Business Chicks CEO Emma Isaacs on Overcoming Perfection, Juggling it All, and Winging It

Congratulations on the book! What inspired you to write Winging It?

Emma Isaacs: My life has consisted of a series of experiences where I’ve never been fully prepared, but have just jumped in all the same. I’ve always been someone who tries new things without knowing how they’re going to turn out. I birthed my six babies at home, moved countries to start a new business with my family in tow, and have started my companies with no formal education or know-how. I believe in trusting your gut, starting things before you’re ready, and just having a go.

When I was 25 years-old, a friend invited me to a Business Chicks event. At first, I refused because I hated the name. I thought it was insulting and derogatory to women. I relented though and went along, and it was the most uplifting event I’d ever experienced. A few months later, I heard it was for sale. So, at 25, I bought the business and have spent the past 15 years building it into the powerful organization it is today. We started at 200 members and now reach well over 500,000 women across the globe.

Taking that chance was the best decision of my life, and I want to see more women doing the same. Life’s too short! There are plenty of books out there that tell us how to set goals and plan your way into success, but no one has written the book on winging it. So, I decided I would write it!

I love how Winging It advocates for progress over perfection. What advice do you have for perfectionists who want to adopt this mindset?

EI: Just start small. I’ve found the small actions help you recover from striving for perfection. Setting smaller goals and celebrating them without moving on to the next thing straight away. Being kinder to yourself. Recognizing rest is as much of an achievement as work. I often say to myself, “Relax, you’re doing your best.” That helps soothe the perfectionism addiction we’ve all experienced at one time or another.

In Winging It, you say our doubts, fears, and excuses are holding us back from our true potential. How can we silence our inner critics?

EI: It all starts with getting your head right. So if you believe you can or can’t … you’re right! The most successful people I know are the ones who believe in themselves and have worked through their self-doubt issues enough to give their dreams a go. They’re also the ones who can cope and dust themselves off quickly when things don’t go to plan.

From your philanthropy work, to Business Chicks, to raising your family, you wear many hats. Yet, you don’t believe in the work/life balance. How do you juggle everything?

EI: It’s exactly as you’d imagine. We try to enjoy the chaos as best we can, stay calm, and keep a sense of humor. Recently, it’s been more challenging with virtual schooling: My kids range from 11 years-old down to three months. Not being able to travel has meant I’ve been around far more, which I’ve really enjoyed. In terms of how I balance it all: I don’t try! I never look too far ahead in my calendar and always do my best to be in the moment. And remember, self-kindness is where it’s at! “I’m doing my best, I’m doing my best!”

What’s the one thing you hope your readers will take away from Winging It?

EI: When I wrote Winging It, I knew the world needed to learn how to loosen up and get a little more flexible. I knew we all needed to learn how to say yes and figure out the rest as we went. I knew we’d all benefit from regularly getting ourselves into situations that scare us because, as much as they often suck, this is where and how we grow.

I could never have anticipated just how much we’d need these lessons right now though. In many ways, we’re in the perfect storm for winging it right now. We don’t know how the next six months (or even two years!) are going to pan out, and I’m sure you’d agree that the people who are going to best survive it are the ones who can find comfort and opportunity amidst the uncertainty. I really hope that this book helps them get through!

A special thanks to Emma for such an inspiring conversation! You can show Emma some love by subscribing to her newsletter, buying her book, and becoming a Business Chick member.(Psst…you can snag a membership *and* copy of her book for under $50. Here’s how.)

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