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What does it take to build an Australian manufacturing business, and keep it growing for 17 years? Cass Spies, founder of Twisted Healthy Treats, tells us. She is the winner of the Thrive category at Westpac’s 2026 Female Founder Awards. Cass studied food technology, then spent 13 years in London’s financial services industry. She came home to Australia in 2009 with young children and a dream of her own business. She calls Twisted her fourth child. It began as a frozen yoghurt store in Bondi Beach, funded without outside investors and backed by the family home. Today it is a fully automated frozen dessert manufacturer in South-West Sydney. Twisted is in around 3,000 supermarket doors and more than 5,000 school canteens, and it exports to the USA, Taiwan, China, Korea and Singapore. We talk about the pivot that saved the business: a school mum’s request for yoghurt cups turned into a whole new path. We also cover the contract manufacturing mistake that cost her dearly, and the lesson about when to back your intuition. Cass shares how she went from 2 products in 30 Woolworths stores to 13 in 3,000, and what it took to land a Costco export order. She is also candid about melted shipping containers, working in a male-dominated industry, and why she now starts every day at the factory at 6am. Key takeaways: Be ready to pivot. Retail stores weren’t working, but customers kept taking tubs home. That became wholesale, then school canteens, then supermarkets.When a door won’t open, try a different door. Cass compares the pre-canteen years to “pushing on a door” that suddenly swung open.Not every opportunity is the right one. A contract manufacturer who misquoted costs and missed the spec led to a costly product deletion and brand damage.Chase wellness, not fads. Cass ignores TikTok flavour trends and bets on taste first.Ask for the meeting. A cold approach to a Woolworths freezer buyer led to 30 stores, then 100, then 200, then 3,000.Reliability wins retailers. On-time delivery and consistent quality led a Costco USA order.Plan for a long export runway. Cass’s first Costco USA order took 12-18 months, including dairy exporter accreditation.Right capital for the right product. Bootstrapping built the business, but partnering with a bank brought the funding structure the growth needed.Own your manufacturing. Making products in-house means no contract manufacturer’s margin, plus the agility to switch between export and domestic orders.Grow your people. Michelle, one of Cass’s first store employees, is now her right-hand woman. Show up. Greeting the production team at 6am has changed how the whole business runs.Your product has to taste incredible. Packaging earns the first purchase, but taste earns the second, third and fourth. Cass proves that a bold idea, relentless daily effort and the willingness to pivot can take a Bondi frozen yoghurt store all the way to supermarket freezers around the world. A big thank you to Cass for sharing her story, and congratulations again on the Thrive win. We are so excited to be partnering with Westpac again for Series 2 of the Fearless Females Podcast. Westpac has supported more than 2,000 female-led businesses, achieved its $1 billion commitment to women-led businesses in May 2026, and launched the Westpac Female Founder Awards. They are helping founders access the support, connections and confidence to take the next step. For those starting or growing a business, Westpac has tailored loans for start-ups and scale-ups. Fearless Females listeners can also get VIP access to dedicated bankers, to talk through business goals, funding options, cash flow and what support suits your stage of growth. To learn more or get connected, search “Westpac supporting female founders”. Eligibility, credit criteria, fees and charges, terms and conditions apply. General advice only. PS Make sure you support this amazing female founder and get some Twisted treats in your trolley at your local supermarket!

Annabel Crabb returns to Fearless Females for round two, because the studio lost the first recording. Chaos, as ever, found its way into a good conversation. One of Australia’s most loved journalists, authors and podcasters, Annabel opens up about the book that took her eight years to write, There’s a Prawn in Parliament House, a readable guide to how Australia’s democracy works. It started with a call from her publisher about a gap in books for kids visiting Canberra on their Year 6 excursion. Her eldest child, now 19, was in Year 6 at the time. In 2026 it was shortlisted for Children’s Book of the Year, and it’s winning over plenty of grown-ups too. She also admits that she finds writing books miserable, and she tells the story of the 50-million-year-old fossilised prawn embedded in Parliament House’s stone floor. We dig into how a South Australian electoral nerd helped shape Australia’s democracy, why she thinks our civic knowledge is at a low ebb, and why she’s drawn to history told through “nutters, villains and heroes.” We also talk about the path that took her from newspapers to the ABC, from commuting to Canberra with a second baby on the way to a career built on curiosity and reinvention. She explains how she works best a little overloaded, how she gets a rush from finishing things, and why journalism suits her short attention span. Then there’s Chat 10 Looks 3, the podcast she hosts with Leigh Sales. Annabel shares how it began by accident as a bit of fun, how a producer’s