sharon_collon:
Today, on the H. D family's podcast we have the amazing Leoni Dawson. Now she is someone I really admire. She is an international best selling author and an a multi passionate entrepreneur. Leoni has generated over thirteen million dollars in revenue while working at ten hours a week. Leoni also celebrates her neuro diversity and I'm so happy to have her join us on the podcast today. welcome Leoni,
leonie_dawson:
Oh, thanks for having me sharing. thanks for having these important conversations.
sharon_collon:
I'm so excited. I've been actually wanting to talk to you for a long time. I've heard you on a few podcasts and I get your news letter. I'm in your business academy, like the one that you did recently where you throw everything at everyone and I was so excited to just have a chat to you about your journey. Can you tell us a little bit for those who don't know? You tell us a little bit about you.
leonie_dawson:
Sure, I clearly
sharon_collon:
Clearly
leonie_dawson:
was born with University is like you fall into it later. but I was late diagnosed, so I only found out when I was thirty eight that I was autistic and eight H. D. I had known for maybe five years before then that I was autistic. I self diagnosed, and that was like, Oh, okay, Yes, that's definitely me, And then going through the diagnostic process for Au, discovered that had the bonus of a d. D. as well, So that's been a really fascinating journey for me and I feel so lucky to
sharon_collon:
So lucky
leonie_dawson:
have
sharon_collon:
to
leonie_dawson:
the
sharon_collon:
have
leonie_dawson:
answer to why I was
sharon_collon:
a
leonie_dawson:
a bit cook.
sharon_collon:
bit,
leonie_dawson:
You know why I'm built a little bit different, but
sharon_collon:
But
leonie_dawson:
I genuinely
sharon_collon:
genuinely
leonie_dawson:
do still
sharon_collon:
do
leonie_dawson:
regard
sharon_collon:
still
leonie_dawson:
it
sharon_collon:
regard
leonie_dawson:
as
sharon_collon:
it
leonie_dawson:
being
sharon_collon:
as
leonie_dawson:
an enormous blessing in my life, and Think that if you gave me the choice whether I was going to be nurdiverse or not like, I am percent going to take new diversity all the time, because I think it's a better life.
sharon_collon:
That is so lovely to hear, and I think a lot of our listeners you know, coming from a parenting point of view, they worry so much they worry, they worry a lot of the time, worry themselves sick over what's going to know what's goin t happen in the future, but time and Again we've shown that it can be such a blessing and it can actually give you know a little bit of an advantage. You know, when you're when you're thinking about, you know the work place and things. can you tell us a little bit about your business journey? What
leonie_dawson:
Sure,
sharon_collon:
what that look like for you?
leonie_dawson:
Sure, for me, I really wanted to be something creative for growing up, but I was born into a farming family and they didn't think that creativity or being self employed was a way to have sustainable income, so I was like well, second best
sharon_collon:
Second
leonie_dawson:
option.
sharon_collon:
best?
leonie_dawson:
I should become
sharon_collon:
I should
leonie_dawson:
Prime Minister of Australia, And so I moved to camera, and I work In Parliament House at a really
sharon_collon:
I
leonie_dawson:
young
sharon_collon:
really,
leonie_dawson:
age and
sharon_collon:
and
leonie_dawson:
realize
sharon_collon:
realize
leonie_dawson:
like, Oh,
sharon_collon:
like,
leonie_dawson:
no, this
sharon_collon:
Oh no,
leonie_dawson:
is
sharon_collon:
this is
leonie_dawson:
not the
sharon_collon:
not
leonie_dawson:
space for me like I am not going to be
sharon_collon:
to be
leonie_dawson:
able to be all
sharon_collon:
able.
leonie_dawson:
of myself in this space. It's like my,
sharon_collon:
It's
leonie_dawson:
I
sharon_collon:
like
leonie_dawson:
have paper
sharon_collon:
have
leonie_dawson:
thin skin and those baskets
sharon_collon:
a.
leonie_dawson:
need to have like a rhino. It's to be able to corrupt in that environment. So
sharon_collon:
So
leonie_dawson:
I was like
sharon_collon:
I
leonie_dawson:
twenty,
sharon_collon:
was like
leonie_dawson:
twenty, one, twenty two. when I was like, Actually, No, I need to go back to the original idea
sharon_collon:
the
leonie_dawson:
of having Kind of creative career,
sharon_collon:
rear
leonie_dawson:
And so I started building
sharon_collon:
at
leonie_dawson:
it organically.
