A Chronic Entrepreneur

Alecia is a driven consultant and public speaker based in Perth. Alecia has put together her love and skills for writing and teaching to support like-minded businesses reach their goals and make a positive impact in the world we live in.  After years of experiencing symptoms but getting no answers or explanations, she was finally diagnosed with Bahcet’s Disease, an auto-immune disorder that causes blood vessel inflammation throughout the body. Most recently, Alecia was also diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, a chronic disorder characterised by widespread pain accompanied by fatigue, and difficulty sleeping. What some may have taken as a red-light in life, Alecia took as an opportunity to utilize her strengths and help others change the world for the better. 

Michelle Irving is a gifted teacher, speaker, writer and mentor. Having been diagnosed with an autoimmune condition of the liver at age 35 and Migraine Associated Vertigo at 45, Michelle has learned to take in her experience with chronic illness throughout the years and use it to connect with herself in levels she never knew she could. Now, Michelle is determined to guide women around the world who are also experiencing illness and help them be able to reach new levels of inner-power, love, and acceptance for themselves.

Brenda Moore is the successful and thriving founder of Happen Consulting. Most of us have experienced a migraine or a few in our lives as a result of stress, sensory overload or hormonal changes. We take a day or two off to rest up and come back stronger. For Brenda however, these migraines became so frequent and so disabling that she was forced to resign from her job. She likely didn’t see it this way at the time, but this moment marked the beginning of an exciting new chapter for her as the circumstances allowed her to begin her entrepreneurial journey and gave her the flexibility to mould her days in a way that’s sustainable for her and her health.

After being diagnosed with Adult Asthma in 2015 at the age of 38, Christine had the courage to stop and press the restart button on every aspect of her life. Despite going through an incredibly dark period in her life she found the strength to share her story in hopes that people out there would be able to resonate and find inspiration from it in the same way she found inspiration from others. Today, Christine is the thriving founder of The Corporate Escapist, has her very own magazine and is a proud author, speaker and coach.

Ainslee Hooper is committed to making the lives of disabled people easier, by consulting with providers of services to make the experiences of consumers with disability free of stigma and ableism. After suffering a nervous breakdown due to bullying at work, Ainslee realised that she needed to start doing things her way - and starting her own business allowed her to achieve so much more for herself and her clients than she felt she was able to achieve at a traditional job. Ainslee is now a consultant anthropologist specialising in disability inclusion with her business Ainslee Hooper Consulting. Read on to learn more about Ainslee’s inspiring story.

Zoe Simmons has been searching for a proper diagnosis for years. After an incredibly extensive period of uncertainty, she finally has some answers. But her diagnosis journey is not over - and she is still investigating other possible chronic conditions, which cause her consistent pain and fatigue. Despite this, Zoe is a successful journalist; SEO copywriter; editor and author. First published at only 16 years of age, Zoe has written for numerous well known publications including Daily Mail, news.com.au, Kidspot, Popsugar Australia, Herald Sun, and the Daily Telegraph, among others. She’s even writing a book on her town’s survival in the Black Summer Bushfires!

Tyla Hodgson is a kick-ass entrepreneur who is de-stigmatising women’s pleasure and making it fun with her business, Oh My Vibes. Tyla describes the process of creating this business as “unlearning and relearning of what it means to be a woman.” It also helped her in her process of learning to manage her chronic illnesses. Read on to find out more about Tyla Hodgson and Oh My Vibes.