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Nearly vomiting on Brad Pitt gave Nehal the push she needed to start her own business.

Nehal Dalgliesh was pregnant with her second child when she was standing on the red carpet, poised to interview Brad Pitt.

Despite her tenured experience as a celebrity journalist, Nehal had to will every iota of her body not to throw up on her interview guest.

“I had no idea what he was saying. It was the worst interview I’d ever done,” she remembers.

“He moved onto the next reporter and I very un-glamorously let loose in a vomit bag.”

It was after this exact moment that she began to entertain the idea of being her own boss, and creating CelebrityKind, a website dedicated at showcasing the humanitarian projects, important causes and charity work famous people do, or, as she calls it, the celebrity stories that matter.

Chatting to Mamamia, Nehal tells us how she turned her business idea into a reality, while making the world of celebrity journalism a nicer and kinder place.

Tell us about CelebrityKind…What is it?

CelebrityKind.com is a celebrity news site focusing on all the things famous people are doing to change the world – their humanitarian work, charities, side projects and kindness. No gossip, no lies, no shaming or tearing people down. Just honest, inspiring stories.

We’re about to expand with a CelebrityKind shop too! Stay tuned…

Celebrity news australia CelebrityKind
"No gossip, no lies, no shaming or tearing people down. Just honest, inspiring stories." Image: Supplied.
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What were you doing before you went into business for yourself?

I was a news presenter on a number of FM radio stations (my shift started at 4am - how did I ever wake up for that?) and I interviewed celebrities at red carpet events. If I'm being really honest, I also spent a lot of time watching reruns of Oprah and eating blocks of chocolate.

What made you want to start your own business?

I have Brad Pitt to thank for this!

I was pregnant with my second child, standing on the red carpet about to interview the biggest star on the planet. I had terrible all-day sickness (remind me why it's called morning sickness again?) and as Brad stood in front of me, all I could think was "don't spew on him!" I had no idea what I was doing.

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I had no idea what he was saying. It was the worst interview I'd ever done. All I know is that he moved onto the next reporter and I very un-glamorously let loose in a vomit bag.

I went home that night realising how much motherhood was changing my life. How much I wanted work to fit it in with my family. I imagined what it would be like being my own boss, working flexible hours around the kids.

How did you come up with the name?

My site is all about the human element to celebrities - it's not about their looks or their flashy lives, it's about their kindness and the things they are doing to help others. So the idea of "humankind" pretty easily evolved into "celebritykind".

What's the single best piece of advice you got?

Walk in someone else's shoes. Wise words from Mia Freedman in the LSU course actually! When we can see things from another point of view, that's when we can grow. Whether it's a customer or someone you might be collaborating with, think about things from their point of view - it opens up a whole new world of possibilities!

What's the one bit of advice you would give yourself if you were starting again?

Don't hesitate so much! Just go for it! You'll never LEARN if you don't DO.

At Mamamia we have an expression "flearning" - failing and learning. What have been your biggest flearnings since you have started your business?

So many flearnings, where do I start?

Perhaps the biggest one would be realising that it's okay to fail in the first place. If you can get over that mental hurdle, you can direct your attention to more constructive things like avoiding the same failures in the future.

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What do you do when you're feeling like you're in a hole emotionally (or financially)?

I crank up Beyoncé or J-Lo and dance like it's 2005. And then I calm down, get serious and try to map out how to solve the problem. Whether it's chatting to my husband about it, my sisters or a friend. There's always someone willing to lend an ear and I've realised that sometimes, when you say it out loud, it's not as bad as you first thought.

What's the biggest misconception you had about starting your business?

That it would grow pretty quickly. I always hear about these businesses that take off within the first year. Of course, now I realise that many businesses also fail in the first year! It's a hard slog.

Tell us about your proudest moment.

I won't lie. I was pretty excited when Ben Stiller liked my story about Ben Stiller! But maybe my proudest moment was only recently, when I realised my focus on humanitarian work and kindness was rubbing off on my kids. Suddenly they were asking about when they could help feed the homeless. Or shave their heads to raise money for kids with cancer. Stuff like that definitely keeps you going.

What can you recommend to women who might want to get their own hustle going?

I think it's so important to imagine yourself five years down the track - will you regret NOT starting your business now? The answer for me was HELL YES. And I think if your answer is similar, then talk to people who've done it. Ask about their accomplishments and struggles. Watch how they do it. Most people are so willing to give you advice and help where they can.

Been thinking about taking control of your life and becoming your own boss? Interested in becoming a Lady Startup yourself or know someone ready to chase their own bus? You’re invited to join Mia Freedman for this online course where she will personally take you through every step and give you every resource to go from idea to launch. Enrolments are open for a very limited time starting now. Find out all about the Lady Startup Activation Plan here.

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