Welcome to her comeback, transforming your life
after 50. I'm your host, Michelle Thompson. If
you've ever whispered to yourself, There has
to be more than this. You are in the right place.
This show is for women over 50 who have hit their
breaking point and are finally ready to stop
going at it alone. You've tried the self -help
books, the vision boards, the positive thinking,
but you're still stuck. And here's what I know.
You're not broken. You just need the right support.
And that's exactly what you're going to find
here. Each week, I'll sit down with incredible
women who have transformed their lives. You'll
hear their real stories, the messy middle, the
breakthrough moments, the practical steps that
they took to create the lives that they love.
Because your lowest limit, it can be your launching
pad. So if you're done settling and ready for
your comeback, Stay with me. Let's discover how
other women have made it happen and how you can
too. Are you ready? This is her comeback. Welcome,
everyone. Good day. I am so lucky and blessed
to have with me Cher Canada to tell a little
bit about her story and her journey. Cher, welcome.
How are you today? Michelle, I am so excited
about this. I couldn't even sleep last night.
Oh, nerve bowl. Well, me too. Please tell our
listeners a little bit more about yourself. Okay,
Michelle, I am from Nebraska. Nobody, I mean,
I can, nobody's ever guessed. Like everybody
guessed I'm from New York or California or something.
I talk fast and move fast. And I said, Nope.
I'm like little, little house on the Prairie,
Laura Ingalls. I had a, I, the only thing I went
to country school. I mean, I had six people in
my whole school. Like, like, like, like I'm Laura
Ingalls. It's too funny. I had a great, I had
a great growing up. I mean, you know, it just,
it's, it's great to grow up in a place like that.
And I went to college my first year in Nebraska.
And then I came home and I sat my parents down
and I said, mom and dad sit down. And they're
like, Oh God, now what I said, I don't belong
here. And they're like, where do you belong?
And I said, well, I found a private school in
Miami. I'd never been out of the state. I found
a private school in Miami and, um, I know it
costs a lot. You just pay what the other one
would pay. I'll pay the rest of it." And they're
like, how are you getting there? And I said,
my car. And I fricking got in a car and drove
to Miami and never looked back. Like never, I
mean, seriously, fake. I know crazy. And that
was probably the best thing I've ever done. Cause
I look back today at all my friends that are
still in Nebraska. And I just thank the Lord
that he gave me the foresight to be able to,
you know, go after my dreams because retail is
really what I wanted to do. So fearless, just
a very bold move to pick up and go to another
place that you didn't know anything about, right?
I can't believe I did it. I seriously can't believe
I did it. And so that was a rude awakening. I
mean, my roommates were all from New York and
they were all models and everybody was rich and
I had to work and I had three jobs. I sang in
a band. I mean, it was like crazy. So, um, that
was a great experience, but I, uh, and I really,
my only regret in my life is I didn't finish
college. I was so worried about all the loans.
So I started working and, um, nobody's ever asked
me if I had a college degree, but I just, I wish
I had finished because I could have had some
fun and I didn't, I worked like my whole time
and it is what it is. And so then I've had a
very, very, very fabulous retail career. I was
a district manager for Brooks Fashions. Then,
I don't know, everybody has heard of the Wet
Seal. Do you remember the Wet Cap? Yes, I have.
I do. I remember that. Everybody says they spend
all their babysitting money at the Wet Seal.
I'm sorry. That was my fault. I was vice president
of source of the Wet Seal at 30 years old. Wow.
What an accomplishment. Making $150 ,000 a year.
That's 35 years ago. Yeah. So I killed it. That
was a blast. Got a new boss. Got a new boss.
He's an ass. I don't work 80 hours a week for
assholes. I don't. I'm sorry. Tico's calls me
and I'm like, oh God, it's my mother's store.
None of the clothes fit me. And I had this amazing
woman that I knew and she's the one who's been
my biggest mentor my entire life and career and
still is to this day. I told you about her. She
said, Cher, put a belt on it and just get in
here and interview with the founders, Marvin
and Elaine. So I interviewed with them. I thought
this is just too good to be true. And that's
what got me to Naples, Florida. And that was
in 1996. I worked for Chico's for 23 years. Wow.
2200 stores. I had Chico's, Boston and proper
and SoMa, $1 .9 billion in revenue. I had about
22 ,000 people reporting to me. Well, dude, all
this time, you really just seemed to take off
in this space. Did you ever feel like... How
did this happen? Like maybe the like imposter
syndrome, like who, me? Did you ever have thoughts
like that? What did you think about it all? Never.
