Soar Magazine - Special Awards Edition - Issue 3

SA Woman acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the Kaurna land on which we meet upon for the 2022 SA Woman Awards. We recognise their continuing connection to land, water and community. We pay our respects to Elders past and present.

Now in their fifth year, the SA Woman Awards celebrate the achievements of women in business and careers across South Australia. They not only give the winning women and finalists well-deserved recognition, but also a platform and opportunity to showcase their success.

We believe that ‘We Can’t Be What We Can’t See’, and the SA Woman Awards are one way SA Woman is committed to showing that truly, anything is possible as a woman in South Australia.

Every year, we have more and more to cheer about!

The inaugural event was held in November 2018 at the Duke of Brunswick, and brought together sixty women in business. Since then, the SA Woman Awards has become an annual event that is attended by hundreds, as we celebrate the incredible achievements, innovations and impact of women in South Australia.

From start-ups to employees to major businesses and organisations, our Award categories recognise women who are excelling at all different stages of their business and career journey.

South Australia, it's time yet again to shine a light on the incredible women from right around our state. Our allumnae of 2021 are ready to pass the torch, and we can't wait for you to meet this year's finalists, discover more about their unique journeys and reveal the winners of 2022.

From left to right: Deb Penaluna, Yovanka Loria, Emily Bennett, Dinah Thomasset-Hearn, Bec Hardy, Jodie Hawkes, Maggie Dmochowski, Rebecca Wessels.

Absent: Chloe Cocks, Libby Trainor-Parker, Keli Doubikin, Emma Duncan, Sandy Davis.

Photo: Heidi Wolff Photography.

Welcome from Carly.

Welcome to our first ever Awards Special Edition of Soar Magazine, for our 5th Annual SA Woman Awards. It is hard to believe that 5 years ago we had 60 women at our first Awards night - and this year, we have 60 Finalists alone!

These Finalists were chosen from close to 400 applications, that arose out of over 1,200 nominations. And what I can tell you is - the calibre of South Australian women is outstanding, yet it is still vastly underestimated.

And that is why we are here. Because many years ago I didn’t see local women being recognised at all levels.

As a society, we have spent so much time looking abroad for inspiration and knowledge, or have been told success is only found by leaving Adelaide.

We’ve looked to celebrities overseas. We’ve been told by the Eastern states that SA is a ‘backwater’. I've watched young talent leave to head elsewhere, told that’s where the opportunities are. I’ve watched speakers being flown in for events.

But, isn’t it about time we realised and truly recognised the diverse and incredible talent we have right here in our own backyard?

It is our mission to make sure our women and girls are seen. In a big, bright SA Woman spotlight!

The SA Woman Awards are for every woman who needs the recognition, the validation, and the encouragement to keep going. They're for every woman who has a dream, sees this and thinks yes I can. Because if she can, why can’t I?!

They're for every girl, to see these women before them, and know the opportunities that exist here in

SA. They can see the path already paved so they too can soar in the years to come.

Driven, determined, passionate, intelligent, innovative, resilient, leader, entrepreneurial, empowered. These are just some of the words you can use to describe the women you see on each page in this special edition of Soar. With each turn of the page you will be privy to more and more inspiring journeys, and women reminding us of what is possible.

And that, with grit, grace and supporting each other - we can soar together.

I am so grateful and so humbled to be able to throw the biggest spotlight I can find on our Allumnae of 2021 and the phenomenal group of women in business and careers who are our 2022 Finalists. Thank you to our Major Partners, Event Partners, Category Sponsors, Event Partners and the SA Woman Dream Team for helping me make this happen.

I hope that when you read through this special edition of Soar, you'll feel the same awe that we did as we brought it together. And, you're left feeling that all dreams are worth chasing, that all businesses and careers deserve to be celebrated and that if these women can - you can too!

South Australian women, it is your time to shine.

Soaring Together, Carly Thompson-Barry Founder of SA Woman

Meet our Major Partners

LIBBY MARSHALL, TOX AESTHETICS

TOX Aesthetics started in August, 2018, and has just celebrated its fourth birthday! A sought-after clinic, specializing in advanced Cosmetic injectables, PDO Threads, Fat Dissolving and more. Since first establishing, TOX has significantly expanded to over 7 locations. connect with Libby Marshall and discover more about Tox Aesthetics, follow this QR code. DO THE WOMAN MEAN TO THE AND DOWNS OF BUSINESS, HOW DO YOU STAY TRUE

To connect with Maria De Conno and discover more, follow this QR code.

MARIA DE CONNO, FIG TREE DIGITAL

Maria's career has spanned over 20 years in Strategic Marketing and founder and managing director of Fig Tree Digital. A Career Marketer across a range of industries including Banking and Finance, Not for Profit, plus Service and Product based businesses. With her Marketing leadership, Maria founded Fig Tree Digital in 2007 and grew the business to a full-service marketing, creative and digital agency servicing organisations around Australia. Maria is also Deputy Chair of the Australian Marketing Institute Board, Australia’s leading association for Marketers. She is also a Board Member of Northern Community Health and Research Foundation.

// WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO SUPPORT THE 2022 SA WOMAN AWARDS?

Being a major partner of the SA Woman Awards, helps to recognise women across sectors in their achievements.

As a founder and managing director of my own business, I know the commitment and perseverance it takes to lead others and drive change. Many women are quiet achievers and SA Woman gives them opportunity to be rewarded for their work as both finalists and award winners.

Diversity allows us to showcase the variety of voices and faces of business owners, up and coming leaders, and those making change inside companies. That's something I can help support by partnering with SA Woman Awards.

// HOW DO YOU STAY TRUE TO YOUR VISION?

Starting business with clear vision is vital, knowing the organisation's value proposition, and why you exist helps to start the pathway of entrepreneurship.

With the many bumps and curves in the road, there is a dual lever approach of keeping focussed on the day-to-day items that need to be achieved, and then have a long-term look into the future.

Many shiny new things can easily distract from the path, especially in the areas of new technology and marketing.

We keep focussed by being true to the org's brand and specific audiences. Where and how these two match up, is where the vision remains in tact.

// WHAT EXCITES YOU ABOUT THE FUTURE FOR WOMEN IN SA?

Showcasing women in leadership as being part of the standard norms, and not the exception.

This quote says it all. "Diversity is having a seat at the table, inclusion is having a voice, and belonging is having that voice be heard. " Let's work towards this, without judgement or indifference.

EMILY CIARDIELLO, FOIL ME

An SA-based company, Foil Me was founded in 2014 by husband and wife team, Iliano and Emily Ciardiello. Foil Me was created from the desire for hair artists to have access to an easier, more pleasing and luxurious experience in the salon. We are a brand synonymous with innovation, appreciation and integration.

To connect with Emily Ciardiello and discover more about Foil Me, follow this QR code.

// WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO SUPPORT THE 2022 SA WOMAN AWARDS?

As a woman in business, I feel it is important to support other women as it isn't easy for women to forge a path in the business world. SA Woman is such a great organisation that really thrives off of the success of women business owners and founders across South Australia so it is only natural for me to want to support the awards that celebrate incredible achievements.

// HOW DO YOU STAY TRUE TO YOUR VISION?

Staying true to our vision is just that - it is 'our' vision. Not just mine, but the team's too. If our team believe in the vision (of being the most extraordinary hair industry company of the 21st century with artistic, sustainable and efficient hair tools) and our goals surround our vision where we are visibly achieving them every day, then it makes those "downs" a lot easier to overcome!

// WHAT IS THE BIGGEST LESSON YOU'VE LEARNED FROM BEING IN BUSINESS?

To begin your business knowing what your core values are and in everything you do, you epitomise them. Owning a company can be really hard and very unpleasant at times. It can also be exhilarating and awe inspiring. But if you don't stay true to who you are, then you can get lost and you can lead your team into murky waters where it can be too late to find safe ground.

“

HAVING AND REMAINING TRUE TO YOUR CORE VALUES, WILL ALWAYS HELP YOU MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS.”

BELINDA STILES, RIVERLAND MAZDA + EASYWHEELS

Belinda Stiles is a wife, mother of 3 girls (including a childhood cancer warrior), 4th generation family business owner of Riverland Mazda and Rosenthal Automotive, and founder of Easywheels car subscription and car rental, plus Riverland 4x4 and Outdoor with her husband Andrew.

To connect with Belinda Stiles and discover more about Easywheels, follow this QR code.

// WHAT DO THE SA WOMAN AWARDS MEAN TO YOU?

The supportive energy in the room every year is just the most amazing and uplifting experience. It's like nothing I experience anywhere else at events with my peers in my industry. I can't help but leave feeling invigorated and I look forward to being a part of the celebrations every year. Watching the SA Woman Awards grow every year truly warms my heart to see so many women in business recognised, not just on the night but throughout the whole process.

// WHAT WOULD YOU MOST LOVE TO SAY TO THE FINALISTS?

What an incredible achievement! Be so proud of all that you've achieved, we all know it's not been easy. Soak it all in. I'm sure you do what you do for the love and not the accolades but you deserve every bit of recognition you are receiving right now and I hope you are feeling a love that propels you forward.

// WHAT IS THE BIGGEST LESSON YOU'VE LEARNED FROM BEING IN BUSINESS?

Start by starting. There's never a perfect time, everyone has self doubts and it's completely normal. The most powerful thing you can do is believe in yourself, believe in your offering and just start! It doesn't have to be perfect to launch, evolution is natural and necessary and can actually lead to something even more wonderful than you originally imagined. As a perfectionist, this was the hardest thing I've had to learn.

“

SEEING MY SOCIAL FEEDS LIGHT UP WITH NOMINATIONS EACH YEAR IS NOT ONLY A HIGHLIGHT, BUT MAKES ME SO PROUD TO BE A WOMAN IN BUSINESS IN SA AND A PART OF THIS AMAZING COMMUNITY.

The Rise Award

The Rise Award is for a woman who has had a year of growth in their business - including but not limited to their financials, staff and location. This category is for businesses with a turnover of under $200,000 and with more than two years in business.

Proudly sponsored by: Simaru True Care

THE

“AS A PROUD, BORN AND BRED SA WOMAN, I CAN’T ASK FOR A HIGHER RECOGNITION THAN THIS AWARD – THANK YOU!”

Raise a glass to Bec!

Bec Hardy was the winner of The Rise Up Award in 2021. She is a 6th generation member of and the first female vigneron from one of Australia’s oldest wine families, the Hardys. Her Bec Hardy and Pertaringa brands offer award-winning wines from McLaren Vale and other premium regions, with a modern twist on 170 years of winemaking heritage.

A s a proud, born and bred SA woman, I can’t ask for a higher recognition than this award – thank you!

These were the heartwarming words that Bec Hardy's acceptance speech finished on after winning The Rise Up Award in 2021 - a sentiment that had the entire SA Woman team absolutely beaming with pride.

We were keen to talk with Bec more about her journey so far, what's on the horizon for her, as well as what advice she has for other women with growing businesses.

// We celebrated the growth of Bec Hardy Wines last year and your star continues to rise – cheers to that! What achievements or moments are you most proud of in your business?

We’re just really proud that we’re still standing strong!

We figure that if we can take over a company in the middle of a global pandemic, followed by industrydevastating China tariffs - and not only be standing at the end of it, but actually exceeding all our budgets, we’re doing pretty well!

The most significant financial success for Bec Hardy Wines over the past year was a distribution deal into the US in late 2021 - the biggest deal since I took over the Pertaringa brand in July 2020!

This comprised a shipment of more than 133,500 bottles of McLaren Vale Shiraz, Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc and South Australian Cabernet Sauvignon, shipped to the US in November and distributed nationally throughout major retail chains.

// What is your biggest piece of advice you have for other women who are in a growth phase in their business?

My biggest piece of advice would be to focus on building and maintaining a strong and resilient team, and to be ready to change your strategy on the go.

Bec Hardy Wines officially launched on 1st July 2020, when we took over the 40-year old Pertaringa as part of my family’s succession planning.

Starting from pretty much scratch in the middle of a global pandemic, closely followed by the tariffs imposed by China on the Australian wine industry was a challenge to say the least!

But our small team bonded together and pitched in where help was needed, be it in cellar door, production or packing orders in the warehouse. We became great at jumping on opportunities as they arose, developing a strong capability to quickly source and design products to fit most tenders and customer needs.

At the end of the day, we see our team as an extension of our family and by affording them trust and flexibility to juggle family and work commitments, we know that they’ll work harder, and with more passion and loyalty.

// In five years from now, what would you love to be raising a glass of Bec Hardy Wines to celebrate?

In five years from now, I hope to raise a glass to celebrate our new cellar door and associated restaurant, which we are planning to build on a new vineyard property we have

recently purchased in Blewitt Springs. This property is next to our existing Tipsy Hill Estate and will provide the perfect location for a spectacular new McLaren Vale attraction with views across McLaren Vale, the Mount Lofty Ranges and all the way to the sea.

To read Bec's acceptance speech in full, follow this QR code.

Discover more about Bec Hardy Wines at bechardy.com.au

Emily Riggs, Iris & Wool, was the People's Choice Winner of The Rise Up Award in 2021.

THE RISE AWARD

2022 Finalists

What has being involved in the 2022 SA Woman Awards brought to your life?

It has overwhelmed me. I never thought I would be nominated, let alone be a finalist - it is a surreal moment to be amongst all the amazing woman out there making a difference.

What key moments led you to starting your business?

Monday the 8th of January, 2018, is a night that is scarred in my memory forever. Police came to our farm to tell us that my beautiful son Muzz had passed away, he had taken his own life. Then it was my own healing - my inspirational quote is from Maya Angelou "As soon as healing begins, go out and heal someone else."

What is the best piece of advice you’ve received about being in business?

Believe in yourself, back yourself. Don't let the noise drown out your dreams.

What is the biggest thing you have learnt from being in business?

Focus on what is going right not what is going wrong.

What change do you want to see for women in business?

To not be so competitive! Be the woman who straightens another woman's crown without her noticing!

In 5 years from now, what would you love to be celebrating?

To see my resilience building programs in conjunction with Muzzas Happy Hour in schools around Australia.

SUZI EVANS, KAIZEN BUSINESS SUPPORT

My name is Suzi Evans, I facilitate Mental Health First Aid Training and Resilience building programs throughout regional South Australia – rural communities shouldn’t have to wait once or twice a year or wear the costs of travelling to Adelaide for this kind of training. My journey to find my meaning and purpose in life took a direction into healing and learning how to manage my reactions to my emotions through positive psychology and wellbeing. I found it helped me immensely to cope with my grief and decided to become a certified trainer and help others flourish.

To connect with Suzi Evans and discover more about her business, follow this QR code.

SHEREE BOWMAN, TS ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTING

My Business Mission is to provide high quality environmental consulting services to clients across Australia. The Vision Statement is 'People, Place and Purpose'. Where habitat is at the centre and core of the work we do. Habitat takes many forms - where we live and enjoy time, where fauna and flora flourish, our built environments, the future we are building and the sense of home and connection to country. The work is specialised, drawing upon experience of working closely with communities to deliver environmental projects for more than 20 years. I am often engaged as an Ecologist, Botanist, Native Vegetation Specialist (with due diligence and approvals), Project Manager, Engagement Facilitator and a Change Maker.

To connect with Sheree Bowman and discover more about her work, follow this QR code.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve received about being in business?

The best advice I have received about being in business is - never say NO. To not let the 'impostor syndrome' get in the way of the good work I do or could be doing. It's a constant reminder that, with the right structures and tools I am capable of almost anything in my business.

What do you love most about being in business?

I love having the opportunity to deliver high quality services to clients and being personally responsible for the quality of these services. This is important to me. I love that I am gaining exposure to projects, networks and connections through the word of mouth from the hard work and dedication I have put in. I am seeing growth and the recognition of my skills immediately.

I have had the opportunity to work with communities in remote SA in some really special locations and opportunities to further refine my knowledge in natural landscapes and demonstrate my specialist abilities far and wide. The flexibility to work around family and volunteering commitments will always be important to me.

Throughout the ups and downs, how have you stayed true to your vision?

My passion for working with people who manage the environment we live in. 'People, Place and Purpose'. I challenge the 'norm' in the environmental industry. I am forward thinking, outcome focussed and I dissect the many parts of the work I do, to get the best outcome for clients. I have a genuine and active interest in behaviour change and the science behind environmental initiatives and delivery mechanisms. I think laterally and openly when providing sound advice to clients and community. I draw from a very diverse expertise and foundation which provides a unique service to agri-business, utilising innovation and encouraging operational and governance efficiencies. I am highly sought after, from a professional perspective as well as a community leadership perspective with many knocks on the door to partner in local initiatives. This has also given me choice, which has not only helped me document my vision clearly, but stay true to it throughout.

THE RISE AWARD

What key moments led you to starting your business?

I’d worked nearly 20 years at a large company, from entry level position to specialist supervisory role and after my second maternity leave it became clear that I needed a change. That next year was one of the most stressful years of my life which left me feeling quite uncomfortable about working for another employer, so I decided to look into working for myself. Sadly, I’ve since learnt this is quite common for women after maternity leave and I really do hope this changes.

I thought long and hard about my new career. I knew I wanted to feel like I was helping people but I felt so drawn to real estate that I had to choose it. During training, a guest agent speaker asked “So, what is the main thing you’re doing for people when working in real estate?” One other student and I both blurted out “Helping people!” at the same time. It wasn’t until that moment I realised I was actually going into a career where I’d be helping people! So here I am, with my own real estate agency, working from home for that flexibility I need and I’m so much happier.

What do you love most about being in business?

I love the flexibility of working for myself and being able to be present for my family. It’s definitely hard sometimes with late nights, big workloads and deadlines etc, but it still beats my previous working hours. When working full time I worked 7am until 4.15pm or later, and being in a senior role, I was often required to work longer hours. This meant I was dropping babies off at childcare at 6.30am and sometimes not getting back to collect them until nearly 6pm! It makes me want to cry thinking about this now. That’s not the life I wanted and it makes me sad that many women feel the same but have no other option. That’s why my vision for growth involves a team that works from home with the flexibility to work the hours that suit their family.

What has been your biggest triumph in your business?

My biggest achievement is simply getting this business off the ground and to a point where I’m making a profit! One of my favourite sayings is "She believed she could so she did". I have a card with this saying stuck to my work desk. I somehow just knew that I could do this and so I did.

KATHRYN DEAN, DEAN FAMILY REAL ESTATE

Dean Family Real Estate is a boutique real estate agency located in the north-eastern suburbs. Kathryn Dean, the owner and Principal of the agency, is passionate about providing a personalised service tailored to her clients’ needs, which she aims to make as simple and stress-free as possible. Kathryn is passionate about good old-fashioned customer service and providing a professional and affordable real estate service. Kathryn operates the agency from a home office and happily travels to her clients because this reduces the overheads and allows her to operate more cost effectively with better work/life balance for her family.

To connect with Kathryn Dean and discover more about her business, follow this QR code.

What obstacles and opportunities have you found from being a woman in business?

The obstacles for me have also been opportunities.

I am changing the way females approach health and fitness and not many people are talking about this the way I am. So, it has been hard to break though and share a new way to do things.

But, this has also been a great opportunity as I have now had multiple national publications contact me to know more about this, and this has set me apart from other heath and fitness professionals in the industry.

What change do you want to see for women in business?

More women getting the power to do what they thought might not be possible.

If I can do it, anyone can.

Dedication and consistency is what it takes and we can all start something and do what we love if we only allow it to happen.

Also, for women to start to love their bodies and honour their cycles and hormones. It unlocks so many amazing powers and I see all too often women hating on themselves instead of asking the question 'why' and 'how' can I improve this process.

What has being involved in the 2022 SA Woman Awards brought to your life?

I have been involved with SA Woman since 2019 and not only have they supported my journey but I have loved being involved and supporting the SA Woman journey.

Coming out of some low moments lately, seeing the finalist email and the voting open and reading the comments of love and support for me, it has made me fall back in love with the process and honour the ups and downs.

I know I am on the right path and this is only the beginning of my journey.

It honestly has been something I am so honoured to be a part of and I’m so excited to celebrate all the South Australian women at the awards night.

JADE LERAY, BEAUTIFUL BODIES SOCIETY

After being in the fitness industry for over 12 years, not once did anyone mention to me how important it was to look after my hormones and cycle and the impact on women’s health short term and long term. After years of study and multiple qualifications, I now teach and support women to look at health and fitness differently. I am changing the way women exercise, eat and live to be more in sync with their cycles. Getting rid of the period talk taboo and showing women how we can actually unlock the power of our periods and hormones rather than regretting them.

To connect with Jade Leray and discover more about her work, follow this QR code.

THE RISE AWARD

AMANDA GAUCI, INFINITE FLOW

Amanda Gauci is the founder of Infinite Flow, and has extensive training and knowledge in psychotherapies and the esoteric arts, and offers numerous transformative self-development programs. The offerings include multiple energy healing programs, professional group sound sessions, psychotherapeutic sessions, light, sound and energy transmissions, business mentoring, meditation, esoteric training and more. Amanda is passionate about assisting and guiding others on their own unique personal and spiritual development journey as well as helping them achieve their dreams without limitations in both life and business. Infinite flow received a Corporate Vision Small Business Award for Most Dedicated Mental & Spiritual Wellness Practice in 2021.

To connect with Amanda Gauci and discover more about her business, follow this QR code.

What key moments led you to starting your business?

Through my own self-development journey, working with energy healing, psychology and the esoteric arts.

I have literally transformed in this life by making the commitment to myself to heal and expand. This work has changed my life so profoundly and has given me so much passion in life.

I now manifest with ease as a creator being, and I have the gift of being able to be a guide and mentor for others.

I am so passionate about teaching my programs so that they too, can overcome their perceived limitations and rise. This is my life's work, my calling.

May we all be happy and free!

What is the biggest thing you have learnt from being in business?

Oh, so many lessons! The biggest thing for me is balance.

I understand that for me to be able to hold so much space for others, I always need to ensure that my own cup is full.

In order to do this, I ensure that I schedule in a healthy amount of time for me, as well as get a good amount of sleep, eating healthy, regular yoga, meditation and exercise.

This way I can be at my best to be of service.

What has being involved in the 2022 SA Woman Awards brought to your life?

To be embraced by such a wonderful community of women is truly an honour!

It’s a wonderful opportunity to be able to celebrate the achievements of South Australian women and to also be celebrated for the work that I am so passionate about. I am truly grateful to SA Woman Awards and all who have supported and nominated me, thank you.

The Soar Award

A new category for 2022, The Soar Award is for a woman who has had a year of growth in their business - including but not limited to their financials, staff and location. This category is for businesses with a turnover of over $200,000 and with more than two years in business.

2022 Finalists

What is the best piece of advice you’ve received about being in business?

You don't go into business to be the boss, it is important to be part of your team. To invest in your people and technology.

I feel I have achieved this by providing great training opportunities to my staff, team building experiences, adding 10 days of COVID leave pay per employee, birthday morning tea and annual bonuses.

We have invested heavily in technology by installing automated dispensing robotics and are currently installing a packing robot for dose administration aids.

What do you love most about being in business?

LAUREN LAYLEY, STRATHALBYN

AMCAL PHARMACY

I am a dedicated community pharmacist, part of a team committed to serving our community. I am proud to deliver a comprehensive range of healthcare services aimed at preventing chronic diseases and improving the quality use of medications.

I love being able to make an impact on our community. To help navigate our customers through COVID through providing vaccinations and information. Being available to assist in clinical interventions, medication reviews, health promotion, and the screening and management of chronic diseases.

What has been your biggest triumph in your business and career?

Winning the Amcal/Guardian Community Pharmacy of the Year in 2019.

What obstacles and opportunities have you found from being a woman in business, or in your role?

To connect with Lauren Layley and discover more about her, follow this QR code.

Being a role model to my heavily female dominant team.

Employing over 20 women, I am proud to show them how to juggle having a successful career and being a mother. And, to be able to support them to do the same.

What do you love most about being in business?

I love the opportunity to create and to share my creativity and wellness innovation with others. I love helping my patients and guests feel better and get more out of their life. I love being able to bring people into my business and share with them my vision for a happier, healthier, better future and encourage them to share this with others.

I love watching my message spread around Australia and seeing that others are catching onto our brand mission. I love building the business and watching it grow and thrive. I love watching my staff get excited as we grow the business brick by brick, drip by drip. Most of all, I love watching my franchise and licence business partners grow professionally and personally, achieving their dreams through the Dripclub’s franchise model.