sharon_collon:
building
leonie_dawson:
I started blogging in two thousand and four.
sharon_collon:
for
leonie_dawson:
I started
sharon_collon:
artedrreaiy
leonie_dawson:
running retreats and creativity workshops
sharon_collon:
shop
leonie_dawson:
and sharing
sharon_collon:
sharing,
leonie_dawson:
stuff in person and online, and then the online stuff continued to grow and grow and grow,
sharon_collon:
Grow
leonie_dawson:
and
sharon_collon:
And
leonie_dawson:
eventually
sharon_collon:
eventually
leonie_dawson:
it became
sharon_collon:
it became
leonie_dawson:
abundant enough
sharon_collon:
abundant
leonie_dawson:
that my husband and I could leave
sharon_collon:
Leave.
leonie_dawson:
out Over ment jobs and just be hoddies who live off their business.
sharon_collon:
I love that so much And can you tell me a little bit about what it was like in school for you?
leonie_dawson:
Sure, this may not apply because I'm that beautiful combination of artistic and at H. D. so it may not likeresonate with other people, But for me
sharon_collon:
For
leonie_dawson:
I
sharon_collon:
me,
leonie_dawson:
really loved
sharon_collon:
I really
leonie_dawson:
learning.
sharon_collon:
love learning.
leonie_dawson:
I was so voracious for
sharon_collon:
I
leonie_dawson:
information. I was one of five kids, and my mom always said that I
sharon_collon:
was
leonie_dawson:
was
sharon_collon:
said
leonie_dawson:
the most challenging
sharon_collon:
challenge.
leonie_dawson:
to parent because I needed so much information, New information. And so she, she said, It was
sharon_collon:
she
leonie_dawson:
always
sharon_collon:
said. It
leonie_dawson:
like
sharon_collon:
was as
leonie_dawson:
just throwing books in front of my path, throwing new options in front of my path just for me to mow through the information. and I should say, like my
sharon_collon:
I
leonie_dawson:
eldest
sharon_collon:
should say,
leonie_dawson:
brother had
sharon_collon:
My
leonie_dawson:
terrable palsy and she thought it was more difficult. apparently,
sharon_collon:
well,
leonie_dawson:
so I get
sharon_collon:
So I
leonie_dawson:
that
sharon_collon:
get
leonie_dawson:
we
sharon_collon:
that we
leonie_dawson:
are a lot
sharon_collon:
are
leonie_dawson:
of energy
sharon_collon:
a lot of
leonie_dawson:
when we're younger and
sharon_collon:
young.
leonie_dawson:
excitable, and For me,
sharon_collon:
Me.
leonie_dawson:
school
sharon_collon:
School
leonie_dawson:
was
sharon_collon:
was
leonie_dawson:
fascinating
sharon_collon:
fascinatin
leonie_dawson:
to learn
sharon_collon:
to
leonie_dawson:
new stuff, but socially it was a disaster. I don't think I made any friends at all till I was maybe eleven or older.
sharon_collon:
older
leonie_dawson:
I spent my days like my school and stuff
sharon_collon:
school
leonie_dawson:
in the library.
sharon_collon:
library.
leonie_dawson:
That was my happy
sharon_collon:
that was,
leonie_dawson:
place, and
sharon_collon:
and
leonie_dawson:
this social stuff just took
sharon_collon:
social
leonie_dawson:
a lot
sharon_collon:
stuff.
leonie_dawson:
longer to come along than other people. Um,
sharon_collon:
Um,
leonie_dawson:
when I was
sharon_collon:
when I
leonie_dawson:
a
sharon_collon:
was
leonie_dawson:
teen
sharon_collon:
a
leonie_dawson:
ager,
sharon_collon:
ten,
leonie_dawson:
I wasn't happy
sharon_collon:
was
leonie_dawson:
with where I was living in terms of like I was living in a small rural town. There weren't any options. I was just one big state school, so I kindly inform my parents
sharon_collon:
my
leonie_dawson:
that
sharon_collon:
parents
leonie_dawson:
I always either
sharon_collon:
that
leonie_dawson:
going to go over season an exchange student
sharon_collon:
change student,
leonie_dawson:
or I was going
sharon_collon:
or
leonie_dawson:
to send myself
sharon_collon:
as
leonie_dawson:
to boarding school and they were like Okay,
sharon_collon:
they were, like Okay,
leonie_dawson:
Well,
sharon_collon:
Well
leonie_dawson:
we would probably prefer boarding school, but we can't
sharon_collon:
school,
leonie_dawson:
afford
sharon_collon:
but
leonie_dawson:
it. So can you get scholarships
sharon_collon:
schlarship.
