Megan Hine is a wilderness guide, survivalist, and TV producer whose career is the stuff of Hollywood movies. From wild camping alone at 11 years old in Snowdonia to handling King Cobras and rigging stunts out of helicopters for major TV shows, she has spent her life making the inaccessible accessible.

But a life of extreme adventure isn't without its mental hurdles. Despite hanging out of helicopters for work, Megan developed a terrifying phobia of them—which she actively cured by learning to fly a paramotor so she could understand air currents. She also had to navigate a heavily male-dominated industry, realizing early on that she would have to work twice as hard to get the same recognition as her male counterparts.

Now, she has written a book detailing her experiences. It is a deeply personal account of her time in the wild, exploring the psychology of survival, the therapeutic benefits of nature, and how we can train our brains to handle everyday situations. It takes readers on a journey into why our bodies naturally crave comfort, and how pushing past that biological urge is the ultimate key to resilience.

In this episode, we delve into Megan’s incredible career and what it has taught her. We discuss the psychology of fear, her encounters with deadly predators in extreme environments, how she handles high-profile celebrities who refuse safety gear, and why, as a society, we need to stop taking the easy route and start getting uncomfortable.

✨ IN THIS EPISODE:

00:00 Introduction and claiming the small wins

02:01 A childhood in Snowdonia and solo camping at 11

04:18 How a free beer led to a career in bushcraft

07:37 Navigating the "boys' club" and working twice as hard

09:42 Curing a paralyzing fear of helicopters

12:33 How to build your own outdoor experience and qualifications

15:57 The biology of comfort: why we instinctively take the easy route

18:50 A terrifying encounter with a Mountain King Cobra

22:07 Working with celebrities and enforcing boundaries

24:36 Taking responsibility and getting out of your own way

💬 QUOTES TO REMEMBER:

On the biology of procrastination and fear: "If you study the behavior of any animal, it's all like survival is about efficiency and conservation of energy... It's ingrained in our very makeup to take easier options... but resilience is built through taking on challenges."

On the great equalizer of the outdoors: "Nature doesn't discriminate, doesn't care what your walk, where you're from, what your background is... you are going to perform in the way nature performs."

🔗 LINKS + MENTIONS:

Megan's audiobook (as mentioned in the episode) is available to listen to now.

Megan is a proud ambassador for the Scouts Skills for Life program

Join the She Who Dares Wins community

🎙️ WANT MORE?

Allie Bailey - discusses outrunning self-hate, the myth of self-sabotage, and how to conquer the brutal internal monologue holding you back: here

Vanessa Ruck - from a devastating accident and a hospital bed to the Dakar Rally, redefining limits and setting audacious goals before you are ready: here

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In this episode of She Who Dares Wins, Michelle sits down with Sara, an author and cold water swim guide who has rebuilt her life through divorce, grief, major surgeries, and a near-death experience on the operating table.

From being told she’d never “make it” as a freelancer, to years of rejection before finally landing a book deal, Sara shares how cold water, community, and storytelling helped her find courage, connection, and a new chapter in her 60s.

This one is for anyone who feels “too ordinary,” too late, or scared to put their work out into the world.

• Life is short – act now, not “one day”
• Facing heart surgery, failed operations, and grief taught Sara to stop postponing the things that matter.
• Cold water as medicine
• A 10-degree lake became her way back to the outdoors, easing pain, rebuilding confidence, and reconnecting with her body and mind.
• Community over competition
• The cold-water swimming world gave her supportive connection she never found in more competitive sports.
• Social media is a tool, not the measure of your worth
• Instagram can be frustrating, but breaks, boundaries, and real-life connections matter more than algorithms.
• Rejection doesn’t mean your story doesn’t matter
• Years of “no” eventually led to a book deal – and readers now message her to say her stories helped them be braver.
• Dreams feel different when they come true
• Publishing a book was a lifelong dream, but the reality came without fanfare – just the question: “What now?”
• Boundaries change everything
• Learning to say no, choose better people, and set limits helped her finally find the right kind of support.
• Dare: stop hiding your work
• If you want to write, submit something – a pitch, a manuscript, a competition entry. Expect rejection, celebrate small wins, and get your words out of your laptop and into the world.

Are you ready to stop dounting yourself and become more daring like our guests? Join Dare Club now!

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Today, we’re diving into a conversation that so many women in their 30s and 40s are quietly living through, but rarely saying out loud.

I’m joined again by Jenni, who you might remember from a previous episode, and this time we’re going deeper into what it really looks like to have a non-linear career, a late ADHD diagnosis, and, as Jenni discovered, autism traits on top of it all.

If you’ve ever looked at your CV and thought,

“Why can’t I just stick to one thing like everyone else?”

or woken up already telling yourself you’re behind before the day has even started…

this episode is for you.

We talk about:

• The shame spiral of changing jobs, careers, and directions
• How a late diagnosis of ADHD and autism can trigger both grief and massive relief
• Why so many women in chaotic, high-pressure jobs — like policing, construction, and close protection — only realise later that their brains were never “the problem”
• And how to start moving from self-criticism to self-acceptance, without trying to “fix” who you are

This is an honest, vulnerable, and, at times, very funny conversation between two women who absolutely do not fit the traditional career box — and have finally stopped apologising for it.

