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It is never too late to start. The power of just getting going

Welcome along to Coffee with Claire.Today I want to talk about something I hear all the time.I should have started ten years ago. It is too late now. I have missed the window.And I want to challenge that thinking.What if you just got started instead of worrying that it is too late?...

Restore yourself, do not just rest. The difference that changes everything

Welcome to Coffee with Claire.Today I want to talk about something that really hit me over the weekend.What would it mean for you to restore yourself instead of just resting because you are exhausted?There is a difference. And it matters....

What Taylor Swift can teach us about personal branding

Welcome along to Coffee with Claire.This one is a little bit fun today.I was listening to Taylor Swift’s song Me, and there is a line that says, I am the only one of me, baby that is the fun of me.And I thought, that is such a cool way to think about personal branding.There is only one of you. That is not a weakness. That is the advantage....

What I wish I knew about building a business before I started

Welcome along to Coffee with Claire.Today is a little different. I want to talk honestly about building businesses and the things I really wish I had understood earlier. The mistakes, the lessons, and the mindset shifts that made the biggest difference.There are many lessons, but today I want to focus on three that have had the biggest impact for me....

Why changing your environment sparks creativity

Welcome along to Coffee with Claire.I am without my coffee again today, which feels slightly criminal, but I have just come back from ten days in Japan and it got me thinking about the power of changing environments.I felt incredibly inspired while I was there. It might have been the skiing, the food, the culture, the beautiful people, or wandering through snow filled streets each morning. But what it really gave me was space. Space to think, space to explore ideas, and space to reconnect with c...

Levelling up for 2026. Creating space, leveraging skills, and moving forward with intention

I am nearly at the end of my coffee today, which feels quite symbolic for an end of year reflection. A little more relaxed, a little less rushed, and very much in thinking mode.Today I want to talk about levelling up and leveraging. Not just in business or career, but across life as a whole. And how you might think about improving yourself and your opportunities as we head into 2026....

Living intentionally. Choosing where your energy goes

Today I want to talk about living intentionally. This has been sitting with me a lot lately and after a recent post sparked some great conversations, I wanted to share what this actually looks like in my own life.For me, living intentionally means making conscious decisions about how my day to day life looks while staying aligned with my short, medium, and long term goals. It is about understanding not just what you want to achieve, but how you want to feel, who you want to be around, and what y...

Having difficult conversations with more confidence

Today I want to talk about something that most of us try to avoid especially at this time of year. Difficult conversations.  For a long time I was terrible at them. Truly terrible. But over time and with a lot of practice I have learnt a few things that make these conversations feel lighter, calmer and much more productive.I wanted to share the three things I do when I know a challenging conversation is coming and the mindset that helps me get through it....

Advice is not telling people what to do

Today I want to talk about advice and more specifically this idea that advice is not about telling someone what to do. It is about guiding them towards the right outcome.I give advice every day. It is part of working in financial services and part of supporting people through decisions around lending, investment, and the complexities that sit around money. But I think our industry often treats advice as something simple. Something direct. Something where the expert announces the answer and the c...

Never feeling ready and doing it anyway

Today I want to talk about something that shows up for almost every leader I know.Never really feeling ready.It is such a common experience for people who are doing big work. The people who want to grow, to lead, to impact, to innovate, to help others in a meaningful way. And yet, so many of us quietly carry that feeling of never quite being competent enough or accomplished enough to step into the moment in front of us....

The quiet power of likeability

Good morning and welcome to Coffee with Claire.Today I am coming to you with a takeaway coffee in hand. I am on my way to the airport, heading to Queenstown to be part of a beautiful ceremony for a friend. And somewhere between packing my bag and picking up my coffee, I found myself thinking about something a little unexpected.Likeability.It keeps showing up in conversations and in the work I have been doing. Not in a superficial way, but in the way people feel when they interact with you. Do th...

Building Capacity: Creating Space for Growth and Possibility

I’ve been reflecting on this because it’s not the first time we’ve done it — in fact, it’s the third.The first time was scary. We were hiring two new people at once. It felt like a huge financial outlay, and I remember worrying about what would happen next. What I didn’t realise at the time was how much space it would free up for us to grow.Each time we’ve expanded since then, I’ve learned something new. The leaps have become bigger. The roles are more senior. The investment feel...

Managing energy with intention: How to align your actions with your goals

For me, when things are off, it feels like I’m constantly running on a treadmill. I’m busy but not productive. I’m reactive instead of proactive.That usually comes down to one thing — not being intentional about where my time and energy go.I love what I do. I love saying yes, supporting people, and helping them grow. But every yes is also a no to something else.So lately I’ve been asking myself a simple question before I commit to anything new, even if it’s weeks away:Does this align...

Confidence is a Lie, and Here’s Why That’s a Good Thing

Today I want to explore an idea that might sound a little controversial. Confidence is a lie. Or at least, the way we have been taught to think about it is.Most of us grow up believing that confidence is something you either have or you don’t. That some people just wake up brimming with self belief and the rest of us have to fake it until we make it. But that is not how it works....

What the Bush Taught Me About Growth and Presence

Coffee with Claire is coming to you this week from Long Island in Tamatea, Dusky Sound. I’m here with some amazing friends, Shauna and Maria from Pure Salt, helping to re-bait traps across a bunch of islands in this beautiful part of Fiordland.Today I’m on Long Island, and as I walk through the bush, I can’t help but reflect on how incredible I feel when I’m surrounded by nature.There’s something deeply grounding about it. When you’re out here checking traps, finding your way, and na...

Cold Showers, Hard Conversations, and Building Resilience

Cold showers aren’t just about “proving you’re tough.”They’re actually about training your body and mind to do hard things.For the past 18 months, I’ve started my mornings with a cold shower, and sometimes even an ice bath. And let me tell you, it never really gets “easy.”Every single day, I have to talk myself into it.Most mornings, I honestly consider not doing it.But here’s the magic. That daily practice has transformed the way I handle challenges in the rest of my life....

Energy, Rest, and Rhythm: Why Retreats and Periodisation Matter

Energy is everything.In my work, whether it’s running events, filming videos, connecting with clients, or building relationships; energy is what I bring to the table every single day. And as you know, keeping that energy consistent isn’t always easy. Over the past year, I’ve been learning more about how to balance high-energy seasons with intentional rest. Two practices have made a huge difference for me: retreats and periodisation....

Rituals, Habits and Dancing in the Shower

Today, I’ve got my coffee in hand (freshly brewed on my brand-new coffee machine, very exciting!) and I wanted to share a few thoughts about rituals and habits — the small things that help me stay grounded, energised and in rhythm.Someone asked me recently what my daily habits look like, and while I’m definitely not perfect, I figured it might be helpful to share a few of the things that work for me....

Coffee with Claire: A new kind of monday morning

Welcome to Episode One! Good morning and welcome to the very first episode of Coffee with Claire.A new little corner of the week where I get to show up as me, coffee in hand, and share a few thoughts, reflections, and updates from my world.It’s a bit scary, and very exciting — but here we are.This is not a polished production. It’s five minutes of real talk over coffee (mine’s a long black with cream and cinnamon. Slightly unusual, maybe like me).Think of it like a Monday morning co...

I wrote and launched a book!

The biggest news in my world over the past few weeks is (drum roll, please!) … after five years of writing, plenty of learning and growing, and a whole lot of help from amazing people, I’ve finally launched my first book; “Smashed Avo to Smashed Goals - the fun and easy way to buy your first home” Writing and launching a book can be an incredibly rewarding experience, but it's also a lot of hard work. As someone who has gone through the process, I wanted to share my j...