leonie_dawson:
And They got me to
sharon_collon:
They
leonie_dawson:
right
sharon_collon:
got me
leonie_dawson:
away to
sharon_collon:
right
leonie_dawson:
a
sharon_collon:
away
leonie_dawson:
whole bunch
sharon_collon:
to a
leonie_dawson:
of boarding schools
sharon_collon:
school,
leonie_dawson:
and to a whole bunch of tests scholarship tests, and see which scholarships
sharon_collon:
which
leonie_dawson:
I was awarded and then make a decision for myself and I'm very very grateful that they were so supportive of that process, because that was
sharon_collon:
at
leonie_dawson:
healing
sharon_collon:
healing
leonie_dawson:
and life changing for me to get to go to boarding school, which was a lot less
sharon_collon:
A lot
leonie_dawson:
overwhelming. Even though it's boarding school. You know it was. It was a small regionall boarding school filled with kids that came from cattle properties, so they were know a lot more chilled out themselves. In a lot of ways. they were very grounded humans and I really had just the best time he. so I'm so grateful.
sharon_collon:
that that is so good and not a normal like, It's not a story that I have heard Or about wanting
leonie_dawson:
Yeah,
sharon_collon:
to go to boarding school.
leonie_dawson:
yeah,
sharon_collon:
Usually it
leonie_dawson:
I
sharon_collon:
goes
leonie_dawson:
sent
sharon_collon:
the other
leonie_dawson:
myself.
sharon_collon:
way. yea,
leonie_dawson:
That's right. I sent myself and my best friend was as a boy and he was like. Excuse
sharon_collon:
Excuse
leonie_dawson:
me,
sharon_collon:
me,
leonie_dawson:
You're not leaving me here by myself. I can't cope with these people, so he managed to convince his parents to send me to the same boarding school.
sharon_collon:
I love. I love it now. One of the things that I really admire about you and I've been reading news letters and consuming a lot of your content for a while Now Is you are really open about mental health? I really really
leonie_dawson:
M.
sharon_collon:
love this about you because I think sometimes I don't know Social media and all that sort of stuff like that. We just just always get consuming. Like what? what everyone looks so perfect right?
leonie_dawson:
M
sharon_collon:
And it really, it really blows my mind. I always try and make sure that I let people know like all the crazy stuff that happens in my household To like. not just not just the nice photos where we're all stage, you know, but all the wildness as well. so I love that you are so open about mental health. Can you tell me a little bit about your journey with mental health?
leonie_dawson:
Sure, so my running joke is that I was born into a family of people who are very strong in their bodies. You know, they'll live till late nineties. a hundred so strong bodies, weak minds like it's just like
sharon_collon:
My grandma
leonie_dawson:
mental
sharon_collon:
said you
leonie_dawson:
mental
sharon_collon:
can only
leonie_dawson:
illness.
sharon_collon:
have one or the other. She said
leonie_dawson:
Oh,
sharon_collon:
you can only have
leonie_dawson:
there
sharon_collon:
one
leonie_dawson:
you
sharon_collon:
or the
leonie_dawson:
go.
sharon_collon:
other.
leonie_dawson:
there you go. so physically my people are strong like balls, but mentally. No, thank you. So I grew up in. you know, a family that was aware of like that stuff didn't always go to plan. I'm not saying that he managed
sharon_collon:
I
leonie_dawson:
that
sharon_collon:
managed
leonie_dawson:
particularly well,
sharon_collon:
well,
leonie_dawson:
but it was
sharon_collon:
but
leonie_dawson:
fairly
sharon_collon:
it was
leonie_dawson:
obvious
sharon_collon:
fairly obvious
leonie_dawson:
that other people were struggling with this stuff, and for me it
sharon_collon:
Me.
leonie_dawson:
became
sharon_collon:
it became
leonie_dawson:
certain that I couldn't
sharon_collon:
Something that
leonie_dawson:
ignore
sharon_collon:
I couldn't ignore
leonie_dawson:
any more when I had my first daughter and my first child, and I had most able to pry, And an anxiety, and went through a whole bunch
sharon_collon:
Whole
leonie_dawson:
of
sharon_collon:
bunch of.
