Dawn Bates is a Writer, Author, Author Coach, Publisher, Activist, Speaker and Sailor. The three words she always uses to describe herself are ‘Cheeky, Passionate and Playful’ because in her own words, ‘why not be passionate and playful in everything we do in life, and being a bit cheeky always breaks the ice and opens doors to more opportunities in life.’
What were your initial years of growing up like? Tell us about your life before the venture/ corporate journey?
Growing up in a farming village I loved being outside exploring. Both my parents had a strong work ethic which provided everything we needed.
Wanting more out of life and to travel the world, I read endless books and would daydream of what my life would look like.
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!”
Growing up I was bullied which led to me being an activist, and with my parents’ limited education and income, I became the eternal student and book worm. I realised early on the more you learn the more you earn.
Working for others in my early years I felt trapped and limited, always waiting for others to see the potential within me. I wasn’t prepared to wait or be given permission to do and experience the life I wanted so I went into business by myself.
Combining my love of books, learning and business, it became obvious to me that having my own business would be the vehicle to my future success, and being able to fulfill all of those childhood daydreams.
I could learn what I wanted, work with who I wanted and live the life I wanted, and help others in my community.
Facing my own mortality during pregnancy and childbirth was a huge motivator for me to never waste a moment of life because it is too precious to not honour who we are and what we are truly capable of.
Tell us something about your initiative or current role. What is it about, and what impact are you trying to make?
Becoming an author activist was a natural and smart way of sharing the knowledge I had gained, giving people the courage and confidence they needed to stand up to the bullies in their lives, including ‘The System’.
The way I write encourages readers to take the action needed in their life whilst sharing a different view of the world we live in.
Being an author coach gives my clients the opportunity to see how far they have come, transform their own view of themselves, and have the confidence to step out from behind the business brand to own who they truly are – not who or what society wants them to be, or thinks they should be.
Working with me is a transformational journey on many levels, and that is my mission, to transform the world by transforming the lives of others one book, one reader, one writer and one life at a time.
Focusing on human rights and cultural diversity, and doing it in the way I do it, takes away the illusion of power of the politicians and academics whilst empowering and educating those who truly need it, the people.
Your journey and your vision are very inspiring, but are there any achievements or accomplishments you would like to mention?
I believe the biggest achievement and accomplishment is the one of finding peace within myself and choosing to live life on my own terms rather than worrying or concerning myself with what others think of me, or living life based on what others think.
Facing my darkest moments alone, healing wounds of my past, breaking the unhealthy patterns of beliefs and behaviours passed on through the generations, has been the biggest achievement because now my children are freer than anyone in my family have ever been.
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?
I would like women to understand the power they have just by understanding that they have the ability to not only conceive life, but to grow a human being within them, and then give birth to a living being. If we can do that, then we can do anything.
Women also have to remember that they are in control of their own life and destiny, not family, not religion, culture or society, and certainly not a man. It can be hard to overcome this thought process, especially in some cultures where women have been conditioned to think they are the property of men or guilt tripped into thinking they have to be the ones to take care of the family.
By taking care of ourselves first and foremost means we lead and teach others to take care of themselves, which is both empowering and the most effective way of raising humanity and living conditions around the world.
When we as women sacrifice who we are by doing everything for men or our children, we are stealing skills and competence from them, which results in disabling them.
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’s leadership today?
A lot of women in leadership roles today are simply mirroring the way men have been leading, and that’s no good for anyone.
There is also a tendency for a lot of these women to hold other women back because they fought so hard for their leadership role, they are protecting it like a lioness protects her cubs.
We are also seeing a rise in the disingenuous ‘love and light’ comments, along with over complimenting others just to get the business and the vanity metrics. The trouble with this is it creates a weak foundation in business and relationships, which is no way to build a business or strong client bases.
What would you want to say to our young women leaders/audience reading this?
Staying true to ourselves is the ultimate in honesty, and without honesty we have nothing. So, do business on your own terms, in your own way and trust your instincts. Your intuition is powerful, so if you are going to develop just one skill, then develop your intuition.
