Dr Katherine Iscoe is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Advanced Human Imaging Limited based in Perth. Katherine is a confidence and compassion expert and uses her personal experiences and qualifications in medical sciences, health and wellness to inspire, motivate and help her clients lead a successful life.

Tell us a bit about yourself and your companies Dr Katherine and Advanced Human Imaging. What led you to take this particular path?

I think I had the most unusual career path in history! I was formerly a restaurant owner and a pastry chef. After going bankrupt I decided to ‘give university a try’. Between each degree I thought to myself ‘that’s it, I’m done’. I even started in real estate for a while (don’t ask). But if it weren’t for these rabbit holes I don’t believe I would be where I am today. So for the people reading this thinking ‘I have no idea what I’m doing or where I’m going’ understand that one day this will be your unique superpower. Keep going.

How did studying a PhD at UWA help you pursue your passion for health and wellness?

People underestimate the power of education, often thinking of students as tunnel-vision bookworms who only look at things from one perspective. Studying at UWA not only brought me to this beautiful country, but introduced me to a new world of people who forced me to think about things in new ways. Health and wellness, while a universal concept, is approached differently by different cultures. My PhD (in exercise physiology and biotechnology) enabled me to learn this concept and apply it to my future career.

What does a typical day look like for you?

No matter what, it starts with coffee – I’m not a morning person! My partner always has a fresh cup waiting for me from our local cafe. I throw some walking clothes on and take my two fur babies for a walk – the fresh air and sunshine are prerequisites to get my mind ready for the day. Depending on the day will dictate how I dress and whether or not I have to put ‘my face on’. I head to the office (my pups join me) and get into the day with emails, meetings and check-ins. At the end of the day my partner and I go for a long walk with the pups to download and support each other with whatever happened throughout the day, including a strategy to do better the next day. I cook dinner (also mental therapy for me) and then watch a little Netflix (currently addicted to documentaries) and if necessary, continue a bit of work. Bedtime for me is around 9.30/10pm.

Dr Katherine Iscoe, Activator, Compassionate Leadership Educator

You are known as a compassionate leader who regularly speaks on the topics of self-worth, failure in business, igniting confidence, but also the psychology of shaming. Why are these such important topics of discussion?

My father, long ago, shared the quote ‘to thine own self be true’. At the time, I casually understood the meaning but didn’t quite understand the importance of practising it. Compassion, I believe, is the action focused antidote for low self-worth, failure and shame. It’s important to recognise that it is not self-pity, nor complacency, but rather tells a person ‘hey, this sucks right now, but you’re not alone, and this won’t last forever’. There is a tremendous amount of research by Dr Kristen Neff which shows that people who practise self-compassion are more likely to be motivated, set higher standards for themselves, and are more likely to set new goals when things fail. And if that doesn’t describe a good leader, I don’t know what does!

What does failing in business teach you and how do you bounce back?

Firstly, I need to say that anyone who tells you that it’s easy to bounce back from failure is just plain lying. It sucks! So it’s important to remind yourself that you’re human (which is darn hard when you’re a high achiever). This is a concept known as ‘Common Humanity’ in which you need to accept that your experience isn’t “God punishing you” with a magnifying glass. You have not been chosen to be the world’s worst human and made to suffer for it… unless you have killed a nun. The next step is objectivity and widening your lens: was the failure due to things in your control? If so, break them down and persist in finding solutions. If they were out of your control, what does your business need to do to protect itself for future blind spots? Lastly (and perhaps most importantly), don’t make the fatal error you can brave failure alone. Get feedback from your tribe, the people who support you but don’t bullshit you.

We are currently living in times of uncertainty. What does a healthy and balanced society look like according to you?

Ain’t this the million dollar question! So many big topics to consider, from education to the environment. But I believe it needs to start from within – what’s in each and every person’s control – their mindset. Because while we’re waiting for top-down and bottom-up reform (needed for a healthier society), leadership is an inside-out job. No one can ever take away a person’s desire to be healthy and balanced. To do this, however, I believe having purpose is the most critical factor.

What would be your one piece of advice to your younger self?

‘The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change.’ - Carl Rogers

Stop caring about what other people think of you, and care about what you think of yourself. If you don’t like what you see, remind yourself that only you can change yourself: don’t complain, change.

Download a print copy of Uniview Winter 2022 to read the full edition. An accessible version is also available.