Ep 127 – Zoe Simmons – Managing a chronic illness while growing a business

May 23, 2022

Handling a growing business and disability like a pro

When I have even the slightest of headaches – or feel even just that little bit tired – I struggle to get my work done.

So I really feel for people like Zoe Simmons – who is growing a memorable career as a freelance journalist, copywriter, and disability advocate while dealing with chronic pain on a daily basis.

However, Zoe doesn’t ask for sympathy.

As I admitted during our interview, I feel massive imposter syndrome when reading out her bio.
Because she has achieved such amazing things – at such a young age – despite her ailments.
And she’s now on a mission to educate the world about society’s gaps when it comes to managing a disability on a daily basis.

I absolutely loved our chat in today’s episode and I’m sure you will too.
Let’s wheel ourselves in!

ABOUT ZOE SIMMONS:

Zoe Simmons is a writer with a passion for making a difference.

As an experienced journalist who’s been published hundreds of times around the globe—including by News.com.au, Daily Mail, Kidspot, Popsugar, Mamamia, the Sydney Morning Herald, the New York Post and That’s Life and New Idea magazines—Zoe knows how to captivate audiences through the raw power of storytelling.

Alongside her journalism, Zoe runs her own copywriting and editing business, where she helps businesses small and large to find their perfect words.

As an author, Zoe has words on ethical journalism published in Kathy Divine’s 2019 Amazon best-selling book ‘Golden Age Politics’, and has two poems coming out in ‘Tea with my Monster’, a 2022 mental health anthology by Beyond the Veil Press. She also has a chapter on how journalism helped her community in the Black Summer Bushfires coming out in Occupational Therapy Australia’s 2022 book ‘Doing Our Best: Individual and Community Responses to Challenging Times’.

Zoe is the Silver winner of the Young Female Entrepreneur of the Year Award in the 2021 Stevie Awards for Women in Business.

These days, Zoe regularly speaks to the media about disability, chronic pain, and her community’s experiences in the 2019/2020 Black Summer Bushfires. She’s also writing her own book on the topic, which she’s about to pitch to publishers!

QUESTIONS ASKED:

• Now, with the health side of things…could you give us a rundown about all that?

• I know you’ve recently discovered a sense of empowerment via the use of mobility aids. What made you decide to embrace them – and how has it changed things?

• Could you please share more about your business journey?

• With all of that in mind, how does your business fit in? How do you manage daily pain and a workload?

CONNECT WITH ZOE:

Website: https://zoesimmons.com.au/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoe-simmons-7119a994/
Email: z.simmons123@gmail.com