Charlotte Evans MBE: Paralympic Gold, Life After Sport & Redefining Success

Welcome back to She's Got Game. On this

week's episode, I'm sitting down with Charlotte Evans, who is one of the women who led us to team GB's first ever gold medal at the Parolympic Winter Games. We

then go on to talk about her life in poling and then financial planning. This

conversation was amazing. We spoke about mindset a lot, resilience, and how it's totally okay to pivot from one career to the next and how to know when to do

that. I hope you enjoy.

that. I hope you enjoy.

[Music] Charlotte Evans, welcome to She's Got Game.

>> Thank you.

>> Thank you so much for joining me today.

We are going to start quickfire.

>> Okay.

>> Which gives you most adrenaline? Skiing,

police work, closing a financial deal, presenting live on TV, or public speaking?

>> Gosh, that list is intense. Um, they're

all really different, I think. Um I

suppose we'll start with the skiing one.

Um skiing the adrenaline changed. Um it

changed throughout. So when I was obviously competing able body on my own.

Um you had the adrenaline of keeping yourself safe and only focusing on yourself. But then you had when I moved

yourself. But then you had when I moved into the parolympics team. I then had the safety of somebody else. So I

suppose the adrenaline became very different. It became it's very hard to

different. It became it's very hard to make somebody go as fast as they possibly can but safely. So I think the responsibility became a lot larger. So,

I think that adrenaline was pretty high.

I think policing that was high in you actually are risking your life at some of the jobs that we were going to. Um,

again, you have real high pressure to make sure you do the right thing and and kind of make sure everyone's safe. So,

it's around kind of the area that you're dealing with. Finance, it's new for me,

dealing with. Finance, it's new for me, so I'm excited. It's a buzz. Um, I get to work in the sport industry of it. Um,

so yeah, I'm loving that as well. But,

okay, let's put it all in. Which one

would I say? I think probably policing because there's probably more parts to it that you can't control. Um, skiing. I

was quite comfortable in what I was doing with my ability. I just needed her to listen to what I was kind of giving her. So, yeah, I'll go with policing is

her. So, yeah, I'll go with policing is probably the biggest adrenaline and fear factor as well.

>> What would you say is the favorite or your favorite slope or resort that you've ever skied?

>> Oh gosh. Um, they all are different, but I think for me, I just love Austria. I

think Austria is just it's got that family feel. It's got that culture. Um,

family feel. It's got that culture. Um,

and there's not loads of us there, if that makes sense. The touristy part isn't isn't as big as it would be in France and places like that.

>> So, yeah, I'd choose Austria.

>> So, I've never been to Austria. I've

done France and Switzerland. Okay.

>> But I've heard Austria is amazing.

>> Yeah, it's just it's got beautiful views. It's got like good calves. It's I

views. It's got like good calves. It's I

imagine the appra is pretty good, but I don't know if I'm honest. I haven't done the whole either, so I don't with that bit. But um skiing wise, yeah, it's got

bit. But um skiing wise, yeah, it's got good slopes and you've got a real range of different abilities that can go to it. So, if you want that culture side of

it. So, if you want that culture side of skiing, I think Austria is better for that. If you want the party scene and

that. If you want the party scene and the fun side, it's probably France is is kind of folly and whatever.

>> That's the one I was going to say.

What's it called? The Folly D.

>> The folly do.

>> If you could swap careers with someone for a day, who would it be?

>> Oh gosh. Um, who would I swap with?

I really love what I'm doing. I know

that's a really rubbish answer, and I'm sure there's people that have really great careers and lives, but I really love what I get to do. Like, I've been

really lucky to to pivot in different industries. Like, I'm 34. I've had three

industries. Like, I'm 34. I've had three big careers. Like, they're not they're

big careers. Like, they're not they're not small. I I did well in all the three

not small. I I did well in all the three sectors that I'm trying to work in. So,

I just think for me, I I'm really lucky that I'm I'm someone who will just give it a go. I might not be good at it. I

might take me a while to get to where I want to be in it, but yeah, I think my life's pretty great. I I have good friends. I have a good partner. I have

friends. I have a good partner. I have

good family. Like, what what more do you want? Like, there's not there's not

want? Like, there's not there's not really anything else that I I need. So,

I think for me, >> I really like my life.

>> I don't think that's a boring answer at all. I think that's that's the goal.

all. I think that's that's the goal.

That's where we all want to get to. And

you spent a bit of time presenting as well, didn't you? What's the funniest thing that's happened to you on TV?

>> Um I got absolutely berated pretty much by um Big Fat Quiz of the Year. He is

probably the funniest guy I've ever worked with. Um but at the same time,

worked with. Um but at the same time, you don't ever want to say anything back because you're going to get absolutely attacked. So um

attacked. So um >> yeah, he he basically we went on the show and he was talking about how have you ever had any crashes or anything like that? And we were like, "Yeah, like

like that? And we were like, "Yeah, like we have." And anyway, and he basically

we have." And anyway, and he basically just was like, "What sort of guy does that when you're crashing?" And so it became this whole story that then became I was useless at what I was doing. So,

but he was very funny and he just Yeah, he made it he put everyone at ease. And

I think someone like that is just it's a real skill to be on the spot with being funny. I think that's

funny. I think that's >> I don't know. It wouldn't be my back, but um but yeah, he's that was probably a biggest intense moment, I suppose, but funny for everyone else, but probably not not for you. Yeah, I was

annihilated, but it was funny for everyone else. So,

everyone else. So, >> and then on the line of guided skiing, which Parolympic moment would you relive if you could?

>> Um, the gold was amazing for us. Like,

everyone always brings up the gold. They

always say to me, "God, it must have been the most fantastic day. It must

have been everything you've ever wanted." Blah blah. But I only had

wanted." Blah blah. But I only had relief on that day. Like, there was no excitement. There was no wow, it was

excitement. There was no wow, it was thank goodness that's happened. So, we'd

had a really poor downhill the day before. Um, and I'm one of these people

before. Um, and I'm one of these people that if if something's not going well or it's not going to be working out, I'm happy to take the feedback. I'm happy to reassess something and go, "That didn't

work." The downhill was the perfect run

work." The downhill was the perfect run and we came last. So, I struggled with that because I can't pinpoint what I needed to improve. I couldn't pinpoint

where we needed to be better. Um, and so I struggled with that that concept of coming last in the biggest stage. Um, we

had to go through a media frenzy obviously at the end. You've seen them on TV. It's it's quite intense. And we

on TV. It's it's quite intense. And we

went through and I remember a reporter saying to me, um, Charlotte, this one's for you. And I said, okay. He's like,

for you. And I said, okay. He's like,

everyone in Great Britain's got up this morning to watch this performance. Um,

and that's how you've delivered. You've

disappointed your country. you've let

everyone down. What have you got to say for yourself? And I remember at that

for yourself? And I remember at that point just thinking, gosh, I'd forgotten that everyone watches this. Like I'd

forgotten that millions of people are watching a parolympic games. Like I was there to just do a sport, win a gold, and go home. Um so I think after that

day, it was the Super G then came. And

um I think for me, yeah, it was just relief. It was relief that we did have

relief. It was relief that we did have it there. It just didn't it didn't work

it there. It just didn't it didn't work out. for whatever reason that was, it

out. for whatever reason that was, it didn't work out that day before. Um, but

we had the skill there. It just needed to kind of come to together on the day instead.

>> Yeah. How did you respond to the question that he asked you?

