Two months after losing her baby Charlotte to SIDS, Clare opened a laptop, named a business on the back of a credit card bill, and started. In this raw, no-fluff conversation, she shares how grief, debt, and a surprise pregnancy became the backdrop to building Sunshine Digital, landing FirstGroup as her first client, and later clawing back from heart failure (8% function) to cold-water swim guide. It’s survival turned agency — and a blueprint for doing it afraid.
Key Takeaways
- You don’t wait for confidence — you build it by moving.
- Grief doesn’t get lighter; you get stronger at carrying it.
- Starting small (one Facebook page, one pitch) can change your life.
- Community and purpose beat isolation — even in the darkest season.
- Cold water, journaling “glimmers,” and simple routines can reset your nervous system.
- It’s not about being a victim or a hero — it’s about choosing the next brave step.
Timestamps
- 00:00 — “She who dares wins”: Claire’s dare & why she started
- 02:23 — The night everything changed & the aftermath
- 03:55 — Debt, pregnancy, and naming Sunshine Digital on a bill
- 05:31 — First client: landing FirstGroup by “winging it”
- 07:51 — Purpose through work while grieving + parenting her eldest
- 20:05 — What to say (and not say) about loss; why memories matter
- 31:18 — Multiple organ failure at 39 → the fight back
- 35:13 — Cold-water swimming, joy returns, and guiding others
About Claire
Founder of Sunshine Digital and the Shine Online Club, Clare Clifford helps small businesses level up content and strategy while championing community in Leeds and beyond. She’s also a volunteer swim guide with Mental Health Swims.
Resources Mentioned
- Mental Health Swims (community cold-water sessions)
- Shine Online Club (Claire’s membership for small biz owners)
Connect
- Follow the podcast: @SheWhoDaresWins
- Share this episode with someone who needs proof they can start again.
- Rate & review if this conversation helped you — it really does make a difference. 💛
Trigger/Content Note: child loss (SIDS), grief, hospital/medical discussion.
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