leonie_dawson:
life dramas and
sharon_collon:
And
leonie_dawson:
just
sharon_collon:
just
leonie_dawson:
was at my limit. I couldn't cope any more and desperately needed help And I remember at
sharon_collon:
I
leonie_dawson:
the
sharon_collon:
remember
leonie_dawson:
time
sharon_collon:
the
leonie_dawson:
somebody
sharon_collon:
ie,
leonie_dawson:
said to me, One day you're going to write
sharon_collon:
you're
leonie_dawson:
about this and I was like, Are you fucking kidding me? No, thank you. I will never talk about how bad this got. Um, because
sharon_collon:
cause
leonie_dawson:
you know I'm a life
sharon_collon:
I've a
leonie_dawson:
coach.
sharon_collon:
life
leonie_dawson:
Like who wants to know? Like a life coach
sharon_collon:
like.
leonie_dawson:
is Experience such difficult things. But then as
sharon_collon:
But
leonie_dawson:
I
sharon_collon:
then as
leonie_dawson:
healed
sharon_collon:
I
leonie_dawson:
from it and started kind of looking at the
sharon_collon:
Look at
leonie_dawson:
tapestry
sharon_collon:
Tapestry,
leonie_dawson:
of my life,
sharon_collon:
I
leonie_dawson:
I realized that I
sharon_collon:
realize
leonie_dawson:
needed to share about it publicly and I was so
sharon_collon:
I
leonie_dawson:
honoured
sharon_collon:
was
leonie_dawson:
with all of the people who shared when ship got bad with them, and so I wanted to kind of repay that level of honesty and vulnerability, And I also
sharon_collon:
and I
leonie_dawson:
felt
sharon_collon:
also
leonie_dawson:
so
sharon_collon:
felt,
leonie_dawson:
protective
sharon_collon:
so
leonie_dawson:
of other new mom Like, Oh, there's going to be
sharon_collon:
there's
leonie_dawson:
other
sharon_collon:
gonna
leonie_dawson:
moms
sharon_collon:
be
leonie_dawson:
out there that
sharon_collon:
he
leonie_dawson:
are just
sharon_collon:
that
leonie_dawson:
having the worst time right now
sharon_collon:
now,
leonie_dawson:
and I need them to know that they're not alone and that I promise they can heal from this and they can get through this. So
sharon_collon:
So
leonie_dawson:
I, it took
sharon_collon:
I took
leonie_dawson:
A couple of months
sharon_collon:
Couple of
leonie_dawson:
to
sharon_collon:
months
leonie_dawson:
end up writing about that experience and sharing it, and as soon as
sharon_collon:
as
leonie_dawson:
I
sharon_collon:
soon
leonie_dawson:
did
sharon_collon:
as I
leonie_dawson:
the
sharon_collon:
did.
leonie_dawson:
response
sharon_collon:
the
leonie_dawson:
I got was just so powerful and so profound that I thought I will never hire this stuff again. I will always share where she bad. So you know, I've had a few depressive episodes since then,
sharon_collon:
then
leonie_dawson:
and I've been very
sharon_collon:
I
leonie_dawson:
happy to
sharon_collon:
hapriteonce
leonie_dawson:
write about them once I'm through it.
sharon_collon:
through
leonie_dawson:
I usually
sharon_collon:
it
leonie_dawson:
don't
sharon_collon:
Usually
leonie_dawson:
write about it
sharon_collon:
write
leonie_dawson:
when I'm
sharon_collon:
about it when
leonie_dawson:
in it because
sharon_collon:
in
leonie_dawson:
she's just so Bad, But when I learn
sharon_collon:
When I
leonie_dawson:
the lessons and when I heal and start moving at the other side, then I'll then I'll tell people. Of course, I'll tell people like my trusted people, like my husband, my friends, my family, when I'm in crisis mode and need support, but when it comes to sharing and teaching from that perspective, I wait until I'm in a different different space.
sharon_collon:
just yeah, I think I think it's just such an important message for some Like you as well, who has such a great following, a lawyer following to let people know that you know that they're able to share their journeys,
leonie_dawson:
Oh,
sharon_collon:
and once someone does it, just like you said. it's like it's a waterfall. Everyone you know feels able to discuss these things. And and I just love how you love how you write about it as well. It's in a lovely relatable way. Now tell me one of the things that I admire about you and there is a lot that I admire about you is your bow Dories you have. you seem
leonie_dawson:
M.
sharon_collon:
to have, and I wonder whether this is just my
leonie_dawson:
What?
