We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Heather Ferrari a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Heather, so great to have you with us and we want to jump right into a really important question. In recent years, it’s become so clear that we’re living through a time where so many folks are lacking self-confidence and self-esteem. So, we’d love to hear about your journey and how you developed your self-confidence and self-esteem.
Full Version
When people ask me where my confidence comes from, I think about the many experiences that shaped me. My life has been a series of challenges that also brought opportunities, and with each one, I learned how capable I could be and how important it is to look at a situation and make it better.
My parents divorced when I was very young. I was raised by my mother as my primary caregiver, and from a young age I was encouraged to step into responsibility. She prepared me for life rather than shielding me from it. I learned to make decisions with courage and clarity. That confidence was built in manageable pieces, allowing me to grow steadily.
Self esteem is tricky because my confidence comes from everyone who esteemed me and even those who did not. Because I had a community of family and friends invested in me, their voices were louder and more consistent than those who made me question my abilities.
Confidence, for me, came from literally one experience on top of another. Each was a “little engine that could” moment, thinking I can, believing I can, and having people around me who said, “I know you can.” Over time, those moments built a mindset that I could. That is a gift we have the opportunity to share, and in sharing it, our confidence grows. Confidence building is a day to day and even moment to moment journey. Every step propels us forward.
When confidence is built through a team effort, the climb is so much more rewarding. You need the cheerleaders, the crown shiners, the person who sees you and wants to journey with you, and you need to be that person for someone else. It is cooperative. Left alone, I would not have had confidence. It takes a lifetime and a committed community.
That belief has carried me into both my personal and professional life. I have taken businesses that needed direction and guided them to success, whether it was restoring customer trust, improving systems, or creating growth strategies. I learned that I love helping organizations succeed for the good of both the team and the customers.
Travel has been one of my boldest expressions of confidence. Taking my children to Italy and Portugal for a month was an act of believing that I could give myself permission to dream that big. Next year, I plan to go to Africa. Immersing myself in other cultures has deepened my adaptability and my joy in learning from others.
This is one of the reasons I am so passionate about The Women 360. It is a place where confidence is built in community, where women support one another, share resources, and celebrate each other’s wins. We cheer, we shine crowns, and we walk alongside each other through the climbs and the challenges. Alone, our confidence grows slowly. Together, it multiplies.
My confidence is the result of a life filled with both challenges and opportunities, built one experience at a time with the help of many. Each step has taught me resilience, adaptability, and the value of lifting others as I climb.
Magazine Version
When people ask me where my confidence comes from, I think about the many experiences that shaped me. My life has been a series of challenges that also brought opportunities, and with each one, I learned how capable I could be and how important it is to look at a situation and make it better.
My parents divorced when I was very young. I was raised by my mother as my primary caregiver, and from a young age I was encouraged to step into responsibility. She prepared me for life rather than shielding me from it. I learned to make decisions with courage and clarity.
Self esteem is tricky because my confidence comes from everyone who esteemed me and even those who did not. Because I had a community of family and friends invested in me, their voices were louder and more consistent than those who made me question my abilities.
Confidence, for me, came from one experience on top of another. Each was a “little engine that could” moment, thinking I can, believing I can, and having people around me who said, “I know you can.” Over time, those moments built a mindset that I could. That is a gift we have the opportunity to share, and in sharing it, our confidence grows.
Confidence building is a day to day and moment to moment journey. Every step propels us forward. When it is built through a team effort, the climb is so much more rewarding. You need the cheerleaders, the crown shiners, the person who sees you and wants to journey with you, and you need to be that person for someone else. Left alone, I would not have had confidence. It takes a lifetime and a committed community.
That belief has carried me into both my personal and professional life. I have taken businesses that needed direction and guided them to success. Travel has been another bold expression of confidence. Taking my children to Italy and Portugal for a month was believing I could give myself permission to dream that big. Next year, Africa.
This is why I am so passionate about The Women 360. It is a place where confidence is built in community, where women support one another, share resources, and celebrate each other’s wins. Alone, confidence grows slowly. Together, it multiplies.
