I found my voice in a radio studio before I ever coached anyone else to find theirs.
I hosted a 2-hour weekly FM show at Juice Brighton, curating and producing a programme dedicated to female-fronted bands.
It felt big. Because it was.
But confidence didn’t magically arrive just because I had a microphone.
At the start, I over-prepared.
Wrote scripts.
Second-guessed everything.
I was so aware people were listening.
And like a lot of women, I thought the goal was to get it right.
But here’s what I learned instead:
The best moments weren’t the polished ones.
They were the ones where I relaxed.
Where I stopped performing.
Where I just spoke.
Over time, something shifted.
I trusted my voice more.
I stopped over-explaining.
I let things land without filling every gap.
And I realised:
Perfection blocks connection.
Also, curating that show taught me something deeper.
Every track I chose was a decision.
Every artist I played was a statement.
I had to back my taste. My perspective. My voice.
That kind of confidence is quiet, but powerful.
And it shows up everywhere:
In meetings
In presentations
In leadership
Now, when I work with women in tech and corporate spaces, I see the same patterns I had back then.
Holding back.
Overthinking.
Trying to say things the “right” way.
But your voice doesn’t get stronger by waiting.
It gets stronger by using it.
You don’t need to be louder.
You don’t need to be perfect.
You just need to start speaking from a place that’s actually yours.
That’s where everything changes.
If you’re ready to speak up or want to have a chat – I’m ready to hear you! Book a call at a time that suits you.
I can’t wait to hear from you!
Love Rifa x
