Real Women's Stories with Lisa Quait

You won't believe what really happens when you’re invited to Windsor Castle to receive an MBE.In this bonus episode, Lucy McCarraher shares the surreal story of receiving the letter she initially feared might be a tax demand, before discovering she was being recognised with an MBE.From arriving at Windsor Castle with her family to learning exactly how to approach Prince William, where to bow and how many steps to take backwards, Lucy takes us behind the scenes of an experience very few people ever get to have.You can hear Lucy’s full interview in the previous episode of Real Women’s Stories.---Discover mid-life coaching with Lisa---Connect with LisaInstagram: Follow LisaFacebook: Follow LisaYouTube: The only place to watch every episode of Real Women's Stories with Lisa Quait Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At 40, Lucy McCarraher MBE’s life seemed to fall apart. Her marriage ended, her father died, a new business failed and she found herself having to start again.But that wasn’t the end of Lucy’s story. It was another reinvention.In this episode, Lucy joins me to talk about the many different lives she has lived - from working in television in Australia and raising a family, to rebuilding her career, becoming an author and publisher, and eventually stepping into her current role as Publisher at Forbes Books.We talk about starting again when life doesn’t go to plan, why success doesn’t have to happen when you’re young, and how every experience - even the ones that feel like failures at the time - can lead you somewhere unexpected.Lucy also shares why she believes women often reinvent themselves throughout their lives, the importance of finding the confidence to put yourself forward, and why sometimes the biggest opportunities arrive when you stop trying to force what comes next.A conversation about resilience, self-belief and proving that it is never too late to begin another chapter.---Discover mid-life coaching with Lisa---Connect with LisaInstagram: Follow LisaFacebook: Follow LisaYouTube: The only place to watch every episode of Real Women's Stories with Lisa Quait Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this mini episode, Liv Parkes explains how she and her husband created a partnership that allowed her to pursue her ambition while he took on more of the childcare. She shares why their different attitudes towards work complement each other, how they divide family responsibilities and what their sons are learning from seeing both parents contribute equally.Liv also opens up about the guilt that can come with long working days, missing school pick-ups and wondering whether her children understand why she works so hard.Listen to the previous episode to hear Liv’s complete story.---Discover mid-life coaching with Lisa---Connect with LisaInstagram: Follow LisaFacebook: Follow LisaYouTube: The only place to watch every episode of Real Women's Stories with Lisa Quait Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is a story about resilience, motherhood and having the courage to begin again.In this episode, I’m joined by Liv Parkes, Founder and CEO of AI styling platform Persi.After more than 15 years working with brands including Reiss, House of Fraser, Monica Vinader and Missoma, Liv decided to build something of her own.She shares the reality of closing her first business, losing investment and starting again with no income and two young children to support. We talk about selling leftover jumpers to cover costs, pitching to investors shortly after giving birth and questioning whether pursuing her ambition was putting too much pressure on her family.Liv also opens up about working-mum guilt, being judged for how she dressed and why she refused to make herself smaller to fit into the business world.---Discover mid-life coaching with Lisa---Connect with LisaInstagram: Follow LisaFacebook: Follow LisaYouTube: The only place to watch every episode of Real Women's Stories with Lisa Quait Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Brucie bonus episode, I’m chatting to Sandi Birch about what it was really like working behind the scenes on The Generation Game in the 90s.From swapping vodka and Evian bottles during a studio drinking game, to accidentally causing a BBC evacuation over a cake left under her car, Sandi shares the kind of chaotic, hilarious and nostalgic TV stories you simply couldn’t make up.A lighter, behind-the-scenes bonus from our conversation - full of old-school telly memories, studio madness and the moments that made Sandi realise these stories needed writing down.Listen to my full conversation with Sandi in the previous episode.---Discover mid-life coaching with Lisa---Connect with LisaInstagram: Follow LisaFacebook: Follow LisaYouTube: The only place to watch every episode of Real Women's Stories with Lisa Quait Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is a conversation about loss, resilience, hope, and learning how to live again after the unimaginable.Three weeks before her wedding, Sandi Birch opened the door to two police officers - and in that moment, her whole life changed.Her partner Griff had been killed in a car crash on his way to work, leaving Sandi suddenly widowed, a single mum to their six-month-old baby, and facing a future she had never imagined.In this deeply moving episode, Sandi shares the shock of that day, the grief that followed, and the reality of trying to survive when everything you had planned disappears overnight. She opens up about burnout, loneliness, financial pressure, and the brave steps she took to rebuild her life - including walking through the corridors of the BBC with her baby, asking for help when she had nowhere else to turn.Now, 25 years later, Sandi has found purpose in helping others through grief, trauma and emotional pain through her work in Pranic Therapy.