What has been your biggest triumph in your business and career?

Being able to balance my career goals with motherhood has been the biggest achievement for me. I was brought up to think you could have one or the other but not both.

Motherhood itself poses unique challenges and when the woman has the responsibility of being a senior executive or business owner it takes it to another level. When you are responsible for a business it is almost like being responsible for another child and family.

Dealing successfully with spot fires when and as they occur is a large part of running a successful business, and when you are the head of that business, this falls on you. Balancing the need to be available to the business as well as your family is a balancing act.

I have worked consciously and deliberately to build support networks around me to achieve this. While it's not always perfect, I have managed to strike a balance to allow me to achieve my dreams professionally while maintaining my relationships with my family which I love dearly and are so important to me.

What is the biggest thing you have learnt from being in business?

Make lists, watch the numbers, fail fast, get up faster, trust your gut, seek expert help when needed, keep connected with your team and always go again. You must have the vision, focus and most importantly strength and determination to keep pressing on when things get tough, the vision to see your end goal and to focus on the steps to achieve it.

KIM RAFFEN, DRIPCLUB

Kim Raffen is an entrepreneur, nurse, mother and passionate health advocate. She has built multiple businesses across the medical, wellness and aesthetics industry, including Dripclub clinics. Kim has worked in medicine, health and fitness and held the role of Safety Systems Specialist in the heavily regulated aviation sector. Kim’s broad experience enabled the development of a fully medically compliant and duplicatable system allowing the Dripclub franchise to scale nationally. Kim boasts 8 Dripclub locations across Australia. Kim is an industry leader lecturing at the Australasian Institute of Nutritional Medicine, and holding the position of regional trainer for an international cosmetic medicine training institute.

To connect with Kim Raffen and discover more about her business, follow this QR code.

THE SOAR AWARD

ALYSSA DE CRISTOFARO, SILK LASER CLINICS WEST LAKES

At Silk Laser Clinics West Lakes, we offer medical grade treatments including dermal therapies, laser, body sculpting treatments and cosmetic injectables. The goal of our business is to make every client feel valued and give a great service with results driven treatments. We want every client to walk out feeling confident in their skin and to be able to embrace their face and body.

What do you love most about being in business and your role?

I am career driven, ambitious and always have my next idea brewing.

I started my career as a registered nurse, then gained specialised skills to work in aesthetics. I then partnered with a great company which has led me to my current position as a director, and business owner.

What I love most about my business/role is that it provides me with financial freedom and my position allows me to make decisions for my career, lifestyle and future, as well as help other women in my team.

What obstacles and opportunities have you found from being a woman in business?

To connect with Alyssa De Cristofaro and discover more about her, follow this QR code.

I have faced challenges in different stages of my business journey from being young and being a woman.

Associating with many professionals in the corporate world, brought me first hand experience of sexism.

Those experiences, though unfortunate, did bring an awareness to me which challenged me to be stronger and more fierce in my presentation, my body language, my speech and my decision making so that I was not unfairly questioned, and instead radiated confidence so that I was not underestimated in my character and potential.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve received about being in business?

Build a strong team. Satisfied and good staff are everything to the business. Their happiness will reflect in their roles and in their service.

In 5 years from now, what would you love to be celebrating?

5 years from now I would love to be expanding in my educational role in growing registered nurses in their skills.

My main goal is to maintain good health and a happy business that allows me to provide for my family.

To connect with Barbara Lightburn and discover more about her work, follow this QR code.

BARBARA LIGHTBURN, MY ABILITY PATHWAY

Hi, I’m Barbara Lightburn, Founder of My Ability Pathway (MAP), a people centred company. I live in the beautiful Barossa Valley with my wonderful husband and super smart Australian Kelpie, Little Miss Darcie. I am mum to 4 and grandmother to 6 active girls. I have spent many years as a business advisor and coach, and have helped hundreds of people bring their business goals to reality. MAP provides a range of services to people with disability, throughout regional South Australia. We have over 35 employees providing services to people in their homes, community, and in 24/7 accommodation services.

What key moments led you to starting your business?

I was completing my Masters of Dispute Resolution where I turned my attention and research to the National Disability Insurance Scheme, critiquing their decision-making processes. At the heart were people living with a disability, their family, and their service providers. In a newly created government service there was no long tail of knowledge, and it showed. I knew I could make a difference, so I quit my job, registered a business name, sent feelers out to my contacts, and set up my business assisting people with complex disabilities. MAP is a Proprietary Limited company with its heart grounded in its values and mission. We are a profitable for Social Good Company.

What is the biggest thing you have learnt from being in business?

Age is not an issue. You are never too old or too young to start something new or to continue to do something

that you love. You are way smarter and braver than you think you are. Doing your own thing is not hard work. It's fun, it's inspiring, it's rewarding. Just have a go, ask for help and become a good delegator.

What change do you want to see for women in your business, industry or region?

MAP has achieved phenomenal growth in all aspects of the business, from the services we deliver to the workforce we have built. We are ambitious leaders and changemakers. We put great value on our employees and the role they play not only for MAP, but the difference they make to our clients' lives.

I see a world full of change in both our industry and across the regions. By focusing on our impact, not our activity, we deliver our services in regional areas so we can redistribute wealth, build culture, and improve living standards for people with disability and the workforce that support them. This is the change that I see.

LEAH BUBNER, BASIC TRAILERS

I am the director of Basic Trailers, a company I took the leap of faith and started in 2018. We manufacture a wide range of Australian-Made trailers with Australian steel. We have experienced incredible growth and have already made thousands of trailers. We currently have around 20 employees but we are eager to expand our premises and our team to help get more of our trailers to our amazing customers across South Australia!

To connect with Leah Bubner and discover more about her business, follow this QR code.

What do you love most about being in business and your role?

What I love most about being the leader of Basic Trailers is the opportunities that I can provide to people throughout all aspects of the business.

From giving customers the opportunity to get a trailer for their next holiday, a mower trailer to start up their own small business, giving our employees the opportunity to make a living, and giving the rare opportunity for women to enter a career in a trade, and an environment that will help foster their development.

What has been your biggest triumph in your business?

What I am most proud of Basic Trailers achieving, is the absolutely astonishing growth that we have seen all throughout the life of the business. The growth that we saw in the first year is what I was expecting in a decade, let alone the continued growth in the years to follow.

This came with what I believe was the achievement that was most impactful to me - manufacturing our 1,000th trailer in early 2020. That was the moment that I realised that this wasn’t some passing phase, this was a business here to stay, and when all of the progress that we had made suddenly became real to me. It helped me realise that our product and service was invaluable to countless people, and that we had

done something great for the community. That was the achievement that stood out the most to me, but we have smashed many records since, going on to over quadruple that figure.

What has being involved in the 2022 SA Woman Awards brought to your life?

As the first award submission since I started Basic Trailers, being involved in the 2022 SA Woman Awards has given me an amazing opportunity to reflect not only on Basic Trailers, but my own life. With how busy life can get, it’s easy to forget how far you have come.

I’ve cherished reflecting on where we started, both ups and downs, where we are now, with growth that far surpassed my expectations after just 4 years, and where we hope to be in another 4. The process has given me reinvigorated hope and ambition for the future.

Along with this, the outpouring of support I have had from my family, friends and customers has meant a lot, and reminded me of the positive impact we have made on the community.

It has been an amazing feeling sharing my story and getting the opportunity to inspire other people, and to show them that they can do anything that they put their mind to.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve received about business?

The best piece of advice I've ever been given in terms of my career is to "Say yes to the opportunities and work out the rest later."

Something I see a lot across startup clients and strategy session clients, is this fear of the unknown and "What if I can't do this and what if I can't do that."

The reality is - things are going to feel a little bit scary at times and growth CAN be scary but it can also be incredibly rewarding too. Sometimes we need to push outside of our comfort zone and just say YES to the opportunities as our mindset can often want to keep us contained within where it feels safe and comfortable.

What obstacles and opportunities have you found from being a woman in business?

The biggest obstacle I have found from being a woman in business is how to build the business simultaneously with being a great mum.

I fell pregnant with my third just as COVID hit and only 9 months into launching the business so you can just imagine my surprise (and delight!). It turned out to be a high risk pregnancy very quickly and I spent the remainder of the pregnancy restricted to bedrest.

This meant that I had to scale the business (from bed!) in order to be able to bring some additional support into the home to help with the children. Nine months later, I ended up having my daughter on the busiest day of the year - Black Friday 2020! This meant I was scheduling emails and activating campaigns from the hospital bed and straight back into it once the baby was delivered!

What change do you want to see for women in business?

I would like to see more of a focus on fostering a high performance culture in business simultaneously with valuing people and their contribution to their roles.

I believe there needs to be more support for CEO's to be able to cultivate better leadership skills which will allow them to be more confident in leading their team.

Leadership is scary for many CEO's and often they can feel uncertain on how to lead their team to success, particularly when it comes to fostering a high-performance culture. I would love to see more education for CEO's in the area of leadership.

OLIVIA JENKINS, OLIVIA JENKINS CONSULTING

A 14x award-winning authority in eCommerce, executive expert Olivia Jenkins empowers female entrepreneurs in the health, beauty, fashion and lifestyle industries to become household names. Holding an MBA in Marketing, 4 digital accreditations and 10+ years of corporate experience working hands-on with top, global brands, Olivia combines her wealth of education and experience to help purpose-driven brands take aligned action towards their ambitious goals. In just 3 years, she’s served 100+ clients, and boasts $33 million in revenue generated between them.

To connect with Olivia Jenkins and discover more about her work, follow this QR code.

The Mum in Business Award

For a woman who is juggling motherhood and business and has shown great growth in their business in the last twelve months.

Proudly sponsored by: Melvory

THE MUM IN BUSINESS AWARD

“I WANT EVERY PARENT OUT THERE WHO HAS A BURNING DESIRE TO START A BUSINESS (TO KNOW)... YOU CAN TOTALLY DO IT!”

Life is what you bake it!

Maggie Dmochowski was the winner of The Mum in Business Award in 2021. She started Adelaide Bakes in 2016 after the birth of her son to teach the skills, techniques and recipes she’d spent 12 years perfecting. Then found her absolute passion in teaching and mentoring bakers! After 4 years of teaching hands-on classes to hundreds of students she went online, to reach more amazing bakers, and impart her passion for the baking industry. Her greatest goal is to inspire and encourage bakers of all levels to try new techniques, and impact and support those who are in the business of baking to maintain high standards in the industry.

Iwant every parent out there who has a burning desire to start a business, who is listening to training and podcasts in nap times, who is making plans while feeding, whose baby isn't sleeping through the night yet, but you have the ambition to start or grow a business, you can totally do it.

After winning The Mum in Business Award in 2021, Maggie Dmochowski's acceptance speech was filled with pride and gratitude, but she also wanted to inspire and empower other parents with the same fire in their belly to go for it.

We wanted to dive even deeper into Maggie's journey of running an evergrowing business alongside her growing family, and the wisdom she can share with other mums.

// The Mum in Business Award holds a special place in our collective hearts, because the entire SAW team know the realities of the business and motherhood juggle! What do you find to be most fulfilling about running a business alongside family life?

I love having something that I’ve created. I’ve taken a series of thoughts from my mind and built a beautiful business that I absolutely love.

The juggle isn’t always easy, but I find it so rewarding, and it’s something I think is a tremendous gift.

I love the flexibility it gives our family, being able to create a schedule that fits our life, and being there for the most important things in life. I don’t have to miss the first days of school or special assemblies; I can craft my week around those special moments.

// Motherhood certainly has its share of memorable moments! What has helped you to stay focused and determined in growing Adelaide Bakes?

I think that it’s so important to embrace the different seasons of motherhood. Even at some of the hardest times, having something for myself, somewhere else to focus and direct my attention, something that was mine and that I felt fulfilled in was a huge help and gave me energy.

I also think it’s great for our children to see us working and to see what it takes to achieve goals or follow dreams; I also love for them to see what is possible because of it.

I love to think that I’ll set an example for both of my children that we can achieve the things we set our minds to and that life and business can be so fun and fulfilling.

// What advice would you love to pass on to other mothers thinking of starting their own business?

The biggest piece of advice I’d love to share is that we’re not meant to be doing this alone - surround yourself with others who are doing it, those who are in it, and who are just a few steps ahead.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions and to take messy action.

Business isn’t always glamorous, and so much happens behind the scenes to keep everything running, especially in the early days.

Well-meaning family and friends who maybe aren’t business owners might

see the challenges and question why we’re doing it. It’s so important to keep the bigger picture in mind.

The path to success isn’t linear, there will be times you want to quit, and there will be successes and curveballs. We might feel like we’re going around in circles at times too, but know that every stage brings something to learn, and that you will learn more in the doing than anywhere else. You’ll also learn more about yourself than you ever imagined.

To read Maggie's acceptance speech in full, follow this QR code.

Discover more about Adelaide Bakes at adelaidebakes.com.au

Beck Woodland, Inky Soda, was the People's Choice Winner of The Mum in Business Award in 2021.

2022 Finalists

What has been your biggest triumph in your business?

My biggest triumph has definitely been hitting the $500k turnover mark working three days a week.

I made myself a promise I wouldn't have my kids in daycare any more than that and being able to achieve exponential growth and stay true to that promise has been amazing.

What is the biggest thing you have learnt from being in business?

That you are going to fail and fail again.

SIAN BURTON

Sian Burton is a Marketing Consultant and Business Coach to female business owners in Private Practice. Over the last five years, Sian has supported over 4,000 practice owners worldwide to identify how to kick start their growth in a way that gives them time back with their family instead of taking it away. As the creator of the Abundant Referrals™️ marketing system, Sian has a tried and tested approach to marketing your practice that is guaranteed to fill your practice's caseload to capacity. An approach that has helped thousands of female practice owners to grow their new client referrals by an average of 75% - some even more.

To connect with Sian Burton and discover more about her, follow this QR code.

Failure isn't what is important, it is your ability to pick yourself back up and try again.

Business is a process of growth. There is no such thing as perfection, just progress.

In 5 years from now, what would you love to be celebrating?

Five years from now, I would love to be celebrating a multi-7 figure business that is supporting thousands of women practice owners to achieve everything they have ever dreamed of in their practice and still being able to be the mama they want to be at home.

To connect with Sally Harding and discover more about her business, follow this QR code.

SALLY HARDING, KX PILATES

Sally is a Mum of two, a proud Master Trainer, and Owner of KX Pilates at Christies Beach - bringing 50 minute, high intensity reformer pilates workouts to the South of Adelaide. KX Pilates Christies Beach is suitable for every body, targeting each client's health and fitness goals with a boutique studio environment, and the ability to adapt to our clientele's needs. KX Pilates Christies Beach is an empowering, supportive and nurturing space, welcoming for everyone that walks through the doors.

What key moments led you to starting your business?

My kids are my why.

Creating a business that was adaptable, flexible and gave me the freedom to bring my children to work with me was key.

Connection has always been a personal daily need, so after so much isolation during the impactful COVID years, it naturally made me want to create a business where I was able to be face-to-face with my community every day - and have the flexibility of caring for my kids/bringing them along as I wanted.

Working from home was never my goal as a Mum in Business, so to teach my children the art of having a impact on others, every day, is so rewarding.

Throughout the ups and downs, how have you stayed true to your vision?

Mentorship and Coaching is something that is so valuable to me in business. It's been something

that's kept me on track and true to the long game. Having a touchpoint weekly, fortnightly or monthly helps me vent the troubles and stresses, while also shifting the goal posts as needed to insure success.

What has been your biggest triumph?

Starting a business is pretty remarkable and scary, however selling my previous business had so much emotion involved, and was a really difficult hurdle to overcome. Being able to sell a business is a huge achievement, and creating something so powerful that someone else wanted to captain the ship, that's something I am so proud of.

What change do you want to see for women in your industry?

Women supporting women is something that will continue to grow and flourish, which is something I'll advocate for daily. The fitness industry needs to see a large fight against diet culture, and more of a emphasis on movement for fitness, mental health and living a healthy, happier life.

What key moments led you to starting your business?

After having my son I decided that I didn’t want to go back to my previous banking role, having no worklife balance or time to spend with my son. Polymer clay became important to me whilst on maternity leave as it gave me a creative outlet to unwind with.

The idea of starting a polymer clay cutter business arose when I was looking for Australian-themed and stud-sized cutters and couldn’t find any. I am now proud to say that I am a self-taught polymer clay artist and 3D printing technician, and have helped to fill this gap in the market. I owe my knowledge and skills to the countless hours I spent researching while breastfeeding so that I had the theory to put into practice during my son’s naptimes. I built my first 3D printer in early 2020 and in November 2020 launched the website for MyClayCo.

What is the biggest thing you have learnt from being in business?

With determination and dedication, we can achieve anything. Three years ago, I had no polymer clay or 3D printing experience - today, I run a successful polymer clay and 3D printing business from a commercially leased studio and employ two other people.

I feel lucky every day that my hobbies - polymer clay and 3D printing - have become my job and that it gives me the flexibility to spend plenty of time with my son.

What obstacles and opportunities have you found from being a woman in business?

My biggest obstacle has probably been managing the business and my son in times of sickness and COVID isolation periods. At times like these I need to drop back to the bare minimum and work smarter. That often means getting up earlier to reply to emails and prepare 3D prints, utilising my son’s nap times to design, and spending my evenings interacting with my customers on social media.

I have also found it challenging to navigate running my own business. I am so grateful to all of the female entrepreneurs and small business owners, as well as the polymer clay community, for being so supportive. There seems to be a special kind of kinship between female business owners. It has not been the cutthroat and competitive world I expected. Instead, these women have been my cheerleaders and helped to spur me on in moments of self doubt.

TEGAN RADLOFF, MYCLAYCO

MyClayCo is a proud South Australian business, selling polymer clay and jewellery making supplies. Their flagship product is their wide range of unique cutters that are all designed and 3D printed in-house. Their cutters are used to create jewellery and homewares by polymer clay artists all over the world. MyClayCo also run polymer clay workshops to teach aspiring polymer clay artists the basics of polymer clay. MyClayCo was founded by Tegan, a self-taught 3D printing technician and polymer clay artist. Her vision is to become Australia’s top polymer clay supplies business and the world’s leading polymer clay cutter store.

To connect with Tegan Radloff and discover more about her business, follow this QR code.

To connect with Katie Bode and discover more about her business, follow this QR code.

KATIE BODE, BEBE LUXE

But to know me is to know my journey over the last 11 years to parenthood, which has truly shaped me. My husband and I have always had fertility issues. During this time I needed a distraction and something else to focus on - if three children weren’t already enough of a distraction! I was focused on something that gave me a creative outlet and I strived to create something that other mothers need. In May 2020, we welcomed our perfect rainbow baby Jack, and also launched Bebe Luxe. Over the last 2 years, Bebe Luxe has grown with my family and I am inspired by my needs as a mother of 4 young children.

What key moments led you to starting your business?

I've experienced many parenting challenges, slowly discovering what works and more importantly, what does not. I found that keeping baby safe from germs, out of the elements and being able to breastfeed while still wearing my regular clothes was a huge challenge. After years of planning, I found the solution, the Bebe Luxe Multi-Use Cover. I am a big believer in colour psychology and the positive effect it has on people of all ages. I found there weren’t many colourful fabric designs available for baby products, so I decided to draw my own vibrant fun designs. From the Multi-Use Cover our range has grown from just baby products to also a picnic range, clutches, quick dry towels and we are about to launch a dog range.

What do you love most about being in business?

I love having the opportunity to be as creative as I like without any limitations. I have been so lucky to meet so many other amazing business women through my interstate travels to different expos. The support and

friendships from the women I have met over the last 2 years has been incredible. I truly believe to be a successful women in life and business, it isn't counted in monetary terms, but on how you conduct yourself to every person you come across. Whether it is a positive or negative interaction, you don't get anywhere in life by pulling those around you down, but by uplifting and supporting each other.

What has being involved in the 2022 SA Woman Awards brought to your life?

It has given me confidence and validation in myself and my brand. I was so honoured to be nominated and then to be a finalist is beyond what I expected. Having a little girl myself, I feel so proud to be a women in business. I have loved showing her all these other amazing women in business and explaining all the different award categories. Being nominated for this award makes me feel incredibly proud to be a mother in business and also to be a small business based in South Australia. Winning this award would make me feel as though I have set a wonderful example for my children that Mums can work, grow and follow their dreams, whilst also being present in their lives.

MICHELLE MAJDER, WORKFORCE EXTENSIONS NORTH ADELAIDE HEALTH

My name is Michelle Majder and I am a 52 year old mother of 7 children ranging from 9-30 years of age. I have been a registered nurse for 30 years, a nursing educator for 15 years and am currently doing a law degree. Workforce Extensions North Adelaide Health is a nursing agency that both Marie Caperna (my business partner and also a mother) had talked about for many years and had a vision that we could provide a high standard of nursing care to the people of South Australia. I have been able to juggle the role of motherhood, a business owner and a nurse - as we all know that behind a strong woman is another strong woman. It is this partnership between two determined women that is making changes to the healthcare industry in South Australia. I also want to recognise the amazing support of my husband, I really couldn’t do any of this without him.

To connect with Michelle Majder and discover more about her business, follow this QR code.

What key moments led you to starting your business?

Workforce Extensions North Adelaide Health was a business in planning over many years. Both Marie and I knew that as two women with strong relationships with staff and students in healthcare, that we could make a difference to vulnerable people in South Australia.

The key moment for us came when we heard and saw elderly residents with a lack of nursing care during COVID, we knew then that we had an obligation to start a nursing agency that provided an individualised level of care for these residents.

What do you love most about being in business?

Both Marie and I now employ a large team of nursing and healthcare professionals that have previously been our students. This has been so wonderful to watch them provide care to the standards that we have been advocating for, for so many years. Working in business gives you the opportunity to provide positive role models for younger nurses who are planning to juggle motherhood and a professional career in healthcare.

What has being involved in the 2022 SA Woman Awards brought to your life?

I am so grateful to have been nominated for this award, as nurses will never tell you they are deserving of this recognition. We nurse because we love it, we want to be a part of a patient going through the journey of their healthcare from start to finish. I want to tell someone that their day will be better tomorrow and that we are there to support them.

The healthcare industry has and is going to see many changes as a result of COVID. Now is the time for women who have a vision to make positive changes to enable the people of South Australia to receive healthcare at the highest standard. The recognition of this award will allow our business to contribute to these changes.

The Empower Award

A new category for 2022, this award is to recognise an organisation that has created a workplace environment that empowers women within its workforce to thrive and excel on their career path.

Proudly sponsored by: Ethical InvestGroup

2022 Finalists

What is the best piece of advice you’ve received about being in business?

You have to love what you do...you have to live it and breathe it and the hard work will ALWAYS pay off.

What do you love most about being in business?

I love through everyone's good times, tough and bad that I can nurture, understand and support a flexible work environment. I realized early on that giving my team their "dream hours" that fit into their life was what gets you a dedicated and committed team even at a small sacrifice to the business at times.

We are women, we carry a big burden of emotions. I love being the person for them that supports that with a chat or salon chocolate drawer!

TINA KELLY, EMBELLISH BEAUTY THERAPY

Located in Glenelg South, Embellish Beauty is a boutique salon that not only makes our clients look but also feel amazing. We hold space for clients to be nurtured, valued and welcomed into our Embellish family. Each service to them is a journey that we deliver results as well as giving them a wonderful client experience in our space. We're known for the love we put into our clients and service.

To connect with Tina Kelly and discover more about her salon, follow this QR code. EMPOWER AWARD

We love celebrating each other and our goals, from a new car, babies, new puppies, new date, nieces, nephews, family successes, partners successes, babies first steps or even if it has to be their dream job. We love sharing and supporting each other.

I am not their boss, I'd like to call myself their support person as well as our amazing Emma that's employed to support the team with me.

What has being involved in the 2022 SA Woman Awards brought to your life?

It has shown me that there are so many incredible women out there, some swimming, some drowning some days...but in this, we are not alone. We are supported and empowered by reading people's stories, ideas, growth and successes.

It made me realize getting back to the basics of community and in the future we can all be supporting each other in business in some way. Ultimately like all that exists in life... everyone needs someone.

