Ablepreneurs Stories 

I'm Vie, as in c'est la vie, and I "accidentally" started running my own business around 15 years ago. My pronouns are she/her and I'm happy with they/them, too.

Around 20 years ago, I had a mental health breakdown, and, for a few years, I barely got by.

I was told I would never be well enough, physically or mentally (I have multiple physical disabilities and chronic conditions), to work again.

That took me even lower.

I reached a point where up or out were my options.

I chose up.

I removed the toxic people in my life and worked really hard, developing tools from my academic and work experience, to try to stop believing everything I had been told: fat, ugly, worthless.

I always loved dancing and musicals. One day, I was watching 'Singing in the Rain". The word 'burlesque' flashed up. I wondered if anyone still did that. I looked it up and, very soon after, I had signed up to do a class.

Someone at the class asked me to help them out on an event. I said yes. She said I would need to perform. I said no. I couldn't cope with people singing me 'Happy Birthday'! I couldn't go on stage!

She kept insisting and I gave in. I fully expected everyone to hate me, and to feel so disgusted by me that they would start vomiting, so I had a plan of how to get to the Himalayas with my cats.

I performed and people said I was brilliant.

I went on to become an International performer.

People saw me perform and they asked me to teach them because I "didn't look like a normal performer" because of my age and size (they were wrong; performers come in every way).

So I started teaching.

On the burlesque scene, lots of people wore vintage inspired clothing. I had always loved clothes from the 1950s so I started wearing them. I would go to vintage events and I would dance.

People saw me dance and they asked me to teach them because I "didn't look like a normal dance teacher”.

So I started teaching vintage dance forms.

People noticed how my confidence had grown, and they noticed how the women in my classes had grown in confidence, too, so they asked me to teach them how, without dancing or taking their clothes off.

I started teaching confidence workshops.

It became apparent that, for a lot of us, confidence and self-esteem issues started in childhood, so I trained to set up as a Community Interest Company (CIC) and I started going into schools and groups teaching children and young people how to be happier, kinder, and more confident.

Sadly, due to the cost of living crisis and the pandemic, it became too difficult for me for me to continue with the CIC, as I felt I was using all my energy applying for grants that I nearly always didn't get, despite great feedback, because, obviously, food banks and similar were far more important. I felt I wasn't doing enough of what I loved.

So I started the process of closing the CIC, trained to become a trauma-informed accredited trainer, and rebranded to VIP Empowerment.

I still do what I did with the CIC - working with women one to one, and self-esteem and confidence workshops in schools and groups - and I added to it with the training I offer, which is creating happier, kinder, more confident environments where everyone can thrive, and I can deliver it to schools, groups and businesses.

Along the way, I also became an author. I write inclusive children's picture books, positive growth books for adults, and journals, and I have contributed chapters to others. I also compiled a collection of stories from the UK community of people with the rare disability I was born with.

And I do some inspirational/motivational speaking.

Oh! My business name! I changed my name many years ago and my initials are VIP . When it came to choosing a new name for my business, I thought it should “do what it says on the tin”. I help people become empowered, and I give them lots of love and attention while I do, so they feel like VIPs, so VIP Empowerment felt right.