Holly Matthews, known for her roles in BBC series Waterloo Road, Casualty and Byker Grove, has successfully transitioned from television actress to acclaimed self-development coach and founder of The Happy Me Project.
Holly’s journey into the world of self-help and personal development is notable for her award-winning coaching, best-selling book and regular contributions to major media outlets including BBC radio, magazines and national newspapers. She is also a familiar face on shows such as Lorraine and Channel 5 News.
Holly, an author whose debut book hit the top spot on Amazon and was named Best Wellness Book of 2022 by Health and Wellbeing Magazine, continues to turn heads with her latest release, Find Your Confidence. published by Bloomsbury on September 12th. This book walks the reader through nine confidence-challenging scenarios and provides practical tools to boost both internal and external confidence.
Holly’s personal life, including her experiences as a widowed mother of two daughters, Brooke and Texas, greatly influences her work. She is committed to helping others embrace their true selves and find joy, which is reflected in her mission to help people feel “happier and less shitty.” Her unique approach to self-development is straightforward and actionable, making mindset work accessible to everyone, especially entrepreneurs who want to build confidence and achieve their goals.
One of Holly’s clients praised her impact and said: “Holly has absolutely changed my life for the better. Thanks to her amazing coaching, I am 1000% more confident, present, joyful and aware of how amazing I am.” Becky Hill, a Brit Award-winning pop star, also praised Holly: “Holly is the most wonderful human being with such a wealth of life experience . Her book reflects her voice and life lessons, which are incredibly valuable and easy to accept. I have recommended this book to everyone I know! Thank you, Holly, for the book we all knew we needed.”
What was the inspiration for The Happy Me Project and your latest book, Find Your Confidence?
The Happy Me Project came about after my husband Ross died from brain cancer in 2017. There were so many people watching what was happening and I wanted to find meaning in something that was unfathomable to my brain. This took on a life of its own and soon turned into workshops, a membership and my first book. Find Your Confidence, my second book, was inspired by my work as a self-development coach (the internal work) and my work as an actress (the external work). In almost all of my coaching work there is an element of self-belief and self-belief work that needs to be done in order for people to live their best lives, and this book is my answer to that.
Who do you admire?
The people I admire aren’t always the ones we tout as success stories in life. The people I admire or who live their lives as themselves and are uncompromisingly who they want to be. Then I would say: people in the public eye who inspire me, Emma Thompson (a force, a feminist and a brilliant actress!), plus people like Pink or Stacey Solomon who live their lives unapologetically like themselves. I am inspired by our new Deputy Prime Minister, Angel Rayner, who came from a council estate and holds this incredibly influential position (without compromising her values). I admire bravery, the willingness to be vulnerable, and I am inspired by people every day.
Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently?
Oh my god, lots. My business often consisted of throwing a lot of shit at the wall and hoping some of it stuck. My company has grown organically and I have grown with it. That means there were a lot of missteps along the way. If I could go back now, I would recognize the importance of building momentum in these moments of growth and having the right foundations to support these moments. In the past, I wasn’t always prepared for the tidal wave when it came and defaulted to sabotaging those moments. I also would have realized sooner that I should make other people do the things I’m not good at so I can focus on the things I’m good at.
What defines your way of doing business?
My first job – writing a letter asking for what I wanted. In this letter I have clearly stated who I am and what I hope to achieve from my contact with you. This was my first television role aged just 11 and I wrote this letter to the casting department of a BBC drama. My business hasn’t changed since then — in many ways, I still demand what I want. I still do things in a way that many others don’t, and I still clearly state my intentions and my desires. My business is often characterized by impulsiveness and trying things out, saying “yes” even when I have absolutely no idea how to do something.
What advice would you give to someone just starting out?
I would say let go of what you think it should look like because there will be lots of twists and turns and different routes to get to where you want to be. I would say remember to take care of yourself and work on my “pause and drive” system. This means moving forward at full speed, gaining some momentum and cushioning it with the “break”. We’re no good to anyone when we’re burned out. I would also say: remember to be inspired by people, but don’t get so caught up in it that it becomes a distraction. The best thing you can do is be as good as possible (which makes you original by default!).