What key moments led you to starting your business?

I started making organic body butter for my 2 girls when they were babies and were suffering from itchy, dry and rashy skin.

They reacted to many brands of store-bought creams and after months of crying, bloody sheets and sleepless nights, I decided to combine my pharmaceutical knowledge and the best of natural plant oils and butters to create a soothing cream for my babies.

It was a relief for the whole family when their skin started to improve and was cleared of red, itchy rashes.

What do you love most about being in business?

As a business owner, I wear many hats. Most days I am the Marketing Director – where I plan out campaigns, promotions and create social media content. I genuinely enjoy reels and TikToks (no one would guess that I am an introvert if they watch my videos!).

My team members are such a fun bunch, they love being in the videos too – we enjoy being silly and having fun at work which makes Melvory HQ such a happy place!

Throughout the ups and downs, how have you stayed true to your vision?

I believe that as business owners we should always listen to our customers and our staff.

When I arrive at work, I ask myself how can I be of service to my customers and my staff today? How can I affirm the work of my team members? How can I help them embrace themselves for who they are and help them shine?

By having a heart to serve, I know I can always stay true to my vision.

What obstacles and opportunities have you found from being a woman in business?

I have met people who don't take me seriously - more so because I often have a baby in tow. I take my little ones with me to meetings because I believe in normalising mums in the workforce.

As a woman, I have also found this can be a huge advantage when it comes to making new friends with other business owners. We understand this unique journey and we are able to share the wins as well as the lows with one another.

ELAINE TANG, MELVORY SKINCARE

Elaine is the CEO and founder of Melvory Skincare: a high-performance natural skincare and beauty brand that’s packed full of superfoods and skin goodness to keep your skin clear, hydrated and healthy. She is a pharmacist by profession and is a mother of 3 beautiful children. From very humble beginnings in 2017 selling products at local markets, Melvory is now a global brand with thousands of loyal customers and stockists worldwide. With every order, Melvory donate food to starving children in Nairobi, with extra profits donated to help build toilets and schools for poor villages.

To connect with Elaine Tang and discover more about her business, follow this QR code.

RAQUEL PACICCA, ADELAIDE PROPERTY BROKERS

I am Raquel Pacicca, the Principal, Founder and Co-Owner of Adelaide Property Brokers. A Woman in Real Estate, I want to see the continuation of positive change in how women build industries, show resilience, and inspire young and vulnerable women in the workplace. I desire to continue to build a strong, professional real estate agency, by continuing to build a team of professional and experienced real estate agents. Our desire is to work with likeminded professionals to achieve the growth in our business. As Adelaide Property Brokers is a boutique real estate agency that achieves growth and real estate solutions for our clients.

To connect with Raquel Pacicca and discover more about her business, follow this QR code.

What key moments led you to starting your business?

I wanted to see a change in the real estate industry, including more women in the industry in leadership positions. To build a strong team of professional agents that create positive real estate solutions for our clients.

Throughout the ups and downs, how have you stayed true to your vision?

Dedication, persistence, and an amazing team surrounding me. I cannot forget my management team and family.

Not always looking at the small, everyday obstacles but keeping an open mind and a big picture attitude.

What obstacles and opportunities have you found from being a woman in business?

I find that my obstacles and opportunities were one and the same, being able to relate to clients, support clients through difficult family matters and due to my experience, knowledge and professional career continue to see my client's growth.

What change do you want to see for women in business and your industry?

I would like to see more women in leadership positions, see positive change, innovation, and progressive thinking in the industry.

In 5 years from now, what would you love to be celebrating?

I would like to be celebrating higher percentage of women in leadership positions, see positive and innovation change in the industry by process and Acts. Progressive thinking in the industry.

MAGGIE YARAK, YLP LEGAL - YOUR LEGAL PARTNER

I have been a solicitor for over 19 years and owner of YLP Legal for over 5 years. I am a mum to 2 boys with Autism which has defined the purpose of the firm - helping people navigate life's journey. We are an all female firm advising in commercial law, wills and estates, and family law. With over 60 years of combined experience, we are the only accredited autism friendly firm in SA. Our approach is unlike the traditional law firms and rather we provide a caring approach, honest advice and personalised strategic solutions to legal matters.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve received about being in business?

The best piece of advice I have received is to clearly understand your purpose and ensure this purpose aligns with your business.

I am proud that my purpose is to help others, with a focus on helping the vulnerable and empowering women in the legal industry. This purpose is a key focus in the vision of YLP Legal.

What do you love most about being in business?

I love that I have the power to create my own life and achieve my dreams and goals.

I love that I have created an incredible team and culture that is enviable in the legal industry and one that allows us to support each other.

I love the evolution of the firm over the last 5 years and I am very proud of the goals we have achieved. I am excited by the direction of the firm and the initiatives we are implementing for our team and the wider community.

I love that my team embraced morning huddles to set our goals for each day - I do not know any other firm that does this.

To connect with Maggie Yarak and discover more about her business, follow this QR code.

I love that our client base is aligned with our valuesmakes providing the service so much easier.

I love how my business has provided me with a platform to be able to mentor emerging lawyers.

What change do you want to see for women in your industry?

Having worked in a male dominated industry, where I was not supported as a female and mum to 2 children under the age of 4, there are numerous changes that could have made my journey in business smoother.

A greater understanding, training and awareness of discrimination against women in all workplaces is needed. This should be mandatory in all leadership training and implemented as a core policy in every workplace environment.

A focus on work/life balance needs to increase. The pandemic has clearly demonstrated that working from home is an efficient and viable option for many industries that have traditionally frowned upon the concept in the past. Contingencies in the workplace can be created to deal with disruptions caused by factors such as children, they just need to implement them.

Women need to feel safe and secure that they will be welcomed back after maternity leave in a flexible and inclusive manner. If more women had this reassurance, I believe more women would not only enter the workforce in professional industries but more importantly, they will remain after having children. It is critical this issue is addressed as women's participation in the workforce is an economic and social priority.

THE EMPOWER AWARD

LIZA ZHANG, CHAT WELL ALLIED HEALTH

Chat Well Allied Health provides high quality speech and language assessment, therapeutic and wellbeing therapies for children and young people in Adelaide. At Chat Well, we aspire to help shape a positive future for children and young people who have speech and language differences, and empower them to create lasting and meaningful connections with their communities. And of course, to communicate with confidence. Our team are dedicated and passionate about providing a client centred, strength focused and evidence based service aimed at unlocking your child's full potential. We are based across two sites, Greenacres and Mawson Lakes.

To connect with Liza Zhang and discover more about her business, follow this QR code

What do you love most about being in business?

I love leading a high performance, passionate and innovative team and creating an impactful, meaningful and positive culture within the workplace and community.

Our goal is to leave a legacy at Chat Well, so it's remembered to have provided hope, empowerment and strength to our vulnerable families who anxiously entered our doors, not knowing that they would leave each and every week feeling more confident, empowered and celebrated to support their child's differences.

Our team demonstrate vulnerability and courage by supporting our parents and to view our families in a holistic view instead of just a clinical one. An empowered parent leads to an empowered and confident child. We support and empower the siblings of children with disabilities by ensuring they are not forgotten in this journey, by encouraging them to be part of our journey and show them they are amazing advocates for themselves and their sibling with disability. This is what makes me want to come Chat Well every day.

What has been your biggest triumph in your business?

The biggest achievement in Chat Well to date is the courage, challenges and growth I have seen that my team have taken growing Chat Well and learning from each other. They have taken the courage to grow outside of their comfort zone and become innovators in the Speech Pathology field. From just me in 2020 to a team of 15 (and growing) in 2022, each team member has made a positive impact on our culture and community.

What change do you want to see for women in business?

I would love to show all the other 'quiet achievers' out there that to be a strong leader, we do not have to be loud, boisterous or outgoing and that hard work, passion, quiet confidence and dedication will be as powerful and is as valued.

I proudly call myself a Beta woman and I want to show other Beta multicultural woman, we can be leaders and bloody good leaders at that! I want to show multicultural women and women of colour woman that anything is possible and I am an example of this, to overcome challenges and to come out on the otherwise as a victor with a mindset that is strong enough to break any world record.

Mindset, passion and hard work are the pillars to success. ‘Talent without working hard is nothing.’

- Cristiano Ronaldo

HUB GYMNASTICS CLUB

Hub Gymnastics Club (HGC) is a not-for-profit gymnastics Club operating from The Paul Murray Recreation Centre in Happy Valley with over 750 members. HGC was formed in 1985 and was solely volunteer based until mid-2021 when we successfully moved to a paid employment model ensuring ongoing viability. HGC provides gymnastics services to thousands of children with membership/participation rates increasing year on year. We offer programs to girls and boys of all ages. 95% of our participants are female, 31 of our 38 staff are female and half are under the age of 21 with our Committee also 100% female.

What do you love most about being in business?

Hub Gymnastics Club is like a family to so many people at various times in their lives and to be a small part of that, either through coaching, volunteering, mentoring, or just listening is so rewarding.

We often see children come to us who are timid, unsure and generally very shy. Gymnastics and the programs we run give these children the confidence to do things they wouldn’t normally do and gain the skills required to flourish in any environment. For us this is the most important outcome.

What is the biggest thing you have learnt from being in business?

Don’t accept no for an answer.

There have been so many times where as a Club we could have said it was too hard or there were too many obstacles in the way but we have always, by working together as a team of strong likeminded women, found an alternative solution.

The questioning of why can’t we do this has encouraged us to think outside the box and gain a greater understanding of processes that maybe we

were not aware of or obstacles that we didn’t know would come up. As a Club we have had to make some very strong, bold and brave decisions to get to where we are today, and we like to think that the brave in all our members has helped in some way.

In 5 years from now, what would you love to be celebrating?

As a Club, Hub Gymnastics has gone from strength to strength but there have been some major challenges along the way, including the passing of our beloved friend, coach and mentor, the late Paul Murray.

In order to see Paul’s dream of a multimillion-dollar expansion of our facility come to life, we recently secured Local, State and Federal Funding to the amount of $5.5 million to redevelop the current site, including an extended gym allowing greater expansion and accommodation of our 350 children currently on our waiting list, upstairs viewing area, permanent kindergym facilities and compulsory building upgrades. This expansion would allow us to become the Southern Hub of gymnastics in SA.

In 5 years time, we will be celebrating the completion of this development and the vision that was the late Paul Murray’s come to fruition.

To connect with Kate Howard & Emma Murray and discover more about Hub Gymnastics Club, follow this QR code.

The Emerging SA Woman Award

For a woman with a business under two years old, or who has been in a career for less than two years, and has shown strength, courage and a determination to excel.

Proudly sponsored by: The Picnic Tribe

“IT’S BEEN A BIG YEAR SO FAR IN MY BUSINESS' LIFE WITH SO MANY LIFE LESSONS LEARNT AND THIS AWARD REALLY IS THE ICING ON A PRETTY DELICIOUS CAKE.”

A bright start to business

Emily Bennett was the winner of The Emerging Woman in Business Award in 2021. Emily is the founder of That Hashtag Girl, a marketing consultancy offering content creation, social media and digital marketing strategies, influencer management, copywriting and social media training. They help businesses navigate the world of hashtags and help them focus their energy and resources on the things that can drive their business further.

Ispend a lot of time celebrating the amazing achievements of my clients that it’s quite a thrill to be able to sit back and celebrate my business! It’s been a big year so far in my business' life with so many life lessons learnt and this award really is the icing on a pretty delicious cake.

It was brilliant to hear this in Emily Bennett's acceptance speech after winning The Emerging Woman in Business Award, that this accolade not only capped off her year, but gave her a reason to celebrate her own achievements!

We're keen to tap into why Emily started her business as well as what she has learnt in the early years of her business to inspire others who are also in the beginning stages. A recent management change is also discussed!

// We loved celebrating you and your emerging business last year when you were awarded with The Emerging Woman in Business Award! Can you take us back to before That Hashtag Girl began - what were the key moments that led you to starting your own business?

I had wanted to start my own freelance agency for years but never felt confident to give it a go.

Working in the tourism industry and watching COVID decimate it in a matter of weeks I felt it was time to take my future into my own hands and so I finally decided to make the leap and launch my website.

The website sat live with no promotion for weeks before I even started to tell people about it, let alone find business,

but once I posted about it on my socials it all started to fall into place.

// What would you say to any women reading this who are thinking of taking that same plunge?

I would say that thinking about it is just as important as doing it!

I spent months and months just thinking about what I wanted to do and would talk it out with people I trusted and respected before I finally started out.

From somewhat trivial things like what to call my business to who I wanted to approach to work with, everything took time to work through and those moments weren’t wasted at all.

It’s also so important to find people who you can thrash ideas around with. Having a good cross section of opinions of people that you respect and trust is crucial and will mean you rarely feel alone!

// What are you looking forward to as your business continues to evolve in the coming years?

I’ve recently got a new boss, my newborn son Benny! So, I’m very much looking forward to working out how to navigate business life as a new mum.

I’ve also been looking at my business' offering and I’m keen to extend our services further utilising skills within the team. That will mean that my team can do things that they are good at and love doing while helping my clients, and the business can thrive without me there in the weeds!

To read Emily's acceptance speech in full, follow this QR code.

Discover more about That Hashtag Girl at thathashtaggirl.com

Kristie Kemp, The Picnic Tribe, was the People's Choice Winner of The Emerging Woman in Business Award in 2021.

2022 Finalists

What key moments led you to being in your current role?

I have always wanted to be a nurse ever since I was a child, playing dress ups with my 5 siblings. I was in my final year completing my nursing when I was suddenly diagnosed with epilepsy and had to cease studying.

After 9 years of being a patient, I went back to study to finish my nursing degree and although this meant I had to redo all my nursing studies, it was worth it. I am now living my dream as a registered nurse with the understanding of what it is like to be a patient.

What has been your biggest triumph in your career?

I would have to say completing my studies no matter what barriers were placed in my way and becoming a registered nurse would be my greatest triumph. Especially this year when I completed my post graduate studies in renal nursing whilst being 32 weeks pregnant, in ICU with COVID for 5 days then a further 9 days in hospital, then giving birth to my baby girl early only to submit my final essay and complete the course.

It shows that with determination and support anything is achievable.

What is the biggest thing you have learnt?

I have learnt that the impact one person can have on another cannot be underestimated. It may sound corny but something as simple as listening to someone and being that ear can have a huge impact on someone’s wellbeing.

As a nurse I find this is so important, when you truly listen to someone’s story, the challenges they face and what they think/feel, you gain valuable insight into the person as an individual and have a much better ability to help that person and deliver the care that the person needs.

KATIE CROSS, SA HEALTH

Katie Cross is a mum of three beautiful children (one born in May this year), who works as a Registered Nurse in a dialysis ward and has a passion for providing the most up-to-date renal knowledge to her patients. She completed post graduate studies in Renal Nursing in June this year with the goal of providing that knowledge to her patients and to improve health outcomes for patients with end stage renal disease.

To connect with Katie Cross and discover more about her, follow this QR code.

What key moments led you to starting your business?

My story is like an Eton Mess; a sweet dessert invented by a hyperactive Labrador who squashed a strawberry pavlova in a picnic basket...

In 2020 I brought Your Estate Lawyer to life after losing my "real lawyer" job. Along with the need for an impressive wardrobe of power suits, losing my job also meant completely losing trust in the disputes focused legal industry.

After drawing up thousands of wills that were designed to set families up to fail, or defending wills written to be used as a weapon after death, I felt people deserved better.

From my very first client I have been firmly focused on preventative law; using my legal experience for good not evil by helping people change their minds (not their hearts) about what kind of legacy they want to leave behind.

Creating a business where my chaotic Labrador personality is let off the leash and is allowed to put its muddy paws over all things, which makes people feel comfortable enough to talk about the hard thing in life, is the fresh strawberries in the sweet pavlova mess.

What is the biggest thing you have learnt from being in business?

I am enough.

My entire life I've been told I'm too much; too big, too loud, too sassy, too smart, too emotional, too sweary, too funny (ok, so nobody ever told me I was too funny)...

Birthing Your Estate Lawyer has taught me I am all the things I need to be to achieve what I want to achieve in business and life.

In 5 years from now, what would you love to be celebrating?

I can't wait to be celebrating the normalisation of end-of-life planning and talking about death no longer being considered a conversation to be had in hushed tones behind closed doors.

I'll be celebrating bringing Morty (my digital safe deposit box) to life, Mortified (the death conversation card game currently in development), This Is Your Death (where unsuspecting punters are faced with tricky questions about their life), Death Over Dinner (where you eat and I talk), and all the other crazy death normalising things I have swirling around in my brain, to life.

Most of all I'll be celebrating all the lawyers who have flipped the bird at disputes focused law and come towards the prevention focused light.

FIONA SHILTON, YOUR ESTATE LAWYER

Fiona Shilton is on a mission to stop people from making a mess of their death and lining the pockets of dispute-focused lawyers. As Your Estate Lawyer, Fiona is changing the conversation around death with down-to-earth, client-focused, BS-free, comedy-rich, in-yourhome estate planning, estate administration and death coaching. Fiona’s unique and bighearted approach to discussing life's significant issues has helped make end-of-life planning a safe, empowering, and life-changing experience for hundreds of families and individuals across Adelaide and the Adelaide Hills who now consider themselves card-carrying members of the Strong Willed movement.

To connect with Fiona Shilton and discover more about her work, follow this QR code.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve received about being in business?

Having never had close family or friends in business, I didn't realise that starting a business could be a viable option for me. I believed I needed a business degree or much more financial capital to even start.

The best piece of advice I received was from my mentor and previous boss, Matt Waller, who called me on a day that I was wallowing around after losing work (with another employer) to COVID. He simply said "Just start your own business!". I Insisted that I couldn't, but he insisted harder that I could. "You don't need much money. Just start small and build it bit by bit!". And so I am. Sometimes we just need that permission to go after what we want, and I love now being able to pay that forward by giving other women permission to take time for themselves through outdoor adventure.

What obstacles and opportunities have you found from being a woman in business?

The beauty and opportunity I have found in running a business in South Australia is that we are all about networking, collaborating, and helping each other to raise the profile of not only our businesses, but also of our wonderful state. Starting out in business felt very lonely, but it now feels like I am a part of many supportive communities such as SAW, the Tourism Industry Council of SA, the Outdoor Education industry, groups of wellness coaches, and women's networks like The Spence Club. It has been beautiful to use business to work with likeminded women to achieve shared goals.

What change do you want to see for women in your industry?

I would firstly love to see more First Nations women leading outdoor experiences, and I hope to be part of that movement in offering traineeships and opportunities to help facilitate this.

Secondly, I want to see more women in leadership roles within the outdoor field, so that there will no longer need to be fringe or niche groups like "She Paddles" and "She Sails" to encourage women into outdoor clubs, because the culture of clubs will be authentically welcoming to all genders.

Thirdly, I would love for all tourism to be "sustainable tourism", so that it is no longer seen as an additional badge of honour for businesses. Contributing meaningfully and positively to people and planet should be the standard for any business to operate, and I believe we are slowly, but surely moving in that direction.

ELISE LAVERS, ENLIVEN OUTDOOR ADVENTURES

Enliven Outdoor Adventures aims to inspire, lower barriers and create opportunities for women and girls to get outdoors. We want to help more women to reap the benefits of outdoor adventure for their body, mind, soul and planet. By having positive experiences in nature, our guests will then have a greater affinity with nature, and will be more inclined to help protect it. We fulfil our aims by offering small-group and beginner-friendly stand up paddle boarding, kayaking and bushwalking experiences, lessons and retreats for women in stunning South Australian locations such as Ngarrindjeri, Kaurna, Meru and Adnyamathanha Country.

To connect with Elise Lavers and discover more about her business, follow this QR code.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve received about being in business?

Believe in yourself and your magnetic magic. Magic takes courage, so be brave and show everything.

What do you love most about being in business and your role?

I love meeting new people and showing them how wonderful The Park and our region are.

I get so much joy from watching the positive flow on effect from the great work we do at The Park to our community.

I get comments from community members and business owners congratulating me on what I have achieved and thanking me for the benefit that our community is experiencing from our increased business.

I cannot help but walk around with the biggest smile on my face.

I love being a positive role model for my children, especially my daughters. Showing them that they can be an awesome boss lady whilst having fun when they are older.

Throughout the ups and downs, how have you stayed true to your vision?

I am incredibly fortunate to have found inspiring like-minded friends and staff along with my family who have all been (and still are) supportive of my business and its future vision.

Everyday, this supportive community I have surrounded myself with keep me in-check and help steer me back on track when I start to stray from my vision, which can creep up without warning when you live a busy life as I do.

I am open and honest and willing to seek support from my community.

I keep my business plan close by and evaluate regularly to ensure my decision making is in-line with The Park's mission and vision statements.

ALI COOPER, THE PARK JAMESTOWN

Nestled on the banks of the Belalie Creek underneath magnificent River Gums, The Park Jamestown is a place of tranquillity where guests can unwind, reconnect, and explore. Just 200km north of Adelaide, The Park offers a variety of accommodation options from caravan/tent sites, studio cabins, family cabins to high-end villas. Our friendly staff are ready to welcome you on your next getaway to the Southern Flinders Ranges.

To connect with Ali Cooper and discover more about her business, follow this QR code.

The First Nations SA Woman Award

For an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander woman who has had a year of growth in their business (for both new or established businesses) or career.

Proudly sponsored by: Robyn Verrall

Proudly sponsored by: Robyn Verrall

THE WOMAN AWARD

“THIS IS FOR THOSE WHO WALK IN TWO WORLDS EACH DAY AS THEY SEEK TO HONOUR THEIR CULTURAL IDENTITY WITHIN THEIR PROFESSIONAL ONE.”

Stay true to yourself

Rebecca Wessels was the winner of The First Nations Woman in Business Award in 2021. She is the founder and CEO of Ochre Dawn, a specialist marketing and branding business. Combining skills from her past careers in IT and Community Services with her passion for preserving language and culture, including her own Peramangk and Ngarrindjeri heritage, Rebecca advocates for the rights of First Nations artists, businesses and communities through her business and in her wider contributions to the community. Rebecca is a former Chair of Tandanya National Aboriginal Cultural Institute and a current Board Member for both Maxima and Ronald McDonald House Charities SA.

This award is a moment to reflect on where I've come from and where I'm going. I'm proud to be a First Nations business woman. I'm proud to win this award. I would have been equally proud to have cheered for either of my sistas to win in my stead.

Rebecca Wessels acceptance speech left us applauding for her yet again. You can feel the gratitude and grit she has, and the journey she's been on to reach this point - one that has had its challenges and cheerleaders.

And, there's plenty more to come from her, as we discover here.

// It was such a brilliant moment of solidarity, seeing you arm in arm with your fellow finalists last year. Since then, what have been the highlights for you in 2022?

One of the biggest highlights was finding a beautiful office space on Kaurna Country in Mile End. The new space affords us the opportunity to take Ochre Dawn to the next level in terms of team size, flexibility of space, warehousing and potential for in-house events and training. The location and space will enable us to better serve our clients, increase our capacity to serve current and new clients as well as to continue to grow in every way!

This growth into a new office space has been accompanied with taking on some new superstars in our team. Which is good because we have been B-U-S-Y! We’re chuffed to have new faces and personalities with us and are enjoying an ever-increasing family.

In terms of growth and freedom, I have also greatly appreciated being able to travel and be active in trade fairs and other interstate opportunities. Travel used to be a functional norm for our business model, but it’s been a real highlight to return to these opportunities with freshness and renewed, extroverted enthusiasm!

Particularly as a First Nations business, I have been so deeply delighted to see how the Reconciliation movement continues to grow. We have more clients looking into what a Reconciliation Action Plan could be for them.

Journeying with people through these processes is such a satisfying part of my working world as it demonstrates real change.

// What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received about business?

Don’t shy away from potential failures. Failure can show that you’re challenging yourself and trying something new. It’s an indicator that it didn’t work this time, but maybe it will if you learn from the experience and tweak your mode a little!

In saying that, it’s vital that your support network is both supportive and experts in their field.

They’ll help you have confidence in knowing what risks to take – and when - as well as how to recover if the first try doesn’t succeed. They’ll help dust you off and encourage you to have another go at it, time and again.

// What would you love to pass on to other First Nations women to help them thrive in their business?