>> Um, I responded with sorry. Um, it was really emotional like and I think everyone always says this in every athlete, so I'm sorry if I'm repeating what people say, but you only see one

day. And when you've dedicated your life

day. And when you've dedicated your life and it is your life because I competed since I was well I got into ski when I was five and we competed hardcore till we were what 18 and then I started

working with the parolympics just whilst I was injured. So you really do dedicate your whole life. You take you take schooling out. You go it's difficult

schooling out. You go it's difficult with friends. It's difficult with like

with friends. It's difficult with like changing from different groups when you get back to school and actually all the girls have changed. No one's friends anymore and you've got to try and find where you now fit in that group or doing

your GCES being filmed in Norway. Like

everything was that's that's the picture. And then when you get to the

picture. And then when you get to the games and you get to one day that you hope to perform the best you've ever performed to then win Britain's first ever one in that in that kind of sport,

you're you have no concept of what that means. Like you just want to win. Like

means. Like you just want to win. Like

that's it. That's all you want to do is win. And I think when you've when you've

win. And I think when you've when you've been thrown into a limelight that you then go, how do I operate in this? I

think that's when you start to then go, yeah, what's next really? Like what's

where do I go next? What do I do? And I

think the apology was probably all I had for him. I didn't really have a grand

for him. I didn't really have a grand answer. I didn't have

answer. I didn't have Yeah, I didn't know what had happened. I

couldn't I couldn't answer it myself.

So, I think yeah, they're probably the difficult parts in sport.

>> If you could go back now and he was to ask you that question again with all of the knowledge and the hindsight that you have, would you change what your answer was?

>> Like, I'm always a pleaser. Like, I

really I actually get a kick out of helping people. Like, I love that's why

helping people. Like, I love that's why my career journeys have been what they are. That was the one concept of why I

are. That was the one concept of why I do all of them different things that I've done. But

I've done. But I also look at it and go, it was such a a difficult question in that moment.

I hadn't thought of the other people.

No. Do I want to let down the country?

Absolutely not. But do I feel that since then I've given back to the country and other different things? Yeah, 100%. like

you, I'm sure, will come on to poling, but like some of the things that I set up there would just they're some of my proudest moments. Do you know what I

proudest moments. Do you know what I mean? So, I just think

mean? So, I just think >> yeah, I I probably wouldn't answer it any different. I'd still probably still

any different. I'd still probably still be apologetic. I just maybe would

be apologetic. I just maybe would understand what it feels like to enjoy a moment more >> um when you do win because the next day we didn't enjoy it. We just processed and was ready for the next day. Um so, I

think if I had my games again, >> I would enjoy it more. I'd go I'd go and do painting and do all the things that everyone probably did in the village. I

didn't do it for the simple reason I was so scared of changing any routine.

>> We didn't want to change our food. We

didn't want to change anything that changed was going to be a problem. So

yeah, I'd probably go back and enjoy it more.

>> And then you said you started when you were what, 5 years old. What was it about skiing that captivated you at such a young age?

>> I didn't. I hated it. Did you?

>> I absolutely hated it. like um my dad basically got us into all different sports. Um wanted us to get into sport.

sports. Um wanted us to get into sport.

We lived in an area that um had a lot of poverty. My parents came from not rich

poverty. My parents came from not rich backgrounds and things like that. So I

think they just felt sport was a good outlay for them. They got into different sports to try and keep them off the kind of bad road that it could have led to.

And I think they felt the same with me.

And he took me horse riding. He took me gymnastics. And I think he just found

gymnastics. And I think he just found with the sports that he couldn't be involved and he wanted a sport that he could do with us. So he went on a lad's holiday and was like, "God, I hated it, but we can do this together as a group

and that was it." So we went on we went down to our local ski center. They did

all these um cards where you could get free access. Um went and did it and I

free access. Um went and did it and I hated it. I literally was like, "I don't

hated it. I literally was like, "I don't want to do it." My dad was like, "You're doing it." And my sister then got

doing it." And my sister then got involved and was very successful and naturally quite gifted at skiing. It

just became something we did every weekend. Like it just became the norm, I

weekend. Like it just became the norm, I suppose. And then I got to probably

suppose. And then I got to probably 14, 15, that's probably when I started to get a kick for it and was like I was starting to win things. I starting to get better at what I was doing. And I

think that's probably where I started to see I could be better in this sport. But

before then, no. So, it was nine ten years of doing it until you felt like you enjoyed it.

>> Yeah.

>> And even then, I'm not sure I'd say enjoyed. I just realized it was a sport

enjoyed. I just realized it was a sport I was going to be doing. So,

>> yeah. You accepted that your dad was not going to give up.

>> Made my dad sound horrific, but yeah, basically you're not going to stop until you're there. But, um, but yeah.

you're there. But, um, but yeah.

>> What was that training like for the first nine years? Were you in the UK?

>> Yes.

>> It was dry slopes. So, um you would they had a circuit and you would just follow the circuit around the country um racing every weekend and probably at about the age of 14 um I then started doing more

on snow. Um snow was expensive. It was

on snow. Um snow was expensive. It was

never going to be a a gift. It had to be something we had to either work for, get sponsorship for, whatever it was to be able to do it. So, I then yeah moved in at 15, got selected for the England

team, and it was tough. Like it was really Sorry if I'm jumping any of your questions, but um it was tough the England team. Like I don't if I'm really

England team. Like I don't if I'm really honest, did I have happy memories of it?

No. Like it wasn't I remember my first day we skied down and I was and I don't want this to sound like I'm feeling sorry for myself. It really isn't. But I

was the weaker one of the girls in the team and had purely got in there because they chose the top four and genuinely four people had fallen over and I ended up in the top four. So, I get selected

for the team because that's the criteria. And I turned up on the first

criteria. And I turned up on the first day and the coach pulled me to one side and he was like, "Charlotte," he's like, "I just want to speak to you about what's going to be going on." And I'm like, "Okay." He's like, "You're not

like, "Okay." He's like, "You're not good enough. I don't really know why

good enough. I don't really know why you're here. Um, you've got 3 weeks to

you're here. Um, you've got 3 weeks to try and get better because you're not coming back. Um, but yeah, make the most

coming back. Um, but yeah, make the most of it. Take as much as you can and um,

of it. Take as much as you can and um, we'll go from there." And I remember at 15 just nodding and being like, "Yeah, no, I'm really grateful to be here, like really happy." And and actually, yeah,

really happy." And and actually, yeah, like I probably wasn't good enough to be there but >> would we talk to people like that now? I

don't know. I don't I don't know. I'm

not an athlete now, but you would hope that people would maybe word it differently or um or maybe just think what's the best to get out of somebody because

>> I was really shy and really um timid at that at that point in my life. So, I

think it could have gone two ways. That

could have been a I don't ever want to ski again. Luckily, well, I say luckily,

ski again. Luckily, well, I say luckily, yeah, like my dad was quite a like for like pushing and getting us into sport that actually I wasn't going to leave the sport. But yeah, if he hadn't have

the sport. But yeah, if he hadn't have been like that, I think I probably easily would have been like this isn't my sport. Like this isn't what I need to

my sport. Like this isn't what I need to be doing. So, so yeah, England team was

be doing. So, so yeah, England team was hard. It was a tough gig. Um, but it

hard. It was a tough gig. Um, but it does make you you learn from it, don't you? you get experiences from it and it

you? you get experiences from it and it you take them into your next chapter and your next period and it goes from there really.

>> What happened at the end of those three weeks?

>> Um well I stayed I ended up as English champion and he ended up giving me the trophy. So you can imagine the delight

trophy. So you can imagine the delight in my face um when he had to give it.

But um >> that's just resilience isn't it? Like

that's not there's no magic power there.

There's no oh she all of a sudden got really good. It's just sticking to

really good. It's just sticking to something and sticking at it.

>> And I think that's all that really happened. I just continued plugging away

happened. I just continued plugging away and trying to trying to get better. And

I wanted to be better. I wanted to be the top girl. I wanted to be the one that won everything. And you only get that if you keep going. So I think yeah, it got there in the end. But I

definitely am the the windy road. I'm

definitely not a straight let's get there and and go. It always seems a little bit difficult getting to where you need to be.

>> Yeah. And then becoming English champion at 18, >> did that then shape your confidence and ambition with skiing in any way? Or do

you feel like that was already ingrained in you before that point?

