FOR YEARS, Les Alfred HAS BEEN BUILDING her dream — SQUEEZING passion projects INTO early mornings AND late nights OUTSIDE OF A DEMANDING corporate career.

That hard work and sacrifice allowed her to build She's So Lucky, a go-to podcast for ambitious women navigating careers, wellness, and reinvention.

Now, after nearly a decade of podcasting and storytelling, she’s created a platform rooted in the belief that luck is something you build for yourself, not something that just happens to you. Les has been transparent about the slow climb behind her success, the sacrifices that came with betting on herself, and why she believes consistency matters far more than overnight virality. Best of all, she’s proof that the women building the most impactful brands aren’t always the loudest in the room… they’re the ones who refuse to give up. Read about Les Alfred’s journey in her C&C 100 interview below.

When did you decide you wanted to build your own brand instead of going the traditional 9-5 route?

Pretty quickly after starting the 9-5 route after graduating college in 2011, I realized it wasn’t for me. I craved more creativity, autonomy, and the ability to set my own goals and priorities. While I worked in corporate for 13 years, I was trying various avenues on the side that I wanted to pursue full-time. I was a fitness instructor, freelance writer, blogger, wellness content creator, and eventually, podcaster. I found my groove telling women’s stories, and went full-time in my business in 2023.

We see you as a rising star who has accomplished so much with your She’s So Lucky podcast in a short time—what hard work and sacrifices have you made over the last year that really paid off?

It’s actually been a really long road to get to this point. I started podcasting in 2018, and nearly 8 years later still have so many things I want to do and accomplish. I haven’t been someone who has experienced quick or easy success, it’s been a slow climb every step of the way. I’ve had more setbacks and rejections than I can count and have sacrificed everything from sleep, to money, to relationships. I’ve essentially dedicated my entire 20s and 30s to creating a lucky life from scratch with little to no outside support, and that’s required a lot of focus and tenacity.

Going after what you deserve in life takes confidence and guts. What has helped you build trust in your own instincts as more opportunities come your way?

I know what it’s like to do deeply unsatisfying work and to wonder “what if?” Eventually you have to fear staying in the same place more than taking a risk. Once you realize that there’s no such thing as failure, and trying is truly winning, you learn how to trust yourself and take more risks.

“There’s no replacement for having that dog in you.“

What’s been your “I can’t believe this is my life” moment lately?

Recently in the span of about two hours I had five different women come up to me telling me how much they love my show and content. It was such a surreal moment, and reminded me that there are humans on the other side of what I’m sharing.

When you’re feeling insecure, afraid, or just not up to the task at hand, what gives you strength to push through anyway?

I’m very much a “do it anyway” kind of person. Whether I’m tired, nervous, don’t feel like it, fearful, etc. I don’t think any of those things are valid excuses to not keep working towards what I want to build. I call it “mentally eating my vegetables.” If it’s good for me, I’m going to do it regardless of how I feel at the moment.

What’s currently on your vision board (literally or mentally)?

Authorship! I’ve been feeling more called to prioritize writing, and would love to be a published author in the next few years.

Where do you hope to be five years from now?

In five years I hope to transition out of content creation and podcasting to focus on building a media company centered on others voices and stories. I hope to have a robust portfolio of companies I’ve invested in, and a few books published that have on-screen adaptations.