Introducing Roberta Alexander, CEO, Business and Lifestyle Coach and Mentor at Top Living International | Living the Values of her Personal Brand.

1. Brand Focus 1
Roberta
Alexander
BRAND FOCUS
Living the
Values
of her
Personal
Brand
VOLUME 1: ISSUE 1 - NOVEMBER 2018
Photography for all pages
CATHERINE COOMBS
EXCLUSIVE
INTERVIEW

2. Catherine Coombs is living her own personal
dream: using her skills and experience as a
photographer to help others. She is not just
about reflecting an image through a lens
however. For Catherine, it is all about using
photography to allow others to see the beauty in
themselves or the very best in what they do – an
experience that often results in tears of joy.
Photography was probably always where this
40-year-old was fated to end up. Handed a Kodak
110mm film camera as a small child to take a
photo of her mum – and never handing it back!
- Catherine pursued this passion through high
school. Life took a few twists and turns before
she was finally able to commit to photography
as a career, and now as a businesswoman
with her own studio, Catherine feels her
experiences make her better at her
craft.
Catherine has created the
Brand Focus magazine as a
unique “add-on” to the
services she offers clients. Each issue launches a
new brand for a local entrepreneur, and features
images taken during a Captured by Catherine
photoshoot. The magazine therefore serves as a
launch pad for the Public Relations campaign of
the featured entrepreneur, and generates great
exposure for them and their business – locally
and online.
Brand Focus provides tailor-made editorial
for ea client. Not only do the photographs
reflect who they are and what they represent,
but stories about them by a highly regarded
journalist are also presented alongside. In some
cases, this will be the first editorial piece in
which the entrepreneur has ever been profiled,
but Catherine ensures the experience
is positive, impactful, and generates
maximum personal and
professional credibility.
Catherine Coombs
Editor, Photgrapher,
Mother, Businesswoman
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4. C
reate and live your top life” is the business motto of
Top Living International, but it is also the personal
mantra of its founder Roberta Alexander.
This innovative entrepreneur has used her own
personal experiences, adversity, and diverse skill-
set to establish a hugely successful mentoring and
life-coaching business for others, especially “mum-
preneur” women.
The journey from 15-year-old school leaver has been
a long and winding one however Roberta has needed
to show plenty of courage – and a refusal to follow the
“normal” path in the process.
“I always wanted to be an entrepreneur, but I started
out as a dental nurse in Mareeba at 15.” she says.
“I worked four jobs at the same time in those early
days, but I always felt that I could do it all, and that I
PUTTING BETTER LIVES WITHIN REACH
OF EVERYONE
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5. could always change my mind along the way. I just
wanted to try lots of different experiences, work
hard, travel the world, have fun, and save money.”
“I just wanted to make the most out of life and try
lots of different experiences.”
“By 22, I was able to buy a new car outright, and
put down a deposit on my first home.”
Roberta has actively lived the “life-long learning”
adage, choosing to take courses and do external
study to boost her skills in areas including
management, marketing, and computing. She
is also a big believer in learning from others and
appreciating that everyone has something to offer.
With an ever-expanding tool-kit of talents under
her belt, she was able to branch out into the field
of tourism, where she was partly responsible for
building, branding, operating, and promoting a
brand-new business venture. Roles as a travel agent
and with a job network provide agency – as well as a
stay-at-home mum – followed, before dabbling in real
estate.
It was what happened next that determined the
future for Roberta Alexander.
Adversity hit in the form of a global financial
crisis in 2002, tenancy issues in a personal property
situation, and a health scare for Roberta.
“This was the biggest learning curve for me, and a
huge wake-up call,” she says.
“I suddenly realised that I had just one life, and I
wanted to be doing something that was meaningful
for myself and others around me. I decided to use
my resourcefulness and commitment together with
the mentors in my life to pursue my dream of owning
and operating my own business.
“The world was changing, and there was no
guarantee of full-time employment anymore. I
needed to be my own boss so I could be more in
control of my health, finances, time and future
opportunities.
Ironically, it was Roberta’s own health issues that
ended up having a silver lining in her new career
plans.
Having been told she needed to wait five years
for surgery to hopefully address her rapidly
deteriorating eyesight, Roberta had started taking
high-grade nutritional supplements to support her
eye health during this time.
These supplements proved to be a game-changer,
and were so effective for Roberta that she no longer
required the surgery. She was keen to share this
with others, and launched her own worldwide
online business in partnership with the supplement
company.
