The Story of Frankie Picasso: Diversity of Thought and Resilience of Mind

Frankie Picasso, a SocialPreneur, Talk Show Host at The Good Radio Network, and an Advocate for Animal Rights among many other things, shares her journey to becoming the woman she is today.

“They want you to be less so that they can feel more.”

I have been a serial entrepreneur my whole life. Unlike me, my siblings knew precisely what they wanted to do at an early age.

I was born in Salzburg, Austria. Ever since I was a baby, I’ve had animals around me. We had dogs, horses, and cows on our farm. It was heaven for me. I used to tell my family that if the animal at our farm had a name, we were not allowed to eat them. So I named them all. The very first thing I wanted to be was a vet. But I didn’t settle on it. Looking back, I wish I had gone on that path. 

I believe nothing you do is a waste of time because all the skills you learn are transferable into the workplace. This comes from my father, who told me that I can do anything, regardless of gender. My father is the most important person in my life. He was 12 years old when Hitler invaded Austria. He took off at a young age and walked 1500 km from Vienna to Amsterdam to get on a boat to England. I have written a book called “For Want of 40 Pounds,” highlighting my dad’s journey. It was published in 2020 and was a no. 1 bestseller in three countries.

To bring about a global change we all need to take action. I think one of the biggest gifts my father gave me is a unique vision. I believe we can all do this with a vision and desire to accomplish it. 

When I was at Webster College, I majored in photojournalism, but I did not want to constrain myself to one single profession. I’ve worked in industries and places where women didn’t show up. I had just finished college and was sitting with a bunch of guys who were life insurance agents. And I decided I could do that. I knew I was good at sales. I took an exam to get into that field and worked there for a considerable time. I was the only female in the company and I outsold all the guys. My manager came to me and asked, “Can you sell less?” 

He told me that all the guys were upset at how much I was selling. I said, “Well, why don’t they sell more?”

As a woman, you have to dumb down in a field. Every woman, including myself, has had to fight for that equality in the workplace. Sadly, it still hasn’t been achieved today.

A few years down the line, I got into kickboxing. I became the first professional female kickboxing promoter in the world and managed a 12x ISKA Welterweight Champion in 1997. 

Later, I worked as a special advisor in the provincial government of Ontario for about 2 years. It was a challenge but I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I then had a serious motorcycle accident that put me in the hospital for 6 months. I ended up getting a divorce and lost almost everything except my kids. I took up teaching because I needed to do something. That’s when I began pursuing coaching.

There was a point when boredom crept in. Then I came up with the idea of interviewing people who are changing the world in their own ways. This is where I started The Good Radio Network. Along with finding spectacular people, I also invest in them by helping their NGOs, human societies, etc. I want my money to be used for good. So I support a donkey sanctuary, a blind institute, and many other causes.

I’ve always loved playing with colors and textures so I started painting in my mid-fifties. When I see colors on the palette, I get excited with the possibility of creating, which gives me a sense of serenity. That’s what really inspires me to paint.

I’m a creator at heart, whether it’s creating with words or a paintbrush. I’ve always wanted to be a writer. Midlife Mojo was the first and the best book I have written. Sometimes, when I look back at my work, I’m amazed at some of the stuff I’ve created.

I like to think of myself as a birthing coach as I like to birth companies but I don’t like to run them. Promoting companies and getting them off the ground is more exciting for me. I like to reinvent myself every couple of years as I don’t want to be constricted to one professional tag.

The most vital aspect is to know yourself. I learned this late in life. If the well goes dry, you can’t help anybody. So, I really do look after myself now so I can look after everybody else. 

You allow people the space to dream. You let them go on that journey and have them figure it out. The goal is to be a dream maker, not a dream breaker.