When you first encounter Dr. Julie Ducharme and inquire about her endeavors, prepare yourself for a lengthy list and a wide array of skills. To begin with, Dr. Julie has been a serial entrepreneur for the past 23 years, currently managing five companies. However, her journey extends far beyond entrepreneurship. Prior to her ventures in business, she held roles as a coach, professor, dean, and even currently serves as a college president of her current technical vocational college she owns. She also loves to shoot a compound bow, ride horses, relax on the beach, she is an avid reader and writer of several books. And her ideal day is sitting in a corner reading a book drinking coffee.
She said when she retires, she wants to own a book store and coffee shop and sit in there all day and read and drink coffee. But with her busy schedule and aspirations for her business, her movement, and life, it might be a while before Julie gets to retire.
When I questioned her about her multitude of achievements, Dr. Julie offers a candid response, attributing her success to her inherent drive to excel. She describes herself as an overachiever who pursued numerous opportunities simultaneously, driven by a desire to explore all avenues of life without limitations. Dr. Julie admits to a competitive streak, particularly with herself, which undoubtedly fuels her relentless pursuit of excellence. And if you dive into her book Authentically You, Empower Your Way to Success, she draws a picture of the struggle she faced of anxiety, depression, and issues of understanding her worth and how she fought all that to move forward in life – achieving was one of the ways she overcame her issues of worth. Today, she spends a tremendous amount of time making sure young women know their worth and hopefully send them down a better path than she had to take.
Yet beyond her extensive professional portfolio lies the essence of Dr. Julie’s character. While her accomplishments are noteworthy, she emphasizes that her true identity is defined by her personal values, compassion for people, and passion for what she does. When asked about her journey to becoming the owner of five businesses and a myriad of other roles, Dr. Julie traces her entrepreneurial spirit back to her upbringing, influenced by generations of family-owned businesses characterized by integrity and excellence.
“My father and grandfather were incredibly impactful in their business and how they ran them. I don’t think they realized how closely I was watching them and learning and I think I was born to do this, it’s just in my blood as they say. I don’t fit well in a cubicle and I with my A-type leadership personality, I am better at giving orders than taking them.”
Reflecting on her trajectory, Dr. Julie recalls her early ventures, such as founding a group of athletes focused on traveling to high schools and talking to kids about staying away from drugs and other toxic habits during her early twenties, which paved the way for her subsequent entrepreneurial endeavors. Despite initially shying away from a career in academia due to not wanting to be a teacher or instructor, as fate would have it she eventually found herself immersed in the world of teaching and administration after being a head coach at the local college. However, her innate drive for more led her to reassess her path and embark on a new journey towards building her own business empire.
Dr. Julie’s transition from academia to entrepreneurship was not without challenges, including toxic work environments and personal struggles. Yet, guided by mentors and fueled by her passion, she took the leap into uncharted territory, determined to follow her heart, and fulfill her true calling.
In essence, Dr. Julie Ducharme’s story is a testament to the power of resilience, determination, and authenticity in carving one’s path to success. Her journey serves as an inspiration for aspiring entrepreneurs and individuals seeking to pursue their passions wholeheartedly, regardless of the obstacles they may encounter along the way.
How did Lead and Empower Her She Talks come about?
I hate to admit it but Lead and Empower Her She Talks stemmed from a rather unpleasant experience I had. During my time in the corporate world, I had a female boss who made my life incredibly difficult. Talking to my girlfriends, I realized they were facing similar challenges with women in their workplaces. It left me wondering why we, as women, tend to tear each other down instead of lifting one another up?
Out of that frustration, a collaborative idea emerged between my dear girlfriends Dr. Karen Walker, Lynda Martin, Renee Kohn, and Katy Temple: What if we provided a platform for women to share their stories? Perhaps by hearing each other’s struggles and triumphs, we could foster understanding and support among women. And so, Lead and Empower Her She Talks was born. Also with the help of Dr. Karen Walker who created the combat Boots to Heels program for Women Veterans and we made sure we have a give back to our women who have served us. By putting a portion of tickets sales to this program to support our women vets.
Our first event drew around 100 women, and from there, it blossomed. Seven years down the line, we’re hosting 4-6 events annually, with a rapidly growing following. What’s even more fulfilling is witnessing the sisterhood we envisioned expand beyond borders, reaching communities not just nationally but internationally.
To bridge the gap for those unable or hesitant to take the stage, we introduced a magazine component She Talks Magazine (www.shetalksmag.com), broadening our reach to women in the UK, New Zealand, Australia, and even Iraq. My ultimate dream is to cultivate a global sisterhood, and I’m thrilled to see us steadily progressing in that direction. We have created a membership that women can join on our app that allows them a safe place to network and support each other. https://shetalks.locals.com and to check out our events www.leadandempowerher.com.
What does Motherhood mean to you?
As we stepped into the month of May, I couldn’t help but ask Dr. Julie what Mother’s Day meant to her, as she has expressed how important her kids and family and leaving a legacy are to her. Her response took me by surprise, as she shared that May held a mix of emotions for her. Not only was it the month of her birthday, but it also marked the anniversary of her mother’s passing, a decade ago, on her own birthday. “I think motherhood is one of the most rewarding and trying jobs out there.”
Dr. Julie’s mother played a profound role in her life, shaping her in ways she hadn’t fully realized until her mother passed away. Reflecting on her mother’s journey as a stay-at-home mom, Dr. Julie admitted that she had once questioned the significance of such a role.
My mother said it was her dream to be a stay-at-home mom, I really didn’t get it until I became a mother myself and realized the love and passion that comes with being a mother. I also realized the struggle of wanting to have a career I loved, but also be a present mother and wife. I also realized that stay at homes are not just stay home moms.
My mother was an entrepreneur. She was ahead of her time doing what we call craft entrepreneurship long before Etsy or Pinterest existed. She would sell at craft shows and then take her leftover hats, blankets etc. and then go serve the homeless. She always had a heart for kids and would fundraise money for young girls to get prom dresses, she would take care packages to the worst part of towns to help the homeless. Her legacy would become very apparent to me the day we had her memorial service and I watched so many people pour into it. At that moment I realized how this stay-at-home mom’s impact was far wider than I ever realized. Her resilience to love the most unloved was truly empowering to me. And in that moment 10 years ago, well soon to be 11 years ago, I changed my focus and realized I not only needed to chase my passions but that I needed to be servant leader to people and I needed to leave a legacy for my children.
And I know if my mother were alive today, she would have attended every Lead and Empower Her She Talks she could and she would be deeply invested in it. I just wish she could see it today and how we are changing women’s lives for the better and building a sisterhood. As Mother’s Day, my birthday, and the 11-year anniversary of my mother’s death all come up, some people think I’ll be grieving but I don’t do that. I celebrate her life, her legacy, and I am thankful that even though she is gone, her leaving this world pushed me to be extraordinary in my life.