Ground yourself. Connect with your Elders and community to stay true to what you stand for. Get educated when you don’t have all the answers, create a safe space for that learning, be present in the moment, be gentle and kind to yourself and others. Acknowledge your challenges and strive for the success. Your foundation and community will be behind you.

To read Rebecca's acceptance speech in full, follow this QR code.

Discover more about Ochre Dawn at ochredawn.com.au

Bianca Stawiarski, Warida Wholistic Wellness, was the People's Choice

Winner of The First Nations Woman in Business Award in 2021.

2022 Finalists

What is the best piece of advice you’ve received about being in business?

There are 2 pieces of advice that have always stood out for me. The first was, “If you want to work and be successful In the arts industry, you need to be an interrupter, and develop your own style, something that people haven’t seen before, something that becomes identifiably you". And the second valuable piece of advice was “If you want your art/business to support you, you need to be innovative across several mediums, and not depend on one medium or product to pull your entire income stream”.

What do you love most about being in business?

DE GREERYINDIMINCARLIE, YINDI ARTZ

De Greer-Yindimincarlie is a proud Wiradjuri woman from Central Western NSW, and the owner of Yindi Artz - Authentic Aboriginal Creations. Based on beautiful Kaurna Yerta (Adelaide, SA), Yindi Artz specialises in Reconciliation Action Plan artwork development and layout, graphic and textile design, film editing and filmmaking, audio recording, music performance, Aboriginal paintings, workshop delivery, product design, voice overs, coffin painting, and handmade resin and wood jewellery. Yindi Artz strives to provide a product, experience and interaction from the oldest living culture on earth. One that stays with you, and one that serves the philosophy of ‘Excellence makes you Unforgettable’.

To connect with De GreerYindimincarlie and discover more about her business, follow this QR code.

What I love most about being in business is that you can tailor your business to fit your lifestyle. I love being able to create and make stuff. I love being able to take someone's concept and bring it to life, and I love seeing the look on my clients' faces when their final product far exceeds their expectations. I love being able to touch people emotionally and have a lasting impact on their lives because they wanted to know/ learn more about my culture, I love being able to create anything that I can think of, I love being able to be in control of my own destiny, I love the freedom that working from anywhere I want/need gives me, I love being the creative mind behind many different organisations and businesses, I love telling people that I work for myself, I love encouraging people to follow their dreams and work for themselves, I love having a successful business, I love being kind and paying things forward, I just absolutely love what I do.

What obstacles and opportunities have you found from being a woman in business?

Being an Aboriginal woman at times has certainly been an obstacle. Sometimes some people in society unfortunately have an amount of mistrust because of my culture, and I have encountered this several times, but I always deliver on, and operate my business with honesty and integrity. This has also presented itself as an opportunity for me as well, an opportunity to excel in business and to be excellent at what I do…which I am. Also due to my self determination and wealth of knowledge about my industry and field I am considered to be an ‘expert’ in it, and in what I do, and I have worked very hard for that reputation, and that makes me very proud.

What led you to start your business?

With many years experience in the Government, University and Community sectors, the obvious gaps were deafening and the opportunities to versatilely support large or small scaled organisations via an independent Aboriginal consultancy were aloof.

As a Mother to an ever-growing young Aboriginal male in Australia, my obligation to enact immediate change was obvious!

Whilst seemingly farfetched to some, my goal to make this world a better place for him became a priority, as the horrific statistics of disadvantage in all aspects for Aboriginal Australian males in this Country is terrifying. Which is why Nik&Co. Consultancy are progress focussed in supporting any sectors interested in commencing their journey of reconciliation.

Throughout the ups and downs, how have you stayed true to your vision?

Despite adversities, I recognise that I am fortunate to be able to influence genuine change for First Nation communities, this is what I love most about my business along with its rapid uptake in various sectors. I have the utmost respect for my culture and appreciate that my Ancestors have blessed me with gifts of strengths in being vulnerable with mainstream sectors, who often translate our interactions to heartfelt insights of truth telling which then often leads to inspiration and motivation to enact systematic change. This is my purpose.

I also appreciate the direct role modelling I’m having on my son, I love that I am opening new doors of opportunities that many before me couldn’t as they were understandably in “survival mode” due to colonisation, however I am grateful that I am now in a position to role model a “survive and thrive” approach. My son, my family, my Ancestors, my culture and community keep me focussed and true to my vision.

In 5 years from now, what would you love to be celebrating?

I’d love to be celebrating common inclusive education and awareness across sectors, specifically the understanding that Aboriginal matters require Aboriginal voices at the table.

I’d love to be celebrating more Aboriginal entrepreneurs, as this is instinctively a foreign world due to the impacts of colonisation however is becoming a much more saturated industry for Aboriginal peoples.

I’d love to be celebrating more organisations engaging Aboriginal consultants to guide the build for our futures! I’d love to be celebrating co-designed solutions and codesigned frameworks by sectors working “with” Aboriginal communities and not “for” or “at”, working “with” us is far more advantageous. The pathways created, the footprint and role modelling demonstrated by Nik&Co. I’d love to be celebrating Nik&Co’s expansion and ongoing success!

NICOLE GOLLAN, NIK&CO. CONSULTANCY

I am a proud Ngarrindjeri woman. At Nik&Co. Consultancy, we transform lived experiences for First Nation communities by interweaving genuine reconciliatory practices into corporate and community settings. We recognise that since colonisation, successive government policies have systematically disadvantaged and marginalised First Nation communities who, as a result, remain the most significantly disadvantaged group in Australia. Disproportionately affected by poverty, unemployment, chronic illness, disability, lower life expectancy and high levels of incarceration. To support the closing of these vast gaps, we are a consultancy that delivers tailored, timely, culturally inclusive, practical solutions that become embedded in an organisation's structure to enable sustainable, lasting impacts for both current and future generations.

To connect with Nicole Gollan and discover more about her business, follow this QR code.

To connect with Amanda Westley and discover more about her art, follow this QR code.

AMANDA WESTLEY, AMANDA INDIGENOUS ARTIST

I am a proud Ngarrindjeri mi:mini (woman) and artist. My art is of Ngarrindjeri ruwi (country) and creation stories. My business is not just the sale of art, I use my business platform as an educational tool and to help pave an easier path for future Indigenous generations.

What key moments led you to starting your business?

There was one huge key moment that led me to starting a business and it was after my daughters disclosed to me that they were sexually abused by my then partner.

I found myself a single mum and having to find a way to not only support my kids financially but also physically and mentally, by turning my art into a business I was able to work and stay home and help guide my children through the trauma and the begining of their healing process.

What obstacles and opportunities have you found from being a woman in business?

So many great opportunities because there is such a huge market for Aboriginal art.

It has also allowed me to be a part of art projects within my community that will be on display for

100+ years as well as the opportunity to help other Aboriginal communities by giving back.

Obstacles would be things like racism, tokenism, colour blindness, white privilage, white fragility and having to risk a wrath to speak truth and fight for change.

What change do you want to see for women in your industry?

The biggest change I would like to see in my industry would be the support.

I would like to see more of it.

This support is the type that comes from educationan education that involves non-Indigenous Australia as well as Indigenous Australia unlearning and taking it upon themselves to learn the truth and have conversations.

I am a hugely vocal about Indigenous Australia recieving a colonial education so they must also do the work of relearning, I too am constantly learning.

What key moments led you to starting your business?

I saw healing very differently to others in the mental health field; where power imbalances are rife and people are expected to abdicate their healing journey to someone else, the ‘expert’. This went against everything I knew and authentically felt. Instead of dysfunction, disorder and ‘sickness’, I focused on connection, relationship and journeying together.

Many services re-traumatise and isolate individuals forcing the healing space inside a room; rather than removing the walls, connecting to Country and bringing them back into community as my Badimaya ancestors have done for millennia. I wanted people to understand and experience that healing in connection, through an Indigenous healing practices approach was powerful, supportive and suitable for all people, not just First Nations.

In 5 years from now, what would you love to be celebrating?

5 years from now, I will be celebrating our vision of being a globally preferred place of decolonised healing and trauma-informed, culturally integrated system change aproaches for both community and the top 10% of some of the world's wealthiest and most influential people.

I will also be realising my dream of authoring / coauthoring many more international publications, travelling the world doing what I love.

I will also be celebrating better balance by working less.

What has being involved in the 2022 SA Woman Awards brought to your life?

As with healing, being a woman in business and part of the SA Woman Awards isn’t something that needs to be categorised.

These awards recognise the incredible diversity of businesses that women in our state offer, with many of us juggling the challenges of families and business.

These awards recognise the various hats that we wear, and places us firmly in the centre of our families AND business, NOT one or the other.

The SA Woman Awards comes with this incredible support network of amazingly talented and diverse women, all striving to change the world, themselves, their families and communities in some way.

The awards recognise that we are part of a movement of business change where we don’t have to choose but create business spaces that work for us and our families.

BIANCA STAWIARSKI, WARIDA WHOLISTIC WELLNESS

Bianca Stawiarski is a strong Badimaya (Badimia) and Ukrainian woman, committed to driving community change through decolonising mental health and wellbeing spaces on a global scale. Her certified international Indigenous social enterprise, Warida Wholistic Wellness, brings a balance between western clinical qualifications and her Indigenous healing side, offering decolonised and system change approaches, empowering a diversity of women to embrace healing on their own terms, outside of four walls. Bianca is also a best-selling and international co-author. As part of her life's work, she is also exploring Ngardi Guwanda (deep listening), Indigenous Healing and lived experiences of dissociative identity disorder.

To connect with Bianca Stawiarski and discover more about her work, follow this QR code.

The Regional SA Woman Award

For a regional woman who has created a thriving business or career and is an advocate for her community.

Proudly sponsored by: Beaumont Solutions

“I AM SO PROUD OF WHAT I HAVE ACHIEVED OVER THE LAST 15 YEARS... (WITH) ALL OF THE CURVE BALLS LIFE AND BUSINESS THROWS AT YOU ALONG THE WAY.”

Be proud of yourself!

Sandy Davis was the winner of The Regional Woman in Business Award in 2021. Sandy is the owner of Davo's Deli in Parndana, on Kangaroo Island. Her aim is to provide all the community needs, from everyday takeaway and groceries to external catering and then they've also got the local post office services as an added bonus.

As every person in business knows it takes more than one to make a business, it takes a team. Whether they are staff, family, or friends it takes a team. I have surrounded myself with supportive, honest and driven people who continue to inspire me with what they achieve and that helps drive me to push myself in so many areas of my life. I am coming into my 16th year of being a business owner and I still aim to grow, learn and better my management skills, my business and networking skills and my leadership skills. I cannot express how important self development is.

Sandy Davis' acceptance speech was overflowing with pride and home truths, and she had the entire SA Woman community nodding their heads in agreement.

We absolutely loved the closing remark that Sandy made in her speech, "Lastly I’d like to thank that one man who in 2007 came into the shop in my first week of business and heard we were making some changes and told me I’d never make it work. Thankyou for unleashing the most stubborn part of me and that’s the part that when someone tells you you can’t, it so much more enjoyable when you do."

We are now eager to talk more with Sandy to hear how business and life has been on the Island, and what she loved to share from her years of experience as a regional woman in business.

// We were so grateful you could be in Adelaide with us to accept your award last year! From bushfires to lockdowns to everything inbetween, it’s been such a challenging few years

for everyone on Kangaroo Island. How has the past year been for Davo’s Deli?

I think for us the last year's most challenging part has been the continual change of needs for our customers and community.

Realising and strategising to get the best from our business and continue to service our community as best we can.

// Looking back, what is the best piece of advice you’ve received about being in business?

Supporting and appreciating your staff as much as anything else goes a long way in business.

You can’t do it on your own so take every opportunity you can to show them you see what they do and appreciate what they do.

// What would you love to see improve for regional women in business?

I think it’s just the support and belief in what we are doing for our regions.

Support for each other and belief in ourselves.

Belief in how much we can achieve in every day on top of all other daily expectations.

Let’s recognise how well we compartmentalise our lives between family, social and work and how we smash it all the time.

To read Sandy's acceptance speech in full, follow this QR code.

Discover more Davo's Deli at facebook.com/davosdeliparndana

Alison Meaney, Bukirk Glamping, was the People's Choice Winner of The Regional Woman in Business Award in 2021.

2022 Finalists

What is the best piece of advice you’ve received about being in business?

There are no problems, only opportunities. Everything comes down to the way you choose to look at it.

What do you love most about being in business?

I love the diversity of clients and the type of work we get to do.

It is so exciting to partner with business owners who have a huge vision and need the help and expertise to pull it off.

Not only does this mean we get to celebrate the wins in our own business but we become a part of our clients success as well.

That would be what you call a 'Win, win!'

What has being involved in the 2022 SA Woman Awards brought to your life?

Encouragement. Renewed passion to keep pushing hard for my dreams.

Depth of thought around our brand and how I want it to keep growing and evolving.

New-found respect for all the other amazing businesswomen we have in our awesome state.

A sense of pride.

I hadn't really thought about how amazing it is to have gotten as far as I have in my business and as a leader in my community - until my mum wrote on my Facebook post announcement "Well done. May you go all the way. Vote for her as a champion of women's futures", and then I realised the impact I have had and the path we are all forging for future generations.

Humbling and so amazing!

SHARNI-MARIE BARNEY, FORJ MARKETING

Forj Marketing is a strategic marketing agency that partners with businesses and organisations that are focused on growth to bring their ideas to life and establish them as influential brands in their specific market place.

To connect with Sharni-Marie Barney and discover more about her business, follow this QR code.

STACEY PHELAN, COMMERCIAL HOTEL STRATHALBYN

What started as weekend work experience at my uncle’s country pub in the late 90’s, quickly turned into a career path - and I’ve never looked back. After soaking up knowledge in the hospitality industry for over 20 years, in 2016 at 34, I left my Hotel Manager role and took the leap, purchasing the leasehold of The Commercial Hotel Strathalbyn. My drive for my business comes from the feeling of making others feel great. Simple as that!

What is the best piece of advice you’ve received about business?

Always back yourself and your decision. Share your experiences of the endeavours that didn’t take off how and be proud of taking the chance. I have learned just as much from my failures as I have from my successes. Bite off more than you can chew, then chew like hell.

What do you love most about being in business?

The best thing about being in country pubs is having the ability to make a positive impact on someone’s life – it could be in that moment or even on their entire life.

Hospitality is a challenging industry, but you won’t find one more rewarding and with such comradery. My team and my locals are my family. I get to celebrate their happiest moments but I also get to comfort them through the hard days.

In 2020, this love for my community and its people, led me to fighting for better ambulance and Paramedic services for our town – a fight that brought the government to task in 2022, forcing them to act and commit to more services for our town. Being a country publican gives me the opportunity to connect to my community and advocate for them

every day – there is no other career like it. What has being involved in the 2022 SA Woman Awards brought to your life?

I have put in the blood, sweat and tears to grow my hotel and its brand, and it's easy to measure its financial success, in its growth.

However, this is the first time that I have taken a minute to recognise my own achievements and what I personally bring to my company and my team, as a SA Woman in business.

Upon sharing the news of being a finalist for the SA Woman Awards, I have received immense support and congratulations – it only makes me wonder why I waited so long to celebrate my own accomplishments, because doing so is overwhelmingly uplifting!

Working through my own growth and abilities in this process has given me the confidence to continue my dream – to own more than one pub. This is now in the pipeline for later this year.

Thank you, SA Woman, for reminding and inspiring not just me, but other women, to chase our dreams. Not just because we can and deserve to, but because we are brilliant at it!

To connect with Stacey Phelan and discover more about her business, follow this QR code.

KALSEY-ANNE FEAR, RIVERLAND VETERINARY PRACTICE

I have worked at the Riverland Veterinary Hospital for 16 years, initially as a Kennel Hand before completing further study which allowed me to progress as a Veterinary Nurse, an Accredited Veterinary Nurse, and then to my current role of Assistant Manager. We are a privately owned mixedanimal veterinary practice, providing care to animals of all sizes. Our clinic operates a 24/7 Emergency Hospital and services an area of 31,000km2. In my current role I have helped organise several programs to make veterinary care more available and more affordable, specifically for those who are homeless or low income.

To connect with Kalsey-Anne Fear and discover more about her practice, follow this QR code.

What key moments led you to starting your business?

Due to external factors, I made the decision to drop out of school at the age of 16, and found myself searching for a full-time job. I was connected to the Veterinary Clinic through a job provider and offered a position as a Kennel Hand. I had always loved animals, and from beginning at the Clinic, my passion for animal welfare grew. From there, I was supported by the Clinic to enrol in further study, and upon completion I was hired as a Veterinary Nurse within the clinic. Over my 16 years (and counting) I have shown passion and diligence in my work, which has led me to be offered the position of Assistant Manager, which is my current role. Through progressing, as both a Vet Nurse and a leader, I have also gone on to pursue other animal welfare projects outside of work.

What has been your biggest triumph in your career?

The biggest triumphs in my career have been implementing and sourcing funding to make routine veterinary care more affordable to my community, as well as working together with Safe Pets Safe Families to set up pop-up veterinary clinics in the community to provide free veterinary care to low-income earners, the homeless, and those at risk of homelessness.

What change do you want to see for women in your region or industry?

The Veterinary Industry is female-dominated, and the majority of industry professionals I work with are female peers. However, the Veterinary industry is also notorious for negatively affecting mental health, with research showing that those who work in the industry are four times more likely to take their own life than those in the general public.

Moving forward, I would like to see changes implemented to assist with reducing the pressure on Veterinary workers' mental health, such as upskilling nurses and support staff to create a more positive working environment, increasing the availability of mental health support in workplaces, and working towards cultivating a work environment in which working women are more able to open up about their struggles.

What key moments led you to starting the role you are in?

The moment I knew I had to stand up and lead in this space was when I lost a friend, a real mental health warrior, to depression.

She had a vision of flipping the script on mental illness to mental fitness and it is because of Kirsty that I looked at my own journey and decided I could no longer stay in the shadows about what I had hidden about my own feelings of grief, loss and suicide.

I wanted to step into the light and see her legacy live on in our community.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve received about your working life?

Do what you love and feel passionately about it, because if you do, you will never feel like you have worked a day in your life.

For me, this has proven to be true. What started out as a volunteer role in mental health with Mentally Fit EP, has turned into the biggest self-learning and passion project of my life.

Mentally Fit EP gave me the chance to give back to others and to support communities to find ways to be mentally fit. I am so grateful to them for seeing something in me and giving me the chance to lead the Our Town Project. It has been the most challenging and yet rewarding time of my career.

What do you love most about being in your role?

The thing I love most about my role within Mentally Fit EP and Our Town Cummins is the people.

My community, my team and my mentors. Those people who inspire me to do the work I do every day because of their passion and commitment to wanting to see real change in this space.

To the people who share their stories with us, to the people who I am lucky to work with and walk beside every day. They are my motivation and inspiration. Without their bravery and commitment to change we would not see shifts in the mental health space.

EMMA GALE, OUR TOWN CUMMINS

After growing up in the regional community of Cummins with a sibling living with heart disease and losing her mum to breast cancer in her teens and a new love in her twenties, Emma learnt first-hand the lack of supports when living outside of major cities when you are in crisis. Making the choice to return home years later, healed, and with a family of her own, she turned her sights to finding ways to support others battling their own challenges. It is because of these moments Emma has become a passionate mental health ambassador for the Eyre Peninsula, focussing on prevention at the core.

To connect with Emma Gale and discover more about her work, follow this QR code.

To connect with SarahJane Abley and discover more about her work, follow this QR code.

SARAH-JANE ABLEY, KIMINNES PTY LTD

After years in the corporate world, a change was needed. That's when Kiminnes Ol School Shearing was created. A new take on an age old profession. A shed where everyone is equal and teamwork is a necessity. We are aiming at making the shearing industry appealing to those wanting a steady career.

What led you to start your business?

Due to a lack of professionalism and a shortage of continuous work, I saw an opening to create a new type of shearing contractor that looked after not just their clients, but their staff too.

Throughout the ups and downs, how have you stayed true to your vision?

I have to say it's come down a lot to my amazing staff that I've pushed through the downs. Especially while I'm dealing with cervical cancer, my team has managed quite independently to continue my vision.

What has been your biggest triumph in your business?

When I was first recognised and published in a local paper after my first year. I was told by a number of people that I would succeed and definitely would be able to change how the industry is run and perceived, as it’s been like it for decades. Now in my third year, I have been succeeding and am in high demand from farmers due to the type of service we are offering.

What change do you want to see for women in your industry?

I would love to see more female contractors. I think we can offer a different approach and I've found that I get more interest from women that didn't want to join a very rough, male-dominated industry contact me for information, then be happy to come and work with us knowing they're also going to be treated respectfully and fairly.

What has being involved in the 2022 SA Woman Awards brought to your life?

Recognition for what I've been trying to create had been the most important thing I've got out of this experience. From local papers, farmers, random people in the street and local radio contacting me, or coming up and chatting with me about what I'm doing in the shearing industry, and giving me encouragement and congratulations for being brave enough to try something different and also being a Finalist in this award.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve received about being in business?

Be honest, be transparent.

If you wouldn't want it happening to you, don't do it to anyone else!

Throughout the ups and downs, how have you stayed true to your vision?

Vision statement: Big enough to matter, small enough to care.

Disclipine to the task, teamwork and being supported by the team has helped us stay true to our vision.

Despite the challenges of COVID we remained open to ensure our customers were serviced and staff were looked after.

Many people were delighted to get answers immediately, expecting we would be closed. What obstacles and opportunities have you found from being a woman in business?

Dealing with difficult customers has been both a challenge and an obstacle. This has been overcome by not letting customers think they are always right and sticking to business principles and being fair.

During lockdown, we continued to service our customers with flexible cancellations/refunds and accommodating essential workers.

We remained open throughout the shutdown periods to service our customers - both owners and guests. This continued to employ local staff and contractors and keep local businesses active.

Opportunities included a chance for selfreflection and work on our business systems and a general tidy up of the office which we don't get the chance to do often.

In 5 years from now, what would you love to be celebrating?

In 5 years, I would love to be retired and reflecting on the 30 years of achievements of Country Getaways and believing I made a difference to Yorke Peninsula as a regional tourism destination.

This would include employment opportunities created as a highlight and the dollars injected into our community through bringing more guests to the region and spending their money in the region.

HELLY EASTHERSMITH, COUNTRY GETAWAYS HOLIDAY RENTALS

Country Getaways offers over 200 holiday accommodation options throughout Yorke Peninsula including beach houses, shacks, farm stays, apartments, bed and breakfast properties, and executive holiday houses; all with a wide range of styles and budgets. The local staff at Country Getaways can help with first-hand knowledge of the region, information about accommodation, facilities and towns. We are all Yorke Peninsula locals.

To connect with Helly EastherSmith and discover more about her business, follow this QR code.

The Heart Award

For an organisation that has at its heart the needs of women in their local community. Examples include social enterprises, not for profit and community organisations.

Proudly sponsored by: Resolution SA

“WITH YOUR HELP, WE CAN CREATE A BETTER REALITY FOR ALL SOUTH AUSTRALIAN FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES.”

Living from the heart

Dinah Thomasset-Hearn was the winner of The Heart Award in 2021. She is the founder of Villagehood Australia and a tireless advocate for policy change with regards to maternal mental wellbeing. Much more than a mums group, Villagehood Australia is a real village of support for mums in Adelaide. A safe place for mums to relax, connect and feel empowered as a woman on their journey through motherhood. Villagehood Australia is a Registered Charity and Incorporated Association that brings Adelaide mums together though activities, parenting programs and support with the aim to improve their health and wellbeing.

With your help, we can amplify our voice so we are heard. With your help, we can join conversations that will impact the life of so many mums. With your help, we can create a better reality for all South Australian families and communities. Because...we – women who mum - matter.

There is no doubting Dinah ThomassetHearn's absolute dedication to her charity and her cause, and after her emotion-filled acceptance speech, we were so keen to talk more with her.

// Your reaction to winning truly embodied what this award is all about – so heartfelt and authentic. Can you tell us about the highlights of your year since winning this award?

Not only was it an amazing and very surprising moment for me to win, it reinforced what I’ve been doing and really boosted my confidence as a Founder of a charity.

Because, when you create a charity, it’s all about the impact. You want to have a positive impact, you want to influence change, and enhance the lives of your community.