idea of a Facebook group turned listeners into a community, and why a no-politics rule keeps it a place people want to be. We also hear about live shows, “chatters in the wild”, Leigh’s cello on a road trip, and what it takes to record two episodes in a single studio session. We finish with a quickfire round (frozen-pea orzo, anyone?) and her mic-drop truth: “Nobody is looking at you and criticising you anywhere near as much as you’re doing to yourself.” If you’ve ever wanted to know how to stay curious, keep reinventing your career and build a community by accident, this episode is for you. Key takeaways: Reinvention can come from constraints. Leaving newspapers to manage family life opened the door to TV, radio, podcasts and books.Second drafts are often better. Losing the manuscript made the book clearer the next time.Build community by being yourself. Chat 10 Looks 3 grew from a chat between friends, not a plan.Talk to people you disagree with. Understanding where views come from is more useful than banishing them.A little imposter syndrome is healthy, and so is being kinder to yourself. Catch There’s a Prawn in Parliament House in good bookstores, Civic Duty on ABC iview, and Annabel on Chat 10 Looks 3. . We are so excited to be partnering with Westpac again for Season 2 of the Fearless Females Podcast. From supporting more than 2,000 female-led businesses and achieving their $1 billion commitment to women-led businesses in May 2026, to launching the Westpac Female Founder Awards, they’re helping founders access the support, connections and confidence to take the next step. For those planning on starting or growing their business, Westpac has tailored business loans for start-ups and scale-ups. For our Fearless Females podcast listeners, Westpac is offering VIP access to dedicated bankers so you can get a heightened level of support. To learn more or get connected, search ‘Westpac supporting female founders’. Eligibility, credit criteria, fees & charges and T&C’s apply. General advice only. Your hosts, as ever, are Anna Dimond from Palas Jewellery and Kelly Jamieson from Edible Blooms. We love serving you these fabulous episodes!

From a graduate program at a major bank to leading Westpac's business lending division, Tamara Bryden shares what she's learned about backing female founders, managing cash flow and leading with honest conversations. As Managing Director of Business Lending at Westpac Group and a driving force behind Westpac's $1B commitment to female founders and the Westpac Female Founder Awards, Tamara shows how a big bank can actually back the women building small businesses. Tamara explains what sparked the $1B commitment: a stat she found shocking, that only around 2% of private capital goes to female-led startups, even though more women than men are starting businesses. Rather than be frustrated with the problem, Westpac committed to lending. Just over two years in, they've supported more than 2,000 female-led startups with $911 million, and the second $500 million has gone faster than the first. The businesses range from a tattoo shop to non-invasive IVF treatments to Sandy Baby, a product that wipes sand off kids before they get back in the car. We unpack why women often don't walk through the bank's door: worry about not meeting the criteria, fear of being judged, and the idea that a "no" means a lack of confidence in the business. Tamara's message is the opposite. The bank wants to find a way to say yes, and the $50k Startup Business Loan can be unsecured, so founders don't have to give up equity or put the family home on the line. What the bank wants to see is a solid plan, a way to monetise the idea and your experience in the sector. We also get into the numbers side: why cash flow is the top issue SMEs raise, why separating personal and business finances early keeps you honest, and why Tamara has seen as many businesses fail from growing too fast as from growing too slow. She shares how she protects her best hours (no morning meetings, so she's not reactive all day), the fortune cookie message taped to her laptop that defines success for her ("You have made a difference"), and why she believes that 99% of the time, leadership comes down to sitting down and having a real conversation, not a 20-page PowerPoint. If you've ever wondered whether you're "ready enough" to talk to a bank, this episode will change your mind. Key takeaways: Westpac wants to say yes. Go in informed, and if the answer is no, ask them to walk you through the financials.An unsecured $50k Startup Business Loan is an alternative to giving up equity for seed funding.Separate personal and business finances early, and plan your cash conversion cycle before you grow. Fast growth can sink a business as quickly as slow growth.Never avoid the hard conversation. Open, respectful conversations build trust and avoid resentment.You don't have to do it alone. Tap into accelerators, networks and the startup community (including Fearless Females). Tamara's book recommendations for leaders: The First 90 Days and The Founder's Mentality. Thank you to Westpac for supporting this episode of Fearless Females Podcast. Even the best ideas need backing. Westpac has committed $1B to support female entrepreneurs and offer the Startup Business Loan. Apply with your business plan and budget projections for up to $50k unsecured. To learn more, search 'Westpac supporting female founders'. Eligibility, credit criteria, fees & charges and T&C's apply. General advice only.

