life lessons manifesto

The Lesson: Entrepreneurial freedom requires the unshakeable foundation of resilience, discipline, integrity and strong work ethic.

The Training Ground: My childhood centres around peeling kilos of prawns working in the family’s catering company. The moment I could stand on a box at the sink, I was put to work. That first step onto the box marked an unconscious leap into entrepreneurship. Yet, all I knew from a young age, was that life meant work, work, work! No holidays, family meals or time off.

The Lesson: A successful business has a clear vision and roadmap for achieving its goals. Without knowing where you’re going or what you want, commitment and focus wavers. Decide, and go after it.

The Training Ground: By my early 20’s, I knew one thing for sure—I wouldn’t be working for someone else, and so, I founded my own consulting firm. I harnessed the power of strong work ethic and forged confidently into my future. I believed in my vision, which resulted in working with 585 small businesses around Australia, increasing profit average by $500,000 per year, per client. Life was at full speed. I was at the top of my game, pushing the limits of success.

The Lesson: Working until burnout is not a successful business model. Nurture persistence and perseverance through self-belief; success emerges from internal balance.

The Training Ground: I burned out in my late 30s. Discovering running saved me. Hitting the pavement became MY time; my happy place. From barely being able to run 100m to running the New York Marathon and 30 marathons around the globe thereafter (including 12 marathons in 12 months to celebrate my 50th Birthday)—I understand the value of nurturing self-belief and its effect on success (however that looks to you).

The Lesson: The joy of community and connection energise the spirit and move you closer to accomplishing your goals.

The Training Ground: Nine months after crossing the finish line in New York and raising $97,000 for Breast cancer, I created Running Divas, an online running community that grew to 250,000 women. It was an opportunity for me to connect women globally and show them that anything is possible with the ‘right’ strategy and mindset.

The Lesson: An all-access pass to my 30-years of extraordinary business experience and life lessons channelled into high-end business mentorship for SMEs.

The Training Ground: After a couple of years of retirement, having removed myself from all social media to invite reflection and resolve into my world, I am now resurfacing. With the launch of Life Lessons with Erica King, I’m back to deliver a transformational experience for SMEs worldwide.