Podcast

#406 - SHE DECIDED TO DO IT: How Rochelle Moffitt Made Her Dreams Come True

Have you ever heard the saying,  

“Opportunity dances with those already on the dance floor.”  

It’s a favourite quote of today's podcast guest - the inspiring Rochelle Moffitt - whose real life story of dreaming big and taking a BIG BOLD LEAP is helping her turn her dreams into reality.  

Rochelle’s story is deeply relatable, and such a powerful reminder that dreams don’t happen by chance - they happen by choice.  

In our chat, she shares the real, messy and familiar behind-the-scenes moments:  

the fears,  

the doubts,  

the messy middle - and how she kept showing up anyway.  

By putting herself “on the dance floor,” life met her halfway, with the most incredible opportunities.  

If you’ve ever needed a little nudge to take action on something that’s been tugging at your heart - this episode is your sign. 

 
👉 Listen now 🎧  

And if you’re ready to take your next step, I’d love for you to join the last of our free Dream Life webinars happening this Sunday.  

These 60min online sessions have been getting the most amazing feedback - and there is only one remaining.   People have been leaving inspired, clear, and transformed. Truly.  

💛 You’ll learn simple, practical tools to start bringing your own dreams to life.
💛 You’ll connect with like-minded dreamers.
💛 And you’ll leave feeling energised, focused and ready to dance with opportunity, too.  

 

✨ Reserve your free spot here →  

Because opportunity is dancing - and I’d love for you to be out there on the floor with us.  

As always, I’d LOVE to hear what resonates with you from this episode and what you plan to implement after listening in. 

So please share and let’s keep the conversation going in the Dream Life Podcast Facebook Group here.    

With love & inspiration 💛

Dream Life & kikki.K Founder

P.S. If you’re ready for guided support, explore Dream Life Coaching here: https://www.yourdreamlifestartshere.com/course 💛

SHOW NOTES:

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TRANSCRIPT:

Kristina: [00:00:00] [00:01:00] Hi there, and welcome back to another episode. at the time of recording, I just arrived back from Fiji where I was speaking at the Evolve X Retreat, and I'm so inspired, there's so much to unpack our whole journal full of notes, and I'm so excited.

But one person that. I met at the retreat when I ran a retreat a couple of years ago, was Rochelle Moffitt, and she's my guest today and she came to [00:02:00] our retreat during a bit of a challenging time for her and. Seeing her dream be inspired at that last retreat and then meeting her as a speaker, not just at an attendee, but a speaker at this retreat that we just went to in Fiji with Evolve X was so incredibly exciting and I wanted to invite her on because first she has done so much work.

A whole transformation. And it all started with just first taking the step to go to retreat even if she couldn't afford it. And then secondly. Daring to dream, even if she didn't know if she could make it or was capable of making it or could do it. and then lastly, doing the work and seeing her as a completely new person at this retreat was just so.

Incredibly inspiring. So I invited her to come on because I think a lot of us have been where Rochelle was a couple [00:03:00] of years ago. We might have gone through a challenging time with work, business relationships or just self. So. She is such an inspiring person, She is really a connector, a champion of women in business.

She's a culture changer and a visionary leader known for creating spaces where women connect, collaborate, and take action. She's the founder of Tickle Pink, a personal branding agency for women in business and the driving force behind transformative events like SIP and Share for Women, and also revved for ambitious business people, which I have secretly actually added to my dreams to speak there.

She doesn't know that yet, but I'll tell her in the podcast, Elle doesn't. Just host rooms, she directs them. I love her straightness and I love her style to empower women to step forward and to make bold to ask and practice courage in a very supportive, [00:04:00] action oriented environment. So I have no doubt that you are absolutely going to love this episode.

So let's get started.

Well, hello Rochelle. I am so excited to have you here. Welcome to my podcast.

Rochelle: I am more than excited to be here, Kristina. For anyone that's listening, I have a giant girl crush on Kristina and I have bought or invested in so much of her stationary when she had Kiki Kay. And just thought it was phenomenal. And when I got to meet her in person two years ago, like I think a little bit of blushing was happening.

and to then be able to, go on this journey with Kristina, or from Kristina's dream life to creating my own dream life has just been magical. So, to be here today with you, Kristina, is actually a dream. Thank you.

Kristina: Oh, thank [00:05:00] you. That's so exciting. Well, we, we are gonna go into a little bit more of detail that, because both of us just came back from our second retreat together in Fiji. So we're gonna talk about that because I think that was so many amazing things happening the last week. But before we get onto that, I love for you to share, did you have a dream as a child, something you wanted to do or have or become?

Rochelle: Yes, as a child, I always wanted to be a lawyer, but I didn't understand why schoolwork was so hard for me yet, so easy for other people. And then now I do, I'm dyslexic, so of course, you know, like way too hard. So after wanting to be a lawyer, I didn't really quite know what to do after school, so I ended up doing a certificate, certificate of business, fell into advertising and marketing, completely found my jam.

I love brand, I love people. I love telling the pain or like solving pain points, creating stories, doing storytelling, and I freaking love sales. So that combination, um, [00:06:00] advertising and marketing, I was very lucky. I fell into that. And yeah, I haven't become a lawyer yet, but hey, life's only young, so maybe, maybe one day I might.

Kristina: Absolutely. But you know, one of all the professions that I meet people when, you know, I do my dream life workshop is the most miserable people, is actually the people in law. And so I've been thinking a lot about that because it seems like, for some of us who would aspire to be able to study that without kind of having it in a, in a difficult way.

I've been working out that most people who choose law, unless you are passionate, so they're definitely passionate lawyers. I'm not saying that everyone is like this, but a lot of people actually fall into it because it's a, it's kind of a given when you're really clever and you do really well at school and you're not sure where you are gonna go.

So lawyers is obviously a great foundation for so [00:07:00] many people because you can go into any kind of industry, it's similar to. studying business or, and I also see a little bit like this with medicine as well, because if you're really clever and have the best marks, you get into those amazing schools and then you do it perhaps because of your parents or your teachers or, you know, the peer pressure.

So, um, I don't meet a lot of happy, happy lawyers. So before you decide to go there, um,

maybe think about why you want to become a

Rochelle: Yeah, it probably will be criminology when I think about the law part, but I agree with you. I just ran a business event this year and I had some school students that we, uh, brought along with their principals and one of them wrote this most beautiful, um, message to us afterwards and actually went out in their school newsletter and it was all around how he had never thought business was a good thing because he, is not surrounded by business people and yet.

