Ep.011 ft. Ciara Lewis - Fierce and Fearless Leadership

In this episode of The LeadHer Shift, I sit down with Ciara Lewis, Founder & CEO of Fierce & Fearless, to talk about what it really takes to lead in spaces that weren’t designed for you.

Ciara shares how she went from a quiet girl in school to a woman holding her own—and outshining—male peers in the high-pressure world of auto sales. Her story is layered with moments of resilience, realignment, and revelation. From navigating male-dominated workplaces to launching a powerful women’s magazine (coming July 2025!), Ciara’s leadership journey is anything but linear.

But what stood out most?

👉 Her unwavering decision to show up anyway

👉 Her belief that vulnerability can be curated, not performed

👉 And her reminder that confidence isn’t always loud—it’s lived

We talked about:

• Overcoming environments designed to dim your light
• Being underestimated—and overdelivering with grace
• What her grandmother taught her about picking battles
• Why the “quiet ones” are often the fiercest leaders of all

If you’ve ever questioned your worth in a space that didn’t see you…

If you’ve ever chosen to stay when it felt easier to shrink…

If you’re ready to be fierce and fearless on your own terms…

🎧 This episode is for you.

Take a listen to learn more about Ciara, and how a movement is being birthed as we speak.

Show Notes Below:

Alian Ollivierre [00:00:00]:

Welcome to the Lead Her Shift podcast. This is what I like to call a safe space. A space for bold women building their power, presence, and purpose from the inside out. A space where we explore what it means to lead with clarity, courage, and conviction. So wherever you are in the world. Hey, I'm your host, Alian Olivierre, and I am super honoured that you're tuning in today. So now today I want to let you guys know who I have on the call. I have Ciara Lewis, an accomplished entrepreneur and the visionary CEO and founder of Fierce and Fearless.

Alian Ollivierre [00:00:54]:

Let's just repeat that. Fierce and Fearless proudly unveils the arrival of the Fierce and Fearless Entrepreneur magazine. I can't wait to dig deeper into what this magazine is all about. Slated to release in July 2025. So just around the corner, guys. This transformative publication is set to inspire, inform, and empower women at every stage of their professional journey. I can't wait to sign up. Available on all major platforms, this magazine represents a pivotal advancement in the women's empowerment sector.

Alian Ollivierre [00:01:36]:

Welcome, Ciara. Thank you so much for being a guest on our podcast. I want to learn so much more about you, the woman. So if we could take just a moment, watch. Why? Why Fierce and Fearless? What brought us here?

Ciara Lewis [00:01:59]:

A lot. So growing up, I was always one of the quiet ones, even in school, but I managed to be friends with pretty much everybody. I didn't really meet a stranger.

Alian Ollivierre [00:02:14]:

Right.

Ciara Lewis [00:02:14]:

And going. I started working young, so my first job was a clown. And I think just from starting there and growing into other careers is how I really started to see how women were perceived in society. After that, I started venturing off into jobs that were managed by men. And that was really what said, you know, the big awe moment.

Alian Ollivierre [00:02:43]:

Yeah.

Ciara Lewis [00:02:44]:

And I said, you know, this. This can't be. This cannot be how we're treated in society or how we're viewed. The first time I noticed it and had an issue was when I worked at a car lot. I'm not sure what that man had against me, but I was the sole female sales associate there. And I think the issue was they thought that they could get part of my sales because they thought I didn't know what I was doing or I wasn't good enough to do it. On my. Unfortunately, that was not the case because I'm definitely one of those, like, try me if you want to.

Ciara Lewis [00:03:19]:

And when you tell me I can't do something, I'm definitely going to make sure I find a way to do it. So I ended up being the only person that could Actually get the trucks off the lot. That literally drove them in insane. Had a couple of headbutts with the, the owner, which is eventually why I ended up leaving. Funny, because he actually tried to ask me to come back several years ago when he came back, but I was just like, no, I'll never do that again. However, I went on