Recognition is important because it keeps you going. There are moments that are hard when you run a charity. You run on volunteers, and it’s all from the heart.

Since the Award, I've had more confidence and been able to assert myself. It’s given me even more clarity, and I feel like a different person a year on. I’m much stronger, very committed and I’m now really focusing on building strong, strategic partnerships – with government, organisations, advocacy groups and community groups.

I had the amazing opportunity to meet

with the now Prime Minister and be able to advocate for mothers in Sydney. I met so many MPs and politicians and I will continue that journey to advocate for mums.

We’ve also just set up a Maternal Mental Wellbeing Committee, which allows us to research, review and select the best programs that will enhance the mental wellbeing of mothers.

// How have you stayed true to your vision for Villagehood Australia?

For me, it’s about my personal purpose in life. I was lucky enough that after I had a massive breakdown, I had a massive breakthrough when I went back to my home country of Morocco and was with my mum after suffering post natal depression.

I’m really clear about what I want to achieve. I want to achieve impact. I want us to change the way we experience and see motherhood. I want to change policies. I want to change society's and government's mindset when it comes to supporting mothers.

I also really want mothers to have a voice in parliament. To be seen, heard, represented and supported.

That’s my why and that won’t change. This is what I’m going to do for the rest of my life.

// Looking ahead, what changes do you want to see to better support women on their motherhood journey?

I’m working to shift the mindset from being a society that is only focused on the children, to being a society that is focused on the mothers and the children. We need to take a holistic approach, to focus on and support the mothers. To make sure that their mental wellbeing is there, and then give them the tools to then support their children.

I also want to empower local mums to take on the knowledge and structure that we have at Villagehood, or come up

with new initiatives to support mums in their area. We have mums who have experienced Villagehood and have the confidence that it is the right charity for them, and they’re willing to donate their time to support their local mums. I find that amazing and I love that, because this is our mission – to empower the community to better support mothers. And it’s really happening.

When we went on the 7.30 report on the ABC and we had so many people reaching out from all states, asking when will we start Villagehood Australia in their state. Which is the future hopefully, to be able to do that. Because we want to be supporting mothers right across Australia.

To read Dinah's acceptance speech in full, follow this QR code.

Discover more at at villagehoodaustralia.com

Heleen Roex, Doctors for Nutrition, was the People's Choice Winner of The Heart Award in 2021.

2022 Finalists

What key moments led you to starting your business?

Harbouring a deep desire to give back to my local community, having spent the majority of my adult life in workplaces fixated on income.

The Hewett Centre provided an opportunity to continue in the events and wedding industry whilst developing the inclusive Café.

Developing the Café has been a long-standing passion of mine having experienced firsthand the benefits a community-based social enterprise can have on others.

AMY PAUL, HEWETT CENTRE

The Hewett Centre offers our local community a space to develop new skills and share experiences with each other. Two years ago, we opened the Kingfisher Inclusive Café within the Centre to provide learning opportunities for our community who have a disability or barriers to traditional employment. The Café provides a warm and welcoming pace for our community to come sit, chat and meet others who may be facing social isolation or are looking for a space to connect with others. The Café and Hewett Centre together host a range of events, including art shows, film events and Collaborative Occupational Therapy group sessions, which are open to the community to attend and support fostering deeper social inclusion, cultural understanding, and building new local friendship networks.

To connect with The Hewett Centre and discover more about what is happening, follow this QR code.

What originally began with a small team of volunteers, has now grown to have assisted or supported over 20 young people to develop their skills and move onto paid employment or return to study.

What has been your biggest triumph in your business?

Without a doubt, our biggest achievement is our volunteers. Lead volunteer, Elijah Hobby, was awarded the South Australian Young Citizen of The Year for 2022. Elijah has volunteered at the Centre and played a lead role in opening the Café. Elijah is vision impaired and has Autism.

Jacob has begun to drive. Kerry, Samantha, Kate, Tom, Max, Bailey, Cheyenne and Sally have secured paid employment, whilst Maddie, Ryan and Rachael have started their own micro enterprises.

What has being involved in the 2022 SA Woman Awards brought to your life?

Having had to push the proverbial uphill to establish the Hewett Centre and Kingfisher Café as an inclusive, social enterprise style Café, the SA Woman Awards have opened my eyes to the other fabulous women in SA all striving together and supporting each other.

What key moments led you to starting your business?

I have been wheelchair bound from Multiple Sclerosis since 2003 - a devastating, painful, unpredictable disease with no known cause or cure.

As a former Award-winning interior designer working nationally and internationally on major projects, I managed my own business until I could no longer due to the progression of my illness. On a daily basis I experience the struggle and even embarrassment that those with disabilities face when dressing to head out and front the world.

This inspired me to combine my design expertise and passion to empower and motivate others to create a fashion parade that not only transforms those with disabilities but transforms the way others see disability - showing disability in the light of beauty and awareness, in-turn empowering, and educating others about disability.

Image Shift incorporates my skill for design and passion for being an ambassador and motivator.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve received?

“You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have.” ~ Bob Marley. I am reminded of this every day as face my own challenges, but also see others around me deal with their disability challenges. What I once took for granted is no longer, so it’s through sheer strength and determination that we achieve our full potential.

What do you love most about your work?

I love to empower others and to create a platform where those who are disabled are given the skill, confidence and permission to be someone bigger than they previously imagined rather than stuck being defined by their disability. Where they think they can be anything they want to be, including feeling beautiful, and to create goals beyond their current reality, beyond their current perception of themselves along with educating others about the possibility that comes through including those with disabilities.

There have been many times when giving up seemed the easy option; yet I knew my commitment and courage, self-worth and inspiration to live the best lives and participate in all spheres involved in creating the parade, the audience, family friends and the community would be embodied by the parade.

Image Shift is the genesis of a powerful moment in the global embracing of inclusivity. There are fashion Parades with disabled models and then there is Image Shift, shifting perception of those that are disabled. I believe in no barriers, but my Disability is seen as more.

JOANNE BLESING, IMAGE SHIFT

Image Shift is a community fashion parade spearheaded by Joanne Blesing aiming to empower the Disability Community through participation, transformation and media showcasing. It provides an immersion into the world of beauty and fashion and invites a sense of joy and pride, in turn celebrating Disability. Joanne intimately understands the challenge of dressing well that those with disabilities experience daily, and the confidence and dignity that dressing well provides. As a respected designer, living with MS for 20+ years, her understanding of the transformation provided by dressing with colour and style, enabling those with disabilities to participate with dignity and equality.

To connect with Joanne Blesing and discover more about her work, follow this QR code.

THE HEART AWARD

What key moments led you to starting your business?

In 2019, in the midst of drought, another local business on our little main street closed its doors; the third in as many months. We knew that one or two more families might feel they had to leave our town, and we’d fall below critical mass required to maintain our school and our hospital. We’ve seen what happens to communities in that situation, and we were absolutely determined to hold on.

At the same time, we knew other, smaller businesses were at work. Women were finding outlets for their creativity and respite from worrying about what would happen to the farm. They were making, creating, selling; trading from spare rooms and kitchen tables.

We wanted to help bring those micro-businesses out into the open; to provide genuine, meaningful off-farm employment opportunities for the women behind them, and bring life back to our main street. And we wanted to reach an untapped resource: the thousands of grey nomads, van lifers and big lappers that passed through or by Kimba on the Eyre Highway every day, heading to or from the Nullarbor.

And so Workshop26 was born. We purchased the building and a handful of shipping containers out of our own pockets and created a not-for-profit entity to offer manufacturing and retail space with affordable rental terms for micro-businesses. We were on our way!

What do you love most about being in business?

We are absolutely, flat-out passionate about our little community and seeing it thrive. We love a challenge and hate to be told there’s something we can do. It only makes us more determined!

Four of us have lived in Kimba for most of our lives, with various stints travelling and living elsewhere. We are farmers, volunteers, mothers – three of us are even grandmothers! Our fifth member, Maree, owns the local pub. She moved to our community eight years ago and her fresh eyes along with the innovation and deep love for this community that we all have, has proved a pretty great combination.

What change do you want to see for women in your region?

We are strong believers in the old adage, ‘You can’t be what you can’t see.’ We want to keep showing people what's possible in the regions. We want our local girls to see creative pathways, and we want to help rural women see the opportunities available to them and inspire them to take that leap of faith - or to hold their hands while they jump if that's what's needed. We want the rural lifestyle to be seen as the dynamic, creative life it is...a life less ordinary.

WORKSHOP26

Workshop26 is a space where makers, creators and businesses can thrive - a collection of chic shipping containers inside the coolest tractor shed you've ever seen! We provide opportunities for women to tap into both their creative side and their business side; a space for them to do something for themselves. We want to help regional women realise what they are capable of. We bring micro businesses out of spare rooms, lounge rooms, and off of kitchen tables and into the light. We connect them with audiences and make them visible, for they are key to the vibrancy of our community.

To connect with Workshop26 and discover more about what's happening, follow this QR code.

To connect with Linda Howell and discover more about her work, follow this QR code.

LINDA HOWELL, THE BEAT MOVEMENT

The BEAT Movement is South Australia's very own support and awareness project for young women facing a breast cancer diagnosis. I like to think that The BEAT Movement will shift how healthcare professionals respond to young women presenting with potential cancer symptoms and will engage the SA community in such a way that every young woman knows her normal and can advocate for herself if something doesn't seem right. Early diagnosis is key and allows for the best survival and treatment outcomes. The BEAT Movement aims to reach every healthcare professional that deals with young women and have them hear our stories so that the next time they have a young woman present with potential cancer symptoms, they have a standard operating procedure that is followed rather than dismissing the young woman due to her age or circumstances, such as pregnancy.

What key moments led you to starting your movement?

When my second son Eli was just 8 weeks old, I heard the words no-one wants to hear "You have Cancer". I was only 36 years old and had no family history I knew of. I had noticed a lump in my breast around 30 weeks pregnant, and was told it was a blocked milk duct for 5 months. I don't blame my midwives and doctors because they had possibly never seen a pregnant women with cancer before. It could have cost me my life if it wasn't for my wonderful GP who knew straight away. This oversight stuck with me and the more I looked at online breast cancer forums, the more I realised that this exact scenario had happened to so many women. I questioned how, in 2022, can this still be happening and set my mind that I was going to ensure that it never happened to another young woman in South Australia again.

The BEAT Movement has evolved into so much more than just a cancer in pregnancy education program. It has opened a world of connection for all young women with breast cancer to meet each other and be with other young women who truly understand them. We have been invited to speak at midwifery education forums and I hope to continue to get out in the community, to raise awareness and be a safe space for diagnosed

women to feel connected and heard.

What do you love most about what you're doing?

I love connecting with other young women just like me. I love hearing their stories. I love hearing their ideas and seeing how they feel best supported. I love knowing that we are all here for each other when no-one else understands. I love seeing how the community wants to help others. I love seeing my friends getting involved to help other young women just like me. I love that we can all band together and know that once healthcare practitioners hear our stories, they will be better clinicians for it. I love that we can help spread the word that no-one is ever too young for breast cancer. I love that what we are doing could very well save someone's life.

What is the biggest thing you have learnt?

Every day we are presented with a tonne of opportunities to either make change or better ourselves. What holds most of us back is a fear or change or a lack of confidence in ourselves.

I never had the confidence in myself to step out and start my own business. That was until I heard the words "You have Cancer".

The Young SA Woman Award

For a woman under 30 (as at 1 July 2022) who has started her own business and shown personal growth, tenacity, determination and an entrepreneurial spirit.

Proudly sponsored by: Coosh & Co.

“I WILL ALWAYS BELIEVE THAT HHC HAS A TEAM CULTURE LIKE NO OTHER. I'LL NEVER TAKE ANY OF MY TEAM FOR GRANTED. THEY ARE THE SOUL OF THIS SALON, AND I LOVE THEM ALL ENDLESSLY.” AWARD

A cut above the rest!

Emma Duncan was the inaugural winner of The Young Woman in Business Award in 2021. She is the owner of Halo Hair Collective - a busy, thriving salon, specialising in colour corrective work, cutting and styling. They are an Australian Hairdressing Council accredited Gold Salon Select member in recognition of exceptional client service, professional salon presentation, fair employment practices, training to the highest level, comprehensive business structure, ethical and creative marketing and promotion, environmental sustainability and the highest standards of business ethics.

Iwill always believe that HHC has a team culture like no other.

I'll never take any of my team for granted. They are the soul of this salon, and I love them all endlessly.

Isn't it just wonderful to hear a business owner giving so much credit to her team - recognising that success comes from the efforts of everyone, not individuals alone. These heartwarming words featured in Emma Duncan's acceptance speech as she reflected upon winning The Young Woman in Business Award in 2021.

We have loved getting the chance to talk more with Emma about being a young woman in business.

// 2021 was the first year the Young SA Woman Award was awarded –and you were an incredibly worthy recipient! What other exciting achievements or moments have you had in this past year?

Wow! What a year it’s been!

A lot of ups and downs I think for so many business owners, but I am truly blessed to have such great support around me.

We have grown by another two staff members, my husband Fraser and I have purchased our block of shops, becoming landlords - eek!

We are in the midst of our expansion later this year!

So many exciting things happening within HHC.

// What obstacles and opportunities have you found being a young woman in business?

I try to look at 'obstacles' not so much as a problem but as something that is going to challenge me and help me to grow as a leader.

The last few years have thrown more curve balls at us than I can count but I’m so proud of my myself and my husband, and my team for handling it all with grace and patience.

We are thriving, with a constant growing list of clientele and I feel as though as a team - we can do anything.

Being involved with the right companies and people alike present so many exciting opportunities (watch this space).

// What advice would you give to other women under thirty who are looking to start their own business?

One bit of advice I can give is, you need to have a crystal clear understanding of who you are - most importantlyand what brand best represents your beliefs.

You want the culture of your business to be a mirror image of everything you are striving for, everything you put into it.

The business should excite you and push you to want to create something not just for yourself, but for other likeminded people.

Know your worth, and kick those goals!

To read Emma's acceptance speech in full, follow this QR code.

Discover more about Emma & her team at Halo Hair Collective at halohaircollective.com.au

Courtney Schultz, ASD Support and Education, was the People's Choice Winner of The Young Woman in Business Award in 2021.

2022 Finalists

To connect with Taylah Suridge and discover more about her salon, follow this QR code.

TAYLAH SURIDGE, LA STRAND HAIR AND BODY

I created La Strand Hair and Body when I was 19. I saw a gap in the hair industry for affordability and packaging services. I started from a salon at home and built the brand. No clients, no capital and no savings behind me, I drew out my business plan and worked out how my business would stand out in the industry. Working 60 plus hours every week to meet demand, I opened a shopfront in 2020 and it has just excelled from there, with a $900,000 turnover, 11 staff and growing!

What do you love most about being in business?

I love that being able to step back and observe my team running the business exactly how I envisioned it 5 years ago. Having the confidence in your team to get the job done and get it done better than you ever could.

What has been your biggest triumph in your business ?

My biggest triumph was slowly removing myself from the floor and serving clients. This was one of the

hardest hurdles to date as I love my clients so much, but knew that stepping off the floor was the best decision in growing the business and supporting my team.

What is the biggest thing you have learnt from being in business?

The biggest lightbulb for my career so far has been: you have to take risks, get comfortable being uncomfortable and always remind myself my age, gender and experience does not determine what I'm capable of.

What key moments led you to starting your business?

Growing up in a refugee camp I remember watching family members with disabilities have no access to essential services, I recall seeing people with disabilities crawl across the floor as a mode of transport from one point to the other. The lack of resources and support systems made day-to-day activities extremely difficult.

In addition to this, working as an Assistant Nurse gave me insight into the struggles people with disability face in Australia, due to providers failing to deliver what they promised. As a result, many NDIS customers end up in the hospital for months when they don’t medically need to be there.

I wanted to make a difference in someone’s life. Simaru True Care is more than just a business to me.

It was launched to support individuals to be independent, live life full of choices, where they are in control, to live how they want to live and decide what they want to do. I hope and plan to give back to people in refugee camps by donating essential resources and creating more accessible services.

What do you love most about being in business?

As a young girl in a refugee camp, I always wanted to be a midwife, but the poor education system meant a lack of opportunities for young girls like myself. Coming to Australia was a blessing, but I was very overwhelmed by the possibilities for a career in any pathway I wanted to follow.

Since my experience as a child in the refugee camp, I’ve always wanted to work in an industry that would allow me to help others, especially those who were vulnerable and less fortunate.

That is exactly what I love about being in my chosen role as well as in my own business. Simaru True Care has created a platform that allows me to help others and be part of their progress and success. I love reading progress notes as it reminds me of the changes the business I created is making in people’s lives. The reviews make me smile.

What has being involved in the 2022 SA Woman Awards brought to your life?

Being involved in the 2022 Awards, has meant so much not just to me but to other young women and girls who struggle to believe in themselves and their dreams. To the girls who do not think they are worthy of their achievements. To the young girls in the refugee camps who no longer have hopes for the future due to a lack of education and opportunities.

This Award serves as a reminder that it is possible, they can and will do it.

SHAONA IMARU, SIMARU TRUE CARE

My name is Shaona Imaru and I am twentytwo years old. Having relocated to Australia from a refugee camp where I had limited prospects to pursue a career or even achieve any kind of fulfilment in my life, I value the opportunities now available to me here in Australia. I work part-time as a Registered Nurse at a local hospital while running Simaru True Care as a CEO/Manager. Simaru True Care provides a range of disability services under the NDIS such as assistance with transport, household tasks, personal care, (Supported Independent Living) SIL, Respite and community involvement to participants across Adelaide. We are committed to ensuring that each participant is supported to make informed choices, exercise control, and maximise their independence relating to the support provided.

To connect with Shaona Imaru and discover more about her work, follow this QR code.

THE WOMAN AWARD

EMMA HACKETT, EMMA HACKETT

DESIGN & THE CONSCIOUS CUSTOMER CO

Emma Hackett Design offers professional web design and graphic design services. Since I started the business, I’ve worked with hundreds of clients; my target market and main clientele are small businesses. I also recently launched The Conscious Customer Co – an online marketplace that lists Australian-made products from small businesses in an easy-tosort and discoverable way. It benefits both the website users and business owners – users can find great products from small businesses that are aligned with their values, and small business owners can increase their visibility in a larger market.

To connect with Emma Hackett and discover more about her work, follow this QR code.

What do you love most about being in business?

I get to work every day on projects that I’m passionate about and genuinely enjoy working on. Being able to get up and look forward to work is a real privilege. By working from home, I can work when my brain is firing and not be restricted by office hours. I know working from home doesn’t work for everyone, but if my brain isn’t firing, I can step away, go for a walk or listen to a podcast to re-energise and then come back to the project as a far more switched-on version of myself and therefore deliver far better results for my clients.

What has been your biggest triumph in your business?

I’m blown away by the number of businesses I’ve had the pleasure of working with. My largest and most well-known clients include Shameless Media and Turia Pitt who are enormous names in the Australian media landscape. I’ve also worked with hundreds of small businesses from a range of industries, all attracted through word of mouth. I’ve never had to spend money on advertising for Emma Hackett Design and am proud that my work and customers’ experiences are what attract new clientele. Secondly, everything you see on The Conscious Customer Co (with the exception of the legal policies) has been designed and marketed by me, with some assistance in social media scheduling from my sister. The branding, website and marketing were all completed by me in my spare time. It has also been entirely self-funded with a small budget of about $6,000. I’m really proud to have launched a successful, highly-praised business and attracted such a great audience from these in-house efforts.

What is the biggest thing you have learnt from being in business?

It’s important to treat clients how you want to be treated as a client. I approach everything from their point of view and carefully consider what would make their life easier and their customers’ lives easier. For example, I could easily create a website straight from a template or solely from the brief I’m given, but instead, I look at the site from their point of view and their customers’ point of view to offer recommendations to take things to the next level to ensure my clients get the most value out of working with me. By working like this and genuinely caring about my clients and their outcomes, I have had a continual flow of satisfied clients and never had any difficulty finding work.

What key moments led you to starting your business?

Definitely becoming the face of The Adelaide Set during the pandemic. Thanks to The Adelaide Set platform, my career as a social media presenter started. Supporting small SA business owners during the pandemic was lifechanging on many levels and running our team of 10 young contributors provided me with real leadership qualities. Thanks to that powerful journey, I now have a course that educates others on everything I know about the social media industry.

Throughout the ups and downs, how have you stayed true to your vision?

I've stayed true to my vision thanks to discipline and courage. It's not easy being yourself in real life let alone being on social media in front of thousands of people. But what I've discovered is that if it scares you, it's the right thing to do. Seeking discomfort is very important for any industry to thrive and as an entrepreneur, I love trusting my intuition - even if things don't work out. Staying true to yourself takes sacrificing old philosophies and for some people that doesn't work but for me, it's everything.

What has been your biggest triumph in your business life?

Starting a production company is certainly up there. The amount of business growth I have learned at The Australia Set Productions - no education could teach. We've captured so many historical moments for Adelaide already and the list goes on for all the opportunities that came with that in such a short amount of time. We are creators and as creators, we know we can make it here in Australia.

What obstacles and opportunities have you found from being a woman in business?

The biggest obstacle I faced was being able to take on constructive criticism. When I finally mastered this, I could lead strongly beside men. The moment I understood what this looked like was the moment far bigger and greater opportunities came. I believe men and women compliment each other and greater things can happen side by side.

What has being involved in the 2022 SA Woman Awards brought to your life?

A love for my womanhood. I love being a woman and I am so thankful for just being me. SA Woman Awards gave me a chance to share my story as a young and proud SA female entrepreneur, bringing gratefulness to my life that supports my next professional steps towards my dreams.

TAYDAM KNOWLES, THE ADELAIDE SET PRODUCTIONS

My name is Taydam Knowles and I am the General Manager, and face of Australia's largest youth-dedicated platform The Adelaide Set with over 55 k followers on Instagram and 28 k on Facebook. I am also a film producer at The Australia Set Productions and founder of the 'Be Your Own Social Media Presenter' online course that supports others with social media, business and personal branding.

To connect with Taydam Knowles and discover more about her, follow this QR code.

The SA Woman Disability Award

For a disabled woman in business or career who has created a growing business or thriving career, and contributes to the positive conversation about disabled people at work (through deliberate campaigns or simply by leading through example).

Proudly sponsored by: The Growing Space

Proudly sponsored by: The Growing Space

THE AWARD

“MY KIDS... THEY ARE THE REASON I GET UP EVERY MORNING... BECAUSE THEY DESERVE A LIFE WHERE THEIR DISABILITY IS THEIR SUPERPOWER AND NOT THEIR CURSE.”

Embrace your superpower

Keli Doubikin was the inaugural winner of The Disabled Woman in Business Award in 2021. She is the founder of Spiral Coordination, which was started in December 2019, when Keli realised that the NDIS industry and its participants needed more quality services. She started with a borrowed laptop, her kitchen table and two families who trusted her to support them. Spiral Coordination is now a small team of people who provide support for people living with disability, across several different programs.

My kids, who are my WHY!, they are the reason I get up every morning and why I fight for the system to change, for people to live as independently as possible, to achieve anything they set their minds to because they deserve a life where their disability is their superpower and not their curse.

These were the inspiring words that Keli Doubikin's acceptance speech finished on after becoming the inaugural winner The Disabled Woman in Business Award in 2021.

The way her speech began also really summed up what this meant to Keli. "It was an honour to be nominated, even more so to be named a finalist. To be named the inaugural 2021 Disabled Woman in Business has to be one of the biggest things to happen in my world, especially this year."

We are now keen to hear what she's been up to since winning, and the wisdom she'd love to impart to other women in business with a disability.

// It was wonderful to see you become the first winner of The SA Woman Disability Award in 2021 – so incredibly deserving of it! What challenges and triumphs have you had in business with Spiral Coordination over the past year?

Over the last 12 months there have been significant changes within Spiral Coordination, most recently with massive shifts in the type of supports and the way they are provided. In this time, I have also been battling some significant health issues.

// What have been your biggest lessons from being in business?

To trust myself!

That bigger isn’t always better and just because society say things should be one way doesn’t mean they have to.

To do what makes me happy and the rest just falls into place.

Build a solid team of people around you and that you don’t have to be everything to everybody all the time.

It’s ok to ask for help and messing up will happen, own it, learn from it and move on.

