Tough Girl Podcast

Holly Budge is a global keynote speaker on risk, innovation, and human potential, operating at the intersection of conservation, science, and bold ideas. As an Everest summiteer and the first woman to skydive Everest, she now focuses less on surviving extremes and more on solving the complex conservation challenges shaping our future. 
As founder of international NGO How Many Elephants and World Female Ranger Week, Holly explores how nature, technology, and innovation can work together to design smarter systems, from using bees as bio-engineers to reduce human-elephant conflict in Africa, to empowering women as front-line wildlife rangers. Her work has reached over 500 million people globally, been featured in Forbes, and praised by Sir David Attenborough.
In this episode, Holly shares powerful insights from her journey between extreme adventure and global conservation work, including how her definition of risk and purpose has evolved over time.
We dive into the real-world impact of wildlife conservation projects, from elephant corridors and bee-based deterrents to the rise of female ranger teams protecting some of the world's most vulnerable ecosystems.
Listen to this episode to hear how adventure can become a force for global change, why women are reshaping the future of conservation, and what it takes to turn bold ideas into real-world impact at scale.
***
 New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast drop every Tuesday at 7 AM (UK time)! Make sure to subscribe so you never miss the inspiring journeys and incredible stories of tough women pushing boundaries.
 Do you want to support the Tough Girl Mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media in the world of adventure and physical challenges? Support via Patreon! Join me in making a difference by signing up here: www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast.
 Your support makes a difference.  Thank you x
***
Show notes
Who is Holly
Being an adventurer and passionate conservationist 
Founder of How Many Elephants, Wildlife Positive Travel and World Female Ranger Week
First speaking to Holly March 26th 2019 on the Tough Girl Podcast  
Recap on what was discussed on that episode 
Deciding to move to New Zealand in 2019
Training for the Coast to Coast Race 
Learning how to kayak especially for this race 
Getting over her fear of fast moving water
Doing a training course and getting to a Grade 2 whitewater certification
Doing the challenge solo and being supported by her mum at the checkpoints
Working on her charity - How Many Elephants 
How have things changed for the elephants over the years 
How poaching numbers have come down 
Human elephant conflict and how it has increased over the years
Partnering with an NGO in Tanzania 
Elephants being scared off bees and creating elephant corridors 
Dr Lucy King 
Why it works differently in Asia 
How her definition of adventure has changed over the years
Heading out with armed rangers
Creating world female ranger week in 2021 and how it's gotten bigger and bigger every year
Reaching over 500 million people!!
The importance of women in these roles
Why it matters that women are involved 
The Black Mambas - the all female anti -poaching team 
Women are proving to be way less corruptible than men
June 23rd - 30th - world female ranger week - same week - every year
How it has evolved to - Women in conservative 
Amanda Dungeon - Ambassador - world female ranger week
Listen to Amanda on the Tough Girl Podcast
The goal of getting the untold stories out there
Connecting donors and their money to the right projects 
Conservation without funding is just conversation 
Needing to be able to track and measure the money and the impact
Making her money via speaking events at corporates and conferences 
Looking at sustainable tourism - with Wildlife Positive Travel 
Why every year is different
Moving into a camper van and planning to drive to New Zealand
How does it work with her husband?
Training for the Montane Arctic Spine Race (290 miles) 
Cold weather experience and training 
Training with Chat GBP
How to connect with Holly on social media
Putting herself into more uncomfortable situations
Final words of advice and wisdom for other women who want to get outside their comfort zone
Think Tall - Start Small
Get prepared 
Win or Learn
Smile through the pain
A positive mindset is a resilient mindset
 
Social Media
Holly Budge
Website: www.hollybudge.com
Instagram: @hollybudge
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/hollybudge

Wildlife Positive Travel
Website: www.wildlifepositivetravel.com
Instagram: @wildlifepositivetravel
How Many Elephants
Website: howmanyelephants.org
Instagram: @howmanyelephants
World Female Ranger Week
Website: www.worldfemalerangerweek.org
Instagram: @worldfemalerangerweek