>> Yeah, I think it built my confidence. I

think it always does, doesn't it? I

think if you if you're not winning things, then you win something that's that's big. It's it's great. Like it it

that's big. It's it's great. Like it it gives you that confidence. But I think I got injured the month after at the British Championships. Um which maybe

British Championships. Um which maybe that was the way the path was going to work out because it then led me to working in the disabled team. So I think yeah the plan was always to go back to

my own skiing. It was never to go and stay with Kelly who I skied with. Um the

plan was always to go back. It just

didn't happen. I suppose it just how paths happen but it didn't. And um yeah I ended up where I was now.

>> Yeah. How did that injury influence your perspective of the sport?

>> Um it was the sport. The sport is always known for its ACL injuries. Um, I was probably lucky that I got to 18 and didn't have any other injuries. Um, I

think it delays you. I think injury is always a difficult one. I think as an athlete, you pray it never happens to you. You pray that you can just get

you. You pray that you can just get injuryfree the whole time. I still do it now when I go for a run, I think, oh god, please don't get injured because then it stops and you have to wait and and I'm impatient. So, um, yeah, it's

rubbish as an athlete, but I also think the ACL injury was a lot easier to deal with than when I hit my head. I think

the ACL, they gave me a time frame.

They've said, "This is how long it's going to take, and then you can be back on it and going." The head injury wasn't like that. So, it was very,

like that. So, it was very, no one had the answer for me. Um, and as somebody who likes control and knows what's happening, that was a kind of difficult injury. Um but injury is tough

difficult injury. Um but injury is tough but it is part of sport. Like I think now where I work in finance we we pride ourselves on that part is making sure that we we do plan for things. We do

plan the future for these individuals and we don't end up randomly getting injured and going gosh now what? Um and

it's them uncomfortable conversations you got to have. Whereas as an athlete I think we just avoid them and pray they don't happen. But actually facing them

don't happen. But actually facing them and having plans is sometimes the best option.

>> Yeah. Uh, and then when you had both of those injuries, did either of them cause you to see skiing in a different light at all?

>> The head one definitely.

>> Um, I got a lot of backlash with the head one. Um, that was in the parolympics

one. Um, that was in the parolympics team. Um, and all that had happened was

team. Um, and all that had happened was basically when you're when you're working with a a visually impaired athlete, when they come behind you, um, if they're heavier than you and they're

in your slipstream, when you're on a flat, you have nothing nothing to speed yourself up. You are the weight you are.

yourself up. You are the weight you are.

That's what it is. And Kelly was a little bit heavier than me. So, I always knew that whenever we were working on steeps, it was fine. There was never an issue. That's about technique. But when

issue. That's about technique. But when

you came onto the flats, I had to always make sure there was enough distance between us. So, she was practicing

between us. So, she was practicing behind me to come out of the slipstream and come back in. Um, and her depth perception was never great. And I think I didn't know this is what she was

practicing behind me. So, um, I hadn't checked her and she just caught the back of my ski. Um, and I don't really remember much of it. I only remember shouting, "Emergency stop." Um, and I

remember her then me facing the opposite way than I was when I started and her kind of over the top of me. So,

>> wow. Um, yeah, that was I've totally gone off track. Sorry on what your question was. But

question was. But >> did it change how you saw?

>> Sorry. Um, hopefully you can cut that bit.

>> Um, >> not at all.

>> Yeah. So, um, yeah, it did change because then when the head injury happened, and I say injury, it was a severe concussion that basically pretty much put me in a dark room for about four months. Um, I had to learn how to

four months. Um, I had to learn how to memorize things again. I had to learn how to like my hearing all went, my speech wasn't great. Like it was it was really horrific. And I think I then from

really horrific. And I think I then from that point needed to change what sport did.

>> There was never anything in place for >> testing what your memory was like before because I may never have known how to do five words back to you. I don't I don't know. But when you're then in that

know. But when you're then in that situation and they're going recite this back to me, I could actually have been fine. But actually, you don't know if

fine. But actually, you don't know if you've got no starting pack. So I then wanted it changed. So I did a lot of work with media to not even highlight.

It was never there to bash people. It

was just to get it changed. That was

all. Um people felt that they had this in place. I I personally felt that if

in place. I I personally felt that if you haven't got it on your biggest national team then I I don't believe little kids at the age of 12 are able to have that inademies. So it did change

things. It got people thinking. It got

things. It got people thinking. It got

people now taking these tests before the kids hurt themselves. Um, and I felt that at 22, if I couldn't tell my coach I wasn't well, a 12-year-old was never

going to do it. So, yeah, I did I I did get a bit of backlash on that, I think, just in regards to people felt we had that in place.

>> I didn't have it in my in my team. So,

even if we changed it in one, then that was a good good move. So, yeah, it did change me. It did it made me realize

change me. It did it made me realize I was more of a product than a person.

Um, it made me feel that I didn't I I didn't know what I was doing in this sport anymore. And I think I always had

sport anymore. And I think I always had two boxes. You have the politics of

two boxes. You have the politics of sport and then you have the sport you love. And when them two boxes become

love. And when them two boxes become one, I think that's a problem. I think

it's a time to to leave. And I actually think it's a time to refresh into something new. And I've taken that with

something new. And I've taken that with me in every job I've gone to. I'm not a negative person. I think I'm quite

negative person. I think I'm quite positive. like I see I can always find a

positive. like I see I can always find a route to get somewhere that we need to go. Um and I think when you then join

go. Um and I think when you then join them up and you can't see the route anymore, I think it's time to then start again and refresh. So yeah, that was my turning point in skiing was it's now time to try something new and and

divert.

>> So funny though because still at this stage you're only 22, >> which is still so young, but you've spent how many years in the sport by that point? 17 years.

that point? 17 years.

>> Long time >> or more. Did you not feel heard by your coaches? No, at all.

coaches? No, at all.

>> No, like my coach. So, when we were when I hit my head, he was adamant there was nothing wrong with me. Um, he had a skiing for another two hours and it was only when I was listening in the headset

with Kelly. I said, "Kelly, I'm really

with Kelly. I said, "Kelly, I'm really not feeling good. Like, I need I need to stop." And he was having none of it.

stop." And he was having none of it.

Like, but I knew if she said she needed to stop, we were going to stop. So, she

did. She said, "I don't feel well. I

want to stop." So, we stopped. We went

down. He said, "You've still got a gym session to do." He dropped us off at the gym and I remember being on the bike and just being like not feeling like I'm there. Like it just felt like I was just

there. Like it just felt like I was just going to pass out. Um so I got off the bike and I just sat there and she said, "Don't worry, we'll just tell him we've done it." Like he'll never know. Like

done it." Like he'll never know. Like

he's not here. So, we left it as that and then I got home that night and I remember being in bed and just I'd rang my partner at the time and he just said he had told me this after, but I was

going in and out of consciousness and didn't really understand why and then was just violently sick, like really really sick.

>> Wow.

>> Um, woke up the next day and the coach was like, "You can go to the hospital cuz I dislocated my shoulder."

>> So, they said, "You can go to the hospital to sort that, but we'll be back skiing tomorrow." I was like, "Yeah,

skiing tomorrow." I was like, "Yeah, yeah, that's fine. It's fine." Anyway,

went into the hospital. They were like, "Did you hit your head?" And I'm like, "No, just like my shoulders in a lot of pain, like that's all." And um so she was adamant we needed to stay in. I was

adamant I was not staying in. Um and

that's not the right thing to do. But in

the same time, I think you're scared.

You don't really speak the language that well. I wanted to be back home. We did

well. I wanted to be back home. We did

have doctors. We did have physios. We

had everything on camp with us. So went

back to the hotel and he was like, "You're fine. We're going back skiing

"You're fine. We're going back skiing tomorrow." And I remember sitting at

tomorrow." And I remember sitting at dinner and he was like, I think he asked me something like, "How are you?" and I just burst into tears. And this luckily the psychologist that we've been working

for for we've been working with her for like six years or something. She was

like, "I've never watched this girl moan." She was like, "She had three

moan." She was like, "She had three degree burns on her arm. She's been

injured in loads of things and this girl still skis. She still competes. Like I'm

still skis. She still competes. Like I'm

telling you now, like if she's if she's crying, there's a problem." And he was like, "I don't really care." Like, and so she took the decision. She booked the

flight. She sent me home. Um, and thank

flight. She sent me home. Um, and thank God she did because I then ended up in a really bad way for quite a long time.

