Chandu Bickford has walked a unique and challenging path. Australian born, she began her career as a Nurse and pursued the Great Australian Dream with much gusto. An existential crisis in her early 20’s lead her to question the meaning of her life. She packed up all she knew, quit her comfortable Aussie life and decided to go travelling for 7 months. She didn’t return for 12 years.
Chandu spent much of that period living, travelling and learning in diverse countries and cultures. These included India, Tibet, Nepal as well as Africa. She lived for many years in Tanzania, in a remote village in a small mud hut, without water or electricity. It was here, amongst other things, that she developed a love for and understanding of business. Witnessing the daily struggle of tribeswomen, she created a fledgling fair-trade enterprise to support them to continue to live and create from their traditional roots.
After starting a business, she went on to study Business and Management and gained qualifications in Education and Training. She created her own role as Cultural Educator and became a sought after Storyteller and Performer for early childhood centres and schools, and worked with local councils, diverse cultural groups as well as NGO’s.
She has worked as a Business Educator with the long-term unemployed, migrant groups, youth, the disabled and disenfranchised. She has been Project Manager of major Youth and Community Leadership Programs.
Chandu has her own personal experience of violence against women and is a strong advocate for women’s equality. She now specialises in mentoring and coaching individuals and groups to take risks and transform the lead of their experience, into gold.
Chandu has been speaking and leading groups for almost 20 years. She is engaging and inspiring, her manner both professional and deeply personal. Her aim is to help her audience open to their own deep inner inquiry and to come away with an open mind and open heart, ready to embrace something new.
Chandu’s Speaking Topics include:
• Women – leading and speaking our truth
• Courageous conversations
• Alchemy – creating personal and professional transformation
• Women’s safety, sovereignty and equality
• Living creativity
• Defining our success
• The many benefits of taking risks.
Guest and keynote speaker for numerous women’s events, business launches, community and charity events.
A regular speaker for women in business at networking events.
Professional storyteller and captivating poet performing at writing events and festivals.
Presenting and Speaking at:-
Women with Altitude – Guest speaker and Presenter
Women of Words – (Moth Talk) Blue Mountains
The Haven Business Launch – Guest Speaker
Sydney – Varuna Writers Festival – Live poetry reading
Reclaim the Night – Speaker, storyteller