical business support from a coach who understands the realities of business ownership? Find your coach here Join the Fempire Academy Access practical business resources, masterclasses, templates, playbooks and a supportive community of women building stronger, more profitable businesses. Join the Academy Connect with Fempire Website Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Support the show

    Season 4 | Episode 4 | Building a Business Bigger Than Yourself

  5. Episode 5

    Season 4 | Episode 5 | Protecting the Business You've Built

    Send us Fan Mail Today, Trudy Heins sits down with Caroline Cavanagh, Director of Jubilee Legal, to explore one of the most overlooked responsibilities of business leadership: protecting the business you've worked so hard to build. Many business owners spend years growing profitable businesses and valuable assets, yet very few stop to consider what could happen if life takes an unexpected turn. Together, Trudy and Caroline discuss why CEOs think about risk before it becomes a crisis, the role of financial agreements, estate planning and asset protection, and why these conversations are not just legal matters, but commercial decisions. They also explore Caroline's approach to Dignified Divorce, the importance of creating strong business foundations, and why the best time to protect your business is long before you ever think you'll need to. If you've ever assumed asset protection was something to deal with later, or wondered how to build a business that's prepared for whatever life brings, this conversation is for you. Connect with Caroline Cavanagh Website: Jubilee Legal LinkedIn: Caroline Cavanagh Episode Highlights 02:42 Caroline's journey into family law 04:43 Moving from practitioner to business leader 07:15 Scaling through consultants instead of employees 08:51 Why CEOs think about risk differently 11:41 The financial consequences of relationships 13:26 What every business owner should know about financial agreements 18:57 Why asset protection starts from day one 21:03 Financial agreements as business planning 25:09 Why estate planning and asset protection go hand in hand 27:16 The thinking behind Dignified Divorce 31:16 Protecting the assets that matter most 33:49 Caroline's own CEO Shift 35:03 Letting go of doing everything yourself 37:56 Designing a business around the life you want 38:58 Looking five years ahead 39:16 Why working with a coach changes everything 40:25 Season 4 Quickfire Questions 47:15 Final thoughts and takeaways Become a Fempire Certified Business Coach If you're an experienced businesswoman ready to turn your knowledge into a profitable coaching business, we'd love to have a conversation. Click here to learn more Find a Fempire Certified Business Coach Looking for practical business support from a coach who understands the realities of business ownership? Find your coach here Join the Fempire Academy Access practical business resources, masterclasses, templates, playbooks and a supportive community of women building stronger, more profitable businesses. Join the Academy Connect with Fempire Website Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Support the show

    Season 4 | Episode 5 | Protecting the Business You've Built
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About

Welcome to Fempire Rising, her Future, her voice, the podcast where women in business rise, lead and redefine success on their own terms. I'm Trudy Heins, and I'm the CEO of Fempire. I'm an entrepreneur and a business coach, and I believe when one woman rises, we all rise.   Each week we'll dive into real conversations about business, leadership, money and mindset, the highs, the lows, and everything In between, you'll hear stories of women who've turned their fire into focus, their fear into fuel  and their purpose into profit.If you're ready to build a business that gives you freedom, fulfillment, and financial confidence, then you are in the right place.  This is where passion meets purpose, and together we rise  because the future isn't just bright. The future is female.

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