Devin Brown is a Minneapolis-based paddler and founder of Sovereign Waters, an emerging organisation focused on connection, access, and purpose through time spent on the water.
In 2024, Devin set out on an ambitious source-to-sea journey along the Mississippi River, paddling 1,025 miles before high water forced an early end to the expedition. What remained was not failure, but a powerful experience of resilience, learning, and deep connection to the river and herself.
Her journey into paddling began long before that expedition, rooted in childhood summer camps, early experiences on the water, and a growing understanding of how time in nature supports her mental health. Over the years, she developed her skills step by step, eventually building the confidence to attempt one of North America's great river journeys.
In this episode, Devin shares the realities of endurance paddling, from long days in the rain and logistical challenges on the Mississippi to moments of fear, uncertainty, and unexpected support from "river angels" along the way. She also opens up about feeling like one of the only women on the water, and why creating more inclusive access to paddling has become central to her mission.
We explore the founding of Sovereign Waters, her vision for helping more people connect with rivers in ways that feel safe and empowering, and why building community around water is essential for both wellbeing and environmental connection.
Listen to this episode to hear what it really takes to learn endurance one stroke at a time, why connection to rivers can be life-changing, and how one woman is working to bring more people—especially women—into the world of paddling and wild water.
***
 New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast drop every Tuesday at 7 AM (UK time)! Make sure to subscribe so you never miss the inspiring journeys and incredible stories of tough women pushing boundaries.
 Do you want to support the Tough Girl Mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media in the world of adventure and physical challenges? Support via Patreon! Join me in making a difference by signing up here: www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast.
 Your support makes a difference.  Thank you x
***
Show notes
Who is Devin
Living in Minneapolis in Minnesota 
Being a passionate paddler and loving spending time on the water
Spending her early years going to summer camps 
Learning that kayaking was essential for her mental health 
Moving to the twin cities 
Sending out on her long term goal of paddling the Mississippi River
The freedom on being on the river and the river angels 
Learning to paddle at a young age 
Frost Valley YMCA
Her love for nature and developing independence 
Being a counsellor in training and becoming a trip leader 
Making connections with local organisations
Wanting to connect people to the Mississippi River
Founding Sovereign Waters to get more people on the water in ways that feel comfortable for them 
The war on water in Minnesota
Needing people to fall in love with the natural world
The story of getting to the start line of paddling the Mississippi River
Thinking more and more about the Mississippi River
Source to Sea and why it was going to be her one day
Making a career change to a massage therapist
Being supported by her community
Not being able to afford to go paddling
Getting back to the river during covid
Mississippi River Paddle Share 
Feeling like the only women paddler
Building up her endurance with paddling 
Working with a personal trainer
The logistics of paddling the river
Having 55 days for the paddle
Feeling unsafe while on the river
River angels
Being on the water day after day and why it was incredible, but also frightening and traumatising 
Planning to paddle again in 2028 - depending on the political climate
The film - Mother River 
Introducing paddling to her son
The journey down the Mississippi River
Spending the first 3 weeks paddling in the rain
Knowing it was time to stop paddling 
Following her gut instinct
Not having classic adventure blues
Plan for time after adventure to reflect
How people can connect online 
Final words of advice (apart from just do it!)
Connect with other women who want to get dirty, grungy and empowered to do things outside 
Building sisterhoods around nature 
Get out there - make a plan and ask people to go with you
Make your spirit happy 
 
Social Media
Website: sovereignwaters.org 
Instagram: @afrodiskayak

Gina Johansen is a Swedish-born endurance athlete, adventurer, and a track work rider based in Sydney and Norway. She is currently preparing for a world record attempt to become the fastest woman to ski solo and unsupported to the South Pole in 2026. 

She grew up on a horse farm in Sweden, where her love for horses and the outdoors began early. Gina spent eight years riding trackwork for leading Thoroughbred racing stables in Australia and is now back riding racehorses in Sydney alongside her polar training. 

Her previous expeditions include becoming the first woman to cross Lake Baikal in Siberia solo by foot, skiing solo from North Cape to Jäckvik, crossing Svalbard on skis, cycling 2700km from Sydney to Cairns, and hiking the full length of Norway with her partner and their dog. She also spent eight years living near North Cape, the northernmost point of Europe, training in extreme Arctic conditions. 

