Local entrepreneur becomes best-selling author

This summer will be one to remember for 42 year old, Alison Goodwin, from Macclesfield, who last week discovered she’d penned a best-seller, as a book she co-authored went straight in at number 1 on the Amazon best seller charts in five separate book categories.

‘She Who Dares’, tells of how Alison went from a 60-70 hour week with five figure monthly salaries to becoming isolated with chronic daily pain, depression and anxiety. Alison shares her incredible story of how she refocused and founded the most rewarding career she has ever had – helping others unleash their potential and fulfill their own career and business goals.

Taking a very open approach to sharing highs and lows, Alison charts the struggles she experienced, alongside revealing her insights on how she overcame challenges, in a bid to inspire others looking to make a change in 2018.

With 25 years business experience Alison has worked in a variety of industries such as HR and Training as well as high pressure, target driven environments like Recruitment and Sales. It was in these latter areas that Alison excelled placing hundreds of people and winning numerous awards. Always one for pushing herself and getting the best out of others Alison rapidly became known in her industry as the consultant that everyone wanted to work with.

Then, suddenly out of the blue, Alison found her career on hold for health reasons and she found herself diagnosed with a rare chronic pain condition.

Alison says;“Life threw me a curveball. I had an accident that required surgery, and this is where my story really starts. I should have returned to work within 8 weeks, but something was wrong. I can’t describe in words how I felt but whilst my ligaments were slowly healing I had developed a rare long term chronic pain condition that affected my entire body. This condition was to be labeled Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) and not long after that I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. As anyone with a chronic pain condition will tell you, it is tough, it is invisible, and it is so hard to live with on a day to day basis.”

Her diagnosis alongside many other personal and professional struggles led to depression and anxiety and in Alison words she had “turned into a virtual recluse.“But, it was during this period of reflection and forced rest that Alison decided to refocus. Alison continues; “I started to think about what I could do and less about what I could not. I started looking at what I could offer people and slowly but surely not one, but two business ideas formed in my mind, I just lacked the courage to do anything about it.”

Then fate intervened and Alison met Abigail Horne, Co-Founder of the Female Success Network and Alison signed up to the Mastermind- (a small group that taps into a weekly training, monthly strategy calls and day to day support through a private Facebook group run by Female Success Network), one year later Alison says;“I have to say I’ve found the whole experience liberating. It’s given me the confidence I needed and helped me to realise the things in life that matter I’m talking personal growth, mindset, love, relationships, friends, family and of course work. I’m finally happy.”

Already reviewed as ‘an incredible and inspiring read from entrepreneurial women who have let nothing stand in their way on their path to achievement!’, ‘She Who Dares’ charts the journeys of 24 women in business, all at varying stages, but who as a collective have come together to support each other in their growth as they strive for their version of success.

Available now via Amazon – the book is also soon to be made into a paperback.

Alison continues;“Even if something seems impossible I’ll agree and work the ‘how’ out. Instead of seeing the negative I always try to see the positive and so I’ve always believed ‘there is a solution to every problem’.”

Alison is now a Career and Business Strategist and a self-confessed learning junkie who is trained in Life Coaching, Career Coaching and Neurolinguistic Programming (NLP). She runs two companies – the first is Alison Goodwin Ltd is a company that specialises in helping individual clients define new career paths, whether that be helping them navigate the everchanging workplace or helping those looking for a complete career change. She also provides business strategy advice to entrepreneurs and business women and those looking to succeed.

Alison’s latest company Your Future Self was set up to help young people age 12-21 to transition into young adults by helping them to build solid foundations for their future, using proven strategies to help them map their goals. Working alongside local education authorities and parents, Alison’s mission is to make career advice accessible early in life so that our next generation are inspired to do more and to be more.

Alison says;“I never believed I would own my own business – let alone two! Looking at what I have achieved over the last 12 months blows me away and looking at what new skills I have learnt inspires me to learn more! My ultimate mission is to provide the tools that empower people, to help them exceed their career and business goals.”