Cathy Derksen, the brilliant mind behind Inspired Tenacity, is fueled by her unwavering dedication to empowering women in her community and beyond. As the founder of her esteemed company, she has solidified her reputation as a globally recognized speaker and an accomplished writer, achieving the remarkable feat of securing the top position on the bestseller charts an astounding ten times. Through her captivating storytelling, Cathy ignites a fire within readers, compelling them to embrace boldness and relentlessly pursue their most ambitious aspirations. Furthermore, she has curated a groundbreaking platform that enables women to share their own stories of inspiration through collaborative books. Within her transformative program, Cathy effortlessly navigates aspiring authors through the process of translating their chapter concepts into remarkable bestsellers, offering a straightforward yet exhilarating journey.
How did you come up with the idea for Inspired Tenacity?
The idea for Inspired Tenacity came to me as I was in my own massive life transition. I had just left an abusive, 20-year marriage with two teenagers under my wing. I was also in the process of leaving a 25 year career to get away from a very negative work environment. I was reinventing my life and felt a calling to help other women get through similar massive changes in their lives. The name Inspired Tenacity came to me as I realized that inspiration and tenacity are two of the key factors involved in making this kind of massive shift in life. It represents my work very well.
What motivated you to focus specifically on empowering women?
My focus on empowering women, midlife women in particular, comes partially from this being my peer group but also, I feel women in this group have so much unrealized potential that has been bottled up during decades of caring for family and building a career. Our 50’s, 60’s and 70’s really are a time for us to be stepping into our own passions. It often takes a role model and a supportive community to step into these new possibilities. That’s what I’m bringing to life.
Can you share one of the most inspiring success stories from your platform?
There have been so many amazing stories of massive change in women’s lives as a result of being in my book projects. There have been several examples of women in the early stages of dreaming about starting a business. Participating in a book and earning the title of International Bestselling Author, has given them the stepping stones to jump all in. They went from just having a story and an idea to having a fully launched business, an international network, and the confidence to take on huge challenges.
How do you select the collaborative authors for your anthology, “Grit and Tenacity: Women Transforming Leadership in Business and Community?”
The authors in my anthologies are selected from my international network and direct referrals. The authors are vetted through one-on-one interviews to ensure their story aligns with the book’s theme and that their focus is on informing, inspiring, and supporting positive shifts for the reader.
How do you envision the future of Inspired Tenacity and its impact on women globally?
The big vision is to create a ripple effect of positive change in women’s lives on a global scale. Besides creating this impact with the book projects, I am also introducing international retreat opportunities to bring us together in person. I have several book options available to reach a wide community. I create projects around themes that women are inspired to read about and write about such as leadership, courage, grief, midlife, and transformational change
For more information, visit Inspired Tenacity.
