Katie Stoddart, founder of ‘The Focus Bee’ is an-award-winning, transformative & conscious leadership coach. Katie supports entrepreneurs & companies to reach & sustain peak performance in their business. She is dedicated to enabling people to lead with greater joy, alignment and purpose. Passionate about: leadership, performance and mindfulness, Katie is frequently invited to speak & host conferences. For her weekly podcast ‘The Focus Bee Show’, Katie interviews international high performers and leaders.
What were your initial years of growing up like? Tell us about your life before starting your corporate journey/venture/initiative.
I was born in Paris and grew up in France. My family is originally British so I grew up speaking both French & English. I was always sociable, interested in people and curious to learn new things. I was talkative, and also a voracious reader. I remember already feeling that everything was magical. I still feel that way – which is why my slogan is: Connect with the magic.
Every industry that is now a large-scale, top-notch business once started as a small idea in the minds of entrepreneurs. What was that idea or motivation that made you start your business /initiative? What motivated you within to say YES, go for it!”
I was passionate about people and discovered coaching. This was a great fit and I quickly started implementing coaching, and started my business. At first, I didn’t envision where my business would go but as I grew, I learned to love speaking, and writing and they became a significant part of my business.
Tell us something about your initiative or current role. What is it about, and what impact are you trying to make?
Through coaching, speaking, teaching and writing, I enable high performers to lead with greater joy, alignment and purpose. This then has a ripple effect on their business, teams and people around them. I believe that through greater alignment and intention, we feel more fulfilled and at peace.
Your journey and your vision are very inspiring, but are there any achievements or accomplishments you would like to mention?
I am thrilled to have launched my book ‘The Magic Of Focus‘ this year – with the aim to enable people to live with intention. It was also a joy to speak at various conferences such as TEDx (as MC), Women In Tech and 15 Seconds.
Would you like to share with our young budding women entrepreneurs the change you would like to see in the world if given an opportunity?
The change I would like to see is: intentional living, gratitude and peace for all. For this change to happen, we need to shift from being reactive to our environment and instead, take full ownership and be proactive. Steven Covey’s book (The 7 habits of highly effective people) is a great inspiration for me on such topics. I also love Eckart Tolle’s book (The Power of Now) on being fully present in each moment.
Women are a growing force in the workplaces worldwide, standing shoulder to shoulder with their male counterparts. There are cracks in glass ceilings everywhere, with many women breaking through to carve out a space right at the top of the pyramid. What are your thoughts about women leadership today?
Women often shy away from leadership – perhaps believing that they need to be more confident for such roles etc. In reality, leadership is all about serving others, enabling others to grow and shine. Through the natural caring quality that most women have, there are inner strengths in each woman that can make them great leaders! Once we remember that leading is not about ourselves, but others – leadership does not feel as intimidating and is a great way to contribute to society!
What would you want to say to our young women leaders/audience reading this?
Don’t compare your process to other people’s results. It can feel intimidating when we see other people’s businesses etc., yet each journey is unique – so your process is great and each step of the journey matters. Also, surround yourself with people that lift you up, believe in you, inspire you and guide you in the right direction. And, take action: daily action towards what is important for you. Small actions add up over time – this is tremendous power in action!