I think when you are at school, you hear about, you have doctors, you have nurses, you have [00:08:00] lawyers, you have all of those things that you're privy to or they're part of your ecosystem or your life. So if you don't have business people around, yeah, it was just, it was a really profound moment for me because of grown up with two parents that have owned their own businesses to hear that from him was like, huh, how do we as business owners actually get into these schools and really shake this kind of up and show the children that business can be for good?

Yeah. You know, so

Kristina: abs. Uh, absolutely. And it's funny because, um, I think for anyone listening, there's so many different ways of getting into business. You don't have to go, like I have, I have no education in business, and I look at our son Axel, who's 17, who has his own business, started when he's 14 and now when he does like entrepreneurship in school, from teachers that never run a business.

So, so sometimes I think by just choosing something you're passionate about and then working it along, working it out along the way is as educational. Because if [00:09:00] you're then open for mistakes and failures and all that stuff, then I feel like that's the best education in many ways.

Rochelle: I completely agree. I think it's also just making sure that you, I mean you, you don't know what you don't know, which we've spoken about often. Um, and Axel being able to learn from his business and if anyone hasn't checked out axle's, golf website has merch is amazing. It's like a golf club, but all around more merch and community from what I can see.

Um, but Kristina can probably tell you more anyway, it's very cool. but yeah, I think business just teaches you so much

Kristina: Yeah, it's so inspiring. Absolutely. We, we have such a, we are so fun because he's basically doing what we did with Kiki Ka, you know, he is designing him manufacturing, he manufacturing in China. We don't do that anymore because I don't want that headache, but I still kind of have it listening to him and helping him solving and it's just, it's such a great school to design, manufacture because sometimes [00:10:00] manufacturers do the wrong thing and print the wrong color or on the wrong gum and or, or the right color doesn't come out the way he thought.

And these are really. Good decisions to, to kind of the, problems or challenges that you're facing that it's not make it or break it, but you still have to make those decisions. Do you take the wrong product with a discount or do you wait and then you miss sales? So it's always like this kind of, you know, weighing out and we, I had so much of that and Axel already had a few of those.

And then the cashflow challenges paying, you know, like negotiating is like all that is amazing.

Rochelle: it is so amazing. So yeah, a credit to you, I'm sure. but it's very, very cool and the more people that can play when we're at this retreat, um, Steve Huey was one of the speakers and he said, it, business is simple. You buy something for this amount and you sell it for more. That is it. Or you create a service [00:11:00] for this amount and you sell it for more.

And that's really basically what it is. so yeah, I, I enjoy listening to the, the very basics. So if we can teach anybody that.

Kristina: absolutely. I think the best school is, like, I often get, especially for academic, parents often ask, how do we raise entrepreneurial kids? And I'm like, let's do a lemonade stand. Because if you do a lemonade stand, you learn the basics of creating lemonades and work out what that costs and then sell it for more and you know, to convince people to buy lemonades.

Then next to you know, your house where it's not normally where you buy. You learn the sales skills as well, which is really fun. I think that's the best way.

Rochelle: Yeah. Or, or high traffic. We do it with our kids down at our beach house. and I'm like, first of all, sit here in the neighborhood. 'cause they already like you, they trust you. And then we go high area high, like, you know, you need foot traffic team, come on. So it's, it's good [00:12:00] fun. Yeah.

Kristina: I love it. I love it. I love it. So, um, We got an audience around the world for this podcast, which is amazing. So not everyone would've heard about you yet, perhaps. So do you wanna share a little bit about your journey because it's so inspiring and then we are gonna Darlene to the retreat where we met a couple of years ago.

'cause I think this conversation would be so inspiring for anyone who might find themselves in a bit of a challenging time or thinking that, you know, that's not for me, or retreat is not for me because I think, I don't know, I felt so inspired when I flew back and both of us were speakers. This time as a speaker, I get as much art with everyone that I meet the attendees as other speakers.

Like, it's just, it's just magic. So let's just start with your journey first.

Rochelle: Okay, so if we go back, two years ago, just over two years ago, I had. Left my second ex-husband, we'd gone through the separation, the divorce. I wasn't working at the time. I'd had five years off raising the [00:13:00] children and I had to really freaking quickly work out how to get a job that was flexible around having three kids and being the main caregiver and then working out how I was going to pay for everything, what I was gonna do.

the job thing, which was really interesting, actually was really hard to get. even though it was the top of my game when I left the, uh, work. So I'm here to preach about the power of the purse, never give up. Your power of the purse gives you options, but anyway, that can be for later down the track.

So I decided that I needed to. Work out what I was gonna do very quickly. I had sat down on my bed one day, got pens and papers out, cause I love a felt tip, love paper. And I just wrote down everything that I loved, everything that, that I was good at. And it kept coming back to marketing. So I was gonna create a personal brand agency, but this time I was just gonna do it for women business because I know that women need different stuff than men.

to really stand up, use their [00:14:00] voice and create what I'd call their dream life. So I saw, um, Sarah Perelli, one of our mutual friends had put up on LinkedIn this retreat. And it was two months after I had written out I'm gonna do this, personal branding, agency. And I thought, I need to be there. But how do you go there when you don't have that much money?

Well, you be really brave and you ask Sarah if you can perhaps pay it off. So I did that and I got on this retreat and I got to come and meet you. And these. Other incredible women that were there to really deep dive and design the dream life that they wanted. So I did that. I like zapped up like every single ounce of in inspiration, every kind of like little nugget of gold that you, you all gave.

I came back to New Zealand after that first retreat and I just did head down, bums up. I laser focused into how I was gonna create my dream life. It did mean, you [00:15:00] know, not having as much time with my friends because I was building out my business.

It did mean giving up some stuff, but, god damn, I backed myself and I just pushed. And in those two years I have created a remarkable personal branding agency. I just pulled off a giant, big business event called RevD. We had the Prime Minister was unable to attend, so he sent a video for me. Um, I had Dames mes, business owners, board members.