sharon_collon:
perception, but you seem to have you have. like a good concept of boundaries. Can you talk to me a little bit about
leonie_dawson:
Sure like? I have a good understanding of boundaries because I grew up in a home that didn't have many boundaries, and
sharon_collon:
A
leonie_dawson:
especially relational boundaries, and children weren't allowed to have boundaries. You know what I mean, Nd. so it was. It came later for me and it came tied in with that post natal depression crass when I had my first daughter, because I'd been able to go throu my life while still being
sharon_collon:
Still being
leonie_dawson:
the daughter and sister that everybody wanted to
sharon_collon:
Wanted?
leonie_dawson:
me to be. But
sharon_collon:
But
leonie_dawson:
when I
sharon_collon:
when
leonie_dawson:
had
sharon_collon:
I had
leonie_dawson:
my first child
sharon_collon:
first
leonie_dawson:
and
sharon_collon:
child
leonie_dawson:
became
sharon_collon:
and
leonie_dawson:
a mother,
sharon_collon:
the
leonie_dawson:
I was like I don't actually have the time or the physical energy
sharon_collon:
energy
leonie_dawson:
or the brain space to be able to continue
sharon_collon:
to
leonie_dawson:
to fulfill these roles
sharon_collon:
the
leonie_dawson:
that I used to do, and Um, my
sharon_collon:
y,
leonie_dawson:
tfamily did not
sharon_collon:
did
leonie_dawson:
take well to that. my family of origin didn't take wealth at well to that, And
sharon_collon:
Um.
leonie_dawson:
so it took me
sharon_collon:
so
leonie_dawson:
a
sharon_collon:
it
leonie_dawson:
lot
sharon_collon:
took
leonie_dawson:
of
sharon_collon:
a lot of
leonie_dawson:
therapy
sharon_collon:
therapy
leonie_dawson:
to be able
sharon_collon:
to
leonie_dawson:
to
sharon_collon:
be
leonie_dawson:
stand up for myself And it's still a work
sharon_collon:
till
leonie_dawson:
in progress
sharon_collon:
progress.
leonie_dawson:
to say
sharon_collon:
To say
leonie_dawson:
this is
sharon_collon:
this
leonie_dawson:
not okay and you actually can't
sharon_collon:
ctualdthis
leonie_dawson:
do this because it's damaging
sharon_collon:
cause
leonie_dawson:
me. as damaging my relationship is damaging my child,
sharon_collon:
my child
leonie_dawson:
And
sharon_collon:
and
leonie_dawson:
I think discovering
sharon_collon:
I think discovering
leonie_dawson:
how
sharon_collon:
how
leonie_dawson:
profoundly healing and protective boundaries can be maybe realize like Oh,
sharon_collon:
be
leonie_dawson:
this
sharon_collon:
realize
leonie_dawson:
is the path
sharon_collon:
this
leonie_dawson:
to
sharon_collon:
is the
leonie_dawson:
sustain ability.
sharon_collon:
inability
leonie_dawson:
So in my business
sharon_collon:
I business.
leonie_dawson:
I need to have good boundaries, otherwise I'm not going to be able to continue to keep doing what I'm doing. I have been selling stuff online for nearly twenty years now. I've been logging for twenty years. I've been a public figure for nearly two decades, you know, and if I didn't have boundaries, I would have burned out or been really fucked up from that a long time ago, but I
sharon_collon:
But
leonie_dawson:
have managed to work out a way to craft
sharon_collon:
a
leonie_dawson:
a
sharon_collon:
raft
leonie_dawson:
life that
sharon_collon:
life
leonie_dawson:
actually works for
sharon_collon:
works
leonie_dawson:
me
sharon_collon:
for
leonie_dawson:
out.
sharon_collon:
me Now
leonie_dawson:
and that means that I can't do all the things that people want me to do, and I can only just offer what is in my heart and protect myself and make sure that I'm giving myself the kindness, the gentleness, the life style I need in order to be able to continue.
sharon_collon:
that it's just so good. One of the one of the things that topic that comes up again and again in our private face book group is boundaries. People saying yes when they really mean No people burning themselves out
leonie_dawson:
Hm.
sharon_collon:
trying to people please. It's something that just keeps coming up. and so I really appreciate you giving your take on it and something that I have been admiring from a
leonie_dawson:
I,
sharon_collon:
distance. I can see that you have your like little set things of what you will, You know, what you take on and what you won't And I think that's
leonie_dawson:
M.