// What would you love to say to other disabled women wanting to go into business?

Do it! Don’t let other people’s expectations rule your decisions. My disability is my superpower and I embrace it.

You CAN achieve anything you set your mind to. It might be a little harder, look a little different but it you will be great.

To read Keli's acceptance speech in full, follow this QR code.

Discover more about Keli and her team at Spiral Coordination at facebook.com/spiralcoordination

Natalie Wade, Equality Lawyers, was the People's Choice Winner of The Disabled Woman in Business Award in 2021.

2022 Finalists

What key moments led you to starting your business?

Realising that the very specific support that I needed for myself and my children didn't exist - or if it did, it was very difficult to find!

I thought, "Surely it is not just me having this trouble?!"

So, I went ahead and made it exist for other people like me.

What do you love most about being in business?

Being able to dictate the work/life balance I need for myself and my family.

TAMMIE LEE, SUNNY SPECTRUM

SUPPORTS

Tammie’s journey as a business owner began when she opened her medical transcription business in 2019. This changed Tammie’s career trajectory as she finally found her passion, and (another) autistic special interest. Business. Over the subsequent years, Tammie’s livedexperiences coupled with her special interests led her to realise the urgent need for support, understanding and education around autism and neurodivergence from firsthand perspectives. After formalised training to expand her skillset and putting together a team, Sunny was born. Tammie has since authored a children’s book, 'Billy’s Brain', that is intended to be utilised as a resource for neurodivergent children.

To connect with Tammie Lee and discover more about her work, follow this QR code.

Previously, I was so immersed in my career and would hyper-fixate to the point that I never switched off. I would always be racing the clock to pick up my youngest from after school care.

I am not saying that it doesn't still happen sometimes, but I am now able to 'clock off' when I need to. My PA also has very specific instructions to (try and) kick me out of the door at 5pm.

I am also able to take my children to their appointments without having to 'worry' about asking for time off.

What change do you want to see for women in business?

Flexible working arrangements, adjustments to workloads, and understanding of each person's unique needs.

Not only for women and parents, but for any employee who is experiencing any type of adversity.

What key moments led you to starting your business?

There is a significant barrier of misjudgement and lack of knowledge between the brain injury world and the wider community. As a result, people with brain injuries are left unsupported, isolated or even forgotten about and may struggle immensely.

After my traumatic workplace accident in 2018 left me recovering from a brain injury, I began journaling my rehabilitation experiences in the hopes that it would support my family and friends to better understand what I was going through. After seeing the positive impact my writing was having on them, I decided to publish a blog called The Orange Butterfly in the hopes it would support others.

Soon after publishing, I was receiving messages from people across the world expressing their gratitude that my story had changed their life, how it helped them to better explain to others what they were going through, and how they no longer felt alone and isolated.

What do you love most about what you're doing?

There is nothing I love more, and nothing that continues to drive my passion and work more than seeing firsthand the impact it has on someone’s life. From sharing a blog entry, social media post, to meeting people in person and seeing the community grow through my inclusive Butterfly Hour events.

What I love most about my work is knowing that I can personally support people through the many stages of recovery, offer guidance and advice, create a community they can depend on always, and be in the position to educate and spread awareness across the community to continue to drive change and move towards the ultimate goal of an inclusive and accessible community for all.

In 5 years from now, what would you love to be celebrating?

In 5 years time, I hope to be celebrating the achievements of individuals with brain injury and disability excel in whatever they have chosen to do in their life, without the fear of attitudes and unconscious bias holding them back from achieving their goals. I hope to be celebrating the fact that we live in a diverse, inclusive and accepting community where we honour the importance of evolving as one, educating ourselves and forever having conversations that lead to positive change and impact for the disability community, and ultimately the community as a whole. In 5 years time, I hope brain injury is less of a taboo topic, driven through the continued work of The Orange Butterfly Organisation where we have personally supported individuals throughout their recovery providing updated equipment, mentorship, and continued community education and support.

LAUREN SPEAR, THE ORANGE BUTTERFLY

Lauren Spear is a qualified special education teacher with extensive experience supporting and teaching students with diverse disabilities. As a result of a traumatic workplace accident in 2018, Lauren has spent the last 4 years recovering and living with a traumatic brain injury. She now dedicates her time mentoring, educating and advocating with the brain injury and disability communities through her roles with Brain Injury SA, JFA Purple Orange, and her personal blog and organisation 'The Orange Butterfly'. The Orange Butterfly acts as a reminder for us all to embrace new life and difficult changes with hope and positivity.

To connect with Lauren Spear and discover more about her work, follow this QR code.

THE DISABILITY AWARD

BIANCA LURASCHI, BRIGHT STAR SUPPORT SERVICES

We are a Disability and Mental Health service with a niche in Autism. At Bright Star we believe in connection through compassion and kindness. We strive to provide support from a place of compassion and connection, within the community. Our promise to you is that we will be there to support you so that you will be able to have the best possible outcome in your life’s journey. The Bright Star Team work from a person-centred approach. This means we listen to what you want and need, and we try to support you the best we can to make that happen.

To connect with Bianca Luraschi and discover more about her business, follow this QR code.

What key moments led you to starting your business?

It wasn't really a moment it was a person and that was my son. He is autistic with an intellectual disability and I saw a gap in services with the lack of person-centred wrap around approach.

What I love most about my business is walking alongside people on their journeys of growth and making a gentle change through the simple essence of Kindness.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve received about being in business?

There will be hard days and challenges but always stay true to your heart and what makes your business different to everyone else.

What is the biggest thing you have learnt from being in business?

That I can do it and that anything is possible!!

What obstacles and opportunities have you found from being a woman in busines?

I have faced many obstacles not only as a woman in business but as an Autistic woman in business. Having to challenge the social stigma that comes along with autism but also the continual opportunities of bringing awareness around autism and how it has helped my clients know that being autistic doesn’t have to stop you.

In 5 years from now, what would you love to be celebrating?

I would love to be celebrating the growth in the disability field and seeing my business continue to flourish. I would love to break the stigma around disability.

What has being involved in the 2022 SA Woman Awards brought to your life?

A lot of excitement and a real humbling experience as I feel I couldn't achieve this without the families we support and my amazing staff and work colleagues.

The Backbone Award

For a woman who is the backbone of the family business or place of employment. Recognising the valuable contributions of women – even if they aren’t the listed business owner, because without them the business would not run nor operate as smoothly.

Proudly sponsored by: Judith JordanFamily and Collaborative Lawyer

Proudly sponsored by: Judith JordanFamily and Collaborative Lawyer

“SHOWCASING THAT A FEMALE, FROM A SMALL BUSINESS, IN REGIONAL AUSTRALIA, IN A MALE DOMINATED INDUSTRY, WHO IS A MOTHER OF FOUR, IS CAPABLE OF MAKING A DIFFERENCE - TO HER BUSINESS, TO HER REGION.”

Making a difference

Jodie Hawkes was the winner of The Backbone Award in 2021. She is the CFO of Bowhill Engineering, an innovative structural steel engineering firm with specialist capability in large complex steel, known for some 15 bridges on the North-South Expressway and steelhulled ferries for the Murray River. Bowhill employs a stable workforce of 50+ highly specialised staff, this strengthens their community and provides the ability to deliver world class innovative solutions for their clients. The firm delivers some $12 million worth of landmark projects annually. They transform communities and their people, by optimising and building structures that matter. #TogetherWeThrive

This award is not only about an acknowledgement of me or my achievements. Winning this award, for me, is a wonderful tool, to leverage my position within our region. Showcasing that a female, from a small business, in regional Australia, in a male dominated industry, who is a mother of four, is capable of making a difference - to her business, to her region.

When Jodie Hawkes won The Backbone Award, she started her acceptance speech with this powerful acknowledgment of what it meant.

Here we get the chance to discover what is happening at Bowhill and what wisdom Jodie has to pass on.

// It’s so special being able to recognise and celebrate the driving force of local businesses, and we loved being able to award you with The Backbone Award in 2021! Since that night, what have been most proud of at Bowhill Engineering in 2022?

Growth and consolidation. We’ve been working hard on developing 3 levels of leaders. Our Leadership team has 90 day goals that they are each rolling out to their own teams. The flow-on effect of multiple people working on our strategic plan – continuously – has seen us grow nearly 40% in the past 12 months.

Our 2IC has taken 10 weeks long service leave and the next generation of leaders have taken on the challenge, it’s exciting to see the whole team working together on common goals –“Together We Thrive”.

// What advice would you give to any women who have their sights set on management roles? Particularly in industries that have been traditionally male-dominated.

It really isn’t about being a male or a female, it’s about how you approach your role and earning respect by knowing and doing your job well. It takes time, but it is certainly worth the effort.

Technical skills are only one aspect of the role, in our business, we tend to focus more on EQ over IQ. Being good on the workshop floor does not automatically equate to being a good leader, a totally different skill set is required. We have been focussing our training and development in how to be a good leader. These skills transpire into people’s home lives. We love seeing their growth and development both inside and outside the workplace.

Personally, I work hard on just being my true authentic self, 'Just be me' is my mantra when I’m feeling inadequate or overwhelmed. I’ve learned from experience, that people relate quicker and better, and it’s so much easier than trying to be someone you are not!

// Looking ahead now – what are you excited about for your own career?

I’ve got so many balls in the air right now. We are implementing some new HR software, navigating our way through being a defence supplier, have a $2m capital upgrade on the books, building our teams depth with 3 levels of leadership and have some exciting new

clients and projects to see us out to the end of the year.

I’m also trying to balance this with just breathing and taking some time for myself. Having recently lost my step-dad to a 13 year battle with cancer, I know life is precious and short. I have 4 kids and my husband Jeremy and my mum Robyn – whom I want to do some more travelling with and make some more memories whilst we can.

With my role as Chair of Regional Development Australia Murraylands and Riverland (RDAMR) we have just finalised our Murraylands Riverland Plan (MR Plan) – this has been a process of listening and gathering information from our region's people to hear their opinions about better preparing for drought and other disruptions. We are about to embark on the Implementation stage of the plan, but because we want this to be an enduring plan, we need a group of the Coalition of the Willing (CoW) to help drive this alongside the RDAMR. We don’t know what this looks like yet, but it’s exciting to be part of something big and new.

To read Jodie's acceptance speech in full, follow this QR code.

Discover more about Bowhill Engineering at boweng.com.au

Tracey Gordon, JVS Bodyworks, was the People's Choice Winner of The Backbone Award in 2021. She was unable to attend the Awards night.

2022 Finalists

What do you love most about being in your role?

I love that my experience and my skill base can be brought to a community that truly relishes every support and service we are able to provide them. Being able to take my skills to individuals, for example I might have a client come to my art class stating, “I hate art, and I never thought I would consider trying this but I will give it a go because I got told I'm miserable and should find something to do”. To then turning around weeks later and telling me that the art class has become the most enjoyable part of their week, that they’ve found so much confidence and found a reason to wake up every day, and never thought art would be the therapy that they needed. That is so rewarding to me.

In 5 years from now, what would you love to be celebrating?

SIMONE RIDGECOOKE, THRF GROUPPARKINSON'S

I am proud as the Client and Community Engagement Manager and Art Therapist, to be a part of the team at The Hospital Research Foundation Group – Parkinson’s, who are focused on maximising choice, independence and wellbeing for people living with Parkinson’s and other movement and neurological conditions. I bring my experience and skillset to provide integrative and supportive therapies such as art therapy and social connection to our community, in collaboration with an exceptional team providing specialised support and education to enable our community affected by Parkinson’s to continue to live well.

To connect with Simone RidgeCooke and discover more about her, follow this QR code.

Ideally I would love to be celebrating a cure for Parkinson's. But realistically I would love to be celebrating a vision succeeded, enabling integrative therapies to be seen as a valid and vital part of an individual's care plan. Often with illness or diagnosis, we tend to look at what medication can 'fix' us, or what physical supports we can implement to live well, but often our mental wellbeing can come secondary. I look forward to celebrating mental wellness and integrative supports such as art therapy becoming a part of a well balanced care and support plan for those living with chronic or life long conditions.

What has being involved in the 2022 SA Woman Awards brought to your life?

For me, going through this awards process and focusing on my own impact and achievements - encouraged to look at my role and dreams - has been an eye opening experience in itself, and provided personal growth and clarity. It is well outside my comfort zone and I thank the SA Woman Awards for the opportunity to do some real internal self-exploration and be reminded of all that I have achieved. This has been such a serendipitous opportunity to do some self- reflection and acknowledgement of my achievements and value. I am thankful for the opportunity to reflect and be proud.

What do you love most about your work?

I love most seeing women realise they are more than they thought, or were led to believe.

I value having a role where I am able to make a positive difference to the future lives of women and often their children too. I love being able to assist women to change the narrative of their lives and develop the skills to take control, to self-advocate for their rights and needs, to feel able to dream, set goals and develop the knowledge and skills on how to get there.

I love how my role has enabled me to build and improve services, a safe community of women, where no-one is judged, all are welcomed, respected, admired for the determination and courage they show to keep going. I love being able to receive women just as they are, listen to their story and reflect back a genuine regard for their courage and strength.

Throughout the ups and downs, how have you stayed true to your vision?

Throughout my years at Catherine House there have been enormous challenges, particularly in securing and retaining funding for programs. In a service that provides not just accommodation and support, but hope for a better future for women, this weighed heavily on me.

I knew first-hand the difference our support and the opportunities provided, made to women’s lives. They quite openly, emotionally tell us, “Catherine House saved my life.” When you hear this hundreds of times, it is easy to be focused, resolute and committed to the right of women to have a safe, women-only specialist response. For me it is easy to speak from the heart in a persuasive way, about our vision to assist women recover from trauma, violence, and homelessness, supporting them into safe, secure housing so they can work towards a life that is meaningful to them.

What is the biggest thing you have learnt from being in your role?

Time and time again, I experienced the value of remaining true to myself, because personal integrity is my most important value – it’s all that we have got when everything is stripped back. Authenticity, honesty, accountability, being brave and having courage in the face of challenges from others and systems, is what I have learned in my role.

These qualities allow trusting relationships to develop both with the women we serve and with those who support us. This approach has allowed Catherine House to retain long-standing relationships with funders, donors, supporters and other stakeholders who are also inspired to work alongside us to help fulfil our vision and purpose.

DEIRDRE FLYNN, CATHERINE HOUSE

Catherine House accommodates 54 women a night and provides services to up to 100 women each day. Three accommodation sites provide 24/7 support, 365 days per year and includes an Intake Service with waitlist support, a Recovery Program, NDIS Service, Short-term Supported Accommodation with specialist onsite services and outreach support to clients for as long as required. A Women’s Centre delivers a range of health, wellbeing and education training courses each week. An Education and Employment Program is available to referred clients. Catherine House partners with, and is supported by valued volunteers, community, corporate, government and philanthropic donors and foundations.

To connect with Deirdre Flynn and discover more about Catherine House, follow this QR code.

THE BACKBONE AWARD

What are the best pieces of advice you’ve received about being in business?

Prior to 2019, I had never worked within the business or construction sector and at times, I've felt an incredible amount of impostor syndrome and insecurity within my new career. The two best pieces of advice I was given were:

Turn up: it’s amazing how just being brave and turning up can start to build confidence. Turning up again and again in places and situations I didn’t feel I belonged - for example, in AP’s office talking to clients about their jobs, on-site at clients’ homes, and attending networking events.

Say “Yes” to new opportunities: It's all too common for people who have impostor syndrome to turn down opportunities. When you're presented with a new opportunity, it's important to recognize that voice in your head saying you can't do it because you're not worthy, you’re not an expert, you’re just a kid from rural SA that has no idea what they’re doing. My inner impostor has wanted to turn down many an opportunity, including applying for the Backbone Award. By saying yes to these opportunities it has also helped me learn, grow, and they’ve advanced my career.

What do you love most about business?

MEL SPEHR, ALUMINIUM PLUS

I’m Mel and I’m one half of the husband and wife team that own Aluminium Plus. At Aluminium Plus, we supply and install high quality aluminium windows and doors to Adelaide and its surrounding suburbs, whilst providing excellent customer service. Aluminium Plus are experts in helping our clients renovate their homes, creating a secure home for first home buyers and supplying builders with house lots of windows and doors. As manufacturers, all of AP’s products are made to measure by our qualified staff. All our products are manufactured on site in our Salisbury South factory and use Australian-made materials.

To connect with Mel Spehr and discover more about her business, follow this QR code.

As a wise woman once said, “You can’t be what you can’t see”, Carly Thompson-Barry, SA Woman Awards ceremony 2021. The thing I love most about being in business is that I believe my husband and I are providing positive role-models for our children. They are seeing first-hand what hard work and determination can do. That with love, strength and determination you can build for yourself the life you want and a legacy to leave behind.

For my daughter, I believe that I am providing for her a rolemodel of a female leader succeeding in a male dominated industry. As a child, although my mum told me I could grow up to be anything, what I saw and experienced was very different.

As a child living in rural SA what I saw and experienced were generation after generation of women (on both sides of my family) who were stay-at-home wives and mothers who supported their husbands. Women whose lives and worlds, as fulfilling as they were, could be considered as small. My mother set me on the right path of career success by telling me that I could be anything I wanted when I grow up. I believe I’m doing one better by showing my own daughter the embodiment of my mother’s words.

Throughout the ups and downs, how have you stayed true to your vision?

As someone who suffers from depression and anxiety, keeping my mental health on the right track has proven challenging. Being completely honest with myself about my thoughts helps me stay on track: Does this thought serve me? Does this thought serve others? Does it make my home life or work life better? How would I feel if I saw my kids saying, doing or thinking that?

These simple questions have forced me to face some pretty uncomfortable truths, but these answers are an important step in recognising and unlearning negative thought patterns that have seen my mental health come unstuck in the past.

To connect with Meredith Waterhouse and discover more about her, follow this QR code.

MEREDITH WATERHOUSE, DIGITAL MARKETING AOK

A passionate Digital Marketer by heart, Meredith is a Certified Practising Marketer with the Australian Marketing Institute (AMI), an Awards Judge, Mentor and the former Chair of the AMI in SA. A master connector and selfproclaimed Chief Happiness Officer, you can often find her at a networking event, living and breathing Digital Marketing AOK’s Seriously Social values. As Director of Marketing at Digital Marketing AOK, Meredith heads up the early conversations over coffee, building and nurturing connections with networks, stakeholders, clients and industry associations. Established in 2012, Digital Marketing AOK is a South Australian, female-owned, Awardwinning specialist Digital Marketing Agency.

What do you love most about being in your role?

I've loved the feeling of recognition and appreciation that comes from helping others and knowing that you've made a positive impact on someone else's business and dream. At DMAOK, I'm constantly surrounded by a team of talented and ambitious people and it's truly inspiring to see what we can achieve when we work together. I look up to our fearless CEO with absolute appreciation that she trusts me and my knowledge to continue to build the business. Completing our 10th birthday celebrations and rebrand, along with new partnerships and the growth of our retainer client base have made a big difference to the agency and what motivates me in my role.

What obstacles and opportunities have you found from being a woman in your role?

A challenge that comes with being a woman in my role is that I am often still outnumbered by men in similar positions and I often see speaking panels at events that are male dominant. I believe that by supporting other women and lifting each other up, we can

overcome these obstacles and be a good example to the young women in the next generation to help them believe they are invincible. The best thing I like about being a female is the sense of community and support that exists among women in similar positions and in business in general. We are often quick to help each other out with advice, connections, or attending each other’s events. I believe this sisterhood is one of our biggest strengths, and it’s something that sets us apart from our male counterparts.

What has being involved in the 2022 SA Woman Awards brought to your life?

The 2022 SA Woman Awards have allowed me to connect more with so many fantastic SA women and to learn about all the amazing things that women are doing in our community. It has also been a great opportunity for me to share more about the work that I do, connect more SA women to each other and celebrate with recognition from my peers. As an employee of a female-owned business, it has been wonderful to see the positive impact that this event has had on our team and company. I am so very grateful to be involved in such a wonderful event and an enriching experience.

THE BACKBONE AWARD

What key moments led to being in your role?

I have spent what feels like forever trying to find my purpose and passion. I knew I wanted to find a way to help people but hadn’t found quite what I was looking for. I focused on learning as much as I could in all the opportunities that I came across with the hope that this would help me find my calling and give me the skills and experience to make a difference when I did.

My partner was injured while in service to the Australian Defence Force and set up Just Living after his own experience with disability and mental health. After hearing about his experience and his vision to help others impacted by mental health, injury and living with a disability, I knew that this was my chance to make my mark. I soon realised that all my experience and everything I learned was exactly what Just Living needed to allow them to support and empower more people to live their best life.

What do you love most about being in your role?

STELLA FERREIRA, JUST LIVING

Just Living are a registered NDIS disability support services provider, passionate about helping their participants live their best lives. We pride ourselves on working with our participants to individualise their supports based on their goals and what is important to them. We have built an amazing team of employees who support and empower individuals living with a disability. Motivated by our values and passion to provide quality care and create meaningful connections, we are committed to supporting our participants to build and maintain their independence, to assist them in creating choice and control for their own life.

To connect with Stella Ferreira and discover more about her work, follow this QR code.

I love empowering others to live the life that they want, knowing that we have helped them on their journey and most importantly, seeing them continue to succeed on their terms.

Success, progress, and happiness look different for each of our participants. For some participants success is learning to cook or catch public transport, making new friends and relationships, for others it is about feeling included and involved in the community and for many, it is about building the life that they want. Empowering and supporting our participants to achieve their goals and create a life where they feel confident in their abilities is incredibly rewarding.

I am also incredibly lucky to be able to mentor employees on their journey, the growth our employees have had within their own professional and personal lives since joining Just Living is amazing to see.

What change do you want to see for women in your industry?

There is a huge opportunity for organisations to partner up and create amazing programs alongside each other and together. I would love to see more women collaborating for better outcomes and sharing their experience with organisations that offer similar services and are working towards the same goals.

There is so much we can learn from each other, and the final outcome would improve the quality of services and supports offered to so many people impacted by mental health, injury and living with a disability.

What do you love most about being in your role?

I absolutely love bringing the workshops to Moonta and we offer such a huge variety to choose from including pot painting, macrame, wreath making and pottery, just to name a few. I love to see groups of ladies enjoying themselves, having fun and taking time out for themself. Showcasing other women in business and networking with other women makes me smile. We recently hosted a workshop through the Adelaide Business Hub for women in business, which was a huge success and a wonderful opportunity to network with other women in business. I was so proud to be able to bring this workshop to the Yorke Peninsula. I have connected with so many lovely people in the last few years on this crazy journey. I have certainly built some beautiful relationships and made some lifelong friends. I am very thankful. I am currently working on planning a fundraiser for Cancer and also a market night both to be at our shop, I am finding that lots of fun too.

What has been your biggest triumph in your business?

Transforming our previous businesses, Mitre 10 and Moonta Building and Landscape Supplies, into Moonta Garden and Landscape Supplies is by far our biggest and most rewarding achievement to date. It has been a massive project which is still a work in progress. September will see us opening up a café in-store to further enhance our customers' shopping experience. We are so excited about this new venture. Our business makeover has included extensions to the shop, re-painting, renovating, rebranding, upskilling and venturing into a business completely new to us. We have hunted high and low sourcing vintage items, collectables, memorabilia, rustic furniture and relics. The task of educating ourselves and having to learn about plants and their requirements has been hugely challenging but so very rewarding. Researching and discovering so many new contacts, new suppliers and work shop hosts also has been a massive achievement.

What has being involved in the 2022 SA Woman Awards brought to your life?

To have my hard work recognised and being rewarded for how far we have come in our new business rebrand is wonderful. The positive response I received on social media when I was nominated for the award was overwhelming. I truly have never felt so loved and appreciated. To reach the finals has been amazing and already makes me a winner. So, no matter what the end result is I am happy, blessed and very thankful. The awards have bought me so much joy.

LEANNE HOPKINS, MOONTA GARDEN AND LANDSCAPE SUPPLIES

Twenty-five years ago, we purchased a landscape supply business with a nursery attached. In 2019, we were unable to find a tenant for the nursery. This was the start of us stocking a small supply of plants and seedlings. This grew and grew some more which then saw us decide to change things up, rebrand, get creative and work hard to build a beautiful new space. We now have a huge range of plants, pots, giftware, garden wares, potting mixes, irrigation landscaping supplies, all in a rustic, eclectic, vintage setting. We also run regular workshops which are extremely popular.