I had entrepreneurs, you name it. Well, I had 663 ambitious Kiwis, new Zealanders, that really want to drive New Zealand forward. I did that like from two years of sitting on my, oh, sorry, from the, the two years ago, sitting on my bed with no idea how I was gonna make money to today I'm sitting in our shared office space with my team just next door.

and we are cranking and we also get to design it around what works for us. So I've taken [00:16:00] your dream principles and given that back to my team. So honestly, it's mind blowing and the power of. Not just believing in yourself, but absolutely backing yourself. and doing it genuinely for, for you and how you should do it.

You know, I quite happily say I have happily say I've been divorced twice, but it doesn't mean I can't actually re reinvent and recreate. And maybe that's been special for me. Maybe change has been a catalyst of getting me to where I am. I was able to go, what's all the shit that I don't wanna take through, and what am I gonna take ahead?

So, I'm not saying it's easy. It's a, a whole heap of hard work, especially own, you know, owning a business. but it is so damn cool and you so damn proud when you see what you are building out.

Kristina: Yeah. Yeah. So seeing you on the first retreat was amazing. 'cause I could just see how you were soaking it up and how excited you [00:17:00] were and all your dreams, all that was amazing. so to see you back as a speaker was so inspiring because not only did you come back to show everything that you actually put in place, you now had something to share with other people. So that you can inspire them as well. And, uh, I walked away from your session and I can only say what a stage we were on.

Like, I, I have never like one of our, one of our friends or you that as well actually spoke in your bathers and, um, and, uh, Alia, I spoke in her bikini and we were just sitting there with that backdrop behind us. I was like, pinch me. This is like, I, I don't know if it gets any, any better because, and that's why, you know, as I, I was the first speaker and I said, can I sit down?

Because I think as a speaker, we always stand up, but we always, you know, that's always required. But I think in a setting like that, I actually wanted to be on the same level as everyone because it became more of a conversation versus me preaching or, [00:18:00] or speaking to people. And I just, I love those kind of conversation because it comes more, a community versus.

Me and then the audience kind of thing. So I, I just, I absolutely love that. And seeing you in your element and excitement and then having created an amazing workbook and, and then do a, another talk later on in, um, a kind of more in stage, um, that was so inspiring. Did you just pinch yourself as well?

Rochelle: I just pinched myself. It just really does go to show if you have some big hairy, audacious goals, which, Kristina, you were one of the ones that were like, okay, dream. And I was like, yeah, yeah, dream. And then you're like, now dream bigger. And I'm like, holy moly. Now dream if you have, if money's not an option, okay, cool, I can do that.

So there were, there were these really simple things that just ignited this massive change in my life. And [00:19:00] it can happen for anybody. And it doesn't have to be about business. It can just be, it could be about how fitness relationships, like whatever that thing looks like for you. And then to be able to stand there and show the work that I had done, but also to help the people that I'm now helping because I got out of my own way. That's the pinch me moment. When you get the messages that you know, that you have been a catalyst in changing the trajectory of somebody's life. Like, oh, amazing.

Kristina: absolutely. And you know what this is one thing that I hear so commonly and I'm sure you have come across it as well, and I, and you without doubt will with the work that you're doing, is that people often feel, I need more, I need, I need to have the next degree or the next course or the next thing.

And you know, it is nothing wrong with educating ourselves. So I'm not, not, I'm take not saying we shouldn't do that, but you can actually start where, [00:20:00] where you are at and um, to learn from someone that has actually gone through the hard yards is like so much better than going. learning from someone who's just read about it and learned it academically.

I much rather will learn from someone who's been similar to me and that, that's why I think like your, story is so inspiring because it's not like you are, you know, had work out one day with lots of money in your hands, or, you know, you had like three degrees to kind of lay back on if you needed to.

Rochelle: none of that. I had a couple of sayings. I was gonna stop putting roadblocks in my way. So for a long time I, I'm dyslexic, and so that was an excuse. Well, I need to get someone to check the writing or I need to not do that because of this. And I was like, actually, that's just a road book I'm putting in the way.

So let's stop that. Oh, I don't, I can't do that until I have the website. No, I can have the clients before I have the [00:21:00] website. You just need to know their pain points, know how you are gonna help them, and then you have to go and tell people what you're doing. 'cause if no one knows, then no one's gonna come and buy from you or work from you.

even if you look at our website now, gosh, I haven't had a chance to, um, update it. We're actually gonna go under, um, undergoing a rebrand. So that's all happening. but I just think we've gotta stop with the roadblock. So if there's anything that's creating that stop, really sit down, work out why, and then just push through it.

Because nothing is gonna be perfect. but perfection doesn't really happen because it's an evolution of stuff. You just need momentum. So as soon as you start moving, stuff happens. And then I can't, can't explain it. It's like one step turns into just giant hurdles. You can then. Overcome. It's like, it's just huge.

So it's just, just get the momentum going.

Kristina: Yeah.

Rochelle: one, another thing I say to [00:22:00] myself, which has served me well is mind my own monkey. So if something comes up and it's someone else's business, no mind your own monkey, focus on where you are going, put your blinkers on and just go forward, mind your own monkey.

And then my very favorite quote of all time, which you will hear me preach about, is by, um, Jackson h. Brown Jr. And it goes a little something like this. Opportunity dances with those already on the dance floor. And say that again.

Kristina: love that.

Rochelle: Opportunity dances with those already on the dance floor. And I can tell you, as soon as I heard that, I just got dancing.

I was like, I'm gonna be there for all the opportunities.

Kristina: Yeah, I love that. And you share that, uh, on stage as well. And I absolutely love it because it's um, and one, one, when you have that kind of mindset, you actually don't take criticism or any opinions for people who are not on the dance floor because I think. [00:23:00] People who are on the dance floor do not have time to criticize other people.

We are the, we are so busy dancing and we also support the dance moves to other people. Like, like, I wanna support you, I wanna support everyone. I don't wanna put anyone down 'cause it doesn't serve me anyway. And I'm just like, so, so people, because that's like a, a dream killer number one, I think in, in the, in my experience is that people are worried about what other people think.

And I always say your friends and your family, if they not are on your dance floor, don't take, even if they love you and they, they want the best for you of course, but they put their fears and their obstacles into you and they are not you. So, so if they choose to be dancing on the side, then don't take opinion from them because, because they just want what's best for you.

But it's based on their fears and their obstacles.

Rochelle: I couldn't agree more. but I think that coming back to the [00:24:00] momentum thing, as soon as you start dancing, you get that momentum. You actually don't even have huge amount of time, not for your friends and family, but for, for those additional thoughts. You're just powering through and, and achieving your dream of whatever that is.

so it's just, yeah, just, just go do it. And I think one thing you said beautifully, Kristina, is we have one beautiful life. Like, what are we waiting for?

