After 20 years as a physicist, Kellye left her career in science to follow a completely different path — one guided by creativity, craftsmanship, and courage.

From building cancer research sensors at Cambridge to hand-stitching rhinestone suits for country icons in Nashville, Kellye’s story is a masterclass in daring to start again when the life you built no longer fits.

In this episode, we talk about identity, creativity, and the uncomfortable—but liberating—truth about change.

0:00 – 04:00 | From Texas Farm to Physics Prodigy

Kellye shares her childhood on a working farm in Texas, where fixing things and understanding how machines worked first sparked her curiosity — the early signs of both a scientist and a maker.

04:00 – 10:00 | Cambridge and the World of Academia

How Kellye was recruited into university at just 16, worked her way to Cambridge, and built a 20-year career in physics researching cancer sensors — all while quietly craving something more creative.

10:00 – 16:00 | When Success Doesn’t Feel Like Success

The moment she realised academia’s version of “making it” wasn’t hers — and what happens when your dream job stops feeling like a dream.

16:00 – 23:00 | The Pivot: From Labs to Leather & Lace

Why Kellye and her husband quit their jobs to start a furniture business, and how that side-step opened the door to her lifelong love of sewing, tailoring, and Western wear.

23:00 – 33:00 | Saving a Dying Craft

Kellye dives into her obsession with vintage embroidery machines — how she tracked, restored, and mastered 100-year-old equipment to keep a lost art alive.

33:00 – 41:00 | From Savile Row to Nashville

How a leap of faith (and a lot of self-belief) led Kellye from a tailoring course in Macclesfield to Nashville, where her first project was sewing a suit for Johnny Cash’s son.

41:00 – 50:00 | The Art of Storytelling Through Stitching

How she now creates bespoke, hand-embroidered suits that carry her clients’ stories, and why every stitch is a piece of living history.

50:00 – 59:00 | Reinvention, Ego Death & The Artist’s Way

What it really feels like to walk away from an identity that once defined you — and how Kellye rebuilt her life and confidence through creative discipline, journaling, and community.

59:00 – End | Finding Your People & Following the Pull

The importance of surrounding yourself with people who “get it,” and the power of community when you choose the road less travelled.

• Success means nothing if it’s misaligned. You can build the perfect life on paper and still feel empty — that’s your cue to pivot.
• Creativity and logic aren’t opposites. Whether in science or art, both start with curiosity and the courage to make something new.
• Leaving an identity behind is hard — but necessary. Growth often feels like loss before it feels like freedom.
• Old crafts deserve new hands. Reviving lost skills can connect us to something much bigger than ourselves.
• Find your people. Reinvention is lonely until you build a community that sees you for who you’re becoming, not who you were.

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Episode Title: Stop Doing It Alone – The Power of Community & Courage

Ever feel like you’ve got to prove yourself by doing everything solo? In this bonus episode, Michelle shares why that mindset is holding you back — and why true courage is built in connection.

Drawing on her own story of launching She Who Dares Wins, plus the inspiring journeys of:

• Rachel Peru, silver-haired model and midlife body confidence activist
• Siobhan Daniels, author of Retirement Rebel who found purpose after 60
• Liz & Rebecca, founders of Redefine Gym, building a powerful women-only fitness community

Michelle unpacks how community changes everything — not just emotionally, but biologically. With insights from neuroscience and psychology, you’ll learn how connection fuels courage, lowers stress, and even rewires your brain for resilience.

💡 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why your brain is wired for support, not solo survival
• How mirror neurons and oxytocin make courage contagious
• The health cost of loneliness — and the power of belonging
• Practical ways to lean into community this week

🔥 This Week’s Dare:

Stop doing it alone. Pick one challenge you’ve been carrying solo and ask for support — from a friend, a mentor, or a community like The Dare Club.

👉 Ready to step up? Share your dare and join the conversation inside The Dare Club.

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What happens when you throw a total beginner (Michelle) into the world of fly fishing with someone who knows what they’re doing (Aime)? A lot of laughs, a few surprises about what’s actually living under the water, and a whole lot of lessons about patience, presence, and letting go.

This episode isn’t just about learning how to cast a line — it’s about stepping outside your comfort zone and seeing life through a completely different lens.

• Breaking myths about fly fishing – it’s not all reels and rods; it’s motion, patience, and a bit of science.
• Michelle’s crash course in casting – from flicking the rod to understanding the mysterious “nymph” at the end of the line.
• The secret world under the river – larvae, minnows, crayfish and why trout are the “nasty bastards” of the fish world.
• The mental side of fishing – how it forces you to breathe, focus and get out of your head.
• Adrenaline and beginners’ luck – why learning a new skill can feel like a high-stakes dance between you and nature.
• Life lessons from the river – survival, patience, and why sometimes you have to let the fish run if you want to catch it.
• Funny (and very real) riverside stories – from dead dogs to accidental people-watching moments you can’t unsee.

