Growing up in Mount Eliza, Vickie Saunders enjoyed a privileged life that included ponies, a private school education and a loving family.  At 18 and with high hopes of a career in fashion design, she couldn’t wait to make her mark on the world.

But then things started falling apart pretty quickly, and any dreams she had were quickly forgotten. Over the next decade she was to find herself in situations only imagined in her worst nightmares. Her battles with alcohol, debt and an abusive relationship became the catalysts for Vickie’s decision to completely change her life and get in touch with the person she always knew she could be, the person her family had raised her to be.

Now a successful business owner, the author of two business books and travelling the world consulting and lecturing on the topic of athlete sponsorship, Vickie cites her colourful past as vital to the value she now offers her clients. Her progression through a career in marketing in the corporate sector, and the launch of her company in 2014, has allowed Vickie to share her insights and expertise on how each of us can connect with the abundant opportunities that surround us when we know what we are looking for.

Her clients include the US Olympic Committee, Sport England and brands such as Asics, Shimano and Deloitte. Vickie says it’s all about empowering others to identify their own value and it’s the difference she believes she was born to make.

Vickie Saunders will be the guest speaker at Frankston Business Network’s WomenConnect Luncheon on Wednesday, September 6, from 11.30am-2.30pm at Frankston RSL, 183 Cranbourne Rd. Tickets: $69 (FBN members $65) or $625 for a table of 10.  Bookings: frankstonbusinessnetwork.com.au or 9781 1422.