The Hand Up Project
Samantha Jung-Fielding, FounderHappinessence
There’s a particular kind of resilience that doesn’t announce itself. It doesn’t post about the hard times while they’re happening. It simply rebuilds … quietly, deliberately, and with more clarity than before.
Samantha Jung-Fielding has that kind of resilience.
She built a natural healing centre in the UK, migrated her family to New Zealand, started over solo, and grew a business helping women untangle the parts of themselves that were getting in the way of the lives they wanted. Then, just as her networking community was hitting its stride, a pandemic-era decision cost her eight years of work almost overnight. She sold the organisation she’d built and began again. This time with a book in progress, a new network, and a sharper sense of who she’s here to serve.
What Samantha brings to this series is something founders don’t talk about enough: that the people around you aren’t just nice to have. After everything she’s navigated, she’ll tell you plainly that strong women lifting each other higher became the advantage she never knew she needed.
If you’ve ever had something you built taken from you, or felt the particular sting of tall poppy syndrome in a space you thought was safe, Samantha’s answers will feel like recognition.
What originally inspired you to start your business, and how has that initial motivation evolved?
In 2012, my husband and I migrated our family from the UK to NZ. Back in the UK, I owned a natural healing centre where I had built a team of 20 therapists offering extensive modalities. Since I had no understanding of the NZ rules around commercial property, I initially chose to work solo in NZ and planned to operate on a mobile basis.
My focus was helping people find personal fulfilment.
What problem does your business solve better today than when you first began?
Over time, I realised that women received the most benefit from my behavioural expertise. It’s hard for women to separate life and work, so although they would initially consult me for personal issues. Once they understood my strategic approach, they began using my skills to accelerate their business accomplishments and advance their leadership skills.
What operational change or system had the biggest impact on your ability to step out of the day-to-day?
The ability to invoice via Xero changed the way I work. My admin reduced and my cashflow improved!
What internal shift or mindset change has most transformed the way you lead?
I grew up believing the goal was to get so good that I would become irreplaceable, until someone in the corporate world pointed out how this would limit my options for promotion! So, I gradually let go of my perfectionist ideals and my focus changed to consistently providing value.
What was a turning point or decision that significantly accelerated your business’s growth?
I joined an organisation preaching thought leadership and learned how to package my intellectual property in ways that meant I could sell the same material to a wider range of audiences.
What challenge did you not see coming, and how did you navigate it?
I’ve always led networking groups and when the pandemic hit in 2021, I did not anticipate that my decision to remain unvaccinated would incite attempts from some disgruntled members to destroy my professional reputation. I sold the networking organisation that I had been building for more than eight years.
Three years later, I began writing a book on intuition and have used word of mouth referrals to build a new network of aligned contacts.
What role, hire, or support made the biggest difference in how your business operates?
The support of my post-pandemic network brought me back from the brink, and it has helped me rethink the way forwards for my business.
Strong women lifting each other higher has become the silent advantage I never knew I needed!
What advice would you give to other female founders working to move from doing the work to leading the business more effectively?
Lock arms with others who support your vision, rely on their assistance to do the tasks you don’t enjoy and celebrate every little success together. Because recognition reminds everyone of the purpose that brought you this far.
What shift do you believe female founders are uniquely positioned to benefit from right now?
The growing acceptance of intuition as a credible business skill.
What’s one thing you wish more founders understood about building a sustainable, long-term business?
Consistency beats intensity, so design your habits to keep you going! Surround yourself with like minds to benefit from shared learning, accelerated growth and synchronistic opportunities!
Bonus: What's one piece of advice you wish you had received as a female leader?
There are many amazing women out there who believe we all succeed when one of us does well! However, you will also encounter subtle attempts to undermine you. Tall poppy syndrome is real, trust your intuition.
Get in touch with Samantha on LinkedIn or find out more about her business here.