All I ever wanted to do, I had 13 and a half
years of double digit comp increases, meaning
over 10 % over the year prior. 13 and a half
years straight. That's incredible. Nobody's ever
done it in the history of retail. You know what,
Michelle, all I did was convince those girls
to be a dollar better than they were a year ago.
So they wouldn't close the store. They're like,
we're not close to the store. And so we have
last year in share says we got to be better than
we were a year ago. That's, it was, it's really
not that hard. Power of the team. Yes. And I
had, I owe everything I have today to the team
that was working for me because they were relentless.
I said, jump. They said, oh, hi. And all I did.
I just, every time I got, they just kept at Chico's,
they just kept getting, okay, she's bored. Give
her another brand. Okay. Give her Boston proper.
Okay. She's bored again. Give her so much. Okay.
They just wanted me to come back and I just said,
no, I have such a life today, which I'll share
with you more. But, and then I retired and then
I hit the walls. So I go for being, I was the
face of the brand. I was on the commercials.
I was on the catalog covers. I was the brand.
Yeah. And I retired and I started drinking. And
I started playing tennis, started having lunch
with the girls and we'd have a martini. I never
had a drink at lunch. And we started, that just
started, I've got serious alcoholics in my entire
family. My mom was 49 years in recovery when
she passed away. That's terrific. Yeah. And I
just went, you know, I pranked Michelle every
day and it got earlier and earlier. And I, I
suffer from anxiety and if I would take a drink,
I would just calm down. And I just went, I can't,
I can't live this way. My husband was going to
leave me. I mean, it was, it was not good. And
then I don't know, God gave me the strengths.
I just decided one day, um, and this was six,
a little over six years ago that I'm just not
going to drink anymore. And I didn't, and I stopped
for you. Oh, yeah. No, if I had a drinking problem
or if I have an anxiety problem. And you know
what? I don't know. I don't care. Nobody needs
to drink. And I will tell everybody. I'm the
girl now who after a big party gets up in the
morning, I'm up at crack of dawn, feeling great.
And everybody else is laying in bed and it's
a good feeling and I'll never take another drink.
You'd have to shoot me to make me take another
drink again. It was the best thing I've ever
done. Now, when you went through this, when you
had this realization of, okay, I've got to stop
drinking. Was it hard for you to stop? There's
different support groups. What did you do during
that time? I started going to AA meetings. I
went there because it gave me a purpose. That's
what it is. I had no purpose anymore. And I meet
so many women and they're walking around at this
age. I'm 65. They're walking around. Oh, you're
beautiful. Well, thank you. Thank you. Had a
great face lift a year ago. Dr. Gardner, I'll
go down and send Dr. Gardner. I just, I'd lost
my purpose and I was bored. I went from working
80 hours a week and on a plane every Tuesday
coming home every Friday and here I was sitting
around playing tennis once a day. And it was
really hard and I had to pray so much. And then
I started going to AA meetings, which was just
great. And I met that whole community. And I
went to those for about a year because it gave
me a purpose. I got dressed up. I looked pretty.
I went to the meetings at five o 'clock. I met
this one woman, Mary Pat. She's absolutely amazing.
She's, I think she's eight, in her eighties now.
She and I sat at the same table every day and
I don't go to the meetings anymore. God is now
my guide, but it really helped me and it helped
get me back on track. Awesome. That is amazing.
So once you stopped drinking, how did you figure
out what was next in retirement? How did that
transpire? Retail is in my blood and it's the
thing I love to do. I don't even consider it
working because I have, I love to make women
feel beautiful. I just finished a book. Congratulations.
It should be done in probably December. It's
called The Mirror's Been Lined To You. And it's
all these years of seeing women look in a mirror
and see things that absolutely nobody else sees.
Nobody, nobody sees those wrinkles on your legs.
Nobody sees your wrinkly arms. We don't care.
We're left with your beautiful face. We don't
care about your wrinkles. Yeah. Well, it's a
full book on competence and how to fall back
in love with yourself and slim secrets and how
to pop your collar and how to do a bunny tie
and just all these little things that are going
to make it, how to find your signature look,
how to find your little black dress, how to buy
pants for your butt. Love that. Yeah. Oh, wow.
Not rely your butts on fire. How to buy pants
for your rear end. It's all about placement.
No, I didn't know that. Oh, yeah. It's about
how high they are, how big they are, where they're
placed. So depending upon your rear end. So the
book's all about that. So I'm very excited about
that. That sounds like a great book. I will definitely
be getting that one. Okay, good. And then I was
playing tennis at the Ritz and the tennis pro
said to me, Cher, would you like to take over
the pro shop? And I said, okay, this is my gig.
