Welcome to Wonder Woman Wednesday! Every Wednesday we feature women who are using their business or work as a force for good. The intention behind this blog is to raise awareness on the impact of doing good and to inspire others to think of ways in which they too can use their business or work as a force for good. By doing this we hope we will be creating a better community one business at a time and leaving this world a little bit better than we found it for future generations.

Tell us about your business and how you use your work as a force for good?

I actually see it as one of my mandates to inspire women to become all they can be; to live their best lives, by discovering the unique blueprint in their life and giving expression to it. I think so many women believe the ideas that they can do one or two things, but not more and that there is certainly no space for them to actually go after their own dreams.

I love it when I see the lightbulb go on and they realise they are ‘enough’ and they step up to fulfil a dream or a business idea that they’ve been sitting on for years but didn’t feel they had the ‘permission’ to do anything about it. I feel like I’m affecting change by encouraging women that they have what it takes to live their best lives, particularly when it comes to going after creative passions.

I am the Founder of the Inspire Collective which is a community of creative entrepreneurs that aims to inspire, catalyse and empower women to fulfil their dreams through a culture of authenticity and belonging. Last year I founded the Little Girls Inspire Collective (7-12 years) which is all about bringing out their gifts and passions and raising up strong identities in young girls to pursue their best lives, teaching them that who they are is special and is something that is needed on the earth and that they have a place in it exactly how they were made.

I am about to publish a book called Permission to Dream which is a practical tool to help women identify what their dreams are, put language to them and a practical structure so that they can outwork them. I am also releasing an album second half of this year which is a collection of songs about hope and restoration.

What led you to using your business as a force for good?

When I was a little girl I was extremely shy. So shy that my music teacher put me in the corner of the room in year one for not opening my mouth properly when I was singing. That memory stayed with me and shaped the young person I was. Being an introvert and quite sensitive, I found reaching out for a life I wanted very hard. I was often passive and dominated by others stronger than I was. Its only really been the last decade that I have truly discovered the woman I was meant to be and have started walking that out.

Because of the nature of the creative call on my life, I also struggled with knowing if what I was feeling was ok and have discovered that a creative person’s personality (or creative entrepreneur) is quite unique and in that way, I want to encourage other women in that area.

When I produced my first album Dance of Life, I found it a solitary journey. There wasn’t really anyone I could talk to about the process and the unique pressures with ‘birthing’ a creative project. I think its the same principle when starting a business or anything else. There’s so much that goes into it, there’s such a cost, you carry it like no one else does so no one else really understands the depth of what you go through to ‘get it out.’ I think that’s why I talk about dreams so much. Everyone has them, but a lot of women (and men) don’t live them because it takes an immense amount of courage and resilience to truly go after them.

What inspires you to make a difference in the lives of others?

I am inspired to make a difference in the lives of others because I know the liberty that comes when you are walking out your true purpose. I love seeing women come alive when they realise they have permission to go after the dreams and ideas in their hearts.

What is one act that anyone can do today to make this world a better place?

I think I can be a great mum in my today. Raising my children to be strong leaders, kind people, and compassionate to others around them is a significant way to make the world a better place and is one of the best ways I can think of to create a legacy.

Find out more about Cate and the work she does here

The Power of Hope