According to the government, the round saw 697 expressions of interest applications that were assessed by an Independent Assessment Committee made up of successful women entrepreneurs.

Launched by the Morrison government in 2020 and headed by the Department of Industry, Science and Resources (DISR), the initiative offers grants to help women-led businesses scale into domestic and global markets. 

In order to be eligible, the startup has to be at least 51 per cent women owned and led.

The total grant funding available is $11.6 million for this round. Here’s a rundown of the startups who’ll be receiving a slice of the pie. 

Successful grant recipients, Round 3 of Boosting Female Founders Initiative

Accessi Group Pty Ltd, $400,000

Project Title: Achieving global expansion of Credit Risk Management Software Platforms

Access Intell’s project is developing a credit risk software to protect businesses from bad debts. Businesses struggle to manage debtors ledgers across disjointed systems with limited access to cost effective credit intelligence. Access Intell aggregates data from multiple sources and integrates with business systems to deliver a continuous risk assessment on every customer.

The grant funding will allow the business to scale-up, expand into global markets, become self-sufficient and create jobs and wealth for Australia.

Bestie Kitchen Pty Ltd, $249,600

Project Title: Scale Pet Supplement & Sustainable Food Range

Bestie Kitchen has commercialised intellectual property developed with CSIRO, to make a unique form of nutraceutical gummy chews for pets. This tapped into a growing market for pet supplements.

The key project activities will grow awareness and customer acquisition in Australia, secure distribution with key distributors and retail chains and penetrate key export markets in Asia.

Black Box Trading Company Pty Ltd, $400,000

Project Title: Farming tools driven by data

Black Box Trading is providing analytics to the agricultural supply chain. The project funding from this grant is key to the product vertical, as Black Box have ambitions to build livestock dashboards to help farmers, feed-lots and processors with decisions derived from their database of 3.5 million animals.

Black Box’s service is aimed at working across the beef supply chain, from the paddock to grocery shelves to aggregate data, apply machine learning, and give each stakeholder insights into their livestock.

Butter Insurance Pty Ltd, $400,000

Project Title: Scaling Butter Insurance – Revolutionising Contents Insurance

Butter Insurance is revolutionising the way young Australians access, purchase and manage insurance. The project will focus on commercialising technology enabling data-lead instant quote and bind processes, flexible single-item policies and cost-effective pricing without lock-in contracts across key distribution channels. Butter’s goal is to bridge the insurance gap for the critically underinsured Australian renters’ market and under 35’s.

Compassion Creamery Pty Ltd, $270,000

Project Title: Retail Ready Launch of Compassion Creamery’s Award-Winning Oat Creme Cheese

Compassion Creamery is looking to scale their Oat Creme Cheese operations by increasing in-house manufacturing capability in Australia, as well as build commercial capacity including increasing shelf life through formulation alterations. Compassion Creamery will allow hundreds of foodservice outlets to contribute to the expansion and acceptance of plant-based alternatives in the market; ultimately driven by the urgent need of creating a more sustainable and ethical food system.

Driveschool Enterprises Pty Ltd, $300,000

Project Title: myDRIVESCHOOL® – social & global

myDRIVESCHOOL® is an award winning road safety program to teach people how to drive online, using simulation, gaming and artificial intelligence (AI). With BFF funding we will develop additional learning modules to address behavioural change and combine all for global markets.

Education Ontrack Pty Ltd, $462,833

Project Title: Flohh Assessment Platform Scaling and Integration

The project for Education Ontrack will focus on integrating Flohh’s online essay marking platform into School Management Systems (SMS) and Learning Management Systems (LMS) to facilitate student data transfer and eliminate double-handling for teachers. This will also enable the business to scale internationally and enhance product performance.