To connect with Leanne Hopkins and discover more about her business, follow this QR code.

The Leadership Award

For a woman who has demonstrated exceptional leadership, overcome challenges, shown determination and exemplified team spirit – in a business or organisation.

Proudly sponsored by: Mansfield & CoRecruitment

THE AWARD

“LET’S KEEP FOLLOWING OUR DREAMS AND CONVICTIONS, SEIZE OPPORTUNITIES AS THEY ARISE, BREAK THROUGH THE GLASS CEILINGS, CELEBRATE AND ACHIEVE AMAZING THINGS TOGETHER.”

Smashing glass ceilings!

Deb Penulana was the winner of The Leadership Award in 2021. She works for DEWC Services - a veteran owned and operated Australian consultancy firm operating within the Defence Industry. They provide expert technical services within the ISREW and Cyber domains. Driven by a robust set of corporate values, DEWC is committed to an enduring approach that places primacy on the needs of its clients, ensuring the Australian Defence Force (ADF) is enabled to meet contemporary security challenges. They are passionate about providing technical expertise that helps Australian Defence Force people stay safe when in harm's way, enabling them to come home safely to their families.

My favourite phrase at the moment is “growth and comfort do not coexist”, so ladies, let’s keep following our dreams and convictions, seize opportunities as they arise, break through the glass ceilings, celebrate and achieve amazing things together.

What an inspiring note for Deb Penaluna to finish her acceptance speech on! We're excited to dive into the world of leadership with Deborah - bringing women to the front.

// It’s so vital to have women in leadership roles, because of the unique skill sets and perspective we bring. As the winner of The Leadership Award in 2021, you’re someone who demonstrates this every day! What do you love most about working in a leadership role?

My role as a leader is to help my team reach their potential. I take enormous pride in seeing my team succeed. My team all bring unique perspectives which brings ‘colour’ to our work.

I am also really fortunate to be able to choose my own team. In doing so, I’m able to bring people into my team who have strengths in areas where I’m lacking.

I am all about corporate culture, so fostering your corporate culture is really important. In business, corporate culture is your true north, guiding and shaping what you do. I love working in a culture that is inclusive, high trust and high performing; it helps us all bring out the best in each other.

// How do you believe women in leadership contribute to creating a thriving work culture within organisations?

There is a lot of toxic masculinity in the corporate world, often expressed as a bit of a ‘boys' club’. Citing the recent Federal election, it is pretty clear this type of culture achieves negative outcomes, with the major shift in ‘teal’ votes being truly indicative of broader societal expectations that the ‘boys' club’ is no longer acceptable.

Women bring a voice of inclusion because we’ve experienced exclusion and being undervalued at work. In my experience, women strive to achieve through inclusion and collaboration rather than individualistic and egotistical competitiveness. In being collaborative and inclusive, respecting the values and opinions of others, we achieve far more together.

It is perhaps because of the struggle for equality, which women have been working toward for generations, that women have pretty good EQ and we seek to improve ourselves for the betterment of ourselves and the collective.

Female leaders demonstrate their ability to shape workplace culture in a positive and productive way because we’ve seen and experienced the contrary; we can empathise, analyse and do things differently. I am very fortunate to work with a great team of men and women who share our values and do things differently.

// What advice would you give to any women aspiring to work in

leadership roles?

Go for it; the world needs more women in leadership! Know yourself. Value yourself. Keep an open mind and learn something new every day; remember it’s a journey and everything you do adds to your ‘lessons learned resume’. Read widely. Surround yourself with people you value. Build your network – SA Woman is a great place to do this – there’s a lot of women following their hearts and doing great things with incredible passion. Last, but not least, be courageous and believe in yourself.

To read Deb's acceptance speech in full, follow this QR code.

Discover more about DEWC at dewc.com

Margot John, KX Pilates, was the People's Choice Winner of The Leadership Award in 2021.

2022 Finalists

To connect with Yvonne Sears and discover more about her, follow this QR code.

YVONNE SEARS, ISD CYBER

ISD Cyber is a Cyber Resilience consulting company servicing clients across the country, specialising in blended resilience programs that span the fields of Business Continuity, Cyber Security, Information Security management, Privacy, IT Continuity and Disaster Recovery. Originally ISDefence, founded in July 2016 and rebranded ISD Cyber in November 2021, we are an Adelaide based, independent and ISO27001 certified Cyber Security company. We take care of clients nationally and internationally, but we have dedicated ourselves to growing 100% of our capability in SA. We do this to enable our SA clients access to broader expertise and skillsets, right here in Adelaide.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve received about your career?

Mistakes do not mean you have 'failed'; they're an opportunity to learn.

What do you love most about being in your role?

Enabling others to build confidence in a safe environment, having a 'tribe' of people that share

our values and to take the lead. It enables me to be the change I want to see.

Throughout the ups and downs, how have you stayed true to your vision?

Our vision is supported and influenced by our personal values, that makes it easy to stay on track as your gut instinct jumps in when it's outside of that.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve received about your career?

The first best piece of advice I received was from my mom, who defied her family’s restrictions and became a school teacher. Her advice to my sister and me was, that you need to work hard and stand on your own two feet and be financially independent. Everything else in life is secondary.

Over the years I’ve received a lot of great advice, including:

As a leader, you are always on display. Which means that your behaviour knowingly or unknowingly influences the behaviour of your team and others who follows you. Once you accept a poor standard, that will be the new benchmark.

And my recent favourite: Your talent will take you to the top, but your character will keep you there.

What do you love most about your role?

I love that it ranges across a variety of different businesses, from rail holidays, cruise and luxury accommodation to food and beverage. This brings complex technology adoption challenges, which I enjoy solving. In turn, it enables my team and me to grow professionally.

Another part of my job that I love is the opportunity to travel to different parts of Australia and collaborate with our operations teams on technology transformation initiatives. This not only helps me to appreciate the diversity and cater to the different customer segments but also to understand the day-to-day operations and build strong relationships with our teams across Australia.

Above everything, what I love the most in my job is my team and my colleagues. Our passion and enthusiasm for our business are electric and our commitment to do the best of our ability and achieve great outcomes is visible. I love the diversity in our team and the effortless collaboration, which makes our team high performing.

What is the biggest thing you have learnt from being in your role?

This is not only my first role in tourism, but this is also my first General Manager role. I had to learn a vast number of different technologies quickly, which I thoroughly enjoyed. The role brought many project, budget and vendor management challenges and along with them, the opportunity for more learning.

I learnt the best way to drive technology changes for stakeholders with a varied range of technology skills. Journey Beyond grew from 3 businesses to 10 within a couple of years. The new acquisitions brought new learnings.

However, the biggest learning I had was when COVID hit. I learnt that it was possible to support a team by letting them go and bringing them back together when it was possible. I learnt how strong and happy a team can be when the positive culture is driven by everyone in the team, rather than a leader.

MADHUMITA MAZUMDAR, JOURNEY BEYOND

Madhu is the General Manager of Technology in Journey Beyond. Proudly part of the Hornblower Group, Journey Beyond is a national business focused on bringing Australia’s most unique and iconic experiences to life. Journey Beyond owns and operates Rottnest Express, Cruise Whitsundays, The Ghan, Indian Pacific, Darwin Harbour Cruises, Sal Salis Ningaloo Reef, Outback Spirit, Melbourne Skydeck, Eureka 89, Journey Beyond Cruise Sydney and Horizontal Falls Seaplane Adventures. Madhu leads a 15-member IT team and oversees the fulfillment of technology needs of over 1,200 staff across Journey Beyond businesses. In addition, Madhu serves on the Board of the Birthing Kit Foundation Australia.

To connect with Madhumita Mazumdar and discover more about her, follow this QR code.

THE LEADERSHIP AWARD

What is the best piece of advice you’ve received about your career?

Say yes and figure it out later because I promise you will miss 100% of the shots you don't take.

The best opportunities throughout my career have been the ones I was least expecting, at an unplanned time in life and required the most amount of effort to succeed.

I moved 11 hours with no connections in a new state in the country town of Clare. Every opportunity to meet new people, volunteer at the local sports club, buy a beer at the local pub, visit a new business - I took and welcomed it with open arms.

The lesson that I learnt from that experience was becoming confident to place myself in the driver’s seat and not allow others to dictate my pathway – you can achieve goals outside of a traditional pathway and usually feeling uncomfortable means you are growing yourself in some way to set yourself up for the next opportunity.

What do you love most about your role?

Customers and colleagues. Behind every customer there is a story, and it’s that story that attracted me to this segment in the first place. I love meeting new people, celebrating success, learning new things and being there to offer support when things don’t go to plan.

CASEY ANNETTS, NAB

Regional Manager Small Business at NAB. Small Business is an energetic and highly engaged division that has transformed rapidly to deliver for our customers. We have taken on customer feedback and moved bankers back to local areas, simplified our processes/policies/systems to make it easier to serve our customers and invested heavily in our people. Outside of work, I love to spend my time outdoors, running my dogs at the beach or exercising. I am a passionate wine and food lover, and have convinced my fiancé Matt that it is ok to spend most weekends testing out wineries because we live in SA.

To connect with Casey Annetts and discover more about her, follow this QR code.

I wanted to initiate change, be better for our customers and create a personal touch to a banking proposition that had been lacking it for some time.

My team are phenomenal, and I have had the opportunity to recruit close to 30 South Australian people under my leadership over the last 3 years that are advocates of SA, employed in SA and spend their salary within SA to support our economy. I have challenged the perception that people must move to Melbourne or Sydney for their next opportunity in finance, as it exists right here in SA.

Throughout the ups and downs, how have you stayed true to your vision?

Connecting myself to the customer outcome and being genuinely interested in wanting to help them succeed.

There is no better feeling than being the catalyst that enabled a crazy idea that initiated in a shed on a Sunday afternoon to get off the ground or being able to support a business shift their goal posts because they are doing better than expected.

Conversely, it could be being the lifeline for a business owner when something outside of their control impacts day-to-day operations.

Small business owners are so grateful, authentic and resilient and it is an absolute privilege to work with such a diverse customer base.

To connect with Simone Douglas and discover more about her, follow this QR code.

SIMONE DOUGLAS, THE DUKE OF BRUNSWICK HOTEL

Simone Douglas is a business powerhouse. She is the Publican and Licensee of the Duke of Brunswick Hotel, Executive Director for BNI Adelaide North, CEO of Digital Marketing AOK and a best-selling author with her books "Seriously Social - turning your online game into real-world gain" and “The Confident Networker”. She also sits on the marketing advisory group for BNI Australia, serves on the Branch Council of the Australian Hotels Association SA Branch and is co-founder of the Hospo Owners Collective. Her businesses have garnered more awards than can be comfortably included in a bio, and her passion for supporting business, community and industry is well known.

What key moments led you to starting your business?

In the case of The Duke of Brunswick I was looking for office space and found a pub by accident. The rest is history.

What is the biggest thing you have learnt from being in business?

You are never the smartest person in the room, someone always knows something you don't.

What obstacles and opportunities have you found from being a woman in business?

Opportunities are everywhere when you are comfortable with who you are. Doors open when you use your voice and ask for what you want. If someone is holding a door closed, find another door.

What has been your biggest triumph?

Using all my skills and talents to force change for

an industry on its knees. Making an immediate and critical difference to thousands of South Australians in the process through the Hospo Owners Collective campaigns.

Throughout the ups and downs, how have you stayed true to your vision?

You can always control your response to the things around you. In remembering that change is constant, whether the present situation is good or bad, it is always going to change.

What has being involved in the 2022 SA Woman Awards brought to your life?

Being involved in the awards process has been great and reaffirmed how many amazing, talented women in business are around me. It gives me faith for the future where women will continue to shine brightly, lead boldly and build communities that make the world a better place.

The Shine Award

A new category for 2022, this award is for a woman who is pursuing excellence in her chosen career. Who has overcome challenges to continue to pave their own path towards a career that they are thriving in.

2022 Finalists

What is the best piece of advice you’ve received in your career?

I have been very fortunate to have several brilliant mentors, who have provided me with valuable advice, but there are three things that I always refer to:

» If you don't ask, you don't know.

» You can think outside the box, but you also need the courage to step outside it.

» When you think you're drowning, you're actually being taught how to swim.

What change do you want to see for women in your industry?

More women entering the industry without hesitation. Being courageous to back themselves because we are capable of so much more than we give ourselves credit for.

MELISSA EKBERG, CIVIL CONTRACTORS FEDERATION (SA)

I am the Director of Industry Engagement at the CCFSA. I commenced my career in the civil industry over 20 years ago working for civil construction contractors and have been a part of several significant projects in SA. Drawing on my experiences, I am able to provide support to local civil contractors across all levels of their business. My understanding of small business and the importance of a pipeline of work for contractors and the supply chain is invaluable. I have a passion for the civil contracting sector, dedicated to supporting, promoting and protecting the interests of civil contractors throughout South Australia.

To connect with Melissa Ekberg and discover more about her, follow this QR code.

Women in Civil Construction at any level, be it on the field or in support roles, provides the greatest feeling of job satisfaction like no other. Playing a part in significant projects across SA which will be there for lifetimes to come, knowing that 'I helped to build that' brings a smile to your face and a sense of pride that never fades. No two days are the same.

What has being involved in the 2022 SA Woman Awards brought to your life?

It has been surreal. I never spend time reflecting on my achievements because I'm always on the go. Between my amazing kids, football, ballet, their social lives and my career, I rarely take a breath. Like the saying goes, if you want something done, give it to a busy person!

This nomination has given me the opportunity to do just that. And it has also opened my network to such a fantastic group of women whose primary purpose is to lift each other up. Reading about the other finalists proves that we have so much amazing and diverse talent in our state. We can achieve greatness together, we are and we will continue to!

BIANCA PILLA, JBI

Bianca Pilla is the founding Committee Chair for World Evidence-Based Healthcare (EBHC) Day and the Director of Global Relations at JBI, where she manages partnerships with 80+ Universities and Health Facilities across 40+ countries, that strive for improvements in the quality and outcomes of healthcare globally through EBHC. Her expertise is in multi-stakeholder partnership development at global, national and community levels. With a background in International Development, Bianca has led development programs across diverse fields including tertiary and vocational education and training, community health, livelihoods, gender and disability in Afghanistan, Australia, India and Kenya in both development and emergency contexts.

To connect with Bianca Pilla and discover more about her work, follow this QR code.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve received in your career?

"Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better." This is in fact a Maya Angelou quote, however it perfectly sums up the support and encouragement that I have had from successive female CEOs over my career to do your best and be open to change.

It speaks to the importance of owning and acknowledging your mistakes, being transparent about what you have learned and how you intend to do better; and the fact that we are all learning, every day, so it is okay that you don’t have all the answers.

Throughout the ups and downs, how have you stayed true to your vision?

Personally, and professionally, my focus (vision) has firmly been about helping people.

When being forced to move roles due to health concerns, what was most important for me was ensuring that I worked with an organisation that was purpose-driven. Knowing in some small way that your day-to-day push, grind and emotional energy are being directed towards a greater good, creating change, having impact, makes the ups and downs worthwhile.

It also provides a healthy dose of perspective.

There was a time where I doubted whether I would be able to continue to forge this path, of helping people. However, my belief in silver linings is strong, and I am grateful for the continued opportunities to work with, and support, thousands of dedicated researchers, clinicians and decision-makers advancing the quality of healthcare globally through Evidence-Based Healthcare, to improve lives.

What has been your biggest triumph in your career?

The conception and establishment of World EvidenceBased Healthcare Day. This has by no means been achieved alone, indeed the fact that so many people globally have dedicated and volunteered their time and expertise to establishing, driving, and recognising this initiative will never cease to amaze me.

In 2020, the global evidence community was struggling with the herculean task of providing rapid, trustworthy evidence to make informed decisions for COVID-19.

Establishing the first World Day dedicated to EvidenceBased Healthcare in 2020 gave thousands of people the space to pause, reflect and importantly, to engage in global discussions about what had been achieved, how challenges had been overcome, ideas for moving forward and shared experiences.

JBI as an organisation has always been supportive of fostering creativity, taking risks, and supporting bold ideas. This bold idea has gained global traction at a rapid rate and will hopefully outlive my career.

THE SHINE AWARD

What is the best piece of advice you’ve received in your career?

I am tenacious (I love that word), driven and diligent. I think I am a high achiever but also someone who is highly sensitive to criticism and failing – I saw this recently referred to as a 'sensitive striver'.

So whilst I have had amazing career growth, I very openly admit to having needed reinforcement from others - “That I can do this”, “I had the right stuff”, “You are nailing it” – what I saw on reflection was that whilst my capability grew rapidlymy belief in my ability didn’t always move at the same pace.

I have been propped up by having a supportive work environment with mentors and managers ready to back me. The best advice I could offer anyone about their career is to focus on your environment and choose wisely – where you work, where you invest your skills is vitally important.

A supportive work environment where accountability, development opportunities and equity exist is crucial to being heard, staying connected to your values and ultimately growing.

What has been your biggest triumph in your career?

COLLEEN LUCK, ELECTRANET

ElectraNet powers people’s lives by delivering safe, affordable and reliable solutions to power homes, businesses and the economy. As the owner and operator of South Australia’s electricity transmission network, it is a critical part of the electricity supply chain. It builds, owns, operates and maintains highvoltage electricity assets, which move energy from traditional and renewable energy generators in South Australia and interstate to large load customers and the lower voltage distribution network, and increasingly provide system security services such as system strength and inertia to support the growth in renewable energy.

To connect with Colleen Luck and discover more about her work, follow this QR code.

I know this may seem like a weird one to mention - I was an emergency liaison coordinator for the ElectraNet business and was part of the incident management team that executed ElectraNet’s incident management response plans during, what to date has been one of the most instrumental events to shape South Australia’s, and to some degree this country's changing energy landscape - South Australia's "State Black" event on September 28th, 2016.

Being part of such an important event for South Australians, for ElectraNet and for the energy industry as a whole, and having supported the response to this event in such a crucial role, is by far the most rewarding and memorable experience of my entire career – one I think will be hard to top in this lifetime.

I was recognised for my work done during this time but this recognition pales most definitely to what I gained by having been a part of this event.

What change do you want to see for women in your industry?

The energy industry is one of the worst-performing in terms of female representation in this country with the energy workforce comprised of only 23.8 per cent women. There unfortunately is a perception that you need to be an engineer or similar to work in energy. I am not an engineer and have had and continue to have, a very successful career doing a job (Senior Project Manager) traditionally filled by men who are engineers! Organisations will be responding to what will be a skills shortage in the energy sector with the amount of investment, new technologies and new energy infrastructure that’s on the horizon. We need more women in energy with diversity in thinking, problem solving and communication needed for what is proving to be a rapid transformation.

What key moments led you to being in your role?

As a veteran, I missed the community that comes with being a member of the ADF.

The culmination of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide, my own struggles and mental health issues and a compulsion to 'give back' found me applying for a role in this organisation.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve received about your career?

To be myself.

The process of joining the military trains you to supresss what it means to be human; what you see and do in the military conflicts with humanity; what you can experience during transition can be in-humane.

Being myself helps me bring back the humanness.

What has been your biggest triumph in your career?

Orchestrating and running a program that 'reached-in' to other Veterans who might have been struggling over the Christmas period.

I know for a fact that my service during that time saved at least two lives.

What obstacles and opportunities have you found from being a woman in your role?

Being diagnosed last year with ADHD and autism has been a difficult journey, in addition to having to submit my own story to the Royal Commission while simultaneously supporting my peers to do the same.

I have had to do a lot of work in trying to understand who I am and how I have come to be this way.

The biggest opportunity has been that through my diagnosis, I have been able to bring a new perspective and area of support for others who have had late diagnoses.

What has being involved in the 2022 SA Woman Awards brought to your life?

So much support - my workplace are so excited for me and encouraging, it has shown me that the right people in your life will uplift, celebrate and support your success. Much like SA Woman!

KELLY BREALEY, SOLDIER ON AUSTRALIA

Soldier On is a national not-for-profit veteran support organisation delivering a range of services to enable current and ex-serving veterans and their families to thrive. It is Australia's only national fully integrated and holistic support service provider for our national service personnel and their families. Soldier On currently reaches more than 8,000 Australian veterans and their families. Services include a range of mental health and wellbeing services, employment support and education programs, as well as activities focused on connections with family, friends, and the broader community. Kelly works as a counsellor on the psychology and wellbeing services team.

To connect with Kelly Brealey and discover more about her work, follow this QR code.

DR SAMANTHA PAPAVASILIOU, AUSTRALIAN TAXATION OFFICE

Dr Samantha Papavasiliou is an academic researcher focused on digital transformation in government. Samantha’s focus is on the creation of an efficient and effective public sector services framework. Samantha’s substantive role is as an Executive Level Project Manager/Data Analyst at the Australian Taxation Office, responsible for Service Review and Redesign. Additionally, she is an Adjunct Senior Research Fellow at James Cook University and postgraduate lecturer at Adelaide University. Samantha is a passionate advocate for encouraging women into STEM and providing thought leadership in her field, recent examples include co-authoring 3 open-source textbooks supporting UNESCO’s call for Open Educational Resources.

To connect with Dr Samantha Papavasiliou and discover more about her, follow this QR code.

What change do you want to see for women in your industry?

More women in STEM. STEM fields need to celebrate diversity (be that gender, neurodiversity, etc). Industries often see women pausing their career for any time, as a loss of skills, however women often come back from breaks with renewed passion and drive. STEM fields need to be more open to a transient workforce. Encouraging women into STEM, requires sharing career and mentoring opportunities to help develop women will help bridge the gap.

In 5 years from now, what would you love to be celebrating?

I would love to be celebrating many things. Firstly, to see more women in STEM. Secondly, to see my students move into and flourish in their careers. Third, more openness around neuro-diversity. Personally to be celebrating establishing my own research and project management consulting firm. Also, attaining a healthy work-life balance, learning how to relax and take time to reflect, my parents ongoing health and happiness, and I hope to be over my own health battles.

What has being involved in the 2022 SA Woman Awards brought to your life?

I have spent a considerable amount of my working life on study and work - I have not taken the opportunity to actually pause and reflect on what I have achieved to date. I am truly humbled by this nomination, it really has created an opportunity for me to look back and reflect and for that I am truly thankful. This is not only a personal journey - I would not be here without strong female role models. This opportunity brings up feelings of discomfort with accepting praise, however it's increased my appreciation for how my brain works. But also, how the women around me come together to celebrate our achievements, to guide one another and to challenge the status quo. If I was not surrounded by strong women, mentors and role models who have overcome significant challenges and hardships, I would not have people to look up to or seek advice from. This relates to the best advice a role model gave, she said that the most important thing a young person can do is take a breath and reflect on the journey. There is so much pressure on young people (especially women) to establish themselves early in their careers, to be able to balance everything and grow their skills and capabilities. There’s always a rush to achieve, advance and make change, however sometimes we need to stop and reflect on steps taken. Success is not measured only by everything going to plan, but also how we respond to things not going to plan.

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Previous Award Categories

These final four categories were awarded in 2021. Discover more about the worthy winners of The Innovator Award, The Quiet Achiever Award, The Allrounder Award, and a surprise award!

THE INNOVATOR AWARD

“IT'S FOR EVERY GIRL THAT GOT TOLD THEY WEREN’T ENOUGH, OR IN MY CASE ‘YOU’RE JUST A HAIRDRESSER’ ...THIS AWARD SIGNIFIES THAT ANYTHING REALLY IS POSSIBLE!”

Anything is possible!

Yovanka Loria was the winner of The Innovator Award in 2021. With over 25 years of hairstyling experience, she opened her home salon in 2017 after her two darling children had entered school. Around the same time, she identified a massive gap in the market for luxury, high-quality hair extensions that are low maintenance and non-damaging to hair. So, she followed her hunch and secured exclusive rights to develop her own extension brand. In 2018, Yovanka launched 'Yovanka Loria Extensions’ to the marketplace - luxury hand-tied hair extensions. By the end of 2019 it had become a global brand! Her extensions are now stocked in over 60 salons throughout Australia, and over 400 salons in the US.