Kristina: yeah. Absolutely. I couldn't agree more. I, I, I just run a workshop before I jumped on this call, and I always do. I do a couple of exercises. One is to write down every year, even though you can do this in your head, you don't have to write it down, but it's very powerful to write down your age in 10 years time. it's a really good one to do because even though we know, if you're 50 now you're gonna be 60. If you're 40, you're gonna be 50. Like, that's kind of a given. But then you, if you really think about, you know, what could you accomplish in those 10 years if you really think about it, and what does it [00:25:00] mean when you are.

That 10 years older. So for me, for example, I will have a 24-year-old and a 27-year-old. And that's like, that's like, no, I need to, I need to make sure that I do all the dreams with my children now. And that's why I'm like, I don't really care how I live in 10 years time because. The kids will likely be living their dream life in their own homes.

So I'll be like, I wanna spend money on them now. I wanna do all the adventures. You know, I took Tiffany to, uh, to Fiji because, and you know, I had to, I had to push her because she wanted to be at school. 'cause she's, she's suffering this week because she's doing all the, all the um, assignments and all the tests and things for her year.

And, uh, I know it's painful because, uh, she didn't have as much time to study and she's been up early. But I said to her, you will never. Remember this, well, you're unlikely to remember this week, but you will remember last week in Fiji for the rest of our life. And so [00:26:00] doing that kind of exercise, knowing that your children will be living their dream life.

And also parents, if you're lucky to have parents or grandchildren, or grandparents or even um, pets, like it's a good reminder for all of us that now is time to be on the dance floor.

Rochelle: I, I actually think that that was, um, a little bit of a moment for me. I have been so busy head down and my mom is just the most beautiful person in the world, but her and I used to catch up all, all the time and talk all the time, and I've kind of let that slip just while I've been so busy. So I am going to go and have coffee with my mouth.

That is what I'm gonna go and do.

Kristina: Nice, nice. And you know what I did when I started doing this exercise? This is probably. It's many years ago now when I started this exercise and now I run it every, every time I do a workshop, I run it because it just makes people think. Sometimes you, you know, the coin really goes down when you, when you say things [00:27:00] like this.

And I also then calculate based on what we think we're gonna live to and then work out how many month, because years we often think years, you know how year can take a long time. But if you calculate, you know, how quickly a month, I don't know about you, but I felt like October just started and we're just getting to the end of it.

It just goes so quick. Uh, so when I did these exercises many years ago, I, uh, started to, so my mom is in Sweden, so I decided to send a photo every day. I don't do it every single day because sometimes I don't get to it, but as much as I possibly can, you know, it's, it's not Instagram quality photos.

It's like. What I'm eating for breakfast or what, uh, what the kids are doing or whatever. It's just everyday life. And, uh, and now my sister's in it, and my nieces are in it, and, and they have children now. So it's nice to, for, for all of us to see kind of the day life that we otherwise, otherwise might miss.

So there's so much benefit to really think about, you know, where are we all, like as a family, as a friend group, as a business [00:28:00] in 10 years time and make sure we prioritize based on what's important now.

Rochelle: Oh, I, I'm gonna do that. Like, I really am gonna think about that. So thank you for giving me that little gift. That's awesome.

Kristina: Oh, it's so good. So, um. another thing that really got me last week in Fiji was the power of actually going away. So I love going away. I go away all the time on my own, but having, being a few days with people, 'cause you know, when you meet people at, you know, event, an event, you meet them quickly and you don't really have to go deep.

Like, you know, we bumped into each other many times and had conversation and we came up with something that I don't think you expected. I certainly didn't expect it in terms of, we were sitting on this vote and this would be worth sharing because, because this could be a life changing moment, because I think your productivity is already unbelievable.

And imagine what it's gonna be in 2026. So, so, uh, lovely. Rochelle had a few drinks the night before [00:29:00] and she came sitting next to me on the boat out to this incredible island that we were going to for the day. And she, she had this big, Packet of biscuits. And I, first, the first thing I did was look at the ingredients.

I was like, oh, I don't know if I wanna eat that. and then she, you shared what you did. You had a few drinks and that's why you needed this. And then I shared that I was doing an alcohol free year. And some people love hearing that. Some people think it's most ridiculous, so it doesn't really matter what, uh, anyone is thinking.

But you got excited to think about, what if I did that? So maybe do you wanna share a little bit what you were thinking on what you are thinking for 2026?

Rochelle: Yeah, I, um, I enjoy drinking. I enjoy having glass of wine. I enjoy having a beer. I actually doesn't seem, look, I'm sure it affects me in, I know it affects me, but it actually doesn't affect my productivity. It doesn't affect my mood, the swings, it hasn't affected my [00:30:00] sleep.

so I can achieve a lot, even if I have a few, you know, a few drinks. But what I had heard earlier in the year is someone said that imagine what you could achieve if you didn't drink. Then when I was eating these biscuits, which were, by the way, were kind of like melting, and they weren't even great, but I just needed something sugary.

and Kristina and I were chatting about it and she said, imagine what you could achieve if you didn't drink. And she explained about her year of non, no not drinking. And then, you know, also you explained about your three and a half years of not drinking before and how you kind of came around it. So there were these little plants, like seeds being planted.

And then when we were sitting on the island, Tiffany actually came down and sat with us. Um, Tiffany's, Kristina's, uh, 14, 14-year-old. And she was saying how much she loves it when her mom doesn't drink, and how she really appreciates the time that she has with her mom, that her mom can come and pick her up and drop her off at any stage.

She just [00:31:00] knows that her mom is there, which is I think, really special. So I kind of took that on board too. And I did think, well, I wonder what I could do if I didn't drink. But then part of me on the way back was like, okay, but hang on a second. We've got this happening and this happening. And then, oh, we've got a friend's 50th.

And then, uh, we've got Christmas and obviously New Year's, oh hang on, Christmas business drinks, we've got Thursday. 'cause you know, you should have a drink on Thursday 'cause it's Thursday, taco Tuesday. Um, we've got, and I could list off a million reasons of why I could have a drink. And then I thought that maybe there's something, maybe there's special, this little gift of not having a drink.