sharon_collon:
really. I think it's really great. I'm really interested to know. Like going on from that boundaries conversation. What how you go Balancing know with work. You are super successful. You know, as you know, And entreryou've done some amazing things. You've an incredible awards. Our doing really great. How do you go balancing that with your life commitment stuff.
leonie_dawson:
Oh so for me, I've always worked a very limited work week, so I've only ever been able
sharon_collon:
We
leonie_dawson:
to
sharon_collon:
have
leonie_dawson:
do
sharon_collon:
been
leonie_dawson:
like ten hours a week in my business, And that was, it wasn't something that I chose. It was just that was a constraint. I originally set up my business while I was still working full time for the Australian government. I only left once I had a baby, and that baby did not sleep and cried when she was not in my arms, So
sharon_collon:
So
leonie_dawson:
ten hours
sharon_collon:
ten
leonie_dawson:
a
sharon_collon:
hours
leonie_dawson:
week
sharon_collon:
a week
leonie_dawson:
Actually like a luxury To even find those hours for a lot of years in my
sharon_collon:
of
leonie_dawson:
life.
sharon_collon:
years, my life,
leonie_dawson:
And the
sharon_collon:
and
leonie_dawson:
blessing
sharon_collon:
the blessing
leonie_dawson:
of that is
sharon_collon:
of
leonie_dawson:
that
sharon_collon:
that
leonie_dawson:
it
sharon_collon:
is that
leonie_dawson:
made me
sharon_collon:
made
leonie_dawson:
very
sharon_collon:
me
leonie_dawson:
good
sharon_collon:
very.
leonie_dawson:
at going Okay. What is
sharon_collon:
What
leonie_dawson:
the most important thing for me to do right now? What is mission
sharon_collon:
at
leonie_dawson:
critical for me to grow this business? And what are all the things that
sharon_collon:
the
leonie_dawson:
are just going have to themselves like they're just going to have to suck off and die because I'm not going to do them that. I'm just no, I don't have the time or the energy or the brain to
sharon_collon:
Right
leonie_dawson:
be able to do that. So there is. Even though you see so much
sharon_collon:
you
leonie_dawson:
success, I just want you to know that there is a very long unfinished to do. list behind me of things that I've just got. Actually just can't do that. I'll just do the mission critical and that's it.
sharon_collon:
and when you talk about the mission critical stuff cause I love it because you're talking about. like, sort of train your time there. How
leonie_dawson:
M.
sharon_collon:
do you stop you? Um, wonderful brain from getting distracted by the shiny things, Because I hear this a lot. People are like.
leonie_dawson:
M.
sharon_collon:
I've really got to do this, But that thing looks fun and new over there. How do you?
leonie_dawson:
Yeah,
sharon_collon:
How do you direct your energy?
leonie_dawson:
I think the
sharon_collon:
The
leonie_dawson:
burning desire to pay my bills is very. It's a real thrill for me.
sharon_collon:
Uh, uh,
leonie_dawson:
I've got no other fucking option. I just need to make it happen. We can do the shiny ship at another point, and I do do shiny ship like I am always still at Shin Ship, but it's got to come
sharon_collon:
But it's
leonie_dawson:
second to the actual important stuff.
sharon_collon:
It's funny how the brain works Is like you can be like. Yes, like I know. that thing is going to move the needle. That is like a hundred percent. That's
leonie_dawson:
M.
sharon_collon:
the great job that I need to do And then you're like, But there is this completely unrelated thing that's not going to give me any income and not going
leonie_dawson:
Yeah,
sharon_collon:
hing. But
leonie_dawson:
yeah,
sharon_collon:
I'm going to focus your tention on that
leonie_dawson:
You know, and there's so many tasks you know that I'm like halfway through going. this is the greatest. Like what a fun thing I'm doing and then I'm like
sharon_collon:
And then
leonie_dawson:
Leon.
sharon_collon:
I'm like
leonie_dawson:
Is this
sharon_collon:
Leonisiis,
leonie_dawson:
actually important
sharon_collon:
Actually,
leonie_dawson:
and I have to just kill it. I just have to go. Or if I really want to finish it just for a little
sharon_collon:
Just
leonie_dawson:
dope men tick. Then that's
sharon_collon:
then
leonie_dawson:
going to
sharon_collon:
that's
leonie_dawson:
have to happen
sharon_collon:
gonna have
leonie_dawson:
outside of business. Ours and just be like
sharon_collon:
just
leonie_dawson:
Well, that
sharon_collon:
like.