If you’ve ever wondered what fly fishing is actually like or you’re curious about how trying something new can shift your mindset, this episode is part tutorial, part comedy, and part meditation. Aime shares her knowledge, Michelle shares her shock, and together they uncover why standing in a river with a rod can teach you more about yourself than you’d expect.

• 0:00 – Michelle’s first impressions: “Isn’t fly fishing just reeling in?”
• 0:15 – Aime explains the basics of casting and why it’s simpler than you think.
• 2:00 – The truth about flies, nymphs and the secret bug cities under the river.
• 4:00 – Predatory trout, invasive crayfish, and the harsh reality of river life.
• 5:30 – Learning to breathe: why fly fishing can feel like a meditation.
• 6:50 – The mental reset: how fishing gets you out of your head.
• 8:20 – Random memories and riverside thoughts.
• 10:00 – Why beginners’ luck feels like adrenaline.
• 11:00 – People-watching and unexpected river encounters.
• 12:30 – Michelle reflects on city life vs. river life.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week’s dare is all about resistance — that invisible wall that shows up the second you try something bold. Spoiler: it’s not laziness, it’s fear in disguise.

In this episode, Michelle shares her own battle with resistance when starting the She Who Dares Wins podcast, plus powerful stories from past guests:

• Rebecca, who left medicine to build a flower farm 🌸
• Charlie, who swapped law school for music management 🎶

We’ll dig into the science of why your brain resists change, how procrastination is just dopamine tricking you, and why resistance gets loudest right before your breakthrough.

This week’s dare: Identify your resistance and give it 10 messy minutes a day. Write one page, record one voice note, plant one seed. Imperfect action beats perfect avoidance every time.

🔗 Join the Dare Club:

📲 Connect on Instagram: @shewhodareswins

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Episode: Making Our First Sea Film (and Surviving It) — with filmmaker Zoe East

What it’s about: behind the scenes of our mini-documentary about Ash, a female fisherman. Two women, one working boat, the hottest day of the year, and a very real lesson in saying yes before you’re “ready.”

You’ll hear about:

• The films Michelle & Zoe have already made together (rowers, stonemasons, adventurers) and why this one felt different.
• How the Ash film finally happened after five years of red tape.
• Filming on a live working boat: zero seating, tight wheelhouse, fuel fumes, safety zones, and why some shots were “off the cuff.”
• Sea-sickness roulette: ginger shots, mindset, the wheelhouse of doom, who threw up (and who didn’t), and how to keep shooting when your horizon won’t sit still.
• The drone saga: trees, no-fly zones, ND filter chaos, and missing “the one job” harbour shot.
• What actually gets kept vs thrown back (and why fishermen get an unfair rap).
• Doing the dares: banding lobsters and mackerel fishing while trying not to die.
• The long steam home, the graveyard camper stopover, and the infamous Co-op pants.
• What’s next: festivals, sponsors, and building She Who Dares Wins Productions — films about women, by women.

Key takeaways:

• You don’t need perfect conditions to make a great film — you need respect, adaptability, and momentum.
• Boundaries keep you alive on a working boat; they also keep your story sharp.
• “Confidence” isn’t the absence of nausea — it’s doing the job while you feel it.
• Fishermen are far more regulated than most people think; sustainability was front and centre.
• Minimum crew, maximum story: say yes, keep it simple, solve one problem at a time.

Gear & constraints (for the film nerds):

• Small crew, limited kit, prioritising safety & workflow over perfection.
• No flying at sea (signal risk), attempted harbour drone shot foiled by ND filter & timing.
• Interviews split: land day + light top-ups at sea.

Timestamps (light, skimmable):

• 0:00 — Why Zoe’s back + our past films
• 1:25 — The Ash idea: 5 years of “maybe” to “let’s do it”
• 2:53 — Planning vs reality: tourists, heat, off-the-cuff shooting
• 4:08 — Ginger shots & mindset: the seasick strategy
• 6:23 — Wheelhouse hell + safety on a working deck
• 9:35 — Missing shots, saving the story
• 12:01 — What gets thrown back: sustainability in action
• 14:20 — The mackerel dare & keeping morale up
• 18:30 — Harbour return, drone fail, tourist chaos
• 21:10 — Camper van, graveyard, and the Co-op pants
• 23:30 — What’s next: festivals, sponsors, more women-led films

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode Summary:

In this week’s Thursday Dare Challenge, Michelle opens up about one of the most personal themes yet: starting over when the world tells you it’s too late. From her own experience of burnout and reinvention to the inspiring stories of past guests like Amanda, Rachel, and Jo, this episode proves that new chapters don’t come with an age limit.

