Member Article

Macclesfield Female Entrepreneur Becomes Best-Selling Author

This summer will be one to remember for 42 year old, Alison Goodwin, from Macclesfield, Cheshire who last week discovered she’d penned a best-seller, as a book she co-authored went straight in at number 1 on the Amazon best seller charts in five separate book categories.

‘She Who Dares’, tells of how Alison went from a 60-70 hour week with five figure monthly salaries to becoming isolated with chronic daily pain, depression and anxiety. Alison shares her incredible story of how she refocused and founded the most rewarding career she has ever had - helping others unleash their potential and fulfill their own career and business goals.

Taking a very open approach to sharing highs and lows, Alison charts the struggles she experienced, alongside revealing her insights on how she overcame challenges, in a bid to inspire others looking to make a change in 2018.

With 25 years business experience Alison has worked in a variety of industries such as HR and Training as well as high pressure, target driven environments like Recruitment and Sales. It was in these latter areas that Alison excelled placing hundreds of people and winning numerous awards. Always one for pushing herself and getting the best out of others Alison rapidly became known in her industry as the consultant that everyone wanted to work with.

Then, suddenly out of the blue, Alison found her career on hold for health reasons and she found herself diagnosed with a rare chronic pain condition.

Alison says;“Life threw me a curveball. I had an accident that required surgery, and this is where my story really starts. I should have returned to work within 8 weeks, but something was wrong. I can’t describe in words how I felt but whilst my ligaments were slowly healing I had developed a rare long term chronic pain condition that affected my entire body. This condition was to be labeled Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) and not long after that I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. As anyone with a chronic pain condition will tell you, it is tough, it is invisible, and it is so hard to live with on a day to day basis.”

Her diagnosis alongside many other personal and professional struggles led to depression and anxiety and in Alison words she had “turned into a virtual recluse.“But, it was during this period of reflection and forced rest that Alison decided to refocus. Alison continues; “I started to think about what I could do and less about what I could not. I started looking at what I could offer people and slowly but surely not one, but two business ideas formed in my mind, I just lacked the courage to do anything about it.”

Then fate intervened and Alison met Abigail Horne, Co-Founder of the Female Success Network and Alison signed up to the Mastermind- (a small group that taps into a weekly training, monthly strategy calls and day to day support through a private Facebook group run by Female Success Network), one year later Alison says;“I have to say I’ve found the whole experience liberating. It’s given me the confidence I needed and helped me to realise the things in life that matter I’m talking personal growth, mindset, love, relationships, friends, family and of course work. I’m finally happy.”

Already reviewed as ‘an incredible and inspiring read from entrepreneurial women who have let nothing stand in their way on their path to achievement!’, ‘She Who Dares’ charts the journeys of 24 women in business, all at varying stages, but who as a collective have come together to support each other in their growth as they strive for their version of success.

Available now via Amazon - the book is also soon to be made into a paperback.

Alison continues;“Even if something seems impossible I’ll agree and work the ‘how’ out. Instead of seeing the negative I always try to see the positive and so I’ve always believed ‘there is a solution to every problem’.”

Alison is now a Career and Business Strategist and a self-confessed learning junkie who is trained in Life Coaching, Career Coaching and Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP). She runs two companies – the first is Alison Goodwin Ltd is a company that specialises in helping individual clients define new career paths, whether that be helping them navigate the everchanging workplace or helping those looking for a complete career change. She also provides business strategy advice to entrepreneurs and business women and those looking to succeed.

Alison’s latest company Your Future Self was set up to help young people age 12-21 to transition into young adults by helping them to build solid foundations for their future, using proven strategies to help them map their goals. Working alongside local education authorities and parents, Alison’s mission is to make career advice accessible early in life so that our next generation are inspired to do more and to be more.

Alison says;“I never believed I would own my own business – let alone two! Looking at what I have achieved over the last 12 months blows me away and looking at what new skills I have learnt inspires me to learn more! My ultimate mission is to provide the tools that empower people, to help them exceed their career and business goals.”

Brought to life by Authors & Co, whose focus is on telling stories of those who are keen to inspire and leave a legacy, the creation of the book has been gifted to the contributors from their business mentors, the founders of Female Success Network, to celebrate the last 12 months of working together and the milestones that everyone has achieved.

Alison continues;“Being included in this book is a celebration for me of how far I have come, and a recognition of what can be achieved when women in business come together. I am so excited to share my story alongside these other amazing women from Female Success Network who have had my back over the last 12 months. I was drawn to the honesty and openness of Female Success Network. Coming from the ‘corporate world’ and companies where competition was rife, it was so unlike anything I had ever experienced, and what stands out to me the most is a simple phrase, “collaboration over competition” - this helped me to put my trust into people again. Instead of competition I found myself surrounded by a group of women who openly supported and encouraged each other but didn’t just speak empty words, they did what they promised – This is proof that female solidarity does exist - this is a real example of women coming together to be stronger, not stabbing each other in the back, and it’s something I’m really proud to be a part of”.

Female Success Co-Founder Sarah Stone said:“Female Success Network attracts women from all walks of life who have dreams and aspirations but need the clarity, strategy and clear goals to make their vision take shape, un-ashamedly pursuing their version of success. When we launched a year ago we had no idea who we would be supporting but the women we have worked the most closely with, those in our Mastermind group - (a small group that taps into our weekly training, monthly strategy calls and day to day support through our private Facebook group) have inspired us just as much as we have them. This book is a thank you to them for having faith in us, for putting our teachings into practice and for celebrating the huge wins they have all achieved over the last 12 months as they have taken control of their lives and futures”.

Abigail Horne, book coach at Authors & Co said:“Documenting your story can be one of the most powerful things you can do, to leave your legacy and to help have an impact on others. Alison’s story is sure to strike a chord with many other women worldwide, and I’m excited to have been able to help her share it, and achieve best-selling author status at the same time!”.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Becky Hayles .