Season 3 | Episode 9 | Build the Business Around the Life, Not the Other Way Around

Send us Fan MailWhat does it actually take to build a business that works for your life, not against it?Trudy sits down with Joelene Edwards, health and wellness coach and gym founder, for a conversation that bridges business, health, resilience, and the real cost of building something from scratch. Joelene is also FEMPIRE Rising's first New Zealand-based guest, and her story is one worth hearing.Joelene built a gym from the ground up in a small town of 7,000 people, with two young children, working two jobs, navigating community pushback, and doing it all in a country she hadn't grown up in. She now runs a successful coaching business focused on women navigating perimenopause and menopause, and is moving her services fully online so she can work and travel with her kids.This conversation covers a lot of ground, and most of it applies whether you're talking about your health or your business.In this episode, Trudy and Joelene cover:Why Joelene built a gym and what her real definition of success looked likeThe community resistance she faced as an outsider, and how she tuned it outWhy resilience isn't about feeling strong, it's about showing up when you don'tBoundaries, the non-negotiable kind, and why setting them early protects everythingWhy women struggle to stay consistent with their health, and how simplicity is the actual solutionThe wellness noise problem: 12-step morning routines, extreme diets, and quick fixes that burn women out before they startWhat actually moves the needle for women's health, especially in their 30s, 40s, and 50sWhy "eat less, train harder" is a recipe for burnout, not resultsThe direct parallel between health foundations and business foundationsCelebrating wins, because high-achieving women are the worst at itThe shift from trading time for money to building a business that travels with youAnd the line that sums up the whole conversation: build the business around the life you want. Don't try to squeeze your life into the leftovers.01:28 Meet Jolene Edwards02:38 From Perth to Cromwell03:07 Building a Gym04:18 Why Work Life Balance06:16 Resilience and Boundaries09:01 Small Town Naysayers13:02 Health Consistency Basics15:15 Cutting Wellness Noise17:58 Common Health Mistakes19:36 Consistency Over Quick Wins20:54 Minimum Effective Dose22:36 Celebrate Your Progress24:34 Define Your Success27:04 Niche and Authenticity28:20 Do the Boring Work31:25 Freedom Through Online Pivot33:05 Women Rewriting the Rules33:56 Final TakeawaysVisit The FEMPIRE WebsiteFollow Us on Facebook Connect with Joelene EdwardsClick here to join the FEMPIRE Academy and use the code JUNE50 for 50% off!Click here to register for our next FEMPIRE Masterclass for practical strategies to gain clarity and take focused action in your business Support the show