So Kristina kind of gave me the challenge that maybe for a whole year I could not drink. So I haven't, not committed, but I have also, it's there. So when I was on the plane leaving Fiji the whole day, in my head it had been the [00:32:00] quote. And I dunno which way around it is, but it doesn't matter. It, it's the same thing day one or one day.

And so I'm walking through the airport. Is it day one or is it one day? Well, one day is quite good 'cause it's another day I could have another drink or is it just day one? So I then wrote myself a little note on the plane and it was, uh, aka, which is, uh, goodbye or Thank you in Fijian aka to drinks. And it's only been a few days, but I haven't had a drink yet and I am, don't think I'm planning to for a wee while work in progress.

from coming back from that retreat, that was nothing I expected. It was nothing that I would've achieved or the gift I would've been given if I had just been to an event or we had just caught up. It was. It was over the few days, it was, maybe the universe putting us next together on that boat ride.

Maybe it, it was so many maybes and [00:33:00] maybe things, but it was a real gift. So I'll touch base with you. You know

how it goes.

Kristina: back, we'll have you back in 12 months time, and we'll see how you go. And, um, and it was also interesting because then you inspired other people to do the same. So we got Louise, joining us, and, uh, a couple of others actually who wanted to come on our little, um, we call it our AA meeting, but we, we'll change it a bit because it's not really aa, it's more a inspiration to, you know, maybe spend a year.

Doing something different because I'm, and you know, you are very lucky, lucky, but also unlucky because it doesn't affect you. It certainly would affect you, uh, body wise. that will be

crazy not to think because it's really toxins that you put in your body, but you're lucky that it doesn't affect you that much.

But I think it really affected me and that's why I, I just really affected my sleep and that's really drove me. So it's, it's even harder for you who sleeps [00:34:00] well anyway, and it doesn't affect your mood and anything like that. So, but I do think that you will, after a few weeks, you will really, you will get up earlier and you, you will embody wise.

You just feel it. So, um, I am very excited to see how you go and let's have a little get together on the first and, uh, see if we can make a decision for at least, um, for,

Rochelle: know.

Kristina: a couple of months and see.

Rochelle: I think it, I think it just comes back to that, you know, people aren't stuck, it's just the choices that they make, right. So I kind of feel very excited about the choices I now. Perhaps we'll make or can make or opportunities that will come up from not having the drink. So if, yeah, I'm, I'm looking forward to it very much.

 Kristina, can you tell us just a little, can you tell us a little bit about your story of like your, now it's end of October, so you've done 10 months of no drinking. What, what are [00:35:00] gives me some tips and tricks.

Kristina: so I, my personality, so everyone will be different, but my personality, I'm very much all or nothing. So I, when I make a decision, I am really making a decision to stick with it. And so that works much better for me than just that one day at a time. So I made a decision at New Year and I was thinking, you know, I, I am in my fifties now and I have had plenty of amazing wines.

Wines is the only one that I can wine, and champagne is the only thing that I really miss if I miss any of it. But I had so much to drink in the past, so I feel like one year it's not gonna like, it's not like I can start. again, if I want to and know, of course I can start at any time, it's just, I'm just doing it for me.

But I, I find it much better to make that decision. So I made that on, so I had a drink on New Year E, but when it's just, when it switched over to 12, I haven't had a drink since. So that's kind of how I made a decision. And then what I do is like I, what I love and what I miss the most. One, [00:36:00] obviously the taste with certain wine.

So I was saying, I I, it's hard to have Italian. When I go to Melbourne, I try to go have Asian, 'cause I don't often feel like red wine with a, with Asian and I can have an alcohol, free beer. But, so I try to avoid that. But of course. I don't, uh, you know, sometimes I do have Italian 'cause I love it, but it, but it's harder because I, I really associate a good pasta with a glass of red.

Rochelle: here

Kristina: And the, and the other thing that marries really well is to always oysters and champagne. It's another one that's really difficult. But other than that, what I miss the most is kind of that social thing or even having that kind of break after work. So, me and Tiffany often, she's only 14, so she obvious obviously doesn't drink, and we will have a kombucha in a wine glass together and we'll sit down and say, oh, let's have a drink.

And, um, when people are, don't feel like one, cause sometimes water is a bit boring and, you know, it's good to drink lots of water. But if you wanna do a, have a alcohol free beer or a [00:37:00] kombucha or any, like, I, I was having a pina colada. Alcohol free.

'cause Steve Perelli is also, um, alcohol free. So, and then there was three Pina pina coladas coming in, one for Sarah that had alcohol in the two. And I said, wouldn't it be great Steve, if they mixed them? So we automatically didn't know. But, but um, I'm sure we would've tasted that if that was the case. but just having that replacement so you cannot feel part of it. 'cause I think the social aspect is what people find difficult versus, I actually find when I travel on my own, I would often go to the airport bar and sit and have a glass of red with my journal. So I really miss that more than this social aspect.

So for anyone listening, that's a really good tip to just have an alcohol, free beer or some an alcohol you can have, I don't never been a cocktail person. So for me, cocktail is just really sweet when you don't have, uh, alcohol in it. So for me, that's not something that I go for, but you could do that if you love, if you like that [00:38:00] kind of drink.

And then, um. the other thing that really helps me is to write down why are you doing this? So this is something that I do with everything that I wanna change. I really love a challenge and a hard change. So then I write a document and I actually read that for the first, I don't do it anymore.

'cause now it's gone 10 months, but the first few weeks when it was still summer here, and there was a lot of opportunities to have a drink. I mean, it's an opportunity to have a drink every day. So, but, um, yeah. Yeah, and you know, if you p people say, you know, you need to celebrate, I'm like, every day is a chance to celebrate.

So for me, it doesn't matter if it's a Monday or a Saturday or like, I, I always feel like there's an opportunity to drink or celebrate. So, so when you have that mindset, it's very likely that you drink a lot like. When I say a lot every day frequently versus perhaps a lot. But I find that writing that document, so that's something I encourage anyone listening, but also to you to, um, to write down [00:39:00] why you're doing it.

Because you just, if you put your top three for the year, for 2026, what you want to accomplish, and you say, this is why I am not drinking, because I am going to put all my energy into these three top things that I'm gonna accomplish this year. And then if you do read that every day, it's so much easier because then you'd be like, actually, I don't really, now it doesn't bother me one little bit.