From a converted gambling den above a Cooma menswear store to a fashion empire that fills an old shopping mall, Jane Cay shares how Birdsnest became one of regional Australia's most loved brands, and one of its biggest employers. Jane embodies fearless leadership built on customer obsession, adaptability and a deep loyalty to the community that built her. Twenty-two years ago Jane launched Birdsnest online while everyone told her "no one's going to buy jeans online." Today Birdsnest employs over 100 people in a town of 6,500, has twice made Australia's top ten places to work, and runs its own design and manufacturing team, born from the frustration of stocking brands that stopped at size 14 and wouldn't listen to what her customers actually wanted. We dig into the unglamorous reality behind the growth: three all-nighters fixing a platform migration disaster the night before launch, learning the hard way never to let one person hold the only key to your tech, and choosing to relentlessly rebuild systems as the business outgrew them. Jane is candid about the two times the business contracted, especially the terror of COVID, when she had to cut rosters and watched her team quietly cover shifts for each other before she could even find the words to ask. She reframes small town limitations as an edge: being locked into a reliable regional postal network let Birdsnest match city delivery speeds early on, and being 100km from the nearest big city hasn't stopped her building a values-led, tech-powered personalised service, right down to handwritten notes on every parcel, backed by systems that remember a customer's preferences and order history. On AI, Jane is hands on and enthusiastic: she's used it to solve a problem the team once thought was too complex to tackle, automatically classifying their entire clothing catalogue by seasonal colour analysis (hue, chroma, value) so customers can shop by their personal colour palette. Her closing message to founders: ideas need space, so protect your best hour of the day for working on the business, not just in it. Key takeaways: Location can be a strength, not a limitation. Build the infrastructure that makes it one.Don't let one person become a single point of failure for critical systems, mitigate that risk early.AI is best applied to problems that were previously "too complex to bother with," not just repetitive admin.Protect a fixed block of time for strategic thinking; growth doesn't happen only in the busywork. Jane is offering Fearless Females Podcast listeners a $20 Wardrobe Voucher (one use only, minimum spend $100). Simply use the code "Fearless Females" when you get to checkout. Thank you to Westpac for supporting this episode of Fearless Females Podcast. Even the best ideas need backing. Westpac actively support female entrepreneurs through their new Female Founder Awards. Learn more about how Westpac actively support female founders here : ⁠www.westpac.com.au/fearlessfemales⁠ Your hosts today are: Anna Dimond from ⁠Palas Jewellery⁠ Kelly Jamieson from ⁠Edible Blooms

From the Kraft and Hallmark boardrooms to founding her own coaching business, Christine Khor shares what it really takes to bet on yourself after 25 years building other people's brands. Christine embodies fearless leadership forged through radical honesty, hard won resilience and a refusal to let anyone else write her story. After being told she was "too opinionated" to make CMO, and refusing to let anyone dictate how she'd parent, Christine walked away from corporate at 30 to found Peeplcoach, with a mission to make executive-calibre coaching accessible to middle management and emerging leaders, not just the C-suite. She reframes "know your numbers" as the single biggest gap she sees, and shares how an embezzlement early in her career taught her to build financial safeguards without losing trust in people. We dig into what it actually took to raise her first ten investors, why she treats advisors like a "tribe" she calls on for different needs, and the moment she called out a VC's "she's the whole package" excuse for backing a competitor instead of her. Christine opens up about leading through her husband's cancer diagnosis and her own autoimmune illness, and the discipline she's built around energy, not perfection. On AI, her view is blunt: it's a productivity tool, not a replacement for human connection, and the businesses that win will be the ones led by people. Key takeaways: Know your numbers. If finance isn't your strength, get a trusted advisor, don't outsource the risk by ignoring it.Own your difference rather than hiding it, an accent, a background or an "unusual" profile can be a competitive edge, not a liability.Protect your energy: cut out neutral and negative relationships, and don't wait for burnout to force the reset.AI is an efficiency tool. Values, connection and human judgement remain the real differentiator. Christine is generously offering Fearless Females Podcast listeners 10% off any Peeplcoach program, just mention "Fearless Females" when you get in touch : https://peeplcoach.com/peeplcoach-fearless-females-podcast/ Thank you to Westpac for supporting this episode of Fearless Females Podcast. Even the best ideas need backing. Westpac actively support female entrepreneurs through their new Female Founder Awards. Learn more about how Westpac actively support female founders here : www.westpac.com.au/fearlessfemales Your hosts today are: Anna Dimond from Palas Jewellery Kelly Jamieson from Edible Blooms