Winning this award signifies a lot for me - it’s for every single girl who was told no. It's for every immigrant parent that had to fight to build a better life for their children. It's for every girl that got told they weren’t enough, or in my case ‘you’re just a hairdresser’. For every girl who got told they were too uneducated, too inexperienced and were too different – this award signifies that anything really is possible!

Yovanka Loria kicked off her acceptance speech with these strong and empowering words that made everyone cheer even louder!

We were keen to talk with Yovanka about her incredible journey and the wisdom she can impart from following a hunch to global success.

// It was fabulous to be able to recognise you for being such a changemaker in the hair industry with The Innovator Award in 2021!

What have been the highlights for you since winning this award?

The continued growth that my business has experienced has been a very humbling highlight. My extensions range continues to grow month upon month - I’m constantly amazed by the milestones we are achieving.

But to be honest, the positive impact that my brand has had on hair stylists that offer my extensions, is an overall highlight. To see them grow and build a dream clientele and a profitable business model for their business by offering our high-end luxury service is so rewarding. My brand is here

to contribute to the progression of setting a new sustainable working standard within our industry. To achieve this is a huge highlight.

// How do you recommend that other women in business stay true to their vision, regardless of the setbacks and others who doubt them?

I actually welcome setbacks and failure, as that is an opportunity to learn and grow. It’s important to keep moving, rather than staying stagnant. No-one has achieved greatness by staying still. Stuff happens – that’s just life. Never lose sight of the big picture and be kind to yourself, sometimes the universe knocks us on the head for a reason (it’s quite often because we are doing too much!).

And as for the doubters, they are always going to be there. Ignore them - become your own cheerleader and back yourself. The doubters are a distraction and are there to test you, as they want to steer you off course. Don’t give them any energy. Again, remain focused on the big picture.

// Looking ahead now, how would you love to empower and uplift other women within your industry?

I would love for people to look at me and say, ‘I can do that too’

I was in my 40’s and had two kids when my brand went global. I had no formal education other than being a hairstylist. I had minimal business experience. But I had the drive. I knew when I was onto a good thing and knew I had to see it through. I educated myself, surrounded

myself with the right people that I could learn from and I learnt from my many, many mistakes. I also learnt to tap into my intuition and understood that when things didn’t feel right, there was often a reason why.

I am passionate about sharing my learnings and teachings to others so they too can achieve their version of success. This is one area I very much look forward to exploring in the near future.

To read Yovanka's acceptance speech in full, follow this QR code.

Discover more about Yovanka Loria at yovankaloria.com.au

Bianca McLean, The Pond Swim Centre, was the People's Choice Winner of The Innovator Award in 2021.

THE ACHIEVER AWARD

“THANK YOU TO MY FAMILY... RUNNING A SMALL BUSINESS IS NOT ALWAYS EASY, AND WITHOUT THEIR SUPPORT, LOVE AND GUIDANCE, I WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO DO WHAT I LOVE TO DO.”

An accolade to roar about!

Chloe Cocks was the winner of The Quiet Achiever Award in 2021. She is the founder of Roar Speech, which offers accessible paediatric speech pathology services to families across the Fleurieu Peninsula and Adelaide Metro. They have two child-friendly ‘dens’ to welcome our families in Port Elliot and Unley. At Roar, they nurture relationships with each child, their family and communication partners. They pride themselves on playing, being creative, innovative, and fun in our sessions to ensure best outcomes for our ‘Little Lions’. Our mission is to support and encourage each child to build confidence and independence when communicating so they can ROAR!

Finally, thank you to my family...for always believing me and supporting me through every happy moment, and also the more challenging ones. Running a small business is not always easy, and without their support, love and guidance, I wouldn’t be able to do what I love to do.

Chloe Cocks ended her acceptance speech on these stirring words, that sum up small business life. We're excited to hear about her proudest moments and the lessons she's learned.

// It’s brilliant that you won the award for Quiet Achiever last year – definitely something to roar about! Can you tell us, what are you most proud of from your time in business?

Firstly, I must say, it was a complete honour to be nominated and then take out the SAW Quiet Achiever award last year. I usually shy away from being in the ‘spotlight’ and so it was a very proud moment to be on stage representing my wonderful Roar team!

Looking back over Roar’s evolution, I'm deeply proud that I still run a small business. The last 10 years have not been an easy, straight road. I have navigated many hurdles along the way, taken on risk, followed my intuition, succeeded and failed all the while still smiling most days. By taking each day as it comes, has led me to now be surrounded by the most inspiring, supportive group of women at Roar. We organically grew from a team of 3 to 8 in 18 months and over this time also navigated COVID and all the changes and upgrades to systems and processes that was required to sustain a larger team. The team pivoted with ease and grace, always with a smile and warm demeanour.

Growth and change, is not always an easy feat, and so to have the amazing support around me, to keep putting one foot in front of the other we have built a trusted brand, with our values deeply rooted in building and sustaining strong relationships. I am proud of my journey thus far and also for all that awaits in the future.

// Having experienced rapid growth in your team – what’s your biggest piece of advice for others looking to increase their staff numbers?

I have never been afraid to have others in my corner and ask for help and guidance by those who have walked the path before me. Over my journey so far, I have leant upon four coaches and mentors who have held me, kept me accountable and supported me through growth and expansion.

Also - hire, employ and engage administration to support you! I would not be where I am without my amazing support team, including my Accountant and HR advisor. Engaging expertise from others, will give you TIME to support your growing team and not feel completely bogged down by the everyday running of your business.

For me, stepping out of working ‘in’ my business to ‘on’ my business, I believe, was the core to our growth. You can’t steer a ship without a captain and so making the decision, although scary, has been pivotal to our evolution.

Finally, I believe in filling up your own cup, you can’t give out to others from an empty cup. That goes for your family and your business so if you’re flying solo or building a team, remember YOU in all of it and give back to yourself first. From that place, growth and abundance is inevitable.

// What do you do to keep heading in the direction of your goals and dreams when things get a bit rocky?

I believe taking rest, time away and grounding practices such as meditation and taking time in nature is so important to gather energy and strength to get through the wobbly moments and continue to track in the direction of your goals and dreams. Ensuring you have your goals and dreams written down has also been a gamechanger for me so that I can refer back to them if life gets busy and I feel that I am going off track. This realigns me to my values, beliefs and my purpose.

To read Chloe's acceptance speech in full, follow this QR code.

Discover more about Roar Speech at roarspeech.com.au

Alysha Sparks, Alysha Sparks Artist, was the People's Choice Winner of The Quiet Achiever Award in 2021.

THE AWARD

“AT THE SA WOMAN AWARDS, I HEARD AN ENTIRE FUNCTION ROOM OF PEOPLE PRAISING, RECOMMENDING, REFERRING, COMPLIMENTING & CONGRATULATING. THAT'S THE CULTURE I WANT TO BE A PART OF. THAT'S THE ROOMFUL I HAVE BEEN SEARCHING FOR.”

Do what you love!

Libby Trainor Parker was the winner of The Allrounder Award in 2021. Libby is many things to all people: writer, performer, speaker, teacher, parent, partner, business owner, venue manager, and health advocate. Author of the forthcoming book Endo Days (Wakefield Press), Libby has been instrumental and successful in lobbying for funds and raising awareness for endometriosis learning and awareness programs. Libby is a popular MC and speaker, and can also be seen on stage as an award-winning cabaret performer and stand-up comedian. Available to speak at events and seminars, Libby can also run workshops or consult on health and wellbeing, bringing education, knowledge, lived experience and a healthy dose of humour to everything she does.

Aclose business colleague once said to me, 'Surround yourself with women who will mention your name in a room full of opportunities'. At the SA Woman Awards, I heard an entire function room of people praising, recommending, referring, complimenting and congratulating. That's the culture I want to be a part of. That's the roomful I have been searching for.

What a goosebumps moment in Libby Trainor Parker's acceptance speech. Now, we'd love to hear more about Libby's journey and the key to success as a multipassionate business woman.

// Your smile absolutely lit up the room when you won! Going back a step - what were the crossroads moments that led you to starting your own business?

I had an undiagnosed chronic illness and I wasn’t sure what was wrong with me, I just knew I couldn’t work the hours I was doing in my teaching job and part time freelancing as a writer.

I made the leap into breaking free from a Real Job™ and working for myself when I was given the opportunity to write speeches for a politician as well as run some writing workshops for kids, which was going to offer the freedom and flexibility to work my own hours, as well as a financial base to build from.

After writing for other people for a while, I was struggling with my health and going through some fertility issues and survived a couple of near death experiences and eleven pregnancy losses, which made me decide to take some risks and do things I’d always wanted to do.

I started MCing, doing stand-up comedy,

I wrote a book, I wrote and performed an award-winning cabaret about endometriosis called Endo Days, I started a venue, and then because I needed even more in my life, I fostered a beautiful little boy!

All of the things I have gone through have made me be a better business person and I honestly can’t even believe how lucky I am that I get to do all the things I love for a living and be able to make a difference in people’s lives.

// You’re multi-passionate and have crafted your business around doing what you love. What advice would you give to other women wanting to create a business based on their passions?

No one knows and loves what you do more than you, so back yourself and just do it. They say if you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life, but I don’t think that’s true. Doing what you love is hard work because you want it to be the best it can be, but that’s why you’re the best person to do it. So jump in, take a risk, do something that scares you and share your passion with the people!

// What do you believe to be the key to longevity in business, and achieving your own version of success?

I am a person who thrives when doing something different every day. For a long time, I thought that was a personality flaw and I was frustrated with myself for not wanting to have the same job for a decade, go to the same place every day and work on the same thing. When I started to appreciate that the way I work is project-based and that I like to sink my teeth into something for a short time, see it to completion and then move on to the next thing, I started to succeed. All I needed to do was appreciate how I work and why, and then choose the work that suited my style. I was so relieved when I

realised that I absolutely flourish when I’m working on short-term projects and the rest is history!

The other thing I did was find my work fam. I made a decision to surround myself with people who would mention my name in a room full of opportunities and I built a community and shared my time with people who believe in me and will back me. And I back them right back!

I work alongside a team of absolutely badass women who all have their own businesses, and who all need community, like me. We share ideas, troubleshoot problems together, call on each other for perspective when we need it, and we lift each other up. My freelance fam have been an absolute life saver.

To read Libby's acceptance speech in full, follow this QR code.

Discover more about Libby Trainor Parker at libbytrainorparker.com

Lauren Whiting, LIFT Cancer Care Services, was the People's Choice Winner of The Allrounder Award in 2021.

THE FOUNDER AND LEGEND AWARD

Carly kicked off the evening with her Founder's Speech which had the entire room enthralled, then got right down to business, passing out the Awards to our excited winners.

Pictured below is our MC Kate Burr, Carly, Jess and Carly - all still amazed we actually pulled the surprise off!

Wait a minute...Carly got the shock of her life when our MC Kate Burr announced there was a new award!

Founder and Legend

Our Founder, Carly Thompson-Barry knew about the 13 Award categories in 2021, but got a big surprise to hear there was a new award – the Founder and Legend Award! Head of Showcasing, Jess McEachen, took to the stage to not just surprise Carly, but to recognise, thank and celebrate her for the immense amount of work and effort she puts into SA Woman. The spontaneous and well-deserved standing ovation at the end took Carly, the introvert, by surprise and walking down the red carpet amongst it was not what she had ever expected to be doing! This is the speech that Jess delivered.

We wanted to take a moment to thank and celebrate the woman in this room who is the reason that we’re all here.

Which clearly, is the one and only Carly Thompson-Barry.

She is the Founder of SA Woman, she is a legend and an absolute force to be reckoned with.

And – as you can see, she has absolutely no idea that I’m doing this!

Carly’s someone who is so understated about who she is and what she does, but on behalf of the SA Woman Dream Team, I wanted to take a moment to make sure she has the light shone on her tonight too!

And, look despite the fact that I’m a copywriter – Carly is hard to put into words.

But, for me I think her actions speak so loudly and the ripple effects that those actions create sum her up beautifully.

Tonight is a perfect example.

Carly brings together women from right around our state. She celebrates them for being exactly who they are, and makes sure as many people as possible can see that too.

Carly is a self-proclaimed passionate advocate for women supporting women, and she achieves that in spades.

And her grit. Her tenacity. Her heart. And, the fact that she just doesn’t give

up. It’s just so damn inspiring.

Again, tonight is a great example. It almost couldn’t go ahead when we had to change venue last minute –but Carly scoured Adelaide and was determined to make it happen.

Clearly, the last year or two has been nothing short of bonkers on so many levels. So challenging, so heartwrenching, so draining.

And, I know that Carly has thought about throwing in the towel a number of times. And, fair enough!

But she hasn’t.

She picks herself up, dusts herself off, and gets back in there to have another go.

To quote one of her posts…

“I’ll never stop falling – and to be honest, I hope I don’t, because if I do it means I’ve stopped trying.

I’ll also never stop rising up again, determined to do better each and every day.”

And, what I love and what so many other people love too – is that she makes that journey public. She doesn’t sugar coat it and lets you into the rollercoaster and that it’s not all sparkles and rainbows.

Now, for anyone who doesn’t know, the whole reason she created SA Woman was so she could hang out with others who got it.

And look what it is today!

In addition to a membership base of over 800 women, SA Woman is an absolutely thriving hub for thousands of women in business and careers to stand side by side and support each other through the complexities and challenges…as well as the celebrations and triumphs that come with being a woman in business.

So Carly – on behalf of everyone here tonight. Every finalist, winner and supporter. The SA Woman dream team. Every single one of our members. Every single person in our wider community who you help through your heartfelt posts and emails, your fierce determination, your entrepreneurial spark, and your absolute passion for making the world a better place for us all.

We say a HUGE thank you to you.

Because as I said at the start – we wouldn’t be here without you.

We all can’t wait to see what 2022 will bring for you and SA Woman. And the far-reaching ripple effects you’ll continue to create in such a vibrant, yet humble way.

Thank you.

This Award was created and donated by the fabulous Alinta Neumann at Macey and Me.

Thank you Alinta - Jess had been thinking of making a speech to thank Carly, but your beautiful thought and iniative to come up with the 'Founder & Legend Award' made it absolutely perfect.

Girls who Soar! GENERATION

At SA Woman, we believe a big part of our role is to empower the girls who will one day be the business owners, the career excellers, the entrepreneurs, the innovators and the faces of our state. It is up to us as the women of today to nurture them, because they are our leaders of tomorrow. We are working hard to recognise their achievements, to mentor, guide and provide opportunities to them, so that they can embrace their unique gifts, grow in confidence, and create the career or business that they love. Thanks to the support of SA Woman members, we have given these 10 girls the opportunity to attend our Gala Dinner, and be inspired by a room of incredible women. They will also have their moment to shine on stage as they are awarded a Certificate of Encouragement. Go girls - your future is bright!

SUMMER & INDIANA THORNTON, GARNISH

Garnish is a family collab between us two sisters and our Pop. Poppy has taught us to garnish life with happiness. We hand-make our dehydrated fruits together and we hope this garnish makes you smile too.

To discover more about Garnish, follow this QR code

MOLLY WISHART, GRACE & ROSE CANDLES

Started by two Riverland girls in 2021 as a school project, they've now sold more than 400 of their beautiful smelling, crystal infused, 100% soy wax candles!

To discover more about Grace & Rose Candles, follow this QR code

ALESSIA WATTS, GIFTS AND CO. BY ALESSIA MARIE

Helping keep gift shopping easy, taking the hassle out of your day. With a range of products there’s something for everyone.

To discover more about Gifts and Co. by Alessia Marie, follow this QR code

ROSE BARTLETT, DAISY AND DOUG'S DOGGIE CO.

Cool dog stuff for people and pooches who care. A school project turned social enterprise that makes quirky, luxury dog accessories.

To discover more about Daisy & Doug's Doggie Co., follow this QR code

YASMIN WILLMER, MIRRORED HEARTS

In 2021, at the age of 14, Yasmin began fundraising to cover the costs of her autism assistance dog, Everest, pictured here. With the help of her team, Yasmin makes silicone and wooden bead products, that make the perfect gift.

To discover more about Mirrored Hearts, follow this QR code

LEXI GRIFFITHS, HIPPY TRIPPY JEWELLERY

Hand crafted jewellery and ornaments, made with love by 10-yearold Lexi. She started her own business to enable her to save her own money, keep herself busy and to be able to express her creative talents.

To discover more about Hippy Trippy Jewellery, follow this QR code

ALEXA SEIDEL, THAT’S MY BIN

10 year old Alexa has her own business, making and selling bin numbers and pictures out of vinyl. You will know which bin is yours with these durable bin numbers and brighten your community too!

To discover more about That's My Bin, follow this QR code

INDIANA TAMKE, UPCYCLE INDI

Indi is 14 and has become a wellknown face at markets around SA. She offers affordable hair braiding, as well as handmade earrings, scrunchies, clips and more.

To discover more about Upcycle Indi, follow this QR code

CHARLEE WATT, CHARLEE WATT MUSIC

At 17, Charlee is making her way in the music business. She's recorded her own music, put on her first solo Adelaide Fringe show and is learning all that she can about the complexities of the business.

To discover more about Charlee Watt Music, follow this QR code

Thank you to these fabulous SA Woman Members for sponsoring ten Girls Who Soar to attend our Gala Dinner: Tina Kelly - Embellish Beauty Glenelg, Kate Dyer - Urban Safari Photography + Studio Safari, Charmaine Summers - Yarnarama, Angela Hamilton - Zest Botanicals, Claudine Niyonzima - Zima, Melissa Hayward - Your Choice Conveyancing, Amie Kendall - Virtually Creative, Melanie Turner - Distinct Conveyancing, Kathy Wooller - Evolve Pro Australia, and Carly Lukacs - carly. jane creative.

Event Partners

We are incredibly grateful to each and every one of our Event Partners for helping us bring the fifth SA Woman Awards to life and make our Gala Dinner an evening to remember!

HEIDI WOLFF PHOTOGRAPHY + VIDEO

Hi, I’m Heidi Wolff. A professional brand photographer, videographer, smartphone educator, and small business cheerleader working in Adelaide & regional SA (I love a good road trip). I’m here to give small business owners and entrepreneurs impostor-syndrome-smashing confidence to share their unique genius, allowing them to fulfil all the reasons why they went into business!

Complimentary bundle of 4 images at December's Headshot FUNDAY (value $350) heidiwolff.com.au

EVOLVE PRO AUSTRALIA

Provides project services with an evolving career and learning focus. Evolving people as they prepare for the future of working and learning is a superpower of Kathy Wooller, Chief Evolving Officer. The projects are people focussed and proven to positively impact my clients. Free 30 min video discovery call for new clients evolvepro.com.au

BLUSH & CO.

Blush & Co. offers a range of modern and timeless jewellery, with rose gold always at the heart of the brand. We strive to provide affordable, high quality sterling silver and plated jewellery, which is both chic and feminine in style.

15% OFF CODE: SAWOMAN15 blushandco.com.au

MACEY & ME

Laser cutting and engraving, with a vast number of materials and products available, we aim to please with the highest level of care!

Custom orders are definitely welcomed here, we love creating the perfect item for any occasion. From the SA Woman Awards and merchandise, to household items, baby milestones and plaques, gifts and much more!

Contact Alinta on 0437 285 225 facebook.com/maceyandme18

INSIDEOUT PRINT & SIGNAGE

At Insideout Print & Signage we offer a very personalised service, tailored specifically to your needs and budget. We are a family-owned business with a combined 40+ years of experience in print, signage, promotion and marketing servicing all areas of Adelaide and surrounding regions.

Contact Kate on 0411 065 109 ipmservices.com.au

MISS PORTRAIT

At Miss Portrait, we take the worry out of having your Videography done and Headshots taken. I'm an expert in finding the most flattering poses for your body shape and personality and work with you until you feel confident and great about yourself. I create high end Portrait experiences, Business Branding and Corporate Headshot Folio's for women of all ages and business types, and that's just for starters! You’ll love your time in the studio!

BrandMe Pro Digital Folio Packages down to $1,500 for SA Woman Members (usually $3,495) missportrait.com.au

CARLY JANE. CREATIVE

A copywriting, social media and business support service, dedicated to finding you the best words and stories to highlight your passion and points of difference. With great content and copy, you can create a creative and engaging online presence that your customers can’t help but notice!

Free 30 min creative chat for new clients carlyjanecreative.com

Award Supporters

We say a big thank you to the businesses and organisations who have pledged their support to South Australian women through the SA Woman Awards. Our Major Partners, Event Partners, Category Sponsors and Award Supporters have allowed us to create an event that truly celebrates and showcases the talented women in business and careers across South Australia.

COMPLETE ADMIN & BOOKKEEPING

With over 20 years of finance and administration experience, Belinda provides personalised admin and bookkeeping support to help your business thrive. completeadmin.com.au

Passionate Travel Agent, with over 20 years experience. Incredible personalised service and expert advice to create your dream holiday. hollydaytravel.com.au YOU

EFFICIENT SMALL BUSINESS SOLUTIONS

A one-stop Business Support Hub tailored to Sole Traders, Micro-Business Owners, and Small Businesses. Work with our specialists & access all you need right here! efficientsbsolutions.net.au

KAIZEN BUSINESS SUPPORT

Resilience building, Mental Health First Aid, on-on-one coaching, play to your strengths. Complimentary 15 minute zoom session. kaizenb.com

HOLLYDAY TRAVEL

DEWC SERVICES

DEWC Services develop expert EW technologies to help protect our Defence Force. Discover more at dewc.com

SAM’S OFFICE SOLUTIONS (SOS)

Offering bookkeeping and BAS Agent services. We are proficient, passionate and client focused, caring about your business as much as you do! facebook.com/samsofficesolutionssos

FOR ABEL PHOTOGRAPHY

The Barossa's Storyteller® Real people, Real photos and Real stories. Timeless, highquality images. Family sessions - Business sessions - Luxe Barossa experiences. forabelphotography.com

LATOT OB D Y P T | GROU P FITNESS F O R |NEMOWtb

TOTAL BODY PT

We are a Women's Only Fitness Facility. We offer both Personal Training and a huge timetable of group fitness classes. Contact Jenni totalbodyptandfitness.com.au

DCB INSURANCE SERVICES

Our passion is insurance, protecting you is our priority. Helping women in business get the right cover. dcbinsuranceservices.com.au

FIND MY VAN

Looking for a new adventure? Let the team at FMV find the perfect caravan for your next road trip. Discover more at findmyvan.com.au

EVOLVE PRO AUSTRALIA

Evolving people as they prepare for the future of working and learning is a superpower of Kathy Wooller, Chief Evolving Officer. evolvepro.com.au

SA WOMAN

Join our Membership community for women in business and careers. We're here to connect, showcase and support you, and empower you to soar! sawoman.com.au/join

BIZ NAME HERE

This is where the fabulous twenty word description goes. The reader loves it and they just need to know more! website.com.au

BIZ NAME HERE

This is where the fabulous twenty word description goes. The reader loves it and they just need to know more! website.com.au

BIZ NAME HERE

This is where the fabulous twenty word description goes. The reader loves it and they just need to know more! website.com.au

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

FOUNDER + PUBLISHER + VISIONARY + EDITOR-IN-CHIEF + DESIGNER

Carly Thompson-Barry carly@sawoman.com.au

Carly founded SA Woman, an organisation dedicated to the connection, showcasing and empowerment of women right across South Australia.

EDITOR + WRITER + DESIGNER

Jess McEachen jess@sawoman.com.au

SPONSORSHIP + ACCOUNTS hello@sawoman.com.au

For submission guidelines or contributions to future issues of Soar Magazine, please visit www.sawoman.com.au

PAGE #2 ALLUMNAE PHOTO

Thank you to our 2021 Allumnae who were able to make the photo shoot: Deb Penaluna, Yovanka Loria, Emily Bennett, Dinah Thomasset-Hearn, Bec Hardy, Jodie Hawkes, Maggie Dmochowski and Rebecca Wessels. Photography by Heidi Wolff Photography.

2021 STAGE + RED CARPET PHOTOS

Thank you to Heidi Wolff Photography for capturing all of the special moments on stage and on the red carpt at the 2021 SA Woman Awards. We are grateful to be able to show off your photography yet again!

ISSUE CONTRIBUTORS

Thank you to each of our 2021 Winners, 2022 Finalists and Major Partners for going into detail about your story, as well as the lessons, challenges, triumphs and more that have featured in your business and career journey.

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