Um, and he he just would send messages to the head specialist and be like, "She's injured her back. This is nothing to do with her head. You need to you need to get her back out. Like, we've

got world champs coming up. She needs to be there." Um, and that pressure like,

be there." Um, and that pressure like, and I did feel pressure. And I look at I look at it now, I'm 34. Like, it's a very different mindset than what I was at 22. But that mindset of 22 was I need

at 22. But that mindset of 22 was I need to be back. Like and I remember lying to the specialist being and like trying to remember these words and getting out and writing them so that hoping she'd ask the same words and I just I keep

practicing practicing practicing. So she

would almost get ready to sign me off.

And I remember she sat there one day and we're having like a row. Like I'm like you need to let me back. Like you're

you're stopping me going back. And she

said to me she was like you know what you don't care if you die. She was like, "But how do you feel if you give the wrong response to Kelly and she dies?"

And I remember thinking, "That's a bit severe." Like, and she's like, and that

severe." Like, and she's like, and that was it. Then I was done. I was like,

was it. Then I was done. I was like, "Yeah, I'm not going to world champs.

I'm done. We're we're we're chilling."

And then that was it. And then I started to heal.

>> Isn't it funny how your brain like actually does relax? So So yeah. And

then obviously I think at that point then was like >> I'm not I am a human. I do have I have a personality. I have feelings. I have a

personality. I have feelings. I have a life. Um, that's been I've been really

life. Um, that's been I've been really lucky. I've been really lucky. You hear

lucky. I've been really lucky. You hear

them horror stories, don't you, in skiing where people have hit their heads and haven't really made it. So, I think that was my point to be like, it's time for change now. Let's try something new.

>> That's when the Clipper race came in.

So, >> completely different experience.

>> Yeah. I mean, it sounds like you and Kelly had quite a strong bond.

>> Yeah.

>> How did that relationship form? I don't

think she'll hate me for saying this, but we hated each other at the beginning.

>> Did you?

>> We really didn't like each other. Like,

oh, we were such opposites. Like, I was 18, really, like I said, really shy, was not ready to command anything. And

you had Kelly who was, she must have been what, 25, 26, who had been to university, she'd had a job, she was grown adult, like a real adult.

>> And she's got some 18year-old going, we're going to do this. So I think yeah we just we we just clashed absolutely clashed constantly and it took the psychologist really to kind of break

that down.

>> Um and she kind of sat with us and the only way I can describe is it's like marriage counseling genuinely like you sit down you write down the things you don't like about each other you like about the things you do like about each

other and the things that you have in common. And it was intense. It was

common. And it was intense. It was

brutal. I don't think I've ever sat and felt so uncomfortable in all my life.

But it was brilliant because we then understood what each other need from this relationship and actually what our goals were were they were matching. We

both wanted to win. We both wanted to be successful. And when you can figure out

successful. And when you can figure out the goal part and you actually match in that, the rest is going to work out just fine. So yeah, then changed. Um the job

fine. So yeah, then changed. Um the job was that I would be more assertive, more stronger on the hill and almost that boss on the hill. She was the boss off the hill. And then it just worked like

the hill. And then it just worked like and that's when the medals started coming that's when we started to really kind of separate ourselves from the pack. Um and that was yeah because the

pack. Um and that was yeah because the relationship strong I think if you trust someone implicitly like you can pretty much do anything can't you in the world um and you are genuinely putting

someone's life in in your hands that one you're moving what 75 miles an hour you you've got split seconds like it's not you haven't got time you haven't got time to think about it and I think it's

it's like anything isn't it? I bring

this into finance now and and when I was in policing when I was looking after a team if I said to you right I think what we should do is we're going to like yeah maybe we'll turn this way and then we'll do this or if I said we're going to turn

right and you're going to do this and you're going to do that you'd be like okay we're going like she's she knows what she's confident in what she's doing so I'm going to I'm going to match it and so it's just silly little words that can change a whole dynamic of a team

>> and I think that's what happened is we just changed the wording we changed my position in what my job Um, and then it was easy like it then, yeah, performed better.

>> So that trust and communication piece was so important to what you were doing.

>> It's huge. Like, and it you genuinely are having to rely on somebody else to to get you down the hill. Like, so

if you don't trust that person, you're never going to let go, are you? You're

not attached. So you you've only got a headset. So if you're not going to

headset. So if you're not going to respond to what's being said, that split second can change the whole the whole piece of what you're doing. So

>> yeah, it took time. And it does take time. I don't Everyone always says to

time. I don't Everyone always says to me, "Oh, would you who would you have guide you if if it ever happened?" And

probably my sister's the only one that I know would keep me as safe as she could.

>> Yeah.

>> She didn't have that. So, she's then got to rely on a random that she's never met before who's 18, >> super shy. It's not a great combination to start with, to be honest. But

>> it's fascinating. It's a really interesting combination. Not only the

interesting combination. Not only the power dynamic of being younger and her being older, but also the fact that you were shy and then had to grow into this >> assertive. Yeah.

>> assertive. Yeah.

>> Almost introvert to extrovert like >> but >> now you wouldn't think I was shy. No,

>> everyone would be in shock if they said but actually I am like my actual comfort side is >> you just learn to perfect it. I suppose

you learn to you have to >> and you know when to turn it on.

>> Yeah. And then when you go back to your normal life you go back to being quiet and shy or >> whatever. So, you just need to turn it

>> whatever. So, you just need to turn it on when it's needed.

>> And then Winning Gold was a historic day.

>> What do you remember about that day?

>> I don't know. I remember lots of stuff like we obviously the media was insane.

Um I and I know this sounds such a copout answer. I genuinely didn't know

copout answer. I genuinely didn't know how I didn't know about that history part.

>> It was just win the gold. like it I we didn't know and we we had a really disappointing games for us like and that again everyone goes God but you won gold like we wanted five okay so the goal was

five so when you come back with one most people would go wasn't great then you don't realize that how big it was until we got home and I think probably when we got given our MBE that was kind of the

first step of saying this was a monumental moment um but when we did it we just were like oh yay Finally, like we did it. It's great.

Let's do it again tomorrow. Like

straight back on the horse and and go.

So, what do I remember of the day? I

remember everyone crying. I was like, don't know why everyone's crying, but everyone's crying. All our family were

everyone's crying. All our family were crying. Um, she was just happy. I think

crying. Um, she was just happy. I think

we'd spent obviously, like I said, the day before was just so miserable. And I

think that takes a lot. I think you learn a lot of a lot about yourself when you get put in them moments where you just have a decision to make, which is you either attack it and go again or you

don't. Like they're your two options.

don't. Like they're your two options.

And I think hats down or hats down hats hats off to people that um can do that because it is quite hard I think like for you to when you fail at things so

drastically in front of everybody.

And it isn't a big deal. No one actually cares in the grand scheme of life. No

one cares who's winning anything at any games, but for you in that moment, it's huge. And you think, and when you have

huge. And you think, and when you have people who are highlighting that you've let people down, you think it's huge, but if I Yeah. If I look back now, I'm like, no one cares. Like, no one you're

just doing a sport. Like, it's cool you do a sport. The rest of the world's still ticking round just fine with whether you do well or don't do well.

Um, but for yourself, it's that that pride to do well. Um,

>> I think a lot of people listening have probably had experiences where they've not done well in something they were hoping to and then they've had an opportunity to go again, but they've struggled to reframe that mindset.

>> And I know you said it's like right, you either attack it or you don't, but actually that's so much easier said than done.

>> Absolutely.

>> How did you do that?

