We talk inner warrior, sidekicks + taking a leap with Business Mentor, Gali

We love your ethos ‘Be a warrior in your business’. Tell us Gali, how did it all begin?

Thanks, I love it too! It stems from my strong belief that you need your tribe, your warrior women, you need a solid crew of women around you to succeed. Whether they are your friends, other entrepreneurs, business mentors. I’m happy + very very fortunate to have all of these. 

I’ve also like others experienced confidence dips + individuals that have zapped my confidence especially along my career journey so have had to cultivate a strong sense of identity, authenticity + it’s taken me years to be OK with being me. More so the acknowledgment that I am strong, able + a warrior. That’s what I want to channel in other women, nothing gives me more joy than seeing other women thrive! 

So my business all started around 6 years ago as a side hustle whilst doing a ‘proper’ job. I’d worked in big business for over 25 years [a long stint!] from fashion to health + it just wasn’t me, I’m not corporate at all, I was leading huge teams + experiencing burnout. 

My side hustle initially was helping small businesses to grow, acting as a strategy consultant. I didn’t have the confidence to go out alone, then when COVID hit I was made redundant so that was my kick up the a** + I felt even more motivated to help other women running their businesses or those thinking about it or those that had just launched, plus also to put my 20 years + mentoring expertise to good use!

For our readers that may not know you yet, tell us what you do.

I’m a Business Mentor + Online Business Manager. So my business is two-fold. I offer mentoring for female entrepreneurs + small business owners that are thinking about starting up, or just launched + for those established + running their businesses well but feeling a bit stuck, not sure how to grow, have fallen out of love with their business, not sure how to sell + want to be confident + thrive. 

The other arm is helping them run the show – social media management, marketing, recruitment, operational processes, time management, getting the business organised, managing clients + teams – being their warrior sidekick! 

My approach is an honest no fluff or bullsh*t one, it’s not about regurgitated advice, it’s about giving women the tools + strategies to see outcomes! Empowering women + women in business must be such a rewarding thing to do. Why do you think female empowerment is so important?  

Because by nature we don’t big ourselves up + we don’t just go for stuff as men do. We overthink, worry that we’re not good enough, we’re not ballsy like men. Men go first then think about it after, they say ‘I can do this’. We’re not good at doing that as women. So the more you have strong women around you telling you, you can + just do it the more confident you’ll be. It’s also important to show women that they can speak out, be confident, challenge things, be assertive, be bold, say no, set boundaries. 

There is also a lot of competition out there + that’s not what we should be about, we should celebrate each other, I always liken it to the pep talk you give to other women in club toilets, I want women to go away after they’ve spoken to me + feel good + like warriors. We should be encouraging supporting each other, then we’re all stronger + better in our businesses.

Reading your story, after spending 25 years in a corporate world – what made you jump into something new? 

Loads of reasons! The biggest factor for me as a leader myself was toxic leadership, sadly I had a long line of toxic unsupportive managers [no empowerment there!] The corporate environment for me was not a good fit – a lot of bullsh*t with no substance, a lack of empathy + kindness + a lack of developing people or getting the best out of people – it was all just results/KPIs. It was also a very stifling environment, different ways of thinking or challenging the status quo were not allowed. You can only pretend to be something you are not for so long!

Who is your ideal client?

Women entrepreneurs + small business owners that know they’ve got a good business but are willing to say ‘you know what, I don’t know that’ or ‘I need someone to help me get through this challenge or help me grow’. Or have fallen out of love with their business + feeling a bit stuck. Plus are willing to work with someone to ignite that inner warrior, the reason they went out alone + do what they do!

Looking back, what are the biggest lessons that you have learnt?

Always, always stay true to yourself. For many years I tried to convey myself as what I thought was the professional way of doing things to fit into an environment that wasn’t me. Never do that, it erodes your confidence + you’ll be unhappy.  

Are you a night owl or an early riser?

Oh, early riser definitely! I’ve got my morning routine down. I’ve worked from home for over 9 years now, so it’s important I feel to have your morning rituals, start your day right. Wake up, don’t check your phone! Exercise, listen to some music or podcasts. Have breakfast, slowly! I trained myself not to rush everything. Oh + coffee, lots + lots of coffee. Shower, get dressed + then at my desk. As if you were going to the office.

What are your top productivity hacks?

Have a plan, I work on 3-month intervals, just easier + more manageable. I’m visual so I set out all my tasks etc on Trello (which is a lifesaver). Manage your time well – block out your diary each week for certain things e.g. Thursday is client day/meetings day, Tuesday is admin day, Thursday AM is a deep focus workday [when you need everything switched off + you can focus on those harder tasks]. Take breaks + get outside during the day, which clears your head + makes you more focused. I’ve got loads, it’s what I help others with! 

What’s next for Gali Siegal? Where do we see you in the next year?

World domination right? Gotta set those goals. Seriously, building my business, building my community + tribe of warriors, mentoring even more women to spread the warrior vibes! 

As fellow Female Founders, we wish you the biggest success in your new venture. Which other Girl Bosses are you loving?

1. Stefanie Sword Williams – F*ck being humble. I’m sure you all know Stef if you don’t check her out + her book. She is all about selling yourself + being comfortable doing it. She’s built a movement, brilliant + is all about empowering others.
2. Sapphire Bate, Founder of the Coven Girl Gang. I recently joined this network as was a part of others + can hand on heart say that this is more aligned with my values. Sapphire is all about empowering other women in business + has set up the foundations for something really special. She is the epitome of a warrior woman in her business. 
3. Aesthetic Laundry – I want to give them a shout-out because their brand is brilliant + what they are doing is brilliant. They are a new fashion brand [been up and running for a year], they are challenging the fashion industry, female-led. 

Finally, what advice would you give your younger self?

Stop worrying about what others think of you [I’m still working on this one in my adult life!].

Follow Gali’s journey online now.