Through her journey, Gina hopes to inspire others—especially women—to push beyond their limits, take on big challenges, and discover what they're truly capable of.
***
 New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast drop every Tuesday at 7 AM (UK time)! Make sure to subscribe so you never miss the inspiring journeys and incredible stories of tough women pushing boundaries.
 Do you want to support the Tough Girl Mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media in the world of adventure and physical challenges? Support via Patreon! Join me in making a difference by signing up here: www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast.
 Your support makes a difference.  Thank you x
***
Show notes
From Sweden originally 
Being based in Northern Norway (North Cape) for the past 8 years before moving to Sydney in December 2025
Riding racehorse in the early morning and training for her South Pole Expedition in the afternoon 
Her goal - to ski solo and unsupported to the South Pole, attempting to break the women's speed record
Gina shared her story on the Tough Girl Podcast - April 28th 2020 - Walking 3,000km the length of Norway, plus a solo crossing of Lake Baikal in Siberia
You can listen to that episode HERE 
What's been going on in the past 6 years 
Living in remote mountain areas doing a lot of skiing, hiking, hunting and dealing with a lot of injuries 
Trying to work on the financials to pay for the expedition 
Doing training expeditions and building up her skills 
After the Lake Baikal expedition in 2019 - starting to think about the next big challenge 
Always wanting to go to Antarctica and the challenges of doing a solo expedition 
Wanting a real test - both physically and mentally 
The last 4 years being focused on the expedition 
Dealing with injuries and set backs along the way
Struggling to get the financial support to make it possible
US$95,000 plus costs for equipment and flights 
Needing to be ready fitness wise and mentally 
What the planning looks like to plan an expedition of this size
Trying not to get overwhelmed with the size of the challenge
Taking some time out - to reset 
Dealing with two stress fractures 
Wanting to understand why she was getting stress fractures 
Doing the rehab and keeping fit 
Having smaller projects to focus on and having things to look forward to
Working with a coach
Starting at 5am and riding horse for 4.5 hrs
Trying to eat a lot and not being afraid of eating fast carbs
Handling set backs 
Working with a physio 
Focusing on staying positive
Doing a crossing of Svalbard from East to West with a team of women
Being in an environment with polar bears - needing to take on night watch shifts to keep the camp safe from polar bears 
Mentally preparation before the challenge 
Knowing it will hard and lonely 
Also understanding it will be very tough 
Focusing on the goal and being so motivated to reach it
Discipline 
The pain of disciple is lighter than the pain of regret
The importance of socialising with friends - but organising this around training 
If you want to achieve anything, you've got to put in the work
Showing up even when you don't feel like it
Needing to make the final payment by August, and send the equipment over in September 
Trying to get sponsorship from corporate and individuals 
Meeting the right people 
How to connect with Gina
Final words of advice for women who want to step outside their comfort zone
When things go wrong, that is when the best stories are created! 
 
Social Media
Website: www.ginajohansen.com
Instagram: @Ginajohansen91 
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ginajohansen91

Denise is part of a team of women who have just successfully rowed 3000 miles, unsupported, across the Atlantic Ocean as part of the 'World's Toughest Row'. Rowing 12 hours a day for over 50 days, Denise drew on decades of experience from white water and sea kayaking, alongside years spent as an outdoor instructor. 
Driven by a deep belief that adventure belongs to everyone, Denise champions the visibility of women in outdoor spaces. She's passionate about showing that ordinary women can achieve extraordinary things, and that authentic role models have the power to inspire the next generation of adventure-loving women.
In this episode, Denise shares what it really takes to row across an ocean, from raising the funds and building the right team to coping with exhaustion, fear and the mental challenges of spending 50 days at sea.
She opens up about the power of mindset, learning to be kinder to herself, and why focusing on what you can control can make all the difference in the toughest moments.
Listen to this episode to discover how adventure can transform your perspective, why saying yes to opportunities can lead to extraordinary experiences, and why Denise believes that adventure truly is for everyone.
***
 New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast drop every Tuesday at 7 AM (UK time)! Make sure to subscribe so you never miss the inspiring journeys and incredible stories of tough women pushing boundaries.
 Do you want to support the Tough Girl Mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media in the world of adventure and physical challenges? Support via Patreon! Join me in making a difference by signing up here: www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast.
 Your support makes a difference.  Thank you x
***
Show notes
Who is Denise
Working as a Lecturer at the University of Wales, Trinity St Davids 
Being based in Pembrokeshire in West Wales
Growing up in the South of England in Wiltshire
Her early years and not coming from an outdoorsy family
Getting into slalom kayaking
Her journey to becoming a lecturer
Studying sports science at university 
Moving from kayaking into rowing 
After graduation and not knowing what she wanted to do 
Working at the National Water Sports Centre
Finding her community of people 
Deciding to go traveling for the next few years
Having an innate desire for freedom
Being quite risk adverse 
Struggling with predictability 
Needing moments of real significant change in order to feel alive
Saying yes to opportunities 
Putting one foot in front of the other and seeing the positive in things
Rowing across the Atlantic Ocean and where the idea came from
Being inspired by Jasmine Harrison 
Taking it from a dream/opportunity to making it happen
Spending a year trying to get a crew together 
Not being able to get people to commit
Starting to ask people again in January 2022
Getting the crew together 
Raising the funds to pay for the row 
Why it was a 3.5 year process
Working as a team and all bringing their best to the table
Keeping motivated through the tough challenging moments
Being able to rely on the team for support
The start line and feeling a sense of relief
When the nerves started to kick in a few days before setting off
Journalling
As the skipper feeling responsible for keeping the girls safe
Starting the process of writing a book
Not sleeping for 2 nights before the row
Heading out in big conditions 
The simplicity of surviving
When the nerves disappeared 
Why the row was the best form of CBD - Cognitive behavioural therapy 
Being forced to confront her thought processes 
Feeling so tired and physically exhausted 
Not having the space for anything that drains energy
Seeing the positives in the situation and asking for help 
Learning acceptance while on the row 
The challenges from week 6
Focusing on what you can control during the row 
What is my attitude, how am I talking to myself
Being kinder to myself 
The team dynamics and how the tough situations were handled 
Working with an emotional performance coach 
Stop talking to my friend/yourself like that
The power of self talk 
Seeing land for the first time and getting to the end of the challenge 
The final push at the end 
Picturing the finish line in her mind 
Being the first all welsh, women team to complete the row 
Singing the national anthem on land after 50 days on sea 
Adapting back to reality and getting back to 'normal' life 
Wanting to leave a legacy
How to connect 
Merchedymor - Women/girls/sisters of the sea
Final words of advice for other women who want to step outside their comfort zone
Why it's about mindset
 