So, if you’ve ever felt “too much”, “all over the place”, or secretly broken…

take a breath, grab a cuppa, and let this be your reminder:

you are not broken, and you are definitely not alone.

Let’s dive in.

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n this episode of She Dares Wins, Michelle is joined by sisters Mary and Teddy – two women who’ve carved wildly different but equally daring paths from the same family roots.

Mary is a fibrous plasterer working in heritage buildings and a trailblazer in a centuries‑old, male‑dominated trade. Teddy is a dental therapist who walked away from a high‑flying corporate role to work in rural Nicaragua, where she eventually met her husband.

Together they talk about risk, resilience, sisterhood, and what it really looks like to choose the daring route when nothing is guaranteed.

[00:02:47] Daring stories: quitting jobs & choosing risk

• Teddy shares how she quit a prestigious international dental job and followed her heart to Nicaragua.
• Mary explains her mantra: “take the risk or lose the chance” and why she always chooses the dare over the safe option.

[00:03:28] Motorway breakdown & battery change – live ‘she dares, she wins’

• The chaotic journey to the studio: Teddy’s car breaking down on the motorway.
• Mary diagnosing the battery, buying tools, negotiating with highway maintenance and changing the battery at the roadside in minutes.

[00:08:02] 500 toothbrushes & an NGO in Nicaragua

• Teddy’s decision to travel with a suitcase of toothbrushes to support an NGO dental project.
• Staying six months instead of three weeks, travelling the country, and eventually deciding to quit her corporate role.
• How this led to meeting her husband and redefining success.

[00:14:06] Mary’s path in a family trade – from “embarrassed” to expert

• Growing up around the family fibrous plastering business and returning after having her daughter.
• Being a woman in a male‑dominated heritage trade when it “wasn’t fashionable.”
• Deciding not just to be a female plasterer, but to be the best and “better than the boys.”

[00:17:16] Resilience, single motherhood & mental strength

• Mary on being knocked down in work and personal life and still getting up every time.
• Balancing running the business, raising her daughter alone, doing admin late at night and still choosing this life for the freedom it brings.
• How challenges that would be “massive” to others now feel manageable.

[00:21:16] Representation, role models & social media

• How Mary’s Instagram makes her visible to young girls who now see a woman on the tools as normal.
• Her daughter questioning words like “firemen” and assuming women run building sites.
• The importance of seeing someone who looks like you doing the thing you dream of.

[00:31:12] What they’d tell their younger selves (and why they wouldn’t change the hard bits)

• Both reflecting on mistakes, especially around relationships and risk.
• Teddy’s intense experience with a brownie in Amsterdam, how it surfaced unresolved trauma, and why she says “go to therapy before you have a brownie (or just don’t do them).”
• The idea that the painful chapters were necessary to become who they are now.

[00:39:25] The craft: heritage ceilings, the Guild & teaching the next generation

• Mary explains decorative mouldings and working on stately homes and castles.
• Her role in the Guild (founded 1509), becoming the youngest and only female journeyman so far, and the rarity of female master plasterers.
• Running workshops, Airbnb experiences and college sessions – creating safe learning spaces where no question is stupid.

[00:49:24] Identity, calling & coming home to yourself

• Teddy’s current RAF clinic role and living on base in Lincolnshire.
• The identity crisis of moving to rural Nicaragua: language, culture, lifestyle all changing at once.
• Realising not every part of her “old self” has to die – some passions and projects are meant to be carried forward into the new life.

Join Dare Club

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If you’ve ever felt like you’re ticking all the right boxes but living the wrong life, this episode is your permission slip to stop being “the good girl” and start being who you really are.

In this mash‑up episode, you’ll hear from:

• Meg – life coach, on shedding good girl conditioning and surviving the fallout
• Zoe – mindset coach, on the pressure to “find your purpose”
• Lucy Spraggan – musician & author, on delusional confidence, manifestation, and radical authenticity

You’ll be guided from people‑pleasing and burnout to purpose without pressure, community support, and owning your raw, unapologetic self.

By the end of this episode, you’ll move through these stages:

1. Recognising the Good Girl Identity Isn’t Really You
2. Allowing Yourself to Outgrow the Life You Built
3. Finding Purpose Without Crushing Yourself With Pressure
4. Rewiring Your Mindset So You Stop Beating Yourself Up
5. Finding Your People So You Don’t Have to Do It Alone
6. Owning Delusional Confidence & Backing Your Big Dreams
7. Living as Your Most Authentic Self (Even When It’s Messy)

If this episode resonates with you come join us at the Dare club community

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In this solo episode, Michelle shares the honest, unglamorous reality of walking away from a “safe” 17-year career in construction to back herself fully with She Who Dares Wins. This one’s for the women in their 40s who feel like they’re “too far in” to start again—but know deep down they’re meant for more.

In this episode, we cover:

• What it really feels like to leave a career that shaped your identity
• The messy in-between: fear, self-sabotage, ADHD, and shiny-object distractions
• How coaching and inner work helped Michelle finally bet on herself
• Why it’s never too late to pivot, start a business, or rewrite your story
• A dare for you if you’re 40+ and craving a life and career that fit who you are now

If you’ve been waiting for a sign to back yourself, this is it!

Join The Dare Club community now! www.shewhodareswins.com

Shop the clothing www.shewhodareswins.com

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