And so I took over the pro shop. I funded it
all. It was tennis clothes. We did really great.
We were there about a year. We were doing fabulous,
but they were taking 19 % of my revenue there.
And I said, you know what, really? And I wanted
Gretty to wear because that's what's in my blood.
So went to, rented a Neapolitan way. And so now
I have trademark, it's called She Can Love. So
my first name is Cher, my last name is Canada.
So I took the first three letters of my first
name, S -H -E, the first three letters of my
last name, C -A -N, Cher Can, She Can't. I mean,
that's my name. That's great. I love that. And
I added love on for Tennyson just because I love
the work. So She Can Love is the name. I trademark
luxury you live in. So half of the boutique,
and I'm the only one that I know of, and I've
traveled the whole United States, that carries
everything. So one side of the store is tennis,
golf, pickleball, and athleisure. And the other
side is ready to wear. So I carry brands like
Saks, like Sink to Set, and Raimi Brooke. But
then I got feedback some woman couldn't afford
to shop in my store. which is heartbreaking.
And so now I carry dresses for $69, just cute
little summer throw -ons. So it changed my life.
It gave me a purpose. It gave me a reason to
get up every morning, to go. I'm in the store
just at least once every day. And I'm very involved
in Packs of Freedom. It supports human. It's
two homes here, one in Naples, one in Fort Myers
for human trafficking. And I met the founder
in my store one day. And Michelle, she told me
the story. I said, how did she get involved in
this? And she said, Cher, I was listening to
a woman speak who had been human trafficked.
And she said they drugged her. And she saw a
man walk in with a coin, meaning he got a session
with her. She woke up the next morning and she
had 17 coins on her bedside table. Awful. Horrible,
horrific stories. Horrific. When I heard that
story, I said, OK, God, I found my other reason.
So what I do, we dress. So when the girls come
to the house, they burn all that crap these men
have bought them. And then I dress them. They
have a closet of all brand new clothes. So they
get to put that on. At the store, we round up,
and then I match all the rounding. And then we
did a fashion show at the yacht club, Naples
Yacht Club, a couple of weeks ago. We raised
over $15 ,000. Wonderful. What a fashion show
for Dr. Rita. Wow. Oh, that's such a wonderful
cause. Oh, good for you. And then I told you
earlier, Michelle, I want to start this club,
the She Can Club, and it's all about helping
women. I found out there are over 80 homeless
women in Naples. So I'm on a project to find
them and to clothe them. And I'm going to do
events at the store, like bring in your slightly
worn clothing and you'll get 20 % off the boutique.
And then I'll be able to get these clothes and
toothbrush and find them and try to help them.
That is so awesome. What an amazing way to really
give back and help those who can't help themselves
in that situation. That's wonderful. Thank you
so much for everything you're doing in that space.
What would you say to women today that are maybe
in a situation if it's an early retirement or
their kids just left home, the empty nest? They're
like, okay, what now? How do I figure out what
I do next? What would be your advice to them?
My advice would be first out, what gets you up
in the morning? What gets you jazzed? Like when
I talk about, I was in the store the other day
and my store manager goes, watch out, she gets
excited. Cause this woman put on something that
she thought she'd look terrible in. And I said,
trust me, I'm a clothing doctor. I can size people
up. I'm just, I'm really good at this. No, I'm
not good. I'm great. I can make any woman. I
said, let's hide the shit you don't want to see.
Tell me what it is you don't love. If you don't
like your arms, fine. We'll cover them. But I
can make you look beautiful. And it's what I
do. And it's what seats my soul. And so what
I would say to women, if you're lost and you
don't know what, what is it that you're passionate
about? It's your ghost bumps. The minute you
got on today, I told you, I got goosebumps. My
husband calls it, she can cry because we, I just
get so emotional about things and I get so excited
about things. I know you can't tell that. And
I would say, ladies, find what you're passionate
about. And then find a way to work in that wheelhouse.
If it's giving up your time, go work at the shelter,
go sell. I was going to go before the store.
I thought, okay, I'll go to a woman's shelter
and I'll work at the store there. And I'll do
that just for free to give them my time. Because
that would have been fun for me. And instead
I went down this route instead. But there are
so many ways that you can help in like Pats of
Freedom. I went through all of the, you have
to go get singer printed and you have to, they
have to go through all this to be a part of that.
I went to the home. I spent a day with the girls.
