How would you describe your journey? Brief us on the inception story of your career.
Growing up on one of the roughest council estates in my hometown my childhood was filled with bullying and abuse, I was determined I would make something of myself. I fell into entrepreneurship almost accidentally. I had a talent for creating great tasting healthy cakes and my first business in the health industry started whilst studying for my social work masters.
After the birth of my son in 2016, I decided to leave my employment as a social worker and fully commit to impacting the lives of other women through my business.
My business grew and evolved rapidly and before long other women were asking for my advice and support in business. I began taking on clients and coaching them to support them to become more confident in themselves and their businesses. My clients had amazing results and became incredibly successful and through recommendations and referrals my business continued to grow rapidly. Since then I have founded and grown two companies with zero investment to multi-millions in revenue in the online coaching, healing and therapy industry and I now split my time between my two businesses, my personal brand Natasha Bray and my School of Healing Mastery.
Through Natasha Bray, I continue to provide business support and transformation to female entrepreneurs around the world through my Ultimate Uplevel Academy as well as working with women one-to-one to heal childhood traumas that could be negatively impacting their businesses and relationships. The School of Healing Mastery trains other therapists in my powerful revolutionary healing modality, HeartHealing.
Enlighten us about your role in the organisation you are leading / associated with?
I am the CEO of two rapidly growing businesses and have a team of ten supporting me to achieve my vision of creating a safer world with more love and money for all women and children.
Where do you find inspiration? What motivates you to work harder?
My biggest inspiration comes from my two young children, Jenson, 5, and Oscar, 1. My vision of a safer world with more love and money for them – a world I never had. But also my vision for all women and children to have that too. Everything I do in business is driven by this vision.
Kindly mention some of the notable recognitions and accreditations received by you.
I am a self made millionaire by the age of 35, and have two businesses that impact thousands of women across 56 countries worldwide and generate over a million per year in revenue. I have been widely recognised for my work and have won a number of awards in Wales and Great Britain, including most recently Management Today’s ‘35 Women Under 35’ as well as highly commended in the Women of the Future Awards. In addition to this, I am a bestselling author and co-author and I have been featured in numerous magazines and newspapers across the UK. I am currently Soul & Spirit magazine’s ‘Rising Star’ and have a monthly column with them.
What is the one thing you wish you had known about women in your line of work before you started working?
Before I had started working in this field I wish I had known that all us women are the same. We all have the same hopes and dreams and the same fears and saboteurs stopping us from achieving our dreams. It doesn’t matter whether you are just starting out in business or you are hitting 6, 7 or 8 figure years, the same hurdles will keep popping up for you.
Do you believe it is compulsory for a woman to manage a household alongside her work?
Not at all! My partner and I have quite an unconventional dynamic in our relationship, with him taking 6 months paternity leave after our son was born and me being the higher earner. As women we are often made to feel that we should be the ones looking after the household and the children, but this is an outdated idea and I truly believe we get to revolutionise what it means to be a woman in today’s world.
When my partner returned to work we hired a housekeeper who helps with our cooking, cleaning and food shopping and this has been a huge help, she is such an important and valued part of my team. We also have a gardener, a Personal Assistant and use childcare for our son. I wouldn’t be able to dedicate myself to my business in the same way without this support.
As a woman, what has been the highlight of your career?
Definitely seeing the changes in the women I work with. I have worked with thousands of women over the years, but the women who find their strength to break the cycle of the legacies handed down to them and create a new financial and emotional legacy for themselves and their children really inspire me and motivate me the most.
What are the changes you wish to make for the better in your professional life post-pandemic?
I want to make sure that I have a bit more balance in my life. I love my work so much that I can sometimes forget to carve out time for myself in my diary. I am becoming much better at setting boundaries and sticking to them than I have been in the past and we are in the process of installing a gym in our garden!
Brief us on the changes the pandemic brought to your sector and your market. Has the work-culture altered?
I think that lots of people have reevaluated their work-life balance and want more flexibility and freedom around their families. As a result, more women are taking this into their own hands and are starting their own businesses.
What words of wisdom/ inspiration/ advice would you offer to the next generation of female leaders?
If it scares you then it’s worth going after! But don’t let those fears hold you back in your business. Show up authentically, trust your intuition and don’t do things that you don’t feel fully aligned with.