---Discover mid-life coaching with Lisa---Connect with LisaInstagram: Follow LisaFacebook: Follow LisaYouTube: The only place to watch every episode of Real Women's Stories with Lisa Quait Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is a conversation about Dubai, business, resilience - and what we learn about ourselves when life does not go to plan.When we recorded our mini-series in Dubai, the energy was high. Businesses were growing, opportunities were opening up, and our guests were building bold new lives in the UAE.Then, just days later, the drone attacks started.In this final episode, Maria, Sara and Amber come back together to talk honestly about what life has been like since - from cancelled bookings and disrupted businesses, to sleepless nights, uncertainty, resilience and the reality of trying to keep going when everything around you suddenly changes.They share how the attacks impacted their work, their mindset, their communities and their plans for the future, while reflecting on what this period taught them about courage, adaptability and the strength it takes to keep building when the world feels uncertain.---Discover mid-life coaching with Lisa---Connect with LisaInstagram: Follow LisaFacebook: Follow LisaYouTube: The only place to watch every episode of Real Women's Stories with Lisa Quait Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you’ve ever been hurt by someone you trusted, doubted your own judgement, or wondered how to rebuild after being knocked down, Amber’s story is a powerful reminder that painful chapters can still lead you somewhere stronger.In this episode of Real Women’s Stories, I sit down with Amber Proctor, founder of Hen And The City, a Dubai-based hen party planning brand helping brides celebrate in style.Amber moved to Dubai with ambition, drive and a vision to build something of her own. But while creating a women’s community with a friend, she experienced a painful business betrayal that left her heartbroken, guarded and questioning whether she even wanted to stay in Dubai.Amber opens up about what happened when friendship and business collided, how she discovered boundaries the hard way, and why she now refuses to let betrayal stop her from building the future she wants.This is a conversation about female friendship, trust, resilience, entrepreneurship, starting again abroad, and learning how to protect yourself without losing who you are.---Discover mid-life coaching with Lisa---Connect with LisaInstagram: Follow LisaFacebook: Follow LisaYouTube: The only place to watch every episode of Real Women's Stories with Lisa Quait Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you’ve ever felt stuck, underestimated, or laughed at for wanting more from your life, this episode is for you.In this episode of Real Women’s Stories, I sit down with Maria Pruna, a Romanian-born entrepreneur who left corporate life behind, moved to Dubai, and built a car wash business in one of the most male-dominated industries.After going through a divorce and starting again, Maria decided to bet on herself. With no traditional business background, she helped build and sell her first car wash in Belgium before moving to the UAE, where she has since grown two businesses from scratch.But the journey hasn’t been easy.Maria opens up about being rejected, underestimated, and even laughed at during a networking event when she proudly shared what she was building. Instead of letting that moment break her confidence, she turned it into fuel - and her story went viral.This conversation is about rebuilding your life, taking up space, starting again, and refusing to let other people’s opinions decide what you are capable of.---Discover mid-life coaching with Lisa---Connect with LisaInstagram: Follow LisaFacebook: Follow LisaYouTube: The only place to watch every episode of Real Women's Stories with Lisa Quait Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Formula 1 Racing was the dream Sara Essa could see from the grandstand - but getting there meant completely rebuilding her life.After feeling stuck, low and unfulfilled in the UK, Sara moved back to Dubai determined to start again. What followed was not the glossy expat success story people often imagine. It was loneliness, financial pressure, grief, weight loss, self-belief, and the brutal reality of chasing a career in sports presenting.In this episode, I speak to Sara Essa about leaving the UK, building a new life in Dubai, losing 35kg, creating a women-in-sport community, and finally getting the Formula 1 opportunity she had been working towards.But just as her dream started becoming real, life tested her in a way she never expected.This is a conversation about ambition, reinvention, resilience, and the truth about starting again when no one else can do it for you.This episode was recorded in February 2026.---Discover mid-life coaching with Lisa---Connect with LisaInstagram: Follow LisaFacebook: Follow LisaYouTube: The only place to watch every episode of Real Women's Stories with Lisa Quait Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How many times have you stayed quiet to keep the peace?Maybe you've laughed something off. Bitten your tongue. Ignored a comment that didn't sit right. Or convinced yourself it wasn't worth saying anything because speaking up felt more uncomfortable than staying silent.In this coaching episode, I explore the hidden ways we tolerate behaviour that doesn't align with our values, and why so many women find themselves shrinking in certain situations, even when they know something doesn't feel right.This isn't really about confidence. It's about boundaries.It's about trusting your instincts, recognising what you've been accepting for far too long, and deciding what you will no longer tolerate.If you've ever left a conversation wishing you'd said something, this episode is for you. It might just change the way you show up in the room.