A new door had opened, and was not about
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6. to be closed in a hurry. Roberta started to research
more about nutrition, well-being, supplementation,
spirituality, energetics, and marketing, became
certified as an Access Consciousness practitioner, and
discovered a desire to use this learning to help build
happiness and health – not just for herself, but others
too.
“I soon realised that when it came to health and
wealth that there is so much more to the full picture,
and I wanted to teach more and share more about this
to the world,” Roberta says.
“This is when I founded Topliving International,
aimed at supporting people to create and live their top
life holistically.”
As part of the business – now eight years old -
Roberta has facilitated wellness retreats in Cairns,
workshops, coaching and mentoring sessions, on-line
services, and programs aimed at achieving business
and personal growth and success.
A highlight of her health journey was being invited by
the supplement company to be a VIP guest in the New
York audience for the Dr Oz Show.
Roberta was also given the opportunity to share her
eye health story to over 3000 people at the Melbourne
Convention Centre.
Roberta works principally with “mum-preneurs”,
and holds true to the idea that working together and
embracing diversity has the potential to achieve more
than working as individuals – because every person
contributes and complements every other person.
As more and more people start to question the status
quo and seek out more fulfilling lives, Roberta believes
that demand for the services that Topliving provides
will significantly increase. And she knows that she will
have to continue growing and learning in order to meet
those challenges.
“Staying focused and positive to the bigger picture
when the unexpected happens in my environment has
always been my biggest challenge, but I’m learning to
manage my emotions, actions and energy levels now,”
Roberta says.
“Breathing in the first instance helps.”
Story Merryl Miller
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8. Roberta Alexander
A PIONEER IN
OPTIMISM AND
OPPORTUNITY
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9. R
oberta Alexander
calls herself an
entrepreneur, and
indeed, she has enjoyed
significant success as a
businesswoman throughout her
career.
A more fitting word for Roberta
Alexander however could be
“trailblazer”. Or “pioneer”. Or even
“adventurer”. Because these are
the traits that more accurately
represent her journey – a woman
who has never been afraid to take
a risk, who sees opportunity in
adversity, and who sees the world
as one big chance to learn and
grow.
“I can remember when I was
about eight, a family friend gave
me a motivational card which said
‘Do not go where the path may
lead; go instead where there is no
path and leave a trail,” Roberta
says.
“I truly believe this was my first
sign and divine messaging of my
future life’s journey.”
“I love helping
other people
achieve the
life of their
dreams.”
It was clearly a message that
stuck.
From a very young age, Roberta
made choices that were considered
brave or “hard” by many – leaving
school early, travelling solo,
changing jobs, studying externally
- but which all contributed to a
diverse and rich skill-set that led
to where she is today; a life-coach
helping other women to recognise
their gifts and become the best
selves they can be.
The most telling example of
Roberta’s character is when she
was faced with the prospect
of losing her sight. Refusing to
become despondent, she decided
to make the most out of what this
experience could bring.
“I put it out there to the universe
for good health, and to help me
find a business opportunity that
would add value to my life as well
as the lives of others,” Roberta
says.
“At that time, I was made super-
aware of just how precious life
is, and how quickly it can be
taken from us. Life is not a dress
rehearsal; it’s the real deal.
“I realised than that if I was going
to have a go at anything else in my
life, now was the time.”
The universe answered most
resoundingly.
Roberta created a business
on the high-grade nutritional
supplements that she was using
for her own eyesight issues, and
a year later, launched Topliving
International, based on the
concepts of holistic health and
well-being.
Women can now tap in to
Roberta’s experience and skills
to find their own ways to make
the most of every situation and
discover innovative solutions.
Sharing that kind of joy – well,
there could be no more perfect job
for this dynamo.
“I love helping other people
achieve the life of their dreams,”
Roberta says.
“They can identify what they are
truly on this earth for, and make
that happen.
“But most importantly I guess is
that they realise how special they
are, and what amazing gifts they
have.”
Perhaps the best word to
describe Roberta Alexander after all
is “life-giver”. And that is certainly a
trail well worth blazing.
Story Merryl Miller
I CAN REMEMBER WHEN I WAS ABOUT EIGHT, A FAMILY FRIEND GAVE
ME A MOTIVATIONAL CARD WHICH SAID ‘DO NOT GO WHERE THE PATH
MAY LEAD; GO INSTEAD WHERE THERE IS NO PATH AND LEAVE A TRAIL
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