This isn’t about me; it’s about what I leave behind
- Aug 27
- 3 min read
By Cat Dunn
I never set out to be the face of a movement. I was looking for my freedom.
When I left a 3.5 year abusive relationship - after spending 20 years in my life dating men who weren't good to me - and started rebuilding my life, I didn’t know what legacy meant. I wasn’t thinking long term. I was simply in survival mode.
But somewhere between starting my VA business in a spare room and becoming an award-winning OBM, mentoring women to build their dream business and building a community of 100+ members, I realised that legacy isn’t about empire-building.
It’s not about shouting your name from the rooftops or having one million Instagram followers. Legacy is about what keeps running when you’re not in the room.
That’s how I lead - with systems, structures, and support that don’t rely on my constant presence to function. My test for everything I build is this: Can it work without me? And, more importantly, who does it lift up?
I’m not interested in gatekeeping my knowledge and experience. I’m also not here to glamorise hustle culture even though I've spent many long nights and weekends building my business. I want to dismantle the old rules of business. The ones that tell women we have to sacrifice ourselves for success and give more whilst receiving less in return.
My legacy will never be about being everywhere, doing everything. It’ll be about showing women how to lead with clarity, boundaries, and automations. Sustainable systems, especially with the huge advances of AI, are a feminist issue.
That’s the thinking behind my OBM mentorship program, where I support Virtual Assistants to step into their power as Online Business Managers. We’re not just talking about task delegation and team oversight; we’re talking pricing, positioning, and mindset.
I teach them how to stop being the helper and start being the leader. I teach them to say no. To charge more. To trust their vision. Watching a mentee raise her rates or fire a red flag client or rebrand her business to align with who she is now? That’s legacy in action.
And then there’s Life After I Left.
My live event and podcast series that I've created for women who’ve rebuilt their lives after trauma. It’s not perfect or performative. I don't have a huge production team or a huge following. It’s raw, real, and powerful. These women share stories they were once too ashamed or afraid to tell; the stories they were told not to say out loud.
Every time these women take the mic - on stage or on screen - they create space for someone else to breathe a little easier. To feel seen. To go on. To take the next step. To finally share their own story.
That’s leadership. Not by being the loudest voice in the room. But by being brave (and ready) enough to tell your truth.
So when you ask me how I’m shaping the next generation of women leaders, it’s by doing exactly that. Not building clones of myself. Not selling a 10-step formula to have $10k months. By supporting women to find their voice, their structure, their rhythm.
Real leadership isn’t about being liked. It's about honesty. It's about going first and reaching out a hand to lift up the women waiting behind you.
To any woman stepping into a position of power for the first time, here’s what I’ll say: don’t wait for permission. You don’t need a fancier title, another certification, or 100% certainty before you act. Power doesn’t have to be loud, bossy, or buttoned-up; it just has to be yours.
Take up space. Say the thing. Make the call. Lead the way you want to live—unapologetically, imperfectly, and with purpose. And when in doubt, ask yourself: Will this matter in five years? Will it help someone else rise? Will this make the world a better place for all women?
If the answer’s yes, you’re already building a legacy.
Keep going.
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