My Story and Experience (the longish version)

After a few years of exploration and ‘getting to know myself’ (a Theatre diploma, working in call centres, and as an English Teacher in Japan), I found my path in innovation after returning to Australia to study a Bachelor of Business Entrepreneurship. 

I worked as an Innovation Catalyst in State Government (yes, that was really my title), then jumped over to the corporate world to work in innovation at Deloitte. It was there I eventually stumbled across the world of 'Design Thinking.' Which I instantly knew would become part of my career.

Around this time, I had a major medical event. I developed blood clots (a DVT in my leg and pulmonary embolisms in my lungs) and ended up in hospital for two weeks, very lucky to be alive at the age of 28. This saw me take deep stock of what was important to me in life and work and I realised the corporate climb life was not for me.

So in 2013 I took the leap from employee to self employed with my first solo business as a human centred designer (including experience design, service design, learning design + customer experience). Here I could really tap into my passion for the human side of business. I lead projects (both as a contractor for other agencies and for myself) with organisations such as RealEstate.com.au, The Department of Education (VIC), Suncorp, Medibank, The Department of Health and Human Services (VIC), Australia Post, City of Melbourne, Engineers Australia, NAB and more.

Forever the personal and professional development nerd, I was naturally drawn to coaching. I completed my first coaching certification, with the view to integrating this with my business experience so I could support people to build impact driven businesses and careers.

For six years I ran a successful business as a solo practitioner working as a coach, facilitator, designer and strategist with both organisations and individuals. Initially starting out in strategy, design and coaching for purpose driven businesses and projects, I slowly branched out towards my current focus of integrated personal and professional development – an approach that considers meaning, wellbeing, fulfilment and impact from a whole work-life perspective.

Teaching meditation later became a part of this journey as I saw the incredible impacts it had on my own life and the lives of others, as a foundation for meaningful personal and professional transformation and growth. I trained in and taught Vedic Meditation for three years before Covid hit and then the birth of my son.

Over the past years I have kicked off a number of projects to help me share my passions. In 2015 I launched The Good Work Revolution podcast, now renamed the Leading Beings podcast – which remained in the iTunes new and noteworthy section for a number of years. In 2018 I collaborated with my dear friend Kate Cashman to create Work-Life X conference - an event to inspire and empower people to take a more intentional approach to how they craft their working lives.

In 2021 I became a Mum to a kind, cheeky, funny little human and scaled back my business so I could both work, and care for my son. One of the things I’m most proud of in my business is being able to financially support my own maternity leave and enable part time work that supports our life.

My experience (and my life) is a living, breathing example of my work and my message – that we can all create work and lives aligned to who we are, our values and how we want to live. Work is changing and we are no longer bound by old, outdated paradigms. Purpose and meaning have power for individuals and organisations. People become leaders by how they show up, not their title. Leadership starts with the self.