Tracey Spicer is a newsreader, author and journalist with 30 years’ experience in the Australian media. Her passion is amplifying women’s voices through her presentation training company, called Outspoken Women. As the co-founder and national convenor of Women in Media, Tracey co-ordinate networking and mentoring programs for those in their industry, alongside passionate committee members from six states and territories. She has also written a femoir ‘The Good Girl Stripped Bare’ outlining challenges and solutions for women in the workplace.
1. Humble Beginnings
Q: How did you get started and what or who inspired and empowered you to?
I was fortunate enough to have a Mum and Dad who told their daughters that they could achieve anything. We didn’t have a lot in the way of money, or material possessions, but it was a home filled with love. I was also inspired by one of Australia’s first female news and current affairs hosts, Jana Wendt.
Q: What unique and creative strategies if any did you use when you were first getting started?
After graduating from university, I was unemployed for six months. It was the time of the Black October stock market crash in 1987, and there were very few jobs in journalism. So, I took any part-time work I could get my hands on — battering fish at the corner store, tutoring Indigenous kids in maths, and labeling bottles in a chlorine factory — while knocking on the doors of radio stations to nab a job in broadcasting.
2. Mindset
Q: What mindset distinguished you from others who were doing the same thing? How did you develop it?
I think I’ve always been stubborn — ! — and tenacious. I won’t give up.
3. What is your definition of success?
Being in a position where I can use my experience and skills to help others.
4. Failure
Q: What do you think is the main reason why some people face failure when going after their vision?
There are lots of reasons, many of which are outside of our control. However, I often see people rushing headfirst into a project without doing the proper research. There’s a terrific expression about poor planning preventing a piss-poor performance!
5. What is the best piece of advice you have received or came across and would like to share with everyone?
Find what you’re passionate about then go hard. That’s the secret, I reckon.
To have an insight into Tracey’s amazing journey, pre-order her long awaited ‘femoir’ today here.
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Originally published at medium.com