Evolve Communities Pty Ltd, $443,100

Project Title: Accelerating Allyship & Reconciliation supporting Statement of the Heart

Evolve Communities is a majority Indigenous owned, female-founded organisation that teaches Practical Reconciliation and Allyship. The project will expand their unique frameworks, educational resources, multi modal delivery, accreditation and licensing programs to make their training and accreditation the gold standard for professionals and organisations in Australia.

Fonz Moto Pty Limited, $393,847

Project Title: Fonz Moto – Australian designed & made EV motorcycles market expansion

Fonz Moto designs, builds, sells and rides electrifying two-wheel motorcycles & road-scooters for the future of mobility. The project boasts a highly innovative Australian designed and manufactured product that has disrupted the Sydney market, and will continue its rapid growth both locally and overseas.

Future Anything Pty Ltd, $294,150

Project Title: Future Anything Enterprising Education Applied Learning Platform

Future Anything’s project will transform teacher-led enterprise education programs into a new student facing applied learning EdTech experience.

The project will create an innovative new standalone product that will enable Future Anything to scale rapidly and sustainably into the domestic and international market.

Gaykamangu, Liandra; $437,500

Project Title: Liandra Swim International Expansion

Liandra Swim is a premium fashion brand that focuses on sustainability whilst celebrating Indigenous Australian culture. Liandra Swim presents contemporary fashion collections showcasing hand-drawn signature prints.

The theme of each collection links the audience to a carefully considered narrative through the ancient Indigenous art of storytelling. The project will support the expansion and diversity of available swimwear inventory into the domestic and international market.

Givvable Pty Ltd, $397,600

Project Title: Givvable – helping businesses reach their sustainability targets, faster

Givvable has developed an artificial intelligence-powered software as a service (SaaS) platform for businesses to discover and track the sustainability attributes of suppliers mapped to widely-used reporting frameworks. The project will leverage existing local distribution partnerships to expand further into the domestic and international market.

Grant’d Pty Ltd, $382,122

Project Title: Grant’d 2.0 Automating and Scaling The Personalised Grant’d Experience

This project will create a subscriber based platform that automates our unique grants service, transforming Grant’d into a scalable tech based business. This investment will boost the scalability of Grant’d by eliminating our current manual processes and removing cost barriers for users through: A purpose-built Software as a Service (SaaS) platform using generative AI to deliver and maintain Grant’ds vision to become the go-to digital solution for grant seekers in Australia and globally.

Lactamo Holdings Pty Ltd, $365,000

Project Title: Scaling-up Lactamo to respond to demand nationally and internationally.

Lactamo is a world first in MedTech innovation for breastfeeding. Lactamo uniquely combines temperature, movement and compression to address the common breastfeeding problems. Independently clinically validated and IP protected, Lactamo is both proactive and reactive for breastfeeding.

The project will focus on 3 key activities consisting of marketing (domestically and internationally), the expansion of the team, and operational expansion support to facilitate growth, creating a secure foundation for the core business areas.

Leap4ward.ai Pty Ltd, $399,600

Project Title: Tech development of artificial intelligence-enabled virtual health coach

LeapForward.ai’s project is an artificial intelligence-enabled application that supports injured individuals to recover from a compensable injury or illness. The minimum viable product’s core function will implement a chatbot (“Virtual Health Coach”), which delivers virtual support and responds to users with scripted responses deployed via basic algorithms.

The project will utilise advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning to understand the user’s expression, tone and sentiment.

Life Skills Group Pty Ltd, $300,000

Project Title: Develop an SDK to integrate wellbeing data and tools into web-based systems

Life Skills’ project is a Software Development Kit that allows the integration of existing wellbeing data collection, measurement and analysis tools into third party applications. It is a platform to measure the emotional wellbeing of students.

Lush Organic Hair & Spa Forest Glen Pty Ltd, $150,000

Project Title: Penny Black Organic hair products – domestic and global expansion

Lush Organic Hair trades as Penny Black Organic (PBO) and is the only Certified Green Salon in the Southern Hemisphere. Lush Organic has developed 16 certified organic hair products.