What does profitable growth actually look like behind the scenes? This week, e-commerce operator turned SaaS founder Carla Penn-Kahn breaks it down with uncommon clarity. After bootstrapping and scaling multiple online retail brands (including Australia’s largest pure-play kitchenware business, shipping 25k orders a week at the COVID peak) through to exit, Carla co-founded Profit Peak, a profit-optimization platform helping Shopify brands and retailers make smarter decisions on growth, cash flow and margins. Carla’s operator pedigree shows up everywhere: disciplined numbers, people rigor and a habit of turning setbacks into signal. She shares how working with her husband works because of clear lanes - he owns brand and creative; she owns finance, ops and people - and why strong boundaries (hello, no work-talk before the first coffee) protect both family and focus. On raising capital, Carla flips the script: she didn’t enter a noisy pitch circus. She built conviction through conversations (including Blackbird’s start up community programs), then chose investors who kept her in the driver’s seat - backers who’d be the first call when things get bumpy. She also unpacks global networks and programs that accelerated her US entry - She Loves Tech and Peak XV’s Spark (see links below) - and why connection compounds faster than capital. We cover: The storytelling spine that wins rooms: Problem → Solution → Why You → Why Now → Team.Why emotion matters in B2B pitches (reminding investors founders are people, not just P&Ls).Hiring in the GPT era - why tests can mislead and gut +references matter more.Shifting from “family” to high-performance team (right people, right seats, right stage).Buying businesses vs. starting from zero - and how her investment-banking discipline paid off.The reframe that powers resilience: there’s learning, not disappointment.Carla’s through line is simple and powerful: share generously, decide decisively and optimize for profit on purpose. Key takeaways Design for profit early. Cash, margin and inventory discipline beat “growth at all costs.”Pitch the story, not spreadsheets. Problem, solution, why you, why now and the team build conviction.Choose investors like team mates. Values-aligned partners keep you driving the bus.Hire for stage, not just skill. Right seats, fast feedback, fewer “family” dynamics.Connections compound. Programs and ecosystems (She Loves Tech, Peak XV Spark) open markets.Reframe “failure.” Treat outcomes as inputs - move forward with the learning.Partner shout-out Even the best ideas need backing. Westpac has doubled its Female Entrepreneurs Fund to $1B and offers the Startup Business Loan - apply with your business plan and budget projections for up to $50K unsecured. Learn more: search “Westpac supporting female founders.” Eligibility, credit criteria, fees & charges, and T&Cs apply. General advice only. Links and mentions : Learn more about ProfitPeak : ProfitPeak.io | Boost your e-Commerce store's profitability and Carla’s favourite book : “The Infinite Game” by Simon Sinek The programs that have fast tracked Carla’s SAAS fast growth record: 1. Blackbird — Giants (founder community & programs): https://www.blackbird.vc/giants(Blackbird also runs Foundry, its early-stage accelerator: https://www.blackbird.vc/foundry.) 2. She Loves Tech (global competition & accelerator for women in tech): https://www.shelovestech.org/ 3. Peak XV - Spark (early-stage founder program with grants& mentorship): https://www.peakxv.com/sparkTop of Form Bottom of Form Other programs Carla hears great things about: Antler: Global startup generator & early-stage VC(programs and how to apply). Startmate: Accelerator & Fellowships (ANZ) (accelerator, fellowships, investor info). Y Combinator: Accelerator (US) (about YC, programs, resources). If this episode lifted you, hit Follow, drop a quick review, and share it with someone who’s building better systems for people.

Kim’s story isn’t a get-rich-quick tale; it’s a master class in deliberate life architecture.  Equal parts numbers, nerve and knowing yourself. If you’ve ever wondered whether you can build a career you love and a life you choose, this conversation is your permission slip (and plan).What happens when the fearless strategist behind award-winning brand transformations turns her lens inward? In this episode, Kim McKay - business architect, entrepreneur and straight-talking advisor - shares how she deliberately designed a non-linear life, retired in her 40s, and swapped rigid routines for intentional freedom. From early “Project 50” planning to the very real messy middle of leaving a high-identity career, Kim breaks down the blend of big-picture vision and first 10% execution that powered her choices. She talks candidly about intuition (yes, including astrology and human design), why fear is data not a directive, and the simple decision filter she uses for scary moves: What’s the worst that can happen - and can I handle it? In this episode of the Fearless Females Podcast, we cover: How to set a freedom goal (and why money = time + patience, not hacks)The two gears every business builder needs: zoom-out strategy and zoom-in actionLeaving before you’re stale: spotting the moment a season is completeReplacing identity tied to work with a wider definition of selfWhy “no routine” can be a valid routine This episode is jam packed. Our favourite quotes from Kim McKay include: “We have two lives. The second begins when you realise you only have one.”“I value freedom, so I planned for it. That’s not luck, that’s design.”“Leave the party while you’re still having fun.”Partner shout-out Even the best ideas need backing. Westpac has doubled its Female Entrepreneurs commitment to $1B and offers the Startup Business Loan - apply with your business plan and budget projections for up to $50K unsecured. Learn more: search “Westpac supporting female founders.” Eligibility, credit criteria, fees & charges, and T&Cs apply. General advice only. If this episode added some fearless courage to your day, hit Follow, drop a quick review, and share it with someone who’s building better systems for people.

