Cliché's like ‘it takes a village' exist because it reflects the truth that a book like this doesn't come together without a significant tribe of people sitting, pushing and driving the project to come to life. The champions, challengers and cheer-squad who sit firmly in my corner are extensive and I'm blown away and grateful for every single one of them, those acknowledged here and those I've missed and who I'm just as grateful for having in my life.

This book moved beyond being simply a model and an idea when Kirsty Mitchell grabbed my shoulders, shook me a little and exclaimed, ‘you've got to write the book'. Thanks for the not so subtle prod Kirsty, and for your unwavering support of all that I and our team do. The coalition of the awesome have a world to go and shake up, thanks for being one of the drivers.

Lucy Raymond, thank you once again for taking a chance on this idea, and for believing in the concept not only for book shelves, but also for your own world. Thank you to the team at Wiley for your hard work to bring this book to life, and to the beautiful Charlotte Duff who made the editing stage not only painless, but actually enjoyable. Your words of encouragement were my elixir.

The majority of this book was written in the early hours of the morning while I took up a booth at our local café, Good Day Coffee. To DJ, Ebony and the team, thanks for letting the weird girl in the corner tap away in your space while you kept the almond latte's flowing.

To my cheer-squad tribe who dropped everything when I sent up the flare in the midst of this project. In particular Keri Krieger and Jen Jackson — your ability to help me see the trees while I was lost in the forest, battling the inner war of self-doubt, made this book even better. So grateful for who you are and who you stretch me to be.

Thank you to the troops who continue to inspire, push the boundaries and drive me to be bigger every day, including the brains of Jason Fox, Kim Lam, and Dougal Jackson. To my amazing team at Pragmatic Thinking, the world has just started to see what talent you have and can't wait to share this adventure with you. Kym Davis, my right-hand designer, who helped me to rattle the cages of design within these pages. I love the result.

Within this book I talk about the importance of gathering your tribe. I'm grateful for communities like Business Chicks and Women in Focus within whom I've connected with life-long friends and influential women who inspire me every day.

To my clients and to you the reader who are courageously stepping into living a Stand Out life. You encourage me and inspire me to continue this work in my own life. Thank you for your bravery.

Family is my grounding place; from my extended family who shaped who I am today, to my own family who remind me daily what matters, thank you. Especially to Pat and Kate for laughing at my daggy dancing in the kitchen and for your patience while Mum was busy ‘writing her book'.

Of all of this gushy love, my biggest gratitude and love goes to the person who sees me at my worst and still says ‘I choose you', my husband Darren. Your DNA is threaded throughout this book, it is what it is because of your talent and ideas. Your belief in me floors me every day, thanks for pushing me beyond every boundary I set for myself.