From a Bullied “Butch” Girl to an International TV Star
The girl who was too scared to read out loud in class?
Yeah… she became the face of MTV.
Growing up, I was bullied.
Labelled.
Misunderstood.
I was dyslexic, terrified of speaking, and constantly felt like I didn’t fit the mould. Standing in front of people wasn’t just uncomfortable — it felt impossible.
And yet, beneath all of that fear, I carried a dream that made no logical sense at the time:
I wanted to be a TV presenter.
Not because I was confident.
Not because I felt ready.
But because something inside me knew I was meant to use my voice.
So I did something that scared me more than anything else.
I volunteered as a school counsellor — purely to force myself to speak.
Every school assembly, my body shook.
My heart pounded.
My palms were slick with fear.
But I showed up anyway.
Again.
And again.
And again.
That one decision — to face the fear instead of avoiding it — changed the entire direction of my life.
What I learned through that journey is something I now share with my clients, my community, and my children:
Your fears aren’t here to stop you.
They’re here to train you.
Fear is not a sign you’re on the wrong path.
Often, it’s a sign you’re standing right at the edge of your growth.
I didn’t become confident first and then take the mic.
I took the mic — shaking, uncertain, imperfect — and confidence followed.
Bullied.
Dyslexic.
Terrified.
But still… I chose the mic.
And that choice didn’t just give me a career.
It gave me my voice.