At 26 years of age, Paulette Kolarz was handed the keys to a $400M division and asked to help steer a 150-store icon through receivership - while leading 3,500 staff. Today, the BespokeHR founder and Performance Collective Academy creator distils those hard-won lessons into a people-first playbook any leader can use. Paulette makes a simple, powerful case: you don’t build a business, you build people, and people build the business. She shows how to anchor teams to a clear North Star, install a rhythm for feedback and performance and create cultures built on trust (not osmosis). We dig into her “no BMW” rule (no bitching, moaning, whinging), why exits shouldn’t be a dirty word and how to spot when someone (or you) has fallen out of love with the role - then act humanely and fast. You’ll hear Paulette’s morning reset (top-three priorities +ten minutes for gratitude), the mindset that dissolved imposter syndrome in that giant boardroom, and the growth shortcut she swears by: run toward the biggest problems and solve them. We also explore kind authority (“kindness is a strength, not a weakness”), building mastermind circles so you’re not the smartest in the room, and her next bold chapter - scaling her leadership academy, international stages, and a book. Candid, practical and generous, Paulette reminds us leadership works best when it’s firm on standards, soft on people and utterly authentic - even on the days you’re calling your Brat Pack from the couch. Key takeaway highlights Leadership philosophy Build people first. Results follow when you invest incapability, clarity and care.Kindness. Be warm and human and hold high standards - “the standard you walk past is the standard you accept.”Don’t be the smartest in the room. Curate masterminds and mentors who stretch you.Solve the biggest problems. If you want outsizedgrowth, run toward the hardest issues and fix them.Culture + operating system North Star alignment. Everyone should know thepurpose, the plan and how their role moves the needle.Install rhythm, not osmosis. Cadences for 1:1s, feedback, goals and reviews beat ad-hoc “people stuff.”Trust as infrastructure. Open, vulnerable leaderscreate safety for honest conversations - including exits.Right seats, right people. Act quickly (and kindly)when the fit or the love for the role fades.Personal performance Night-before priming. Go to bed knowing the top three moves that will shift tomorrow.10-minute morning reset. Gratitude → focus → blockers; set the day’s energy intentionally.Fuel from service. Energy comes from helping others progress—use that as a flywheel.Entrepreneurial moves Scale through leaders. The Performance CollectiveAcademy shifts from “done for you” to “built within you.”Next bold bet. Go bigger and louder: internationalstages, a book, and expanding leader capability at scale.Our favourite quotes from Paulette Kolarz: “You don’t build a business - you build people, and people build the business.” “Kindness is a strength.” “Stand for something or you’ll fall for everything.” “If you’re the smartest person in the room - leave the room.” Partner shout-out Even the best ideas need backing. Westpac has doubled its Female Entrepreneurs Fund to $1B and offers the Startup Business Loan - apply with your business plan and budget projections for up to $50K unsecured. Learn more: search “Westpac supporting female founders.”Eligibility, credit criteria, fees & charges, and T&Cs apply.General advice only. Links : https://bespokehr.com.au https://performancecollectiveacademy.com If this episode lifted you, hit Follow, drop a quickreview, and share it with someone who’s building better systems for people.

Doctor, social entrepreneur and 2021 Young Australian of the Year Isobel Marshall has built a career at the intersection of medicine, gender equity and practical change. As co-founder of TABOO, she helped turn a simple idea - sell period products here to fight period poverty and stigma everywhere - into a national conversation. On the policy front, she’s served on the Premier’s Council for Women SA and contributed to high-stakes panels (including Australia’s independent COVID-19 response review), where she learned that the bravest move in a room of experts is often to ask the obvious question no one wants to admit they don’t understand. Now, as co-founder of Acro Health, and as a young woman embarking on her graduate career as a Medical Doctor, Isobel is reframing midlife women’s health: making prevention tangible (think protein, resistance training and bone/muscle strength) and challenging the harmful belief that pain and depletion are “just part of being a woman.” She explains the difference between physiology (what’s normal) and pathology (what needs treatment) and why that clarity changes lives - from periods to pregnancy to menopause. Isobel also gets candid about seasons of focus (right now, deepening her craft as a doctor), imposter feelings as a pre-performance check rather than a stop sign, and the underrated superpower of saying no. You’ll hear how she motivates patients with what actually matters to them (“Who - or what - do you need to stay strong for?” hello, dog-walk goals), why we shouldn’t silo ourselves as “science” or “creative,” and how to architect a life that’s ambitious and humane. Key takeaways Ask the obvious. In expert rooms, basic questions surface better decisions and shared understanding.Name it right. Don’t label pain and heavy bleeding as “normal” - that’s pathology, not “women’s lot.”Prevention is power. Through menopause: prioritise protein, resistance training, and bone/muscle health to reduce frailty.Motivation that sticks. Tie health goals to what people love (kids, grandkids, the dog, independence).Imposter = readiness check. Use nerves like stage butterflies - proof you care - then perform.Don’t silo yourself. You can be medical and creative; allow a wide identity.Life in seasons. You don’t need to do policy, startups and medicine all at once - rotate focus.Permission to say no. “Just because you can doesn’t mean you should.” Protect energy for what matters.Rebrand ageing. Midlife is a phase of power - women deserve visibility, support and celebration.Design your days. Small rituals (hello, coffee craft) can anchor presence and reduce rush.Mic-drop moment : “Your value isn’t determined by your productivity.” Partner shout-out: Even the best ideas need backing. Westpac has doubledits Female Entrepreneurs Fund to $1B and offers the Startup Business Loan—apply with your business plan and budget projections for up to $50K unsecured. Learn more: search “Westpac supporting female founders.”Eligibility, credit criteria, fees & charges, and T&Cs apply.General advice only. Links : Acro Health Taboo Period Products – TABOOPeriod Products If this episode lifted you, hit Follow, drop a quick review, and share it with someone who’s building better systems for people. Who should listen? Founders, clinicians, policy wonks, educators, and anyonenavigating women’s health - from first period to post-menopause - who wants practical, humane ways to create impact without burning out.