>> I think look, nobody's ever going to be fighting your corner really. You have to be your own cheerleader. And I I'm not sitting

own cheerleader. And I I'm not sitting here at any point saying I'm super confident. I really believe in

confident. I really believe in everything I do. Absolutely not. I will

probably be your biggest critic or my biggest critic. Um I lack confidence

biggest critic. Um I lack confidence sometimes in some of the things I do.

The one thing I will say about myself is I'll always try. And I think that for me, it doesn't matter if you're doing sport or if you're in business or if you're in whatever you're doing it, it's about trying. And actually, if you feel

about trying. And actually, if you feel you've absolutely put your best and put your all into everything, no one can ask for any more from you. But you have to put that mirror up. You have to actually look in that mirror and go, did I

actually do my best or did I not? And

there's times when I haven't. There's

times when I've looked and gone, you didn't deserve to get that because you didn't do that or you didn't you did do that. But what I will say is, yeah,

that. But what I will say is, yeah, you're not no one's going to give you anything or I don't no one's given me anything. I think I've always had to

anything. I think I've always had to feel I've got to like put myself out there or fight for what for what you want really. But what I will say is that

want really. But what I will say is that the opportunities come and it's choice whether you take them or not. And some

people won't. Some will go past and you'll think, "Oh, what if I'd taken that track? What would have happened if

that track? What would have happened if I'd done that?" Like,

>> but it's done now. So, you then have to make the new tracks. And for me, I I started it off with this is the positivity for me. And the minute I'm sitting there feeling negative and not

wanting to get out of bed, it's time to move. And whatever that movement is, it

move. And whatever that movement is, it doesn't have to be big, it doesn't have to be small, it can be whatever you want, but you have to move. If you I just I have lots of friends, especially in policing, to be fair. Like, they will

moan for the rest of their lives about how miserable they are. I I just don't want to do that. Like, I don't I don't want to live a life where I'm miserable or I've missed it or I've got to the end

and gone, "Is that it?" like because no one's making you do that. Like you have a choice and so that's probably where I I get to a point I always want to be good in what I've done. I did seven and

a half years in policing like it wasn't a quick turnaround but I knew it was time it the crossroads and everyone's been at them. We've all been there where the crossroad happens and you go do I

move now or do I stay? And that decision is never wrong. It's just got to be personal to you of what you want to get out of it. For me, when that crossroad comes, it's time to move. Um, and it was

a great move for me. Like, I'm really happy in what I was doing. You've asked

me who my favorite or person I would like to change change and trade lives with. I don't because I don't I don't

with. I don't because I don't I don't ever feel that I've I'm I'm really lucky. Do you know what I mean? You have these horror stories of

mean? You have these horror stories of people that have lost people around them or have these horrific illnesses. And I

think got none of that. I've literally

got everything that somebody needs. And

is my world luxury luxurious? No. It's

really simple and really basic, but I'm really okay with that. Like it doesn't have to be this extravagant >> sense if that makes sense.

>> And then so you hit Crossroads at 22 and then again at 2930.

>> Yeah. So is that right?

>> Yeah. So I joined Well, I didn't join the police till 2017.

>> Okay.

>> So I had a break. Um after the games >> it it did go a bit nuts. Um and you're not ready for that. like I'm I'm talking four or five speeches a week. Like it

was intense. And so and no one teaches you. No one says this is what you do.

you. No one says this is what you do.

This is how you perform. This is what your speech should look like. This is

how you frame it. This is and all of a sudden someone who's shy who wants to hide in the corner. And you can probably see it if you look online and find any of my interviews before the games. I

barely say a word because I'm dying being in front of the camera of having somebody asking questions. Kelly will do all the talking and I'll just sit quietly. But when the games happened, I

quietly. But when the games happened, I didn't have that opportunity anymore.

Like that opportunity to sit in the background. Kelly lived in Ireland. I

background. Kelly lived in Ireland. I

lived here. The opportunities were massive. Um, and I would, again, that

massive. Um, and I would, again, that crossroad comes, do you take them or do you leave them?

>> It was the best thing I ever did. Like,

it absolutely taught me to to be bold and and and kind of make make my new pathway that I wanted, I think. Was it

easy? No. I remember, oh gosh, it was awful. I went to this event, rugby

awful. I went to this event, rugby event, and um one of the first ones. And

I got there and I turned up, my mom's like, and I'd run my mom before I got in there and I said, "I don't know anyone."

She's like, "You'll be fine. Like, it's

just an event. Like, you just eat dinner and it'll be fine." Anyway, I walked in and everyone just looked at me as I walked in. So, I thought, "I can't do

walked in. So, I thought, "I can't do this." So, I went to the toilet and I

this." So, I went to the toilet and I remember ringing my mom crying going, "Mom, I can't do this. I don't know why they keep sending me to these events.

Like I I'm not confident. She was like, "Right, we're going to come up with 10 questions." I'm like, "Pardon?" She's

questions." I'm like, "Pardon?" She's

like, "We're going to come up with 10."

So there and then in the toilet, she gives me 10 questions. She was like, "Now go find somebody and start the conversation." And that was the start of

conversation." And that was the start of the 10 question for me. Like so that became a thing. That became a backup. I

still use it when I need it. Um and then I just learned, I suppose, to develop that and go right now listen to what they're saying to me and jump on what they're saying. Um but that took years.

they're saying. Um but that took years.

like that didn't I didn't go to one event next and go oh yeah I've got my my questions and I can have a conversation no you just you just tap into them maybe so if there is anyone listening who's super shy and they just feel them sort

of situations are their worst nightmare but they have to do them um just maybe think of some questions think of some in your back pocket and then start jumping on them and listening to that kind of

process of it because now I don't I can't imagine ever putting me somewhere where I couldn't talk >> um is it choice No, not always. I

actually quite happy be quiet. Um, but

when you're at an event and you're speaking at an event, people want to talk to you. They they want to know the questions that they weren't confident enough to ask when you're doing the speech. So, you have to figure that out.

speech. So, you have to figure that out.

So, I think if people are working in business and things like that and people are saying, "Let's go to this event." I

still to this day, I promise you, I go to events and I have to be I take a massive deep breath. Today, prime

example, Jamie will tell you, my agent, she I'm quiet. I'm like, I've got nothing to talk about because I just I'm nervous or I feel uncomfortable. So, you

then have to yeah, either rely on other people that make the conversation for you or yeah, you have your 10 questions in your pocket.

>> I mean, for what it's worth, there's no way in hell I would have ever guessed that you were nervous. So good at this.

>> But it's an act, isn't it? Anybody can

be whatever you want. Like, if I come in and I learned, to be fair, the the the confidence side of my personality came in policing.

Um, I realized quite quickly that I was super young. I'd been promoted quite

super young. I'd been promoted quite quickly and I was now looking after hundreds of people that now were 30 years in the job and they've got this young girl that's turned up and she's

going to tell me what to do. And I think I just learned then that you either start getting bold, Charlotte, otherwise they're going to forget and and not listen to anything you say. So I do think life experiences that you go

through change how you perform. But I

think it just you just develop it, don't you? You just keep on working on it. But

you? You just keep on working on it. But

but the actual personality, yeah, I would I would say I was quite Yeah.

Quiet and nervous. Not quiet. That makes

me I'm definitely not quiet, but I'm I'm comfortable in my circles.

>> I think outside of that, I have to work quite hard.

>> There's a real theme in your life of being the younger one who's then >> asking things of older people and you're almost going, "How am I going to do this?" and you've done it in both of

this?" and you've done it in both of those careers and I'm sure again when we come into finance in a bit there are situations where you're doing it there as well >> but that transition from skiing into pleasing how do you feel athletes can be

better supported when they're stepping out of sport >> yeah I think I think they should have a team around them I think we naturally

for me in particular um you get an agent they usually want you whilst you're in the sport >> I know that is changing it is changing But actually sometimes you need the support after sport. It's all well and

good when you're in it. You've got all the source. You've got all the people

the source. You've got all the people around you. You've got all your physios.

around you. You've got all your physios.

