47 mins: You don’t need permission

What you'll learn:

Sheridan Broadbent grew up with nothing, gave herself permission to want more, and has spent her career doing exactly that. From climbing the ranks in telco and infrastructure, to chairing major NZ boards, to flying to space conferences in Europe with no mandate, she relies on curiosity and an eye for an opportunity.

💡 You don’t need permission – just ask ‘why not?’ Sheridan’s mum had passed away, her father had left, and at 16, she was figuring life out alone. Out of necessity, she built resourcefulness. She stopped asking ‘am I allowed?’ in her career and started asking ‘why wouldn’t I?’ At one stage, she put an entire race car season on hold to fund the flights to Munich for a space conference. Just because she thought it was important.

💡 Imposter syndrome is your anxious friend – give her 12 seconds. Even Sheridan feels it. It’s just your brain making sure you’re not being complacent. Her reframe: let ‘her’ speak, then answer back: here are the three reasons I deserve to be here.

💡 Ask the question, not the statement. When you’re getting annoyed and ready to push back, ask a question. Because what comes out as ‘I don’t agree’ is usually a great question in disguise. Asking opens a conversation, whereas stating your opinion just closes people down. The biggest skill she uses is curiosity: asking about things she knows to raise concerns, and asking about things she doesn’t know to learn.

💡 Write down your Plan B – your minimum viable life Know your ‘floor’. What’s the minimum you need to survive? What job could you always go back to? Because knowing your floor is what gives you the confidence to push for the ceiling – in your next salary negotiation, a career pivot, or just saying the thing nobody else will.

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