leonie_dawson:
was
sharon_collon:
Well
leonie_dawson:
a fun
sharon_collon:
that was.
leonie_dawson:
thing to do. I think the
sharon_collon:
I
leonie_dawson:
trick
sharon_collon:
think the trick
leonie_dawson:
is to become
sharon_collon:
is to be
leonie_dawson:
dope, mean, addicted to your
sharon_collon:
addicted
leonie_dawson:
own business
sharon_collon:
to your
leonie_dawson:
success.
sharon_collon:
essbecause.
leonie_dawson:
Because I've learned this as a real lesson.
sharon_collon:
Real less
leonie_dawson:
I took up gaming
sharon_collon:
took up gaming
leonie_dawson:
like June
sharon_collon:
June
leonie_dawson:
last year
sharon_collon:
year.
leonie_dawson:
and I started playing this stupid game called Star Stables, and it's
sharon_collon:
It's
leonie_dawson:
very popular
sharon_collon:
very
leonie_dawson:
with
sharon_collon:
oar
leonie_dawson:
girls
sharon_collon:
with girls
leonie_dawson:
between the age of eleven and thirteen, and you ride around
sharon_collon:
around
leonie_dawson:
on imaginary ponies online, and you like do all these races,
sharon_collon:
all these races.
leonie_dawson:
and you get new outfits for your horse and stuff like that, and I became
sharon_collon:
I,
leonie_dawson:
very dope and addicted To it because I could get up the new levels. I could train my horse, I could collect. like the Halloween outfits. It was a whole
sharon_collon:
Who
leonie_dawson:
thing. Um, and
sharon_collon:
and
leonie_dawson:
I discovered
sharon_collon:
I dicovered
leonie_dawson:
six months
sharon_collon:
six
leonie_dawson:
later
sharon_collon:
months later
leonie_dawson:
that it
sharon_collon:
that
leonie_dawson:
had cost
sharon_collon:
it had
leonie_dawson:
me a hundred thousand dollars
sharon_collon:
thus,
leonie_dawson:
in revenue.
sharon_collon:
Oh,
leonie_dawson:
Yeah, yeah, yeah, because
sharon_collon:
cause
leonie_dawson:
I switch that
sharon_collon:
with
leonie_dawson:
dope meat from my business
sharon_collon:
my business
leonie_dawson:
and my business
sharon_collon:
and
leonie_dawson:
to
sharon_collon:
business,
leonie_dawson:
success and attaining that new level of income to fucking ponies. And you know it's a good
sharon_collon:
it's
leonie_dawson:
lesson.
sharon_collon:
a good. Let's
leonie_dawson:
It's a good lesson
sharon_collon:
a good
leonie_dawson:
Like
sharon_collon:
lesson.
leonie_dawson:
whatever, my
sharon_collon:
What
leonie_dawson:
business makes, a million dollars a year, like a hundred thousand dollars. It's a lot of money, but
sharon_collon:
lot of
leonie_dawson:
also
sharon_collon:
money?
leonie_dawson:
we make mistakes. whatever.
sharon_collon:
What?
leonie_dawson:
So I've just
sharon_collon:
So
leonie_dawson:
had to
sharon_collon:
I
leonie_dawson:
cut myself
sharon_collon:
cut
leonie_dawson:
off
sharon_collon:
myself
leonie_dawson:
cold turkey
sharon_collon:
off
leonie_dawson:
from
sharon_collon:
culture
leonie_dawson:
gaming and from those pretty ponies
sharon_collon:
From the pretty parts
leonie_dawson:
and just
sharon_collon:
and just
leonie_dawson:
re, focus
sharon_collon:
rocus.
leonie_dawson:
my
sharon_collon:
my,
leonie_dawson:
Dopemin on to attaining business success and income, because that is hugely a big driving force for me,
sharon_collon:
Yeah, and it's so good that you are able to, you know to do something that that you love and that you're great at as well like
leonie_dawson:
M.
sharon_collon:
to follow that passion. Now tell me a little bit about your. You know, you've got two lovely daughters and a husband and everything that's going on. Is there our diversity going there as well, or is is it Just you? Your house?
leonie_dawson:
I don't want to disclose anything
sharon_collon:
Okay,
leonie_dawson:
about my family,
sharon_collon:
Cool
leonie_dawson:
but I will say like, as if there would be
sharon_collon:
There would
leonie_dawson:
no
sharon_collon:
be
leonie_dawson:
diversity.