Spotlight Version
My confidence has been built one experience on top of another. Each was a “little engine that could” moment, thinking I can, believing I can, and having people around me who said, “I know you can.”
My parents divorced when I was very young, and my mother raised me to face life with responsibility and courage. She prepared me for challenges by encouraging strong decision making in unfamiliar situations.
Self esteem is tricky because my confidence comes from everyone who esteemed me and even those who did not. The voices of my family and friends who invested in me were louder and more consistent than those who made me question my abilities.
Confidence grows best in community. You need the cheerleaders, the crown shiners, and the people who want to journey with you, and you need to be that for others. That is why I am so passionate about The Women 360, a place where women support one another, share resources, and celebrate wins. Alone, confidence grows slowly. Together, it multiplies.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
Heather Ferrari is the President and owner of The Women 360, a networking and business growth community designed to empower women entrepreneurs, professionals, and leaders. Her vision is to create an environment where women can build lasting relationships, expand their businesses, and grow in both confidence and skill.
What makes The Women 360 special is that it is not only about exchanging business cards or attending events. It is about building a community where women show up for one another, share resources, and celebrate each other’s successes. Heather has cultivated a space where collaboration replaces competition and where women are inspired to dream bigger because they know they have a team behind them.
Under Heather’s leadership, The Women 360 is expanding beyond Arizona into a national presence with in-person events, a virtual networking and education platform called W360 Amplified, a podcast called W360 Soundwaves, and destination retreats under the W360 Roadtrip banner.
Heather is leading the launch of expanded educational programs and creative events that bring women together in fresh and exciting ways. Her greatest reward is seeing members step into their potential and achieve milestones they once thought were out of reach, knowing that The Women 360 community helped make it possible.
Spotlight Profile
Heather Ferrari leads The Women 360, a networking and business growth community created to help women entrepreneurs, professionals, and leaders connect, learn, and grow. Her mission is to build an environment where women support one another, share resources, and celebrate each other’s wins.
Under Heather’s leadership, The Women 360 has grown from a local Arizona network to a national community with in-person events, a virtual platform called W360 Amplified, a podcast called W360 Soundwaves, and destination retreats under the W360 Roadtrip banner.
Heather believes confidence grows best in community. She has cultivated a space where women are encouraged to dream bigger, collaborate without competition, and step into their potential. Her greatest reward is seeing members achieve goals they once thought were out of reach, knowing they had the encouragement and support of The Women 360 community every step of the way.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Three Qualities That Shaped My Journey
Looking back, the three qualities that have been most impactful in my journey are resilience, relationship building, and strategic thinking.
Resilience has allowed me to move through challenges without letting them define me. Life is full of setbacks, but each one has the potential to strengthen you if you choose to see it as a lesson instead of a limitation. For anyone early in their journey, practice resilience by viewing obstacles as opportunities to adapt and grow.
Relationship building has been the foundation for every success I have experienced. People are the most valuable resource we have, and building genuine connections opens doors that skills and strategy alone cannot. My advice is to be intentional in how you invest in people. Listen well, be generous with your encouragement, and look for ways to help others without expecting anything in return.
Strategic thinking has helped me move from ideas to outcomes. It is one thing to dream, but it is another to create a clear path to make those dreams happen. To develop this skill, start with your end goal in mind and work backward, identifying the steps needed to get there. Then take consistent action, adjusting as you go.
If you can commit to strengthening these three areas, you will not only reach your goals but also build the kind of lasting impact that inspires others to follow your lead.
Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?
The Bible has been the most important book in my personal and professional development. It is filled with real stories of people who faced challenges, experienced victories and failures, and learned persistence through every season of life. Its wisdom has shaped how I approach both leadership and relationships.
From it, I have learned the importance of living beyond my own comfort so I can comfort someone else. It has taught me to consider others more important than myself and to understand that the true purpose of life is not to make it all about me, but about serving others. Those lessons have guided how I lead, how I connect with people, and how I measure success.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thewomen360.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewomen360/
Image Credits
Photo credit for pictures 1 & 2 – Hannah Harriaga
Rest of pictures – Nicole White
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