I brought them all clothes. I had on a white
shirt and jeans, and I brought them all sweaters
and jeans. And they said, Cher, we want to look
like you. I ran to Target. I got seven white
shirts, brought them all back. I have a picture
of them. I can't show it. I'm not allowed to
show the girls' pictures. But all eight of us
are in our jeans, our white shirts, with our
body ties tied up. And it's their life. That's
so heartwarming. It just makes me feel so good
to be able to help them that way. It's amazing.
Again, find what you love. And that's what I
tell young people too that are going out into
the workforce. You're going to work a lot of
years. Find something you love that you're passionate
about and then figure out how to make money doing
it. I love that. I think that's so true because
that passion will fuel your... The drive, the
willingness to keep going. Personally, I'm in
my first year starting my own business, but I
am very passionate about what I'm doing. So those
mornings when I can be discouraged, just, oh,
things are going the way I'd really like for
them to be going. But no, I get up and I keep
doing it because I am driven by my passion and
what I love and working with women. So I think
I can totally, what you're saying resonates with
me. I love your confidence. I think it's perfect
that your book will include that confidence because
you just exude that. Do you know what I say at
the end of every video? Confidence. It's the
single most beautiful thing a woman can wear
every day. Absolutely. And you know what else,
Joe? Tennis. I'll tell you right now. It changed
my life. I play tennis sometimes two times a
day. I play every day except Sundays. The community
I've met, And it's not too late. I started playing
tennis at 57. And I'm really good. And I love
the outfits. And I meet such great girls. And
it's fun competition. And I'm not high enough
that the girls are mean, because when you get
really up there, it's very competitive. I'm just
playing social fun tennis. But it is just, I
love it. The women are all fabulous. I've met
some really great friends. And pickleball, too.
I don't care if you're six years old and you've
never picked up a racket. Go take a lesson. Find
out if you like it. Yes. Pickleball is not as
strenuous. I love to run. I love to run. And
so I love to run all over the court and just
be wild. Pickleball is not quite as, you know,
you don't need quite the athleticism as you do,
but it's the fastest growing sport in the country.
And it's really fun. I love that you said that
about the physical activity because again, I
can identify with it. I was 53 before I actually
held a gym membership that I went to four times
a week. I go my regular routine four times a
week. It's orange theory, but I never until 53
had I done that. So it's just like you're saying,
you're not too old in your 50s to start doing
something. Michelle, I am 65 years old. I'm on
Medicare. I never thought I'd be this old. I
didn't. And I feel better than I ever have in
my entire life today. Every woman, and I know
there are women out there that are sad and they're
lonely and they're depressed. And if they come
to my store, come to She Can Love, find me. We'll
sit down and I will talk to anybody that wants
to hear because I can help you and I can help.
There's paths for you to take. And life can be,
this is, I am living right now at age 65, my
best life. I am so thankful every morning. I
thank God for the life that I have. I'm in the
best shape I've ever been in my entire life.
Cause you got nothing else to do. You're retired.
You might as well just be healthy. That's right.
Oh, and it makes such a difference. Not just
the physical, but mentally. It's just like you
get mentally energized. Correct. Cause there's
nothing worse than sitting there at your home.
with absolutely nothing to do, no plans, no schedule.
You've got nothing. You've got nothing. It's
a recipe for depression, really. Yeah, that isolation
is just not good. And I think it's tempting for
all of us. I know I've been there and times in
my previous years where that isolation and just
not wanting to connect and it just, it can take
you to really dark places. So I think the connection
that you're talking about, being out there, being
active, Those are keys. They certainly have been
for me that resonates with me. Yes, agree. And
now I get to do like I go speak at a lot of women's
groups. I have my 10 favorite quotes. I told
you make tripping part of your dance. It's one
of my favorite ones. Love that. Most women look
at the ground with a trip and say, oh, it must
have been a stone misplaced or something. I look
and go, you big damn klutz. What the hell? Pay
attention where you're going and learn from it.
Like don't we all went at the at the boutique
when we screw up. We all celebrate it. We go
With everybody so that you don't have to do it
another time You know, and that's I that's my
philosophy on life and I get to speak now at
see solves I'm in all these women's groups these
women's business groups. I'm just getting my
name out there And once you get your name out
there, then you're invited to more things and
it just kind of a roller coaster And it started
off with just one, and here's where it is. Here's
where it ends. You just have an amazing story,
and I just love everything that you've shared
with me. What do you do for fun? Anything else?
