After being hit by a car and suffering whiplash, Chantal was tossed into a ten year tumble where she lost her spark, her business acumen and her intuition. She was belittled by relatives for the disproportionate reaction she had to what appeared to be a minor accident. The reality was that the accident was the straw that broke the camel's back as Chantal had severe un processed childhood trauma.

In this episode, we discuss the impact this had as she moved from running a successful and fulfilling practice as a masseuse and reiki practitioner and stepped up to create a line of skin care. What promised to be an exhilarating experience turned into Chantal being targeted by people who were out to profit from her vulnerability by pushing her to invest more. When she didn't get the results that she wanted, despite being featured on the cover of a magazine, she was made to feel that she hadn't tried hard enough.

She now shares the story of how in the online space, there is too much noise with self appointed gurus who compound the issues for entrepreneurs who are suffering from trauma or grief. She is advocating for a different way to do business for these entrepreneurs especially as they usually lose their connection to self and dive into self doubt and confusion. For many years, Chantal suffered from brain fog and found that none of the coaches and mentors understood what was happening to her, and didn't even care.

But instead of taking stock and slowing down, Chantal pushed through it and got deeper and deeper into trouble. Her intuition would have helped her to know that this was the wrong thing to do but it seemed nowhere to be found. Not unlike people who suffer from burnout and who think if I do one more thing, everything is going to be ok. And who are sadly encouraged by a part of an industry that focuses on its bottom line rather than in the success of their clients.

The issue with complex PTSD is that because it's largely unrecognised, people who suffer from it are more likely to think that there is something wrong with them. That somehow they are at fault. They struggle with sleep, with panic attacks or very high levels of anxiety and with memory loss. It can easily be confused with mental health issues or dementia.

To get back to Chantal, this made her more prone to the fear of missing out - the whole scarcity game that some marketers play to get you to sign up for something that might not even be right for you.

This conversation is important and I want to command Chantal for having the courage to talk about the dark side of entrepreneurship. If you would like to work with Chantal to get support for your grief, loss or trauma as an entrepreneur and perhaps step away from this downward spiral of self blame for the failures you face, you can find her on Facebook on her page, Soothing Conversations with Chantal and her website www.griefcounsellor.com.au if you are in Perth, Chantal is also available for public speaking.

Robert Hanna is a recruiter specialised in legal careers who also happens to host the top legal podcast in the UK, Legally Speaking Podcast.

I have invited him on the podcast because purpose can make such a huge difference in resilience but also outlook in leadership and I thought this would be incredibly valuable for my listeners. I was not disappointed.

Before I met Robert, I honestly never thought I would find a recruiter, especially in the legal field, fun, relatable and trustworthy. I know it's an awful thing to say but I have been on the candidate's side of things, rather than the recruiter, as a lawyer, and that was the reality.

The way Robert approached his business is first and foremost in the context of a legacy he would like to leave. It's not just any legacy though and this is where Robert brings a truly unique energy to this. He was inspired by his grandfather who was a lawyer and who received countless letters from clients thanking him for the help he offered them. I can relate to this because although I never saw the letters, I know that my father, who was an eye surgeon, was dearly loved by his clients. There is something truly magical when you can restore someone's eye sight - though I realise it is not always possible.

From there, Robert took a huge risk. He followed a nudge he had to start a podcast where he would interview lawyers, preferably at the start, lawyers who worked for clients he wanted to represent and produce an episode that would make that law firm more attractive for people to come and work for. This was true entrepreneurship in action as he was the new comer in a market where every recruiting firm had a foot in the door.

Robert is also a champion of technology, especially AI, in law. His podcast is sponsored by Clio, the world's leading provider of cloud-based legal technology.

Robert is the founder of a special event called the GBLO in the North of England, which stands for the Great Big Legal Offsite. It has been running for three years and will be held on the 3rd of July in 2026 with the theme of the laws of the jungle. Robert's events are unconventional and full of fun. His event is for This is a high-energy, immersive day for legal leaders, founders, and innovators who don't just want to survive – they want to thrive and dominate their domain.

To find out more information about the podcast but also events that Robert runs, click here.

You can follow Robert on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok and Youtube.