Suzanne Brown started in real estate at 21, became one of WA’s youngest licensed agents, and went on to build Rentwest into one of the state’s largest property management firms. Today she’s the President of REIWA, only the second woman in 106 years and the first leader to come from a property management background. In this uplifting conversation, Suzanne shares how a love of learning (and an early detour from accounting) set her up to scale a values-led business that now oversees tens of millions in rents while championing great experiences for tenants and owners alike. She opens up about saying “not yet” to the presidency while her youngest finished school - why that boundary was fearless leadership, not hesitation - and how stepping into a very public role matters for visibility: “You can’t be what you can’t see.” We dive into WA’s rental crunch - its disproportionate impact on women, older renters, and those leaving domestic violence - and the policy levers that actually move supply. Suzanne also unpacks why real estate has long been a strong industry for women (pay parity and flexibility when it’s done right), her 10-10-10 morning ritual for focus, and the obligation leaders have to elevate and mentor the next generation. If you care about housing, inclusive leadership, andbuilding a career that fits real life, this one’s rich with practical wisdom. Key Takeaways: Visibility is leadership. Suzanne accepted a public-facing presidency to model what’s possible: only the 2nd female REIWA President in 106 years - and the first from property management. Fearless can be “not yet.” Setting family-first boundaries (delaying the presidency during her son’s final school years) was a strategic, values-aligned choice.Real estate can work for women. In residential PM, Suzanne’s seen genuine pay parity, flexible pathways (early or late-career entry), and rapid success built on networks and service.Rental crisis has faces. Women exiting DV, single-income renters, and older Australians are bearing the brunt; support must pair demand help with supply solutions to avoid worsening affordability.Lead with lift. “Elevate other women” isn’t a slogan - Suzanne mentors actively so opportunity compounds across the industry.Operate on routines, not willpower. Her 10-10-10 start(movement, meditation/breathwork, learning) resets focus and energy, even on busy days.Purpose over polish. You don’t need to love the spotlight to serve; integrity, advocacy and consistent results build the kind of influence that lasts.Thank you to Westpac for supporting this episode of Fearless Females Podcast. Even the best ideas need backing. Westpac has committed $1B to support female entrepreneurs and offer the Startup Business Loan. Apply with your business plan and budget projections for up to $50k unsecured. To learn more, search 'Westpac supporting female founders'. Eligibility, credit criteria, fees & charges and T&C's apply. General advice only.If you'd like to learn more about real estate in Western Australia, you can visit RentWest Solutions and REIWA

From AFL locker rooms to the News Corp boardroom, Melissa Librandi shares how courage, empathy and a well timed “yes” can change your career and your company. Melissa embodies how fearless leadership is forged at the crossroads of empathy, pragmatism and bold bets. From pioneering flexible work years before it was mainstream to backing disruptive destination marketing that won “World’s Best Tourism Film,” Melissa shows why the bravest decision is often the most human one. She reframes imposter syndrome as a “positive nervousness” a stage ready gut check that keeps ego in place and standards high. We dig into her talent philosophy (great leaders listen more than they speak), why a true leader expects star performers to outgrow roles and the art of unlocking potential by asking people where they want to be in five years - and then helping them map the path. Melissa opens the playbook on fearless innovation: use the data, but don’t outsource judgment, intuition is still a competitive edge. She shares the five global megatrends leaders must operationalize now (from AI to health and wellness) and translates each into practical, small-business moves. We also go inside high-performance sport, where weekly scrutiny demands poise, empathy and relentless reset rituals (yes, sometimes it’s as simple as writing a list). Her mantra “say yes and work it out later” comes with the counter skill of knowing when to say no, by listening to your gut. And her mic-drop truths - “If not you, then who?” and “Keep leaning in until you must lean out” are a rallying cry for women weighing career moves alongside life plans. If you’ve ever wondered how to balance heart with hard metrics and how to lead teams through euphoric wins and brutal losses, this episode is your blueprint. Key takeaways: Imposter syndrome and how to flip it as your super power. Developing and growing your team - a manager hopes you’ll stay but a leader knows you’ll move on and they will help you get there. Use data to inform, intuition to decide. Sometimes you back the good idea and then prove it. Marketing technology and innovation. We cover a lot of ground in this one! Unfiltered insights that resonate with both emerging and established leaders Thank you to Westpac for supporting this episode of Fearless Females Podcast. Even the best ideas need backing. Westpac has committed $1B to support female entrepreneurs and offer the Startup Business Loan. Apply with your business plan and budget projections for up to $50k unsecured. To learn more, search 'Westpac supporting female founders'. Eligibility, credit criteria, fees & charges and T&C's apply. General advice only.