I just, I forget about it. And, uh, I, it's, it's really good because when I was in Fiji, I was up really early every morning, and I had that first couple of hours in the morning when the, when the coffee, when the cafe at the adult. Uh, place where we had breakfast. I was sitting there on my own every morning, and Steve was often there as well.

It was us too. We were not drinking. And, uh, I just love that. I, I, you sleep better, you feel better, and you get fitter and you, I I just, you, you, you'll really notice that you'll have an en [00:40:00] energy and you'll wanna wake up earlier and, and you will just use the energy that you used to have for drinking.

You'll just put into your business and to your

Rochelle: Yeah.

Kristina: and wellbeing.

Rochelle: I know. I'm really looking forward to the fitness part of it. Um, I have probably with growing the businesses. I have, I haven't probably, I have a hundred percent not prioritized going to the gym or going out for a walk. So I'm excited to really prioritize that and actually plan out how I am gonna achieve those top three things.

Um, 'cause I've got some pretty big, pretty big goals this year that I, um, this year coming that I want to achieve.

So one of the big things is with the businesses, when you start a business, sometimes you, um, when you're a solopreneur or you start off as a solopreneur, you almost have created yourself a job, like a really big job rather than a business.

So over the past six months, I've been, pulling back from [00:41:00] creating the very big job. I've now got team members, um, that have come on board and that are helping me. So I really have to prioritize building out our processes, our systems, um, our reporting mechanisms, um, and building. The job into businesses that don't need me on a, a day-to-day level.

I mean, I can be in them on a day-to-day level, but they don't actually, for them to be a business, they can't have me on a day-to-day level. So that is my next 12 months goal is to make sure that I have really focused on that, and got everything so slick. It's also would be really nice for my team members to have all of that so, so slick and out of my brain so that they can, they can do their jobs really, really well.

So, yeah, so the ne the next 12 months of focusing on that, setting my team up for success, getting some new clients, um, and then really working towards my speaking [00:42:00] career and making sure I nail how I deliver, the messages that I, that I want to share, and then how do I share that on a bigger impact.

So I, I did say to you. I'm kind of, I suppose, gonna do a little bit of a trial trial. It's, it's an experiment giving up the booze to write a book. So the time that I would spend having a glass of wine at night, maybe I put that into writing a few words and see where that comes. So I'm, I'm quite excited.

It's like Beauty and the Beast, but it's the booze in the book, so yeah.

yeah, so a little, a little bit of a challenge, but I think it is, it's, it's, it's just a change in step and I'm, it's exciting. Most change for me is exciting or it's an opportunity to do something differently. So, yeah. Here, here goes like, cheers with my pink drink

bottle to that.

Kristina: Cheers with my lemon, lemon water here.

Rochelle: Yeah. Would you, would you like to gimme a few [00:43:00] tips on how you've written books before? What would be your, your top two or three tips on how I get started?

Kristina: Yeah, so, um, so I'm just gonna share how I did it and then it might trigger some things that you could to take on, but everyone obviously is different, but I do a lot of journaling, so I actually started with going through all my journals, because I'm, I've always invest in coaches, so I had Robin Sharma as my coach.

I've, I've always done a lot of, lot of journaling. A lot of coaching. Yeah. So it's been really, so I went through those journals to start with, so, so. There were, so I might say, take a step back. So I actually went away. This is a, this is something that you might wanna do. I went away for two nights to hotel.

So I was in, so I was living in Sweden at the time with the family, but we were opening stores in London, so I cannot commuted to London. Sounds super glamorous, but it was hard work 'cause it's quite tiring to go to another [00:44:00] country every week. And then, you know, surrounded by, like, I was working long hours there and doing events and all these kind of things.

And then I would come back and I still was doing my creative director role for the business. So it was hard to do it all. And then I, one day I came back to. To my hometown in Sweden where we were living and I was tired and I had a meeting with my Australian team the week after to present the themes, the colors, all those kind of things, the trends.

And I was like, I just didn't have anything in me. So I, and so I said to Paul, Hey. I know I just gone home, but I'm gonna go away for a couple of days. I need some space to think. And, uh, he completely got it. But I could see other people around me that were like, that's weird.

She's going away for two days on her own. She just got back and, you know, my kids really little. So I went to, uh, the next town where I knew people, but not as many people as my hometown took into a hotel. The first 24 hours, all I wanted was to [00:45:00] go home. I'm such a home. I love traveling, but I'm also real homebody.

And all I could think about was like, I just wanna go home. I just wanna, and I brought my candles, my tea pot, and, you know, I feng sway the hotel room. And I did all that for the, and I, and I did not. So I brought my phone in case the kids needed me. So I checked it once, once every day. But, but they also knew where I was so they

could have got me if they needed to.

But, uh, my, so I put my phone away. I didn't bring any books. That's actually harder for me than. You know, I love reading and that's kind of my company when I'm on my own. So I love reading, but I didn't bring any book. I brought my journal only and a pen. so the first 24 hours, all I could think about was going home.

And then I thought, I'm just gonna stay for 24 hours and then I'll probably go home tomorrow. so it was at a, a hotel where they also have a great spa and they had meditation and like pools and so on us and all that stuff. So after 24 hours, I was like, oh, actually I feel good now. It was just the first 24 hours, it was [00:46:00] hard.

And then I was in the pool and then I thought, I know what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna write a book because I did a lot of speaking. Before as well. I'm, I'm now speaking much more, but I did a lot of speaking and, um, I always had about five people roughly come up after asking for more, like, you know, how do I do this?

And, and you know, you never have enough time to speak at them, mean you don't understand their circumstances. So I thought of that when I was in the pool. I was like, I'm gonna write a book about how I can help people live their dream life. So I got home, and then they, I said to the team, I'm going to write a book.

And everyone first thought it was the Kiki K story and I'm like, no, no, that's not done yet. So we'd write in the middle of that. So I said, no, this is gonna be about helping people create their dream life. And, uh, so I then decided, and, uh, and I, my team, because we worked with a lot of publishers, we had. An option to go that route.

But I, I'm an impatient person and I think you are similar to me. Like, uh, [00:47:00] publishers is like, it's so long process and it has, its, it has and I'm sure they, that will change over over time. But I do think that as an entrepreneur, I wanted to have it in the next three months. Like I wanted to launch a book

quickly. Yeah.

