Ep 4. Lisa Messenger on depression, disruption and daring to be herself

Lisa Messenger is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of The Collective Magazine, best-selling author of multiple books including Daring and Disruptive, Life & Love, Money + Mindfulness and Break-Up's & Breakthroughs. A symbol for game changers, rule breakers and style makers Lisa is truly disrupting her industry and walks her talk that "anything is possible."

It hasn't always been that way; in fact, throughout her twenties Lisa battled with the depths of depression, suicidal thoughts and alcohol abuse for escape from the life she now remembers as a "train smash."

Lisa's is a journey of courage, self-discovery and hard work – emotionally and commercially. This, she explains, has been the key to unlocking her creative power and turning it into the empire she's built despite the odds.

Recently celebrating her ten year anniversary of freedom from alcohol dependency, in the same year she hung out with Richard Branson on his home in Necker Island, Lisa has catapulted to the centre of her industry.

Her best-selling book Daring and Disruptive is described as "the entrepreneur's roller-coaster ride for those who want to succeed almost as much as they want to breathe" – which sums up Lisa's personal story in a nutshell.

Top 5 takeaways from my chat with Lisa:

• The mental shifts and decisions that drove Lisa out of depression and into self-discovery

• The pivotal moment of finding her why and how you can too.

• How Lisa found the courage and determination to go against the trend and launch a print magazine amongst 5000 competitors in Australia.

• How Lisa uses social media to 'stalk' influencers (and how it lead to a partnership deal with one of Australia's largest corporations)

• Lisa's coolest once in a lifetime opportunities, including an invitation to interview Martha Stewart in her New York office, attending an editorial meeting with media giants at The New York Times and hanging out with Richard Branson on his home turf Necker Island; and how she stays humble when her mind is being blown by extraordinary experiences.

Plus we talk about Lisa's techniques to removing the barriers from starting new business ideas, advice on business growth (with little money) through partnerships, the pitching tips that secured The Collective magazine a monthly spot in the hands of Richard Branson and his Necker Island guests, Lisa's rituals that changed her life and why a team of rockstars around you is essential to your success, and how to attract them, reward them and keep them excited (without money as the key incentive).