sharon_collon:
Okay. I see
leonie_dawson:
It's a contagious
sharon_collon:
what. I?
leonie_dawson:
diagnosis.
sharon_collon:
Well, Yes, it is. I only ask because of my own household,
leonie_dawson:
Yeah,
sharon_collon:
but
leonie_dawson:
yeah,
sharon_collon:
I'm just curious
leonie_dawson:
I just don't want.
sharon_collon:
as
leonie_dawson:
I just don't no out, any anybody or my kids or anything like that.
sharon_collon:
of course. of course. Now tell me, how does it go with your family dynamics? Have you got any tips for our beautiful listeners About? you know how you make, because I know you're You're a working mom. You've got two kids. you've got. what's going on? Um, you know, with how your business operates and everything like that, How do you go with making know all the home commitment stuff as well? How does it? You got any tips for us,
leonie_dawson:
Yeah, I mean, for me, what I've discovered works is that we as a family need to live a very quiet life, So we like a lot of home time. We don't do a lot of extra corricular stuff. We don't trollop all over the country side to go to birthday parties every weekend. It's birthday parties are only for very special
sharon_collon:
Very
leonie_dawson:
friends.
sharon_collon:
special friend.
leonie_dawson:
And if it's just not at a good time for me as well, in terms of I don't like being out in the afternoon, because it fries my brain a lot more than if I'm in the morning. then we just have to skip it. So limitations Our best friend.
sharon_collon:
That is, That is so good and actually quite refreshing to hear like you know that you can quiet things down. You know that these
leonie_dawson:
M.
sharon_collon:
are. it is a choice.
leonie_dawson:
Yeah,
sharon_collon:
Sometimes it feels a bit weird, but you can. you can actually say no to things and quiet it down
leonie_dawson:
Yeah,
sharon_collon:
and give you what you need, what what your kid needs or what you need.
leonie_dawson:
Yeah, and I, I've always, you know, On some level I did have some kind of shame about that like, why can't I be like everybody else and live at that pace? But I actually just physically can't. I motionally can't and if I do push myself at that level, I burn out very quickly
sharon_collon:
Very,
leonie_dawson:
and I'm not the mother of the person that I want to be, So it's important for me to protect that time. and also, you know it
sharon_collon:
So
leonie_dawson:
has to
sharon_collon:
you
leonie_dawson:
flow
sharon_collon:
know,
leonie_dawson:
in effect that my kids are really Happy being at home. the really happy home bodies that don't love being
sharon_collon:
Being
leonie_dawson:
out a lot. they've got their own interest at home. My youngest
sharon_collon:
My youngest,
leonie_dawson:
is always saying to me like Mommy, Can we not go out tomorrow and she's got big plans. She's going to listen to an audio book. She's going to do some reading. She's goin t do some drawing. She's going to roll a skate around the
sharon_collon:
Just
leonie_dawson:
house.
sharon_collon:
get around
leonie_dawson:
whatever,
sharon_collon:
there
leonie_dawson:
and
sharon_collon:
And
leonie_dawson:
they're very
sharon_collon:
there buried.
leonie_dawson:
happy in themselves and in their relationship with everybody else in the family.
sharon_collon:
It's just it's really great and doing what like we can do what we want to do. It's literally our family. Like you
leonie_dawson:
Yeah,
sharon_collon:
know, I don't know. I feel like sometimes we wait for permission to do things you know.
leonie_dawson:
M.
sharon_collon:
So I really like that you can work out what works for you and what works for your family, and that comes back to that boundaries. discussion, Doesn't it like you are quite good at that?
leonie_dawson:
M.
sharon_collon:
Yeah,
leonie_dawson:
Yeah.
sharon_collon:
okay,
leonie_dawson:
yeah.
sharon_collon:
well, I just want to say thank you so much. I'd love learning Little bit about you and your story, and I know that your business is just incredible, so if anyone wants to look you up and see a little bit more about what you do, can you tell them where to find you
leonie_dawson:
Sure, I am at Leoni Dawson Dot com. I'm not on social media. I just talk ship to people on the internet. Really, by my website, my news later, All of the free stuff that I give away my academy and I've got a podcast as well. The only Dawson refuses to be categorized, so I just like to create
sharon_collon:
Create?
leonie_dawson:
and give ship away and help people. However, I can,
sharon_collon:
Thank you so much for your time today. it's been so awesome having you here.
leonie_dawson:
Oh bless, thank you so much, Sharon.
sharon_collon:
Yeah.