So I started, I started looking through all my journals to kinda see patterns. So the patterns were. Dreams. I always wrote down dreams. My other thing was passionate. I, I just wanna do what I love. Like, I, I always had that, like, there were certain things in business that I didn't love. I outsourced that really quickly.

So doing things you're passionate about was, to me, really important. 'cause it's so much easier to create a business and a dream life if you love what you do. And then the other thing was values. Once I got really clear on my values, I had no more guilt about spending money, going to a health retreat or retreat, travel.

All that got really clear to me. And I spent so much money on personal development, on coaching, on books. And after I [00:48:00] knew what my values, 'cause that was really high up there. got really clear. And then the last one was purpose to kind of wake up and get excited about what you get to do. And for me that's like, I, I did that in my previous business.

I do that even more now in my new business. So that cannot form then. They're pillars. So I'm a post-it note girls, I'm a visual person. So I started Anta. There was a purpose as a passion, and there was like, so then I started to think about what, what do we need when we work out our values? So then I, I've done so much work on that.

So it was basically, that's how I started and then I started to write about it. So I found that really, it was a really good process for me. I'm not an expert writing books obviously, but it worked really well for me because it was things that I already knew and things that I had stories around. And then Paul, my partner, he's really good writer compared to me.

So then passed on to him and because he, he lives and breathes similar [00:49:00] things and being part of it, he could add to it. And then we had a professional editor who, who knew to put better structure together. So that's kinda how I did it. So then I, I just decided that I will write a little bit each day because I wanted to do it quickly, so I just, I, I'm a morning person, so a good coffee.

I just wrote a bit and I was like, just showing up consistently without the expectation to write a whole chapter or just be like, Hey, this is my writing time. So 90 minutes is really good block to kind of focus, put yourself away, like, don't be with your team that could come and interrupt you because I feel sometimes you are on the flow and then you wanna continue.

But I love the walls because as a visual person, and I feel like I'm looking at it now, like my whole wall in front of me is full. My coaching program is there, my, all the books in my two different book clubs. Everything is in front of me so I can then move it quickly. I don't love spread. I've put everything eventually into spreadsheets

Rochelle: I know it doesn't, my brain doesn't [00:50:00] work like that. I need to, it needs to be on the wall. It needs to be pretty. And I think also for visual people, that's actually how you remember it. I can remember everything. 'cause it's because it's there. Or I've moved or I've drawn the wall picture. So I'm gonna take that.

I'm gonna take that gold. I love the idea of taking myself away for a couple of days to getting really clear on it. because that's the thing I

have to have.

Kristina: behind if you can.

Rochelle: Yeah. That I can definitely do that. Well maybe check it once a day.

Kristina: Yeah, yeah, yeah. But I think it's because it's so easy to get influencer. And also most of us have that, like, because we have so much access to technology now, it'd be easy to just stop doing the research. And the research. You could say, Hey, I'm gonna spend, I'm gonna spend a week to do the research. And you do the research, but then when, when that's done, because you can actually research your whole life.

And, uh, so, so you might want to, so you might wanna have, for example, you might want to have some science behind it. So you wanna check those [00:51:00] kind of things, and that's all valid. But you could basically do that for the rest of your life. So you wanna say, Hey, my research time is this time, I need to do whatever I need to do in that time, and then I'm gonna start writing.

Because otherwise I just feel like. it's easy to have an excuse to be on the phone. So when you go away, leave the phone home if you can, or check it once a week. It was not once a week, once a day,

but, and, but also know if your family knows where you are, you know, they can always get in touch with you if they needed to anyway.

And yeah. And then you don't have the temptation to be like, oh, I need to check that quote, or Who wrote that quote, or whatever. It's like, no. And then you just have a list of things that you need to check, and then you say, when I get home, I can spend a day doing all that Yeah. Because it's like, it's very liberating to have that freedom of, you know, three days, two nights or whatever, whatever longer if you can.

And, you know, go for walks and go and have yoga. All that stuff is so inspiring. But don't bring any books because then you'd be, you have no temptation. [00:52:00] A journal and a pen

Rochelle: I was gonna say, I'm sure, I'm sure if I took a book, I'd be like, God, I just want my, my book to be like this book. How do I copy this book to be like my book? Like

Kristina: No, it's really good. So there's a little bit of a tip for anyone who are listening who might, I think everyone should write a book 'cause the process is hard, but it's also incredibly rewarding. It's like a business, it's like, it's difficult, but it's also so rewarding. And then what's most rewarding is when people come up later and said that your bus, your book made a difference.

And um, and people often write to me and say, I'm sure you're sick of this. I'm like, never sick of this. Because that's like the best, that's the best compliment you can get from a

Rochelle: Yeah. That's so beautiful. Thank you so much for sharing that with us. Like I

Kristina: Of pressure. And let me know if you need an accountability. 'cause I can keep you on track.

Rochelle: Yeah. Well let's be like chicken, no wine

Kristina: I know you're just gonna.[00:53:00]

Rochelle: Well, maybe I should. It's progress,

Kristina: Absolutely progress, not perfection. And also I think, um, I think, uh, most of us wants like the best, best. But you know, I think Sarah shared, I don't know if she said shared it with you or someone else, but she said the first book is just your first book and then you can do the second and the third, or whatever.

So don't, it doesn't have to be perfect. And, you know, I think I, I, I read so many books and I just love hearing about people's stories and journeys and, you know, some inspiration from that, from each book. That's all you need to, you don't have to be a New York Time bestseller. The first

Rochelle: Uh, well, no. Okay. I'll put that on hold, but yeah.

Kristina: maybe you can put it on that.

I put actually a picture, so I knew, because I'm a visual person, I knew that I wanted yellow Because I, I did all the research pub self-publish or publish. I did all of that first. And, uh, I wanted to self-publish. 'cause we had a lot of stores that knew we could sell a lot of books through that.

[00:54:00] And I also knew, because I speak with publishers all the time, that they would like to have a photo of me. They sell much better if there's a photo, but I did not want that. So I, uh, I just, uh, got, uh, a designer to put up the cover. It wasn't, it wasn't the final design, but I knew he wanted a yellow, 'cause yellow never sold a Kiki K.

So I wanted to have it because it was my happy color and I thought, I don't really care about this. This doesn't have to be a bestseller in the store. So I knew I wanted no photo, and I knew I wanted a bright yellow, and then I put that cover in Oprah's hands. So, uh, I just, so I put it on the fridge and I don't, I'm a minimalistic person.