---Discover mid-life coaching with Lisa---Connect with LisaInstagram: Follow LisaFacebook: Follow LisaYouTube: The only place to watch every episode of Real Women's Stories with Lisa Quait Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For years, Helen Masters worked in environments where she was the only woman in the room.From the high-pressure world of corporate sales to professional football, she found herself surrounded by cultures built on power, performance and fitting in. But while others played the game, Helen refused to compromise who she was.This is a conversation about resilience, loyalty, identity and the courage to stand your ground when the easier option would be to stay quiet.Because sometimes the hardest thing you can do is refuse to become someone else.In this episode:The "fit in or f**k off" culture of male-dominated industriesThe reality of working behind the scenes in professional footballRaising children as a single mum while building a successful careerWhy Helen walked away from alcohol after years of living life at full speedThe importance of staying true to your values, even when it comes at a cost---Discover mid-life coaching with Lisa---Connect with LisaInstagram: Follow LisaFacebook: Follow LisaYouTube: The only place to watch every episode of Real Women's Stories with Lisa Quait Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, I explore the difference between healthy reflection and destructive overthinking - and how the stories we create in our own minds can quietly damage our confidence, relationships and sense of self.After rerecording an entire podcast episode I believed had gone terribly wrong, I realised something important: the version in my head wasn’t the reality at all.This is a powerful conversation about self-awareness, inner dialogue, confidence and learning to trust yourself again.Because sometimes the harshest judgement we face… is our own.---Discover mid-life coaching with Lisa---Connect with LisaInstagram: Follow LisaFacebook: Follow LisaYouTube: The only place to watch every episode of Real Women's Stories with Lisa Quait Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Millions watched Leah Tyrer on Married At First Sight and saw someone calm, confident and emotionally strong.But behind the scenes, she was masking anxiety, struggling privately and slowly losing herself.In this honest conversation, Leah opens up about the emotional pressure of reality TV, feeling misunderstood in relationships, late neurodivergence diagnosis, people pleasing and the moment she realised she’d spent years protecting herself instead of truly being herself.She also reveals what viewers don’t see off camera, how filming affected her mentally, and why watching the show back completely changed the way she saw herself.This isn’t just a conversation about reality TV.It’s a conversation about identity, confidence, emotional overwhelm and what happens when you finally stop pretending you’re okay.---Discover mid-life coaching with Lisa---Connect with LisaInstagram: Follow LisaFacebook: Follow LisaYouTube: The only place to watch every episode of Real Women's Stories with Lisa Quait Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do you constantly replay conversations in your head? Worry you said the wrong thing? Or feel like you’ve spent years trying not to be “too much”?In this coaching episode, I’m unpacking how the labels we’re given as children and young adults can quietly shape the way we think, behave and show up in the world for years afterwards.I share how being told I was “too outspoken” and had “a big mouth” slowly changed my confidence, my decisions and even the direction of my life - without me fully realising it at the time.We explore:How people-pleasing and self-doubt are connectedWhy so many women stop recognising themselvesA simple coaching framework to challenge negative thought patternsThis episode is designed to help you reflect on the thoughts, stories and identities you may still be carrying - and start reconnecting with who you really are underneath the overthinking. ---Discover mid-life coaching with Lisa---Connect with LisaInstagram: Follow LisaFacebook: Follow LisaYouTube: The only place to watch every episode of Real Women's Stories with Lisa Quait Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you’ve ever felt underestimated, behind in life, or like your brain works differently to everybody else, this episode is for you.At school, Clinical Psychologist Dr Lucy Shoolbred was told she was “thick and lazy”.She couldn’t read properly, felt constantly underestimated, and genuinely believed she wasn’t clever enough to succeed.Years later, she’s working behind some of the biggest TV dramas in the world - including the Emmy, Golden Globe and BAFTA-winning Netflix series Adolescence.But this episode isn’t just about success.It’s about what happens when a child grows up believing the labels adults gave them.In this conversation, Lucy reveals:what it actually feels like growing up severely dyslexicthe moment she realised school had got her completely wronghow she now protects child actors filming traumatic scenesand why some of the people who struggle most in school end up seeing the world differently to everyone else.Lucy also mentions the incredible work being done by Made By Dyslexia - a charity helping people better understand dyslexic thinking and why different brains should never be underestimated.