You've mentioned some things, but is there anything
else that you enjoy? I'm just high on life, first
of all. As I said, I play tennis. I love to go
to church every Sunday. We go to Gambier. It's
outside, so we can take... I have a black lab.
I love him. He's my child. I don't have children.
Um, I never, I just, I never wanted any, I just
wanted to work and I wanted to make money and
that's all I wanted to ever do. And I have the
most amazing husband in the world. He's got two
kids, so I get to share his children and that's
really fun. And I love to read. I'm a big reader.
I probably read at least three hours a day. Yeah,
it's a lot. And, but it, but I love it. It relaxes
me. Um, it calms me down. and it makes me sleep
better and I'm learning. So I read partly just
fun. And then I read self -help books. I'm like
addicted to self -help books. If somebody comes
out, let them. Have you read Let Them? Yes. Wonderful
book. Yes. Mel Robbins is like, hello, hello.
I listen to her podcast. She's just, she's it.
And I bought her book 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. I'm going
to read that one next. But those are the kind
of books I like to read. And Michelle, what I
do is I bought 10 of those books. So every time
I meet somebody, I just go give them one. What
a great gift. Oh, those are wonderful ways to
share, to give someone some support and encouragement.
There's great information in those books. Like
I was eating at California Pizza Kitchen the
other day and the waitress was absolutely a doll.
And we just got started chatting and she shared
something with me that, oh my... husband's annoying
me to death and I went ran out to the car and
brought her the book and I gave it to her and
I said just let him. I said it's a book that
will change your lives. Yes and it certainly
will for sure. I want everybody to read that
book everybody's listening you agree if you have
it. I think most people have read it already
but in her podcasts I mean they're amazing. Yes
I love her she's just very down to earth just
a no nonsense. I just I love listening to her.
I do too. Swear's like a sailor. She's not apologetic.
If you look up the word authentic in the dictionary,
you should see Mel Robbins. Because it doesn't
get any more real than she is. And that's who
I want to emulate. I want to emulate women like
that. I want to be totally authentic. And in
the store, if a woman comes in and her butt doesn't
look good in those pants, I'm like, you know
what? You're not buying those. I've told women
before, I'm not telling you that. We're going
to find something else that looks better. I'm
sorry. I'm the clothing doctor and we're going
to find something that looks better. They're
like, okay. I love that honesty. And again, real,
just being real with people. That's the best.
Oh, you're just an amazing, amazing person. I
really just thank you so much for you spending
some time with us today and sharing your thoughts
with our listeners. Is there anything else, any
final thoughts you have as we wrap up? Well,
thank you, Michelle. As I said, I was so excited.
And if there's one thing that I said that helps
women today, that that's all I can ask. My prayers
are answered. But again, if you need help, come
into my store. She can't love. I'm there a lot.
And if I'm not there, leave me your name and
number. I'll call. I just I want women to know
there is life after Kisti. Absolutely. Not only
is there life, there is the greatest lives. Because
I am living my best day. My best day in my whole
life is today. Yeah. But you have to put that
up here. You know, I always used to pray anytime
I hear somebody getting cancer. I used to say
to God, God, if somebody's going to get cancer,
let it be me because I really think that I could
overcome it because it's all mind over matter.
And it has such a difference. and if you think
about it's all in your head and if you think
you're sad and you think you're gonna have a
bad day and you think all this that's exactly
you already preplanned it it does it becomes
a self -fulfilling prophecy yeah totally and
you gotta have self -love and you gotta take
care of yourself and you gotta do things that
make you feel better and that's what i would
say to women today um get out there keep moving
sitting around is the worst thing you can do
especially alone Get out there. Go to the beach.
Put your feet in the grass. Put your feet in
the sand. Take a walk. Be with nature. There's
so many things you do. And then go work at the
homeless shelter. Do something where I'm telling
you, the giving back part just feeds my soul.
It feeds my soul. And it's what gets me up in
the morning. Oh, that's so beautiful. Thank you
so much. Outside of the podcast, what is the
best way for someone to get in touch with you?
Where can they find you? You're on Instagram,
right? Reach out to me on Instagram. I'm on Facebook,
either or. Reach out to me there, Share Canada.
And I'm there for you. I can help anybody. Great,
Cher. Thank you so, so much. I really appreciate
your time with us. Thank you, Michelle. and I
wish you the best and I look forward to connecting
with you again soon. I think there'll be many
other opportunities for us to visit. Come on
again. Let's wait and get feedback from this.
Let's see what women want more of and I'm here
for you, always. Oh, thank you so much. Have
a wonderful day. Okay, thank you.