I don't want anything on the fridge, but I put that on the fridge. So every day I saw it to, to remind me that maybe one day I'll be sitting with Oprah talking about my book.

Rochelle: Have you done that

yet.

Okay. So that's, there's, we've got chance for that. Well, um, funny you say about the yellow [00:55:00] because I did buy your book from Kiki. K and then I think I also was there like a yellow journal that I could buy with it or there was something at the pen that also had the white spots on it and it's like, so I was down with that whole thing.

Um, it's like dream life. Hell yes, I'm in for that. So

Kristina: yeah. yeah. We created it.

Rochelle: I think was beautiful.

Kristina: Yeah, because my, because I have so many exercises in my book. In my book, I decided to do a journal at the same time. Um, but I can also help you with the, the publishing and things, but we won't go through that today 'cause I'm conscious of your time to go to your boys match.

So before we finish, I, I wanna ask three really quick questions. One, what's your morning ritual or maybe even more exciting now when you are not going to drink, you might be an earlier person. What is going to be your morning ritual?

Rochelle: So I'm not gonna change my morning ritual 'cause my RO morning ritual is having 15 minutes of cuddles [00:56:00] with my partner. So if the alarm goes, we sit it for a little bit early and. I like roll into him, or if he's awake, he'll roll into me or half the time we are together. But, so we just spend the first 15 minutes just laying in each other's arms and it is the most beautiful way to start the day.

So, I'm gonna keep that,

Kristina: Yes.

Rochelle: that's my morning ritual.

Kristina: Fantastic. Fantastic. And um, and once you are up, do you do, have you got any specific things you do?

Rochelle: I usually, 'cause we've got, uh, kids, I have, um, three kids and three step kids. So depending on how many kids are with us, it is up coffee, help with lunches, get their day started, school drop offs. but I usually put on some good music. Um, so I start my day with a bit of music is what I enjoy. And then I am going to start after, if I have to do, uh, kids drop offs or going to the gym or going for a walk and actually getting the exercise done.

Getting my blood pumping early,

Kristina: [00:57:00] yeah,

Rochelle: gonna be my change.

Kristina: Yeah.

Love that. Love that. Fantastic. And, um, have you got a favorite nonfiction book or a book that had a very big impact on you?

Rochelle: Yes. So nonfiction is my absolute favorite. I just wanna be learning all the time and I highlight the books, and I share the books and I give the books to the next person with all the highlights and, and stuff. But one that I just adore is, into The Magic Shop by Dr. Oh,

Kristina: Doctor, let me just have a thing. It's Dr. James Doty.

Rochelle: Brilliant. So you've got it over there. Fabulous. So it is just a book of Wonder and magic and neuroscience and just everything, so I don't wanna give too much of it away, but I think it is a book that everybody should read.

Kristina: Yeah, absolutely. It's on my list to read in my, so I have two [00:58:00] book clubs, one for business and one for, personal growth. And it's on my list. I haven't decided when, but it's definitely on there 'cause it's a great book. And this new book is also great. But I wanted, it reminded me actually, but when you said before that one of your top three for 2026 is to systemize things and put procedures into your business, there's a really good book called the E Myth.

I don't know if you heard of, of that. It's by Michael Gerber. It's one of my, I I read that. Years and years ago when I just started K, k, K, and I implemented that book, and that's how we were able to scale retail wise, but also business wise. So definitely get your, um, get a copy on that. I'll link to both of these books in their show notes as well for anyone listening.

Rochelle: And also

Kristina: yeah.

Rochelle: book, I think we should link your book too

if anyone hasn't got it.

Kristina: you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. So my final question to you is, knowing what you know now, what kind of advice would you give to your younger self?

Rochelle: [00:59:00] Don't worry about what anyone else thinks. This is your one beautiful life and that you can actually do it your way because your way, other, other qualities that other people just might need. So one of my values is kindness. And I try and do everything with kindness. And since I openly said that in a business sense, it has just made a huge difference.

So please do things. I, I was to my younger self, just do it your way. 'cause you're actually a bit of magic.

that's

Kristina: love that. I love that. That's so good. And, uh, isn't it so true? Because I think, um, one of the things that I really, really value having had a business that became quite big business, now I just wanna keep things really small and I just wanna, I just wanna travel the world, speak, share, learn meeting, inspiring people like you around the world.

That's kinda my life now, and I love that.

Rochelle: Oh, I'm [01:00:00] down for that. That sounds wonderful. Um, Kristina, you are an absolute, I think I wrote your gold dust. Like you just have this incredible joy and love and, genuine self that you turn up with and you really do make a difference in the people that you, um, touch and that you're so open with. So thank you so much from everyone that has got to experience a little bit of you on behalf of me.

Thank you so much. And if I can leave everyone with one last thing, there's that quote again. Opportunity dancers with those already on the dance floor. This is your sign to go and get dancing.

Kristina: Yeah, I love that so much. Thank you. And you are also such a gift and what you're doing with your business, helping people to create their personal brand is so amazing. And I think that's actually so necessary now when AI is coming out. Like more not coming out. When I say coming out, like AI will be automated so many [01:01:00] of our things, but they will always be us as unique individual humans will always be room for that.

And I think having a person brand is like a no brainer in our, so I'm super excited to see in your space and uh, thank you so much for all the inspiration and for coming on on my podcast. And I'm excited about your year ahead and I can't wait to have you back in about 12 months time

Rochelle: I know.

Kristina: how you end.

Rochelle: Thank you.

Kristina: Thank you so much.

 Wow. I am so inspired and I really hope you are as well. I feel like if I could do what I've done and what if Rochelle can do what she's done. You can as well. You need to dream big, but you start small and you start taking action. And if you want to join us, we are both going to be at the next Evolve X retreat.

I will link to that in March in Fiji. and also if you are listening to this at the time of releasing, We have a special for our coaching [01:02:00] program. If you join for 12 months, you actually get 14 months and um, there's a big saving in that.

So if you have been thinking about joining the program now, after being inspired might be your time. I will link to that as well. And if you are listening at the time of recording, my last free workshop is this coming Sunday, so you might want to sign up for that if you haven't already. I hope you're inspired.

I hope you take action and really do something with your amazing life. As always, I will be back on Monday with another Monday morning motivation episode. I'll see you then.

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