From her grandmother who famously waxed her legs in the foyer of David Jones to a modern brand leading with science and soul - this episode goes behind the scenes with Pippa Hallas, CEO of Ella Baché. Pippa opens up about steering an 80-year Australian icon through massive industry change while staying anchored to one simple truth... healthy skin builds real confidence. You’ll hear how Pippa: Keeps Ella Baché centered on skin health over hype (no Kardashian fad-chasing, just evidence-led formulations and education). Balances heritage with innovation - growing to 150+ locations and a national training academy while nurturing teams with decades-long tenure. Made bold brand bets (hello, Jessica Watson’s solo circumnavigation) by backing people first and trusting her gut. Advocates for authenticity in an era of “fast-food beauty”encouraging us to own our skin story rather than chase someone else’s face. Designs a life that works (early starts, family dinners, shared logistics) and a culture that hires for talent and kindness - then lets the culture “spit out the rattlesnakes.” Thinks about what’s next, including selective international expansion when the timing is right. Pippa also shares her favourite mantra, “When they go low, we go high”, and why reframing tough moments (and returning to gratitude) is a leadership superpower. If you’ve ever wondered how a beloved, family-led brand can stay fresh, principled, and fearless in a crowded category, this conversation is a masterclass. Mic-drop takeaway: Be the best version of you - own your skin, your story, and your pace. Then go for it. This episode will be a favourite for anyone working in a family business and women needing a push to own their own skin proudly. A big Fearless shout out to our partner, Westpac. Recently Westpac have committed $1B to support female entrepreneurs and offer the Startup Business Loan. You can apply with your business plan and budget projections for up to $50k unsecured. Learn more by searching 'Westpac supporting female founders'. Eligibility, credit criteria, fees & charges, and T&Cs apply. General advice only. Links and mentions: www.ellabache.com.au (Pippa's family business, Ella Bache) Corporate Christmas Gifts (Kelly, our co-host and founder of Edible Blooms & Co, delivering joy daily) Ideas for your Kris Kringle (Anna, our co-host and founder of Palas, Australian designed jewellery with meaning)

“I don’t like saying I’m a hospital CEO - healthcare management takes a team.” In this candid conversation, Cara Miller, CEO of North Eastern Community Hospital (and current National Chairperson of AHPRA), shares how she’s challenging the status quo with a patient-centred, staff-first, tech-enabled model of care. Cara traces her path from sick kid turned St John Cadet to radiographer and sonographer - then the defining moment that set her leadership compass: pausing a routine scan to properly care for an unexpected twin pregnancy, even when the system pushed for speed and profit over patient care. That became her blueprint: respect the patient, invest in people, and build systems that make the right thing the easy thing. We dig into how she embraces regulation (don’t evade it - innovate within it), the practical role of AI and automation to put attention back on patients, and the culture shifts that keep hospitals human (from greeting night-shift cleaners to flattening hierarchy while staying accountable). Cara’s leadership mantras land hard and useful: tackle the hardest problem first, don’t be afraid to lead, and her mic-drop: “If you’re not using data to inform decisions, you’re not making good decisions.” In this episode: 1. The moment that mattered: choosing patient dignity over throughput and why people → patients → profit (in that order). 2. Innovation inside the rules: embracing regulators and making compliance-by-design the engine of improvement. 3. Tech that gives time back: AI note - taking, smarter workflows, and the non-negotiable human touch. 4. Team, not titles: building high performance through gratitude, visibility and clear accountability. 5. Put a bounce back in your step: the importance of surrounding yourself with like-minded people. 6. Networking without the ick: lead with generosity, make it a safe space, and invite the introverts in. 7. Leadership with courage: tough calls, constrained budgets, and data dashboards that keep you honest. Even the best ideas need backing. Westpac has doubled its Female Entrepreneurs Fund to $1B and offers the Startup Business Loan, apply with your business plan and budget projections for up to $50K unsecured. Learn more: search “Westpac supporting female founders.” Eligibility, credit criteria, fees & charges, and T&Cs apply. General advice only. Helpful links: Discover more about our hosts, Kelly and Anna by visiting www.edibleblooms.com.au and www.palasjewellery.com If this episode lifted you, hit Follow, drop a quick comment and share it with someone who’s building better systems for people.

