I REALLY THINK THAT IF GOD PUT THAT
DESIRE IN YOUR HEART AND IN YOUR SOUL
IT’S FOR A REASON AND THAT’S WHAT YOU’RE MEANT TO DO

Tell us about your company and what it stands for.

I am Colette Werden, the founder and CEO of Australia’s only one-stop personal branding agency, Colette Werden. The name “Colette” represents “people of victory,” and “Werden” means "to become." Our agency helps entrepreneurs (visionaries) package and present their talents and services to the world, both online and offline.

I established this holistic agency with one firm intention: to make it easy for entrepreneurs with a service, product, or message to put themselves out there with confidence as leaders in their field so they can make a difference in the world. The way we connect and buy is changing. With the rise of social media influencers and the trend toward entrepreneurship, building trust, credibility, and a position of influence to make an impact must be at the forefront of a thriving business—now more than ever. This is why our focus is not on creating business brands; it’s on elevating the personal brands that are the face of their business so they make a hugely beneficial impact in their industry.

Tell me about how you got into your line of work and why you do it.

I started my business seven years ago, offering solely personal styling sessions. Not because I wanted to be a stylist but because my image cost me my life experience; I was using pieces of fabric to hide from the world. Who I saw in the mirror and what I thought about her were the very first things I had to destroy to rebuild. When I did, I knew I could help other men and women with how they choose to show up in the world, too. We got a lot of media attention, and the business grew quickly; clients were coming from across the country and abroad. Everything then expanded organically, and my true purpose was revealed.

As clients began dressing, walking, and talking like they were ready to make an impact in the world, they were inspired to get themselves out there on a larger scale. They just had no idea how to go about it, and I knew I could help. I rebranded my business, employed a bigger team, launched new services, and created an agency focused on helping these talented people make their mark in the world. Now, I’m proud to say that I run an agency dedicated to helping introverted visionaries like myself shine their light in this world to truly make a difference, with a long-term vision to develop, manage, and represent the world’s newest influential leaders. If you had asked me when I was younger, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” my answer would have been, “I have no idea, but all I know is that it’s going to be something big.” This is my “big.” This is my way of changing the world by empowering those who are.

Who has been the most significant influence on your life? What lessons did that person teach you?

There isn’t one particular person that I would say has been the most significant influence in my life, but rather a collective of people. People who “go all-in” on their purpose inspire me tremendously. They aim to achieve more than most people can even comprehend, so along the way, they will experience more than most people will ever have enough courage to live through. High highs. Low lows. Breaking points. Tipping points. Devastation and elation. Scrutiny and praise. They have taught me that commitment is paramount. If you choose to keep going, to go all-in—no matter how much your mind tries to trick you into giving up—you will be rewarded with a life that most people can only ever dream about and a legacy to be proud of.

What lessons have your work life taught you?

My work life has taught me what makes me great at what I do. It’s not necessarily my skill set, craft, or years of experience and qualifications. It’s my ability to get through the anxiety that consumes me when I step out of my comfort zone. It’s how I push through the chaos of my mind when I’m determined to make it work. It’s the deep knowing that my intuitive visions and feelings of what I have the power to create will come to life. And it’s my commitment to never back down until I get there. So when my mind tries to convince me that the possibility of rejection, failure, and negative criticism is more important than the difference I’m here to make, I’ll keep showing the truth. I’ll keep showing it that my purpose is bigger than my fears.

Are there any words of wisdom you’d like to pass along?

Right before we make a big change, our minds will go into overdrive; every fear, negative thought, and uncertainty will rise to the surface. Any insecurities around money, success, failure, exposure, and criticism will hit the spotlight. This is not an indicator that we shouldn’t move forward; it’s the reason that we need to. It’s the catalyst we need to defy our fears and back ourselves—to rise and evolve. Otherwise, our fears will control all of our decisions, stifling us into paralysis. Living a fear-led life over a dream-led life is not the life we have been put on this planet to live.

What are you grateful for?

I am grateful for my past. For a long time, I resisted looking back on my life because a majority of it felt like a fight; I struggled with my mental health, I was challenged to accept who I really was, and I was so insistent on being my own worst enemy. Now, I look back at my life and say thank you. Every breaking point in the past is the leverage I now use to become stronger, healthier, and happier.

www.colettewerden.com