The project will focus on scale manufacturing and organic packaging, product range expansion for direct customer sales both domestically and early international sales, recruitment of skilled management team to implement brand awareness and marketing.

Maxme Pty Ltd, $380,599

Project Title: Hodie+: Powering the Great Reconnection in the Digital Age

Maxme’s project is an immersive and digitally-enhanced human skill development learning experience underpinned by a digital learning application, empowering individuals to take control of their skills, careers, and futures, driving retention and engagement in the small to medium sized enterprises market. The gamified solution bridges the gap between employees and their jobs, integrated into daily work life through the application.

Meditati Pty Ltd, $330,000

Project Title: Commercialisation of tampon innovation to disrupt the FemCare market

The project will undertake Multi-Cultural Research for the commercialisation of a revolutionary applicator to disrupt the FemCare market. Key activities for the project are to create Go-To-Market brand, web-based education for schools and health practitioners. The project is developing a revolutionary soft applicator insertion solution. The New Zealand market pilot study will refine the go-to-market strategy for the Australian release.

Mettleaje Pty Ltd, $225,995

Project Title: Scaling Thirsty Turtl skincare boosts global Indigenous extracts market

Thirsty Turtl is an Australian skincare startup that launched in December 2022 with three products. The project will focus on growing the global market for Indigenous-sourced Australian native plant extracts.

This will be achieved through product expansion, sales growth via domestic and export-focused distributors, more efficient manufacturing and employment of specialised staff to build brand awareness.

MIIROKO Pty Ltd, $400,000

Project Title: MIIROKO’s establishment and expansion into Japan

MIIROKO’s innovative vegan hair colour formula is free from ammonia, resorcinol, and paraphenylenediamine, empowering women with affordable access to salon-quality hair colour that is both gentle on their hair and environmentally friendly.

The project will focus on enhancing its digital capabilities, establishing a robust back-end team, and securing investment to leverage existing organic growth within the domestic market to scale into the lucrative Asian market, beginning with Japan.

Mineral Fox Pty Ltd, $262,500

Project Title: Mineral Fox National Expansion

Mineral Fox exists to help people return to nature and is a supplier of innovative, Australian-made natural plasters and renders that provide a sustainable, healthy a beautiful alternative to conventional wall coatings.

This project will support accelerated national expansion through additional headcount, systems, marketing and training.

More Good Days Pty Ltd, $396,318

Project Title: Digital Evidence-Based Pain Management Program for Fibromyalgia

This project will accelerate the build of MoreGoodDays pain management digital platform, and help accelerate growth across Australia and internationally.

Neomorph Pty Ltd, $300,000

Project Title: NeoMorph – An innovative mouldable alternate to the dental-made mouthguard

NeoMorph Prodigy is an innovative over-the-counter, re-mouldable alternative to the dental-made mouthguard. The patent pending design, interlocks a dual polymer combination to provide a mouthguard that is securely custom fitting, protective and comfortable, to address the current concerns of end-users and the Australian Dental Association.

Our Trace Pty Ltd, $400,000

Project Title: Automate carbon footprinting for SMEs to scale in Australia and overseas

This project will focus on automating the process of collecting data from businesses and enhancing the accuracy and useability of the carbon inventory to power decarbonisation and enable Trace to scale. By integrating with technology that companies use every day, such as spreadsheets, accounting and travel management software, Trace can gather data required to measure, reduce and track emissions and establish channel partnerships with third parties already servicing our target customer.

Parking Spotz Pty Ltd, $388,917

Project Title: Parking Spotz – Electric Vehicle (EV) charging market expansion and execution of growth plan

Parking Spotz is developing an integrated hardware and software solution that automates parking bay security and optimises usage, turnover, and a return on investment through data-driven insights for electric vehicle (EV) charging bays.

The project will focus on product integration with new EV Charging partners, optimise and automate manufacturing processes for scaled production, execute sales growth plan with the