Michelle dives into the science of neuroplasticity, the power of transferable skills, and why fear and judgment often hold us back. She also shares practical dares to help you take the first steps towards your own fresh start—without burning your old life down overnight.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why it’s never too late to reinvent yourself—whether at 30, 40, 50, or 60.
• Michelle’s personal story of leaving a 17-year career in construction after hitting burnout.
• Amanda’s bold pivot after building a multi-million-pound business.
• Rachel’s transformation from insecure mum to international swimwear model at 46.
• Jo’s reinvention in her 50s and 60s, including paddleboarding across the UK.
• The science behind why our brains can adapt and grow at any age.
• Practical dares to push you past fear and into action.

This Week’s Dare:

Write down:

1. If money and judgment weren’t an issue, what would you start tomorrow?
2. What skills do you enjoy in your current role that could carry you forward?
3. 👉 Then, reach out to one person working in a field you’re curious about and ask about their journey.

Inspiring Late Bloomers Mentioned:

• James Dyson – launched his vacuum at 46.
• Vera Wang – entered fashion at 40.
• Colonel Sanders – franchised KFC at 62.
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Join the Dare Club:

Want to go deeper? Sign up for the Dare Club waiting list at shewhodareswins.com/dareclub. You’ll get weekly dares straight to your inbox plus early access to the full Dare Club experience when it launches.

Support the Podcast:

• Grab badass clothing with code POD10 at shewhodareswins.com
• Join the Patreon community for exclusive guest bonus episodes
• Watch the Dare Challenges on YouTube

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At 29, Christina Theodonna decided she wasn’t done with fighting. She booked a flight to Thailand, trained through monsoon heat, ran 8k mornings, and stepped into the ring with zero notice. In this episode, we dig into her journey from childhood martial arts to becoming “Muay Panda”, and her mission to expand women’s weight classes so more fighters get the recognition they deserve.

If you’ve ever thought it was “too late” to start or felt like you didn’t fit the mould, Christina’s story proves otherwise.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• The brutal but beautiful reality of training Muay Thai in Thailand
• Why stepping into the ring is life-changing — even if you lose
• The fight for women’s weight classes & fair recognition in Muay Thai
• How martial arts builds confidence, resilience, and mental health
• Why “If you can put gloves on, you can do anything” applies far beyond the ring

Chapters

00:00 Christina’s comeback: deciding to fight again at 29

02:15 From karate kid to Muay Thai fighter

07:00 Thailand training camp: runs, heat, and culture shock

12:10 Surprise fight in Hua Hin & lessons from losing

19:30 Motorbike crashes, Thai culture, and staying safe abroad

23:20 From bullying to confidence: why martial arts matters for girls

29:50 Muay Thai as moving meditation & mental health benefits

36:00 Fighting for change: women’s weight classes and rankings

44:50 The story behind “Muay Panda” & what’s next

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode Summary

In this engaging bonus episode of She Who Dares Wins, Michelle dares you to break a rule this week. Not for the sake of rebellion, but to challenge the invisible boundaries shaping your life. From her own unconventional start in construction to examples like Liquid Death’s rule-breaking approach to branding, Michelle shows how questioning norms can unlock innovation, identity, and freedom.

She unpacks the psychology behind rule-following — from normative influence to the black sheep effect — and explores how mindful defiance can spark both personal growth and cultural change. This is your call to spot one invisible rule that feels heavy, break it, and discover what happens when you choose self-definition over conformity.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• Why we’re wired to follow rules (even the unwritten, nonsensical ones).
• How intentional rule-breaking leads to creativity and stronger self-identity.
• The role of defiance regulation in shaping growth and resilience.
• The critical mass effect: how small acts of defiance snowball into cultural change.
• Practical ways to identify and challenge hidden rules in your own life.

Notable Quotes

• "This week's dare is for you to break a rule. Not all rules are worth following."
• "We kind of put these norms in our head and these rules, but they're not actually written anywhere."
• "Thoughtful, intentional rule breaking is not reckless, it's self-definition."
• "When just a handful of people start breaking an unhelpful norm consistently, something magical happens."
• "Pick one rule and break it. Spot an invisible rule and write down that feels particularly heavy."

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.