Sue Stockdale
Sue Stockdale is an Executive Coach, Speaker and Author.
She told us that, “In 1996, I became an Arctic explorer, and the first British woman to ski to the Magnetic North Pole. Prior to that I had never been further north than Scotland – never been cross-country skiing – and never come face to face with a polar bear. It made me realise that we are all capable of so much, yet we often don’t maximise the potential we have. So instead of expedition memories remaining in a photograph album, I use that life-changing experience to inspire others to explore their potential as a coach, speaker, author and podcaster working with leaders and entrepreneurs around the world.”
What were your initial years of growing up like? Tell us about your life before starting your corporate journey/venture/initiative.
As a child, I used to love reading Enid Blyton’s Famous Five and Secret Seven books and so I wanted a career that would incorporate adventure. I started working full-time at sixteen years old in the finance function of an energy company and imagined that I would work my way up the career ladder in that organisation. There were quite a few opportunities for adventures along the way in that company, including a three-month expedition to Kenya which was amazing. I quickly got promoted and became one of the youngest senior managers, aged 25. After a failed promotion attempt, my plan changed so I decided to leave to take a job working with the UN in a war zone. That was a big adventure and it taught me to take risks and be prepared to step into the unknown to achieve your goals.
Was there any turning point in your life that changed your journey? If so, what was it? Please tell us the backstory behind it.
After coming back to the UK from the war zone, I was reading the newspaper one day and spotted an advert to join a team of novices on a polar expedition. It intrigued me and I sent off for more details. When the brochure arrived back, it was titled “are you man enough for the Ultimate Challenge?” and showed only photos of men, which incensed me. I felt certain that women could be explorers too and so sent off my application to join the team. After months of strenuous selection tests, the 500 applicants were narrowed down to the final team of ten to join leader, Sir David Hempleman-Adams, on the month-long journey skiing over 350 miles to the Pole. The team consisted of eight men and two women (me and a Swedish woman who became the 1st from that country to reach the Pole too). This life-changing journey taught me that we all have more potential than we realise. I never imagined that it would have been possible to be a polar explorer, and yet it happened. So, I began to think that if I could use my experiences to inspire others and help them reach their own North Pole, my journey would have an even greater impact. And that’s been my life’s purpose ever since. I also learned to be authentic, and to just show up as ‘me’ – and that’s good enough. There is literally nothing to hide behind in the Arctic – (when you go to the bathroom), and I realised that anywhere in life we are all just human beings trying to do our best, and it’s made me more comfortable to be authentic, and not try to be too professional, or polished, but more natural and relaxed.
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!”.
As I described earlier I wanted to inspire people to maximise their potential, and so I set up in business as a speaker and coach. Although I had no experience of running a business, nor did anyone in my family, I believed it would work out and so I started up and then sought business advice and ideas from people who were more experienced than I was.
Everyone has their own set of challenges when starting an entrepreneurial journey. Still, the most essential part for others to learn is how you deal with those. Would you like to share with us your challenges and your coping mechanisms?
One of the biggest challenges was stepping into the unknown world of business with an innate belief that it would work out ok. I always ask myself, what’s the worst that can happen? And if I am prepared to accept the potential risks, then why not just go for it? My mum died unexpectedly when I was a teenager, and she was only in her 50s, so I learned from that time that life is precious, and we should use each day wisely and make the most of it. We don’t get the time back. It’s really about mindset and then being aware of what you say to yourself, and being prepared to fail and view it as learning.
While the global pandemic of COVID-19 is associated primarily with adversities, it has also brought about a true boom in startups, with successful entrepreneurship in many countries. The pandemic has impacted all of us in one way or another. Would you like to share your experience on a personal and professional level?
As a coach I spent a lot of time during the pandemic supporting people who were working alone.
Your journey and your vision are very inspiring, but are there any achievements or accomplishments you would like to mention?
In addition to reaching the Pole, I am proud to be the co-founder of a podcast Access to Inspiration, that is now in the top 10% most popular shows globally. We started with no experience of podcasting in 2020 with the underlying belief that if we shared inspiring stories from a wide range of guests from around the world – it would help listeners to reflect on their own potential and what’s possible in life. It has grown mostly by word of mouth, and we published our first impact report in 2021 which measured the different ways it has impacted listeners and guests around the world.
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?
To have more people step into their unknown and dare to take a risk in starting up a business.
What’s the most important thing you’ve learned in your personal life and professional journey? What is your personal motto in life?
To be authentic and develop self-awareness. To be able to lead others, you must begin by leading yourself.
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?
Women must discover their own authentic leadership style, and be able to incorporate both the masculine and feminine elements of leadership e.g. being decisive and direct, as well as empathic and supportive.
With your grit and determination, you are making a considerable impact, breaking through, and serving as role models for many budding entrepreneurs. What would you want to say to our young women leaders/audience reading this?
Trust yourself, and never give up. The journey only begins when you take the first step into the unknown.