I get you,
because I was you…
I know why you are here…
You are here because we are the same. I get you and I see you
You are better at talking yourself out of things than into them!
I know every desperate feeling and every horrified thought because I have had them.
What I have learned is how to own myself and my feelings and I want to get this right for YOU.
Sometimes our gifts are so subtle that we actually miss them, so I have made it my mission to help every creative woman become a creative QUEEN, ruling in her realm of genius.
But first let me tell you all about me, warts, weirdness and all!
Hey, I’m Mandy and I’m a creative genius!
I am a mum to two more creative geniuses.
No 1 Becca is at Uni studying Fine Art and No 2 Dan is at college studying animation and illustration. I didn’t force either of them, I just made creativity as important as academic subjects (I can hear the world judging me for that and I am currently sticking two fingers up at it!).
I am also mum to my two fur babies and a huge dog lover (if you don’t like dogs don’t even consider my retreats – just saying!).
I had spent my entire life working in a ‘proper job’ rather than following my zone of genius, because that is what society expected of me and YOU.
I have felt not worthy, I have had low self-esteem, I have battled my own mental demons. Yes, some big ones, but it is the small everyday battles with ourselves that hold us in stasis.
Bobbing along with what is expected instead of stepping into our creative power in order to illuminate the world.
Well, I want to help other women to be a beacon and to do that I have had to become a beacon myself.
Working class start…
I started life in Manchester as the proud owner of working-class parents.
My dad was an electrician and my mum a secretary. But underneath that disguise were two entrepreneurs who ended up buying a pub and then a country house in the Cheviot hills of Northumberland.
My dad worked in the Middle East for many years earning mega bucks for the sacrifice of his time with us so that he could provide the very best.
I was lucky.
Both of my parents supported my creativity, but it was a different story at school where I was encouraged down an academic route.
Rebel with a cause…
I learned a harsh lesson at high school when I was placed in the ‘Dunce’ class in ‘D’ block (how horrific but it existed!). They mixed my records up with my sisters and I spent two days in tears feeling like I was stupid and knowing I wasn’t. This taught me a lesson that has shaped my life.
I chose to fight for myself and for others, so they never had to feel like I did that day.
When I was allowed back in with the ‘normal’ kids with no apology for the mistake, I was a new Mandy. Nobody was going to tell me what to do. Nobody was going to make my sister feel like that. I became a protector and a leader.
When my teachers said I should follow an academic career I ignored them and chose creativity, easily passing all of my exams just to show them! Off to Uni in Edinburgh I went in my VW Beetle painted with flowers, afghan coat and crimped hair!
Total hippy…
I really am that weird looking, non-conforming hippy. My greatest love musically is Led Zeppelin, closely followed by Black Sabbath (I love Ozzy) and Heart. I painted motorbike tanks to earn money at Uni and drew portraits of tourists on the steps of the art gallery during the Fringe Festival.
I lived on home made veggie soup and loved every second of Uni life, exploring my creativity in depth.
Proper job…
I had worked in pubs and shops whilst at Uni and was not at all work shy, a value instilled by my hard-working parents. When it came time for me to leave my studies and find my dream job, I hit a brick wall.
There were no jobs at the time in the creative space, so I found a proper job to pay the bills as a Wines & Spirits supervisor at Fine Fare.
This turned into a twenty-year career and saw me use my creativity in the business arena. I became the first female Store Manager of a large superstore and then the first female Divisional Executive. I was on the wheel of life with a mortgage, a family and responsibilities.
Creativity felt like a distant memory.
Violet Aura…
One day whilst I was visiting one of my stores a gypsy came up to me in a shopping mall and told me I had a really strong ‘Violet Aura’. I looked it up and this is what I found:
A violet aura symbolises your desire to seek the answers to your life’s questions. The colour violet symbolises nobility in living, thinking, and doing. It’s the colour of creativity, deeper awareness, and enlightenment.
Since then, my aura has been mentioned many times by many people. But still I failed to follow my calling!
I am better at choosing staff…
I literally make this a joke, because it feels so ridiculous! I have been married four times! I am better at choosing staff than I am at choosing the right man. Although I got it right the fourth time with the truly amazing Gary.
