By Hollie Harris
Pairing socks was the breaking point for lady of leisure Wendy Wilson so she started to look for a life beyond loneliness. She tells HOLLIE HARRIS how it became the beginning of her social empire.
When you’re beautiful, bubbly and blessed with a Scottish accent straight out of Mel Gibson’s film Braveheart it must be easy to make friends.
Noosa entrepreneur, mother, wife, social genius and all round woman-who-has-it-all Wendy Wilson was an obvious choice to feature on the cover of an issue featuring Women in Business and International Women’s Day.
But sitting down with this bonnie lass, it becomes apparent that things are never what they seem on the outside.
What makes Wendy Wilson so perfect is that she admits to being so hopelessly lonely and lost at times in her life.
Having to overcome her own struggles and create more balance in her life to feel fulfilled, Wendy decided to push herself out of her comfort zone which was the catalyst for her social empire Life Beyond 30.
L B 30 was born out of a move to the Sunshine Coast where Wendy’s husband followed his career and her plan was to become a ‘lady of leisure’. In reality, it was not so glamorous and her relationship began to suffer.
“I didn’t have much to chat to my husband about. Pairing of the socks, (that was the breaking point) cleaning up the house, walks on the beach, it was the same every day,” Wendy said.
“My husband was getting in from work and I would be just desperate to talk to him. I was lonely and so I needed him to be my best friend, my family, my girlfriend – my everything.
“There is so much pressure on the partner and it took a while for us to realise I was needing him to fill all these roles. So I put an ad in the paper,” she said.
Yes, Wendy Wilson placed an advertisement in her local paper. The advert put it pretty simply that she needed an outlet from her partner and that she was looking for women over 30 who wanted to hang out.
“I had so many women get in touch with me! My friends back in the UK told me ‘Oh my god, you’re so sad!’
“It came into my head to do the ad and I just thought ‘I’m going for it’. I must have had about 30 ladies get in touch with me who were all were in the same boat but didn’t know what to do about it.
“Women who had moved here from other places, Sydney, Melbourne, even different countries, who had left their homes and friends all so happy to meet up.
“It was a group of women who didn’t know each other at all and we all had such a lovely time mingling and getting to know each other,” Wendy said.
Wendy’s calling had begun. Life Beyond 30 was born and with the response she received, it was only natural to continue making it a regular thing and bring in more women who needed an outlet.
“Eventually, the ladies were looking for more activities and other times to do things which sometimes didn’t suit me as I had a five-year-old, some ladies didn’t have children and wanted things to do in the evenings.”
Wendy’s little group needed to evolve so it was time to let go and allow it to grow into something bigger.
“We ended up with co-ordinators for events, which was difficult to let go of the control at first.
“We initially would meet up and have a meal, go to the movies, coffees, afternoon drinks, or walking and now we also do some really exciting activities.
“We are going abseiling soon and a group of us are going to see Adele in Brisbane.
“Last year a group of ladies went to China, others went on a cruise – there are so many amazing opportunities.
“If you find some ladies you click with, then you have an instant travel partner – some of them are widowed or single and its perfect for them,” she said.
Bringing women and families together is a passion for Wendy and she still maintains some of the original friendships from those early days when she first placed the advertisement.
“I am still friends with some of the ladies from the original group but some of them have moved on and begun Life Beyond 30 groups elsewhere, which is just amazing.
“They realised they can’t get by without the Life Beyond 30 girls, so I have helped them set up their own groups.
“We are expanding so quickly now and there even groups in other states.”
Wendy’s Life Beyond 30 members receive discounts at loads of local stores and a new website will make it simple to find out which stores honour their membership or what local group activities are happening.
Humble and softly spoken, Wendy would probably be the last person to say how her social activities-come passion-come career has changed people’s lives but when members admit to her how different their world is now thanks to what she has created, it is hard to deny.
“One of my ladies came to me and said that she was looking into going into an over 55s retirement village.
“She needed that social interaction and had sorted out where she was going to go. She was going to put her house up for sale and then Life Beyond 30 came along and gave her everything she needed. She didn’t need to do that move toward a retirement village anymore.
“It’s not just about the women. It’s about the families as well; the partners, the children – they all get to mingle together and attend parties and get to know each other and create bonds.
“It has really begun to bring communities back together again.
“My son, Owen, absolutely loves fishing. A few weeks ago, I got myself in such a muddle with the rod and the hooks and all of that, so I put out a message to the group asking if there might be a granddad who would be willing to sit with Owen and I to teach us all about fishing and lures and all that!
“One of the ladies answered and said she and her husband would love to do it and they took us to Munna Point and Owen caught a fish!
“I get so emotional about it because there are grannies and granddads here whose families are not and now we just come together and help each other along and fill those empty places,” she said.
So anyone can take a few leaves out of Wendy Wilson’s book – be honest and bold, take a chance, create a fulfilling life and find happiness. They say it takes a village to raise a child but the adults need people too.
Wendy dreams of a worldwide network for women and their families to come together, connect and support each other.
“It’s not just about me anymore,” she said.
For more information visit www.lifebeyond30.com.au.
