21 Jul Building business resilience with Heidi Dening
When running a business, we often assume we can plan for every contingency. We build multi-year roadmaps, set revenue goals, and map out our operations, but life has a habit of throwing unexpected disruptions straight into the middle of our plans. From market changes to sudden personal emergencies, remaining adaptable when things fall apart determines whether our business survives or stalls.
In this episode, international keynote speaker, author, and resilience expert Heidi Dening joins us to share her story of navigating extreme adversity. Heidi transitioned from high school teaching to building and eventually selling a successful personal training company over 17 years, all while running a charitable foundation in Vanuatu. After surviving a catastrophic cyclone, violent crime, and physical trauma, she had to navigate a long recovery while rebuilding her direction from the ground up.
We unpack how to build your capacity for pressure before a crisis hits, why passion projects need the exact same operational systems as primary offers, and how micro-actions help overcome paralyzing fear. Whether you are dealing with burnout or trying to protect your business against future shocks, this conversation offers a clear framework for self-leadership when plans fail.
What you’ll learn in this episode
- How Heidi scaled a personal training business from a garage with $200 of secondhand equipment into an enterprise with 15 trainers before selling it on her terms.
- The operational mistake of neglecting to build standard operating procedures for secondary projects or foundations.
- Why you must fill your resilience capacity during good times through movement, community, and proper sleep so you have strength when a crisis hits.
- How to view major business disruptions as choice points rather than the end of your story.
- Why business owners hold onto original plans too tightly and how to cut ties with old goals to adapt to current realities.
- The DOT then DAT framework (Do One Thing then Do Another Thing) to break through procrastination and take immediate action.
- How fear of the unknown stops leaders from taking ownership when plans fail, and practical steps to move past feeling stuck.
- Using music as a physical state-shifter to break anxiety and regain focus.
- Heidi’s backstage experience with Dylan Alcott in Nashville on overcoming imposter syndrome before addressing 6,500 people.
Links + Resources
14 Day Free HighLevel Trial:
https://www.gohighlevel.com/main-page?fp_ref=empowerhouse
Visit my website:
https://empowerhouseonline.com
Sign up for my Vision Masterclass:
https://app.empowerhouseonline.com/vision-masterclass
Start your free two-week trial of HighLevel:
https://www.gohighlevel.com/109776b2?fp_ref=empower-house
Connect with me on Instagram:
@empower.house
@thebrunchclubevents
Connect with Heidi Dening: https://heididenning.com
Connect with Heidi on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heididenning/
Empower House Podcast
The podcast where we’re talking business, entrepreneurship, habits, mindset, and sharing real life stories. I’ve been hosting my networking event the Brunch Club, featuring incredible speakers for 7 years, now I’m bringing the Brunch Club experience (and more) to your ears.
Come and join the community, find us on Instagram @empower.house
Hosted by Lauren Bryant, multi-award winning small business specialist, founder of Empower House, and The Brunch Club events, Business Club mentor, twin mum, and coffee enthusiast.