---Discover mid-life coaching with Lisa---Connect with LisaInstagram: Follow LisaFacebook: Follow LisaYouTube: The only place to watch every episode of Real Women's Stories with Lisa Quait Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you’ve ever looked in the mirror and felt unsure of the woman staring back at you, this episode will leave you reflecting on where that feeling really began.Many women over 40 reach a point where they quietly wonder… how did I end up feeling so disconnected from myself?In this deeply personal solo episode, I reflect on the comments, expectations and life experiences that slowly shaped who I became - and how, over time, I started shrinking parts of myself just to fit in, feel accepted and avoid judgment.From being labelled “too outspoken” as a child to realising how much outside noise had influenced my confidence, relationships and choices, this episode explores the hidden reasons so many women begin to feel lost in midlife.But this conversation isn’t about blame or reinventing yourself. It’s about understanding how years of conditioning, people-pleasing and self-doubt can slowly pull us away from who we truly are - and how awareness is the first step back.In this episode, we explore:Why so many women lose confidence over timeThe impact childhood comments can have on adult identityHow people-pleasing slowly changes who we are ---Discover mid-life coaching with Lisa---Connect with LisaInstagram: Follow LisaFacebook: Follow LisaYouTube: The only place to watch every episode of Real Women's Stories with Lisa Quait Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you've ever felt like you had to make yourself smaller to be accepted, this episode is for you.For years, Sophie Jane Lee looked like she had it all together.A successful career. A beautiful home. Ambition. Status. Achievement.But behind the scenes, she was battling addiction, toxic relationships, deep shame, and a painful belief that she was never truly good enough.In this powerful conversation, Lisa sits down with brand strategist, journalist and author Sophie Jane Lee to unpack the truth about internalised misogyny - and the subtle ways women are conditioned to shrink themselves, compete with one another, stay “palatable”, and abandon who they really are.Together, they explore:why so many women struggle with self-worththe hidden ways misogyny shows up between womenpeople pleasing, perfectionism and burnoutSophie also opens up about the life-changing moment that forced her to confront the truth about herself - and the journey that inspired her book, Beyond Palatable.This is an honest, challenging and deeply important conversation about identity, conditioning, confidence, and what it really means to reclaim your voice as a woman.---Discover mid-life coaching with Lisa---Connect with LisaInstagram: Follow LisaFacebook: Follow LisaYouTube: The only place to watch every episode of Real Women's Stories with Lisa Quait Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you’ve been feeling exhausted, emotionally disconnected, overwhelmed or like life has made you smaller, this episode is for you.Somewhere along the way, I stopped recognising who I was.I became everything to everyone else - showing up, holding everything together, carrying the load, constantly rushing through life - until one day I realised how disconnected I’d become from myself.In this honest coaching episode, I talk about the quiet ways we lose our identity through overwhelm, routine and always putting other people first. I share the questions that helped me reconnect with myself, alongside a powerful realisation that changed the way I see my life:Maybe we don’t need to reinvent ourselves… maybe we just need to remember who we are again.---Discover mid-life coaching with Lisa---Connect with LisaInstagram: Follow LisaFacebook: Follow LisaYouTube: The only place to watch every episode of Real Women's Stories with Lisa Quait Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when everything you thought was secure… disappears overnight?In this episode, I sit down with Lisa-Marie Elkhadraoui - founder of Design Boss Diary - to unpack the moment her world shifted completely, and how what felt like a breakdown became the breakthrough that changed everything.From losing financial security with an 18-month-old child, to rebuilding her life, identity and business from the ground up… Lisa-Marie shares the reality behind resilience - not the polished version, but what it actually looks like when you’re in it.We talk about:The identity crisis so many women experience (but rarely say out loud)The moment she didn’t recognise herself in the mirrorRebuilding from nothing - emotionally, financially and mentallyWhy success isn’t just strategy… and the internal work that changes everythingCreating safety, not just in your home, but in your life and businessToday, Lisa-Marie mentors women to build profitable, sustainable businesses through a blend of strategy and mindset - but this conversation is about how she got there, and what it really took. If you’ve ever felt like life is falling apart… this episode might help you see it differently.---Discover mid-life coaching with Lisa---Connect with LisaInstagram: Follow LisaFacebook: Follow LisaYouTube: The only place to watch every episode of Real Women's Stories with Lisa Quait Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Take this 3-minute quiz to understand why you keep going round in circles in life, and get your free personalised workbook.***If you’ve ever found yourself lying awake at night, thinking about the things you haven’t done yet… this episode is for you.After a recent conversation, I couldn’t stop thinking about one powerful truth: it’s not the things we’ve done that stay with us - it’s the things we never tried.In this episode, I’m asking you one simple but uncomfortable question: What is the one thing you keep putting off?Because for so many women 40+, it’s not a lack of ability holding you back - it’s the decisions you keep delaying. The conversations you haven’t had. The changes you’ve been avoiding. The version of yourself you keep saying “one day” to.We talk about:The real reason you keep putting things offHow the barriers you feel are often the ones you’ve built yourselfA simple way to start breaking them down - one step at a timeAnd most importantly, why it’s not too late to change direction.This isn’t about huge, dramatic life changes.It’s about being honest with yourself… and finally taking that first step.Because you don’t want to look back and ask, “what if?”---Discover mid-life coaching with Lisa---Connect with LisaInstagram: Follow LisaFacebook: Follow LisaYouTube: The only place to watch every episode of Real Women's Stories with Lisa Quait Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.