You've got all of the people that you need. But actual life after sport is

need. But actual life after sport is really tough.

>> You have to reidentify who you are. Like

my identity was skiing. I was the skier.

You ask anybody in my childhood, the girl, she was the girl that skied.

You're having to redefine all of that.

And how do you become a new human? How

do you become somebody that actually is Charlotte? Like who is Charlotte? Like Charlotte's skier. Okay.

Charlotte? Like Charlotte's skier. Okay.

Well, who is Charlotte without skiing?

Like, and I think we have this in jobs all the time. You leave a job and I'm sure if I left policing, they'll be like there'll be a stigma to that. It won't

be anything to do with skiing. It will

be something in policing that I did. And

it'll be the same as you kind of go through your stages. But I would I think recommending I think finance especially like I think nobody teaches you that really in school. So I think having a

financial planner in sport and then having a plan after sport is I would always advocate for that. I work in that now so I'm obviously going to advocate for that. But I think having that team

for that. But I think having that team around you that you trust and advice that you can use off people would be really helpful. I think the Parolympics

really helpful. I think the Parolympics and Olympics and they may do this now.

I'm a long time out of skiing, but having that team of people that teach you how to do the media, teach you how to even charge, how do you charge people, like how do you all of these

things that people just either learn along the way or just don't do. I did so many free things because I just felt like, oh, this is nice. Like they want me to come and talk. Yeah, I'll come and talk. Like it becomes that. And

talk. Like it becomes that. And

actually, you end up spending a lot of money traveling around the whole country, which I don't regret any of that. I loved doing all of it. But

that. I loved doing all of it. But

actually if you had the guidance then you would actually know what you can capitalize on and what you can make a career out of um after. So I think having a team around you for after sport or even using old athletes that have

been there and done it and what given that kind of how-to guide I suppose of what happens after sport would have for me been really helpful. Um but it could have changed. I'm like I said I'm old

have changed. I'm like I said I'm old now. It's been a while. It's been a

now. It's been a while. It's been a while since I've been in sport. So it

could all be working nicely. But for me in finance especially, it's definitely not happening. I speak to a lot of

not happening. I speak to a lot of athletes who just have no idea. Most of

their money is put in a bank account, >> there's so many more things you can do with it to make it have a longevity.

Yeah.

>> Um and so yeah, I think that's probably quite a key key thing for them to have.

>> Why did you go into policing?

So I did a speech um and I was sat next to the chief constable and he said to me I as a passing comment I said I always wanted to get into policing when I was a

kid and he just handed me his card and said if you ever change your mind give me a call. Um so it took me that was 2014 took me to 2017. So keep your contacts guys if you if you got any

contacts just keep them in your drawer.

You never know when you're going to tap them back up. But um so yeah, I got the card back out and emailed him and said, "I don't know if you remember me." I was doing a lot of work in schools with kids who were getting in trouble with the

police. Couldn't get my head around how

police. Couldn't get my head around how a seven-year-old was known to police. I

couldn't I didn't come from that. Like I

I definitely was from a family who I wouldn't know who my local police officer was. Like we didn't know that.

officer was. Like we didn't know that.

So the fact that that was happening just kind of blew my mind. So, I was doing a lot of sport in schools to try and use it as an outlet for them and and frustration and all of them things that they were kind of going through. So, I

rang the police or rang I emailed the chief to be like, "Can we work together?

I want some more schools. I want to work more in this." And he was like, "I don't want you working for someone else. I

want you working for me." Um, and that's kind of then where it kind of went really. Um, they didn't have a cadet

really. Um, they didn't have a cadet scheme. They were probably one of the

scheme. They were probably one of the only forces in the country that didn't have it. Um and he said you've got free

have it. Um and he said you've got free reign like run it how you want make it what you want um just make it good and that was it really that's when the kind of journey started with policing and

would probably be my proudest moment if I'm honest the cadet team um it was phenomenal we had the 500 kids you had

to have 25% from deprived or vulnerable backgrounds I just refused to have a percentage on how many we were going to take so we ended at about 47% % in the end.

>> Wow.

>> Um, and these were kids that were in care. These were kids that were in

care. These were kids that were in trouble with the police. And we turn we genuinely, and I know people say this, but we actually did turn their lives around. Like, we've got kids now that

around. Like, we've got kids now that have no crime reports to their name.

They're really successful. They've got

jobs. They've managed to turn their whole lives around. And it was so basic.

It was so simple. All we did was give them a uniform so they now are equal. We

took phones away for the session.

Doesn't matter what phone you've got.

They didn't wear trainers. So, it didn't matter what rich trainers you could have had from your parent. And we mixed them all together. And all of a sudden, you

all together. And all of a sudden, you had a dynamic of kids that actually we gave them a family. We gave them consistency. We gave them rules that

consistency. We gave them rules that some of them don't have. And actually,

for me, them them kids now have a better chance to start. Um, and the the program's still going. It's still there.

And we won awards for being like the best in the country at it. And I just think that's purely because we we didn't allow barriers and boundaries to be there. We just kind of pushed right

there. We just kind of pushed right through them and and said this will be for anyone and everyone that wants to join. Um I had a lot of kids who we had

join. Um I had a lot of kids who we had one parent. I'll never forget them. She

one parent. I'll never forget them. She

rang me up and she said he's been rejected everywhere. They won't let him

rejected everywhere. They won't let him join anywhere cuz he's too aggressive.

And I said well he can come and join our team. And I just remember her crying

team. And I just remember her crying down the phone going someone's going to give him a chance. like he's brilliant.

He's now one of the sergeants in the team. Like he he runs the show and you

team. Like he he runs the show and you just think >> yeah you just need people to give you a chance sometimes and >> so yeah that was the start of policing anyway.

>> And it went a bit chaotic after that.

>> I mean what then caused you to step away from policing? When was the moment where

from policing? When was the moment where you woke up and you were like I need to move?

>> I think the negativity part. Um I think we had some really watershed moments in policing. I think when I joined policing

policing. I think when I joined policing and we're going to go a bit deep here I suppose but um when I joined policing I was super proud I was really proud of

representing like my county like this is amazing like it felt the same as competing cuz I was representing something that I believed in >> and all of a sudden I watched it slowly

change into something that I was now lying what my job was and lying because not because I I didn't believe in policing lying because the abuse you got

for saying you worked in policing. And I

think for me I think that was a point when you go okay how do I feel that in 30 years you rewind if you get to a certain rank in policing I think I

personally feel that there's a point when you go if I do one more rank I never leave will I sit and go that was the best career I ever did or will I sit and think I could have could I have done

more somewhere else and I had the second one and I think that was then the point when I needed to start looking at what options there were or what I wanted to do next. But I hear this all the time,

do next. But I hear this all the time, people like, "How do you know what you want to do next?" I still don't know what I want to do next. But one tip I would give people if they are looking at doing any form of change, you don't

always need to know what the job is.

Actually, sometimes it's quite easy just to figure out what you want from the job. So I did like a spider diagram and

job. So I did like a spider diagram and like put in the center the question mark because I don't know what the job was going to be, but what I wanted from the job. So I wanted to work with people

job. So I wanted to work with people still. I'm really result driven. I like

still. I'm really result driven. I like

goals. I like money. Um, and so you all of a sudden start making a picture of what that looks like. And once you can figure out what you now need from a job or like I needed from them, I needed them to allow me to have ideas and run

with them. All of these sort of things

with them. All of these sort of things were really important to me. Once you

figure that out, you can then pretty much work a job around it. You can then go, "Well, does that do that?" Yeah,

that ticks that one. You're never going to get all of them. Like, let's be serious. We're not living in this world

serious. We're not living in this world where everything's perfect. But if you can get a good chunk of your order, I think you're pretty much winning in the job you're in. But I think

>> for me it was it was that point of next level or move on >> and yeah, that was it. Then I just decided I was going to do my qualifications whilst I was in policing

which was brutal because I had a serious job like I was loads of responsibility.