Gary encouraged me to be a woman with a big vision and a real purpose to live in my brilliance and teach YOU how to live in yours.
Life gives us clues; it is our job to listen.
A series of unfortunate events…
At this point I need to tell you about the year 2009.
It was a year I will never forget because it was the year I lost everything I thought was important, only to find out what really matters in life.
I went from having it all, a six-figure career, business on the side, happy marriage, good relationships and a beautiful home, to living in a council house with £30 in my bank as a single mum.
I won’t tell you the story, but you can read about it in my book ‘The Life I Won’ (in the books section).
That loving push…
In 2018 I had a dream. I don’t usually dream, but this was vivid.
I was in an arena and I was a great creative teaching all I knew to thousands of women. I told my husband Gary and because I didn’t normally dream and he did, and I had to listen to his every morning, he took me seriously.
For Christmas 2018 Gary bought me an easel, pencils, brushes, paints and said, ‘stop talking about it and just do it!’
On Boxing day, I drew the dog, to see if I still could and then a series of paintings about women flooded onto the canvas one by one. (You can find these in the Gallery section).
This was it, that one loving push from a wonderful man who believed in me was all I needed to believe in myself.
I launched my business one year later on Boxing day 2019, we bought our dream home for cash in October 2019 and all was good.
What a journey from that council house!
Devastation…
On 29th April 2020, a month into the first wave of the pandemic, my beloved Gary died. Not from COVID, it was just his time. He was 53.
His gift to me in life had been to allow me to see my own talent and use it. When he left, I had my dream home owned outright and my dream business.
Thank you, my love, I know you will always be with me and what a gift you were.
Hey little girl…
I have shared some ‘BIG’ stuff with you here, but I know that the little girl who ended up in ‘D’ block is still in me and in YOU.
Sometimes, it is the small everyday things that stop you from making those decisions.
“Am I a good enough…mum, wife, daughter, sister, friend??”
Those questions that pop into our brains from past experiences that can be as seemingly insignificant as being humiliated as an 11-year-old, to being ignored for our innate genius by being told ‘it’s a great hobby, but you will never make money from it!’
I will take you by the hand little girl and show you your genius by reflecting you back onto yourself.
I will help you to have the courage to share it with the world. Most importantly I will help you see all of it and not ignore parts of it because I see it all in you.
I’ve got you.
Brainy Cow...
This is why I see YOUR genius!
I have a degree in art & design from Edinburgh College of Art, do I share that? Not very often! This was a major achievement for 18–21-year-old me and I should shout it from the rooftops!
I have a degree in psychology & criminology from the OU which I studied for as a single mum from 2009 so I could understand my son’s autism better, do I share that? Not very often!
I have a Diploma in Management Studies from Bournemouth University that I achieved whilst working as a store manager, do I share that? Not very often.
I have four coaching certifications from Stonebridge Associated Colleges in Life Coaching; NLP; Building Self Confidence in Others & Leadership Coaching do I share them? Not very often!
I have two more certificates in coaching from Udemy in Therapeutic Art Coaching and Therapeutic Art for Relaxation, do I share them? Not very often.
I am currently studying for my Master NLP and Shamanic Art certificates; do I share this? Nope!
You see, I am a lifelong learner. I learn for the knowledge and the love of it, so I ‘forget’ to tell people, it has felt a bit ‘braggy’. But that is the British mentality isn’t it! Don’t be big headed, just work hard and keep quiet.
Well, I am not hiding any more, because all of this learning helps me to help YOU!
When you add the learning to the life lessons, I have a hell of a lot to bring to the party and I am not afraid to shine a light on this.
This is how I know I can help you to highlight all of your amazing lessons, experience & talent.
Photography and videography by Natasha Holland
Stop hiding Queen..
You are already a Queen of your creative kingdom; you just need to learn how to rule.
So now you know all about me, why not jump on a call and tell me all about you?
I won’t try and sell to you, because I know more than anyone that the time must be right.
However, my best piece of advice to you was beautifully articulated by Pablo Picasso:
‘I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it.’
Love & colour
Mandy