At 22, Tammy Barton quit her job, set up at the kitchen table in Adelaide, and started helping people not just create budgets - but actually stick to them. That simple client-first idea became MyBudget (founded 1999), a national brand that’s now supported 130,000+ clients with personalised, dynamic money plans, automated bill payments and savings, and the kind of accountability that turns financial stress into freedom.  Tammy takes us behind the scenes of the early leaps - leasing a tiny office, buying second-hand furniture and signage, and hiring her first teammate within a year - and the long game that followed: growing to more than 270 staff across Australia, Sri Lanka, and the Philippines and investing $30M in proprietary technology to scale care without losing the human touch.  We unpack her leadership philosophy of small, consistent steps, continual learning, and mentorship; why “do what’s right for the client” remains the North Star in every decision; and how MyBudget measures success beyond revenue - toward wellbeing and lasting behaviour change. Tammy also shares what’s next: deeper tech, a client-obsessed product roadmap, and expansion opportunities in New Zealand and the UK. In this episode, you’ll learn: The moment Tammy spotted the market gap - and whyexecution beats inspirationHow to go from solo to scale without breaking culturePractical systems that make good money habits automaticThe founder mindset for tough calls (and how to keep going when no one’s watching)Why “progress over perfection” is the most underrated financial strategyPerfect for: founders, leaders, and anyone who’s ever built a budget that looked great on paper—and wants one that works in real life. And a warm shout out to our partner, Westpac, who have been a key partner in the success of My Budget. Recently Westpac have committed $1B to support female entrepreneurs and offer the Startup Business Loan - you can apply with your business plan and budget projections for up to $50k unsecured. Learn more by searching 'Westpac supporting female founders'. Eligibility, credit criteria, fees & charges, and T&Cs apply. General advice only. Links & mentions: www.mybudget.com.au (Tammy's personal finance business) www.myhomebuild.au (Tammy's most recent businessexpansion with an Award winning home build company)

“Don’t dream half the dream - dream the whole dream.” In this powerhouse episode, Karla Way-McPhail joins us from Yeppoon, Queensland to share how she grew from teacher to accidental entrepreneur leading 16 businesses under The Real Group and why her formula is simple: invest in people, not industries. Karla opens up about the rituals and beliefs that fuel her resilience (yes, 4:30am calls, daily gratitude and her beloved morning bath), her people-first leadership playbook, and the bold bets that transformed a coastal town into a growing business hub. From logistics and training to salons and barges, Karla shows how clear values, empowered teams and radical optimism can scale anything. She also tells the raw story of her husband’s sudden “widow-maker” heart attack, the months-long rebuild that followed and the perspective shift that reshaped their lives and companies. Expect goosebumps, straight talk, and a mic-drop message on belief, legacy and using business as a vehicle for good. In this episode Go all-in: Why half-measures kill momentum - “have a go, go hard, and don’t shrink to fit.”People over products: Karla’s superpower is developing leaders who love coming to work and make great decisions in her absence.Purpose with teeth: How The Real Group formalised its giving through a charity that helps disadvantaged people - housing support, driving lessons, domestic violence assistance, prison-to-work pathways, and education for students expelled elsewhere.Build it where you are: The case for regional HQs - shortcommutes, community impact, and proving naysayers wrong by launching one of the largest face-to-face RTOs north of Brisbane.Mindset rituals: Gratitude bowls, future-vision checks, and surrendering the uncontrollable.Reinvention after crisis: Turning a life-altering health scare into a values reset (and a new chapter breeding Wagyu and Brahman cattle).No “yes-people”: Why candour beats consensus and how to keep “white noise” out of your orbit.Signature quote: “If you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.” Shout-out to our partner Even the best ideas need backing. Westpac has committed $1B to support female entrepreneurs and offers the Startup Business Loan - apply with your business plan and budget projections for up to $50K unsecured. Learn more: search “Westpac supporting female founders.”Eligibility, credit criteria, fees & charges, and T&Cs apply.General advice only. Links & mentions The Real Group (Karla’s portfolio &philanthropy)Coach Carter quote (the “our deepest fear…”passage that Karla sends to her kids)