I believe that leadership - and life - shouldn’t be about playing small or shrinking to fit in. But I didn’t always think that way. Like many capable women I work with today, I spent years (and years!) overthinking, doubting myself and holding back… even when I knew I was ready to lead. Here is a bit of my story so far.

I grew up in the lush Dandenong Ranges and eventually followed a long-held dream to settle with my family on the Mornington Peninsula - a move that became the foundation for the life I’d always imagined.

As a kid, I was obsessed with dolphins (still am - my spirit animal) and convinced I’d grow up to be a marine biologist. I even started university down that path… until something inside me told me it wasn’t quite right (mainly chemistry!).

So I did something that felt terrifying at the time: I trusted my gut and walked away. Looking back, that moment tells you a lot about me and the relationship I now have with my intuition - a guide that has shaped almost every chapter of my life and career since.

One of those chapters took me into the corporate world.

Three months into my very first HR role, I stepped up as Acting Team Leader. Six months later the role became permanent, and from there my career grew into increasingly senior leadership positions, eventually working at General Manager level.

Along the way, something interesting started happening… Many of the opportunities that shaped my career didn’t come from applying for jobs. They came from people who had worked with me before.

Leaders who remembered how I showed up.
Peers who trusted my voice.
Organisations who had seen my leadership in action.

In fact, the last three roles I stepped into were ones I was approached for - not because I had the longest CV in the room, but because I had built a reputation and personal brand that made people want me in the room. At the time, I didn’t have language for it - I didn’t realise it was my personal brand at play.

Over the years working in leadership and HR, I began to notice something else… so many brilliant women around me were doing incredible work but quietly questioning themselves.

They were capable.
Respected.
Reliable.

But internally, they were battling self-doubt, overthinking, perfectionism and the pressure to prove themselves. And I recognised those patterns because I’d experienced them too. Frequently.

Discovering coaching changed everything for me.

It helped me deepen my self-trust, understand the mindset patterns that shape how we lead and become intentional about the leader I was showing up as in each role - creating the impact I wanted and the ripple effect I hoped to have.

That experience lit something in me.

Because I realised how powerful it is when a woman truly backs herself, stops shrinking, moves from overthinking to ownership™ and recognises the value she brings.

That’s the work I’m obsessed with today.