Social Media
Website: www.merchedymor.wales 
Instagram: @Merchedymor2025 
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/denise-leonard-21b35638

Clare Dyson is a Mountain Leader, outdoor facilitator, and founder of the Women's Adventure Academy, based in the Lake District where she has spent over 20 years guiding people through the mountains and valleys she calls home.
With a deep passion for slow adventure, Clare is dedicated to helping people reconnect with nature, move at their own pace, and build confidence in wild spaces. Her work blends outdoor leadership, education, and storytelling, creating opportunities for others—especially women—to step outside, explore remote places, and feel at home in the outdoors.
In this episode, Clare shares her journey from growing up with a love of sport and horses to becoming a Mountain Leader, working across the Lake District, and shaping a life rooted in nature, freedom, and connection. She opens up about the challenges and opportunities of working in the outdoors, and why slowing down can often lead to the most meaningful adventures.
We also explore the creation of the Women's Adventure Academy, how it came to life, and why building confidence, community, and skills in the outdoors is so important for the next generation of women adventurers.
Listen to this episode to hear how Clare has built a life around slow adventure, why nature can be a powerful space for healing and growth, and how you can start creating your own outdoor adventures—no matter your pace or experience.
***
 New episodes of the Tough Girl Podcast drop every Tuesday at 7 AM (UK time)! Make sure to subscribe so you never miss the inspiring journeys and incredible stories of tough women pushing boundaries.
 Do you want to support the Tough Girl Mission to increase the amount of female role models in the media in the world of adventure and physical challenges? Support via Patreon! Join me in making a difference by signing up here: www.patreon.com/toughgirlpodcast.
 Your support makes a difference.  Thank you x
 
***
Show notes
Living in Kendal in the Lake District for the past 22 years 
Living with her dog and partner 
Working in the outdoors as a Mountain Leader and Gardener
Enjoying life in her mid-forties 
Being a freelancer for Fjall Raven 
The Fjall Raven Classic, UK 
Doing a Masters in outdoors experiential learning  
The Big Hoof Charity 
Setting up the Women's Adventure Academy with Anna Blackwell 
Being sporty and outdoorsy from a young age
Starting horse riding in her teenage years
Having her family home burn down during her teenage years and how the outdoors helped
Her journey into the outdoors and how it evolved 
Going to university and getting into rock climbing 
Heading over to New Zealand 
Moving up to the Lake District after graduation 
Gaining experience in the outdoors and being surrounded by brilliant people sharing their knowledge
Becoming a Mountain Leader
Not knowing where to start
What adventure looks like now
Slow adventure and being in tune with the natural world
Working with young people 
Being asked - what do you really want to do?
Wanting to ride a horse around the Lake District
Heading off in May
Meeting incredible people on the way
Pushing the boundaries in a slow and different way
Why it's ok to go slow in the outdoors 
The Women's Adventure Academy and how it came together
Making a film called 'Thriving' with Fjall Raven
Building confidence and skills
Deciding to run the Women's Adventure Academy on her own 
Why setting a date is so helpful 
The BBC making a 1 minute film and it going viral!
The Lake District is like an ecological desert 
Starting to celebrate the farmers who are doing a lot 
Deciding to do a second journey and visit the regenerative farmers
Having the film premiere at Kendal Mountain Film Festival 
The next slow adventure 
Doing an 8 day adventure across the Lake District with the Big Hoof Charity
Figuring out her masters dissertation topic
How to connect with Clare on social media
Final words of advice 
Set a date
Find your tribe
 
Social Media
Website:  www.womensadventureacademy.com 
Instagram: @_claredyson