Business

Lydia Clancy’s Journey From Pilot to Entrepreneur

July 24, 2024
11:05 pm

By: Joshua Finley

Lydia Clancy is deeply passionate about the “Empire Lifestyle Evolution”. For her, helping highly driven and focused individuals give it all they’ve got to live a life of design and not by default, is what gets her out of bed each day. She embraces the challenges and says she grows from that because every valuable lesson was learnt from failures and not from winning.

When Lydia Clancy started her career over 20 years ago, she never imagined that one day she’d be laying the foundation for her own entrepreneurial ventures. As the first female pilot from Papua New Guinea to fly for Virgin Australia, Lydia was living her childhood dream. However, after being laid off in 2020 due to COVID-19, Lydia viewed it as a catalyst to pivot into entirely new territory.

An Unexpected Blessing

Although the layoff initially felt bittersweet, Lydia had been feeling uneasy about her pilot role for some time. “I started to feel a little bit uneasy sitting in the cockpit. Living out of suitcases for 15 years or so. And, yeah, wanted to create something of my own,” she shares. Lydia began investing in her personal growth nearly a decade prior, understanding that her pilot career wasn’t sustainable forever. She yearned to find additional purpose.

When the layoff happened, Lydia wasted no time diving headfirst into writing her first book, a self-development book titled “Be Happier by Tomorrow.” Next, she started digital marketing, also a global business coach and became a motivational speaker. She did motivational speaking engagements back home in Papua New Guinea. “I had multiple media exposures including TV channels and the country’s major and local newspaper articles, back at home, and several radio stations including NBC,” Lydia explains. These opportunities represented the freedom Lydia had been seeking for so long but felt confined by self-doubt previously.

Turning Hardships into Lessons

While exciting, Lydia’s entrepreneurial journey hasn’t been without challenges. “The challenge is really in our mind, in our head. It’s the mindset, really,” she notes. Lydia believes that managing one’s battles within oneself is the biggest obstacle. “We are our biggest enemy, biggest blockage, biggest obstacle.”

Lydia also emphasizes the importance of keeping ideas protected in the initial stages. “When you have an idea, keep it to your chest so no one starts ruining the creativity,” she suggests. Moreover, surrounding oneself with supportive, like-minded people helps bring visions to fruition. “If they’re losers, you’ll end up being the 6th loser. With billionaires? You’ll end up being the 6th billionaire,” Lydia affirms.

By continually working on her mindset, investing in personal growth, and leaning on her faith in God, Lydia finds power in what once felt weak. “I always wanted to get out and did not know how,” she admits. “I was scared. I blamed everybody for being stuck.” Through patience and perseverance, the path forward revealed itself. Lydia recognizes that during hardship, cling to hope and “always go over, under or around the fire. Because at the end of the day, we are the ones that have the key and the power.”

Helping Others

Lydia’s extensive experience in the highly competitive aviation sector ignited her passion for empowering and activating the giant within highly motivated and vision-driven entrepreneurs. She is dedicated to helping individuals transition from being stuck in self-sabotage to operating at a higher vibration. By drawing on her own journey and the lessons learned from navigating a successful airline career, Lydia delivers a strategic, step-by-step framework designed to guide her clients in creating a life by design rather than by default.

Her methodical approach, combined with her inspiring personal story, provides entrepreneurs with the tools and guidance they need to unlock their full potential and achieve their dreams. Lydia Clancy is committed to making a profound impact on the lives of those she mentors, helping them navigate their own paths to success and fulfillment.

Credibility Through Mentorship

Lydia is also guided and mentored under the leadership of one of the world’s best Mentors, who is also voted as The number 1 Mentor by Forbes, aka Mr. Empire – Mr. Aaron Sansoni, who is mentored by Sir Richard Branson. Her knowledge, skills and drive to always evolve, live life to her fullest potential and to empower others as well to do the same is a credit of having the direct influence of Aaron Sansoni.

Lydia Clancy's Journey From Pilot to Entrepreneur (2) — Photo CourtesyL Lydia Clancy and Aaron Sansoni

Paying It Forward

For those that see themselves in Lydia and wonder how they too can accomplish bold goals, Lydia says, “Don’t listen when people say you can’t do it.” While acknowledging the additional adversity marginalized communities often face, Lydia emphasizes tuning out the naysayers and believing in your inner giants.

Lydia’s giants once laid dormant for years, suppressed under society’s limitations. Finally, after tragedy flipped life upside down, Lydia embraced her power. “It’s up to us to unlock that and come out,” she urges. Just as a serendipitous sighting of pilots that looked like her planted an early seed, Lydia hopes her story germinates inspiration in others. The fruits now bloom as coaching services and business investments. Though Lydia took the pilot seat for over 11,000 hours, she’s just lifted off in this next voyage of her life. The view ahead shines brightly.