>> I had to work long hours anyway. So then

doing your evenings with revising or doing exams and then your weekends, it was tough. But it goes back to your

was tough. But it goes back to your point, doesn't it? Like what what do you want from life? Do you want to achieve it? Yes. Well, then I have to kind of

it? Yes. Well, then I have to kind of put extra in somewhere. Like no one's giving me it. No one's going to go there's a qualification. Don't bother

doing it. It's it's yours. It's not

happening. So you kind of form that opportunity. So that was it really. I

opportunity. So that was it really. I

did the qualifications. Actually found

it more interesting than I thought. I

thought it was going to be some boring stuffy finance. Like you say you work in

stuffy finance. Like you say you work in finance, people go, "Oh, it's the end of the conversation." I've gone I've gone

the conversation." I've gone I've gone from saying I don't work in poling because I'm scared I'm going to get abused to then being like working in finance. And then they still walk away

finance. And then they still walk away and go I'm all right then thanks. Um

>> but it is it I I'm in the the luxury position of working in sports. So I

still I suppose I have the the VIP part of finance, I suppose. But um

>> yeah, it is it is super interesting. I

mean, it's amazing what you can do with finance and money and stuff. And so,

that was it. Then it was time to start.

I say look, I I didn't plan to look really. I was like, when when I'm ready,

really. I was like, when when I'm ready, I'll start looking at jobs. And then

next minute, I'm handing my notice in and it's time to go.

>> I love that you just have such a clear head. You know, I love that you know

head. You know, I love that you know when your love and passion for something is over that it's time to move. Yeah.

>> How did the transition from skiing to poling differ from pleasing to financial planning?

I think I was ready to leave skiing.

Really ready. Like I was so done with with sport. So I was excited about

with sport. So I was excited about policing. I was super like I can't wait.

policing. I was super like I can't wait.

This is amazing. Finance. I was leaving a really good job.

>> I was leaving something I was leaving people that I'd known for a long time. I

was leaving a an environment that was safe, if that makes sense. Like it's a good pension. It's got like its perks as

good pension. It's got like its perks as well as the negatives that come with it.

And I think when you're doing well in somewhere and you've worked hard to prove yourself and showcase what you can achieve, I found that transition harder

because I was now going to start again.

I was now going to an industry that I knew absolutely nothing about. It's

pretty complex.

I didn't know anyone in the industry. I

didn't have your contacts that you can like pretty much in policing I was at a point where I could no matter what whatever the question came I had someone I could ring to go what's the answer to this and all of a sudden I was going to

go to an industry that I didn't know one soul in >> I think for me I didn't want to regret it I didn't want to get there and go what have I done this was a massive

mistake like I've left something that I was good at to then because I wasn't it wasn't there wasn't this drastic thing in policing that I was like I hate it I don't want to be here anymore. It really

wasn't like that. It purely was a this is your crossroads now. Are you doing promotion or are you moving? And

>> like I said, the 30-year head was happening. So, I think yeah, that

happening. So, I think yeah, that transition was hard. It was hard to join an industry that it's fast. It's really

fast pace. It's changing daily.

Legislation changes daily. It's hard.

Like, but I'm now what 15 months in. And

it honestly was the best decision I ever did. Um, would I say the first six

did. Um, would I say the first six months were? No. Did I regret leaving?

months were? No. Did I regret leaving?

No. But did I think I was probably in the wrong industry? Yes. I absolutely

felt a fish out of water. Didn't know

what I was doing. Um, and was yeah, worried. But now, like, it's like

worried. But now, like, it's like anything, isn't it? You put your mind to something and it it does come. And I think if you've got a good team around you and good

support and you can pretty much get through most things. But I am somebody who it might take me a while to make the decision, but once the decision is made, I'm like, it's it's forgotten now. You

need to move forward.

>> And whether finance wasn't going to work or was going to work, I was never going back to policing, the the decision would have been somewhere new.

>> Um, not at any point was the question of even when I was struggling at the beginning. There was never a point where

beginning. There was never a point where I thought just go back to your comfort.

Um, so yeah, I would say that is something I'm quite cold with that part of it's done now. It's time to move and you've made that decision. It just may take me a few months to get to that final decision.

>> Was there ever a moment within those first six months where okay, you may not have wanted to go back to poling, but you attempted to quit.

>> Yes, 100%.

>> How did you stay so resilient with that and keep pushing?

>> Yeah, 100%. I I didn't think I fitted. I

didn't fit in. I didn't have the knowledge. I didn't I and my boss I'm

knowledge. I didn't I and my boss I'm sure won't mind me saying we're a really fast growing business which is ideal for my personality if I'm three years in

>> not ideal when you're learning because you the the steepness of learning is so huge anyway when people are already above you going at steepness as well

it's really hard to catch but I needed to give it time and I needed to figure out what I brought to the company because Was I going to bring technical knowledge? No. Some of these

technical knowledge? No. Some of these people have been here 20 years. Like

they're gonna they've got the knowledge.

That's it. So I then figured out what skill set I maybe had. And I felt my skill set was I was pretty good at reading people. I'd done a lot of that

reading people. I'd done a lot of that in pleasing. And I felt that I could

in pleasing. And I felt that I could probably relate and and build relationships better than I could do the finance at that point. So that's what I

did. I basically just sent myself to

did. I basically just sent myself to every event I could possibly do to build the network, to build that kind of section that I wanted to build, which was sport. We weren't as big in the

was sport. We weren't as big in the sport as we were in the music and the leaders in business and that was it.

Like I then felt like I was bringing something to the table whilst learning and I think that's you get two people in life, don't you? Like you have people that I could have just sat and waited

and felt that I just wasn't good enough and probably lost a lot more confidence than I was already losing. I'd gone from really confident in somewhere to really negative about what I was capable of

doing. You can either sit and just kind

doing. You can either sit and just kind of go let's just hope the confidence comes at some point or you can try and figure out what you're good at. And I

personally felt I was quite good at yeah building them relationships. So if that meant me spending every evening, which is what has happened for the last year, going to events, putting myself in front

of people and building them conversations up, you then start to see it come to fruition. And I think now I understand finance better. Am I 20 years

in? No. So I'm never going to be at that

in? No. So I'm never going to be at that level, but do I understand? Yes, I can pretty much get myself through it. So

>> I think but I've also then built that network. I've built them friends. And I

network. I've built them friends. And I

would like to say that I've probably got as big a network now as I had when I was in policing, if not bigger. So you you really can build things if you if you want to. I just think it's it's easier

want to. I just think it's it's easier to sit, isn't it? It's really easy. It

have been easy for me to sit and cry to my partner every night and go, "What have I done? This is a nightmare."

Or you just try and figure it out. And

now I look at it and go, "God, that was amazing. Like I've now learned what

amazing. Like I've now learned what resilience really is. I've really

learned what you can achieve in life if you want to do it. So yeah, I think that kind of answers your question.

>> Yeah. I mean, I think so many people who are listening now are probably listening to you and going, >> "Okay, I need to move. I need to make a change." You know, everything you're

change." You know, everything you're saying is so inspiring, but there's probably still quite a large percentage of those people who don't have the confidence to make that shift. If you

could just summarize one key thing that's really helped you when there are moments where you haven't felt like you've had it in you to move but you know you've wanted to that might help these people, what would you say?

>> Like it's it's difficult, isn't it? You

have to there's lots of things attached to this like money. Can you afford to do it? Have you got kids? Have you got a

it? Have you got kids? Have you got a life balance that actually your current job is helping? You don't know. Like

there's lots of there's lots of things attached to it. I I just personally think that happiness is key. We've only

got one go at this. Like it's short or it's long. We don't know. So actually,

it's long. We don't know. So actually,

do you want to spend the rest of your life thinking what if I'd done that?

What would have happened? Or you take a risk and you actually keep the doors open where you are. You don't have to shat shatter everything that you've got there. Like could I ring policing and

there. Like could I ring policing and ask to come back? Probably

>> because I'm not going to burn a bridge that didn't need burning. like you can you can still go back but there is so many opportunities out there like there is so many things you can do and yes

money will play a part, kids will play a part. Your circumstances will always

part. Your circumstances will always play a massive huge part but are you willing to do it? Like I was willing to take a massive pay cut. I did take a massive pay cut and I've got friends that will never dream of doing that and

they'll moan for the rest of their lives that they're miserable but will never take the cut to see the bigger picture.

like I will be in a better position than I was there in the end, if that makes sense. But sometimes you have to have

sense. But sometimes you have to have them hits that aren't great and that you go, "God, that's a bit tight this month now." That's a bit that's not fun with

now." That's a bit that's not fun with the thought of it actually being the bigger picture of getting better. Um, I

don't think it's hard, isn't it? And I

get it. I don't I I hope people aren't sitting there thinking, "Oh, yeah, it's easy. You've just switched and you've

easy. You've just switched and you've done this and you've done that." But I actually think there is so much fun out there. Like if

there is that thing that you go, I really wish I'd give that a go. You

don't have to jump ship completely.

Maybe start on the side or like build it on a smaller scale or just ask somebody to come and spend the day with them.

Like finance, I didn't just go straight into finance. I went and spent time with

into finance. I went and spent time with them. I took annual leave in policing. I

them. I took annual leave in policing. I

went to finance um companies and said, "Can I just spend the day doing your job, like working with you and seeing what that's like?" I wanted to know what the vibe was like. I didn't I didn't work in London. I worked in Kent. Like,

so I think there's always things you can test before you go all gung-ho, fly out the door. Um but I also am totally

the door. Um but I also am totally constant of that lifestyle is difficult and you you can't always just make them drastic changes. But I do believe

drastic changes. But I do believe happiness is the most important thing.

Money is just something we have to have to make the world go round. But actual

happiness is way bigger, way more important. And I just think if you can

important. And I just think if you can find a way to juggle the lot and still get the happiness, I think you're winning in what you can do.

>> And you mentioned earlier that pleasing was probably the proudest part of your journey so far. But looking back on your journey as a whole, is there a specific moment or era, let's say, that you were

most proud of?

Um gosh, the delay. I don't know. I think

I think it's really easy to to sit on a podcast and say, "Oh, this is all great and everything's amazing." Like, life isn't like that. Like, and if anybody's listening thinking, "Oh, she's got the

per it's not a perfect life." I can assure you, it's just my life that I've tried to make as perfect for what I need.

But the proudest moment it it will always be helping others like it is like and I know that's a real of course it is but it it genuinely is I if I I needed

that for this next job I needed to be able to say that I'm getting a result for somebody and for me in policing you yeah there was tough days like there was think people you just can't you didn't

help and you couldn't help or but actually I feel pretty proud that a number of kids now can have an avenue if they want

it. I feel pretty proud that as a

it. I feel pretty proud that as a planner now I can work with athletes and hope that they have more of a plan after after sport when maybe everything drops

and everything's gone. Um, and I'm proud that in skiing I I did I took it to the end. Um, and it it wasn't easy. Do you

end. Um, and it it wasn't easy. Do you

know what I mean? It wasn't an easy path. It wasn't one that just appeared.

path. It wasn't one that just appeared.

It was just I stuck it out the longest.

That's all. That's all that happened. I

had no superpower. I wasn't this super talented skier. Not this super talented

talented skier. Not this super talented police woman. I wasn't this super

police woman. I wasn't this super talented financial planner. I just put the work in. That's all. And it's a really crappy answer, isn't it? Because

you see it with diets, don't you? You

see it and everyone goes, "I just want the quick fix." We all do. Everyone

goes, "I just want to take a pill and it's all going to be great and we all get on with it." And then when you see the videos of people going, "No, I just go to the gym. I work hard. I eat well."

You go, "Oh, boring.

>> What a load of effort." Yeah, that's way too much effort than what I want. Um,

and mine is that effort. I'm sorry.

Like, I don't have that quick, easy answer where you can just jump jump into different ships and it's a it's a breeze. It's not.

breeze. It's not.

>> I think starting with new teams is tough. Meeting new people is tough. I

tough. Meeting new people is tough. I

think starting a new job that you have no idea about is tough. But I do believe if you can see a bigger picture of that, it will all work out okay in the end.

Um, I just think don't always you've got one go and don't regret it. Like don't

get to the end of your life and go I wish.

>> Get to the end and go I gave everything a good go, didn't I?

>> We talk about this a lot in the fitness industry of saying, >> you know, if we were really, really honest about what gets you results, it's the stuff that people don't find

interesting or sexy. It is the showing up daytoday. It's persevering when you

up daytoday. It's persevering when you don't want to go. It's making sure your diet's in check.

That is the foundation of a happy and healthy life and something to make you feel proud because you've been consistent with something that's not always interesting and fun and exciting.

So I don't think it's boring at all. I

think it I think that is the magic pill is to just do the work.

>> Just do the dayto-day stuff like it's not there's no magic. There is no magic.

Well, I haven't found it. Um

>> then the magic is actually you just showing up. I think that's the bit where

showing up. I think that's the bit where be proud of yourself. Like no one else is going to big you up more than you can. So look in that mirror and be like,

can. So look in that mirror and be like, what have I done that's I'm proud of today? And it can be big, it can be

today? And it can be big, it can be small. Like you don't have to win a

small. Like you don't have to win a medal. That's definitely not something I

medal. That's definitely not something I look in the mirror and think of. I think

of like do you know what? I got up today when I didn't fancy getting up or I ate really well today and I didn't eat five chocolate bars. Like do you know what I

chocolate bars. Like do you know what I is like my relationship with food and this is massively off subject but my relationship with food after sport was horrific like it wasn't a

it was a really poor relationship it still has its moments of being a poor relationship because you have spent your life restricted >> to then come into a world where you can have whatever you want whenever you want

struggled with that journey and so I think there's probably a lot of people that actually the showing up part is the hardest part and just being able to go you know what? I haven't absolutely inhaled everything I've seen in my sight

today. I've just had two chocolate bars

today. I've just had two chocolate bars or whatever that looks like. So, and I think you've got to be proud of them little steps more so than anything else because there is no big thing that everyone's doing every day to go, "Oh,

that was a really proud moment." Like

actually, it's the little things that that kind of add up to then become the proud moment.

>> If you had one piece of advice for your younger self, what would it be?

>> Believe in yourself more. like I I was super negative as a kid. Um didn't

really think I was good enough at anything. Genuinely didn't think I'd be

anything. Genuinely didn't think I'd be successful. Um because I I never

successful. Um because I I never believed I could be. I didn't I didn't think I had it in me. Like

I think the belief piece probably changed when I went on the Clipper race.

Um, I realized that was the turning point for me where you could do something and if you wanted to be good at it, you could be. I'd never been on a boat before and then was like, I'm going

to sell this boat with you. Like, and

that was a turning point of being like, if you actually want to do it, you will put the time in. So, I think, yeah, I would I would tell myself it's going to be fine. Like, anything that's big at

be fine. Like, anything that's big at that point in your life is not probably that big. Um, friends will come and go,

that big. Um, friends will come and go, relationships will come and go, but I think the the in the inner self that you have and the belief that you have in

yourself is what will define how far you go in the future. And I think nobody's going to be sat there going, you're amazing, you're great, you're this.

Actually, you have to do that bit. Um,

and there's day like there's lots of days I sit and I go, I don't think I'm good enough to do this. Like I don't know what I'm trying to say that I can do. But then you take the small things

do. But then you take the small things and you go, "Well, that's a win for today. Let's build on that." So, yeah,

today. Let's build on that." So, yeah, believe in myself more as a kid and know that life's going to be fine, whatever happens.

>> You've been amazing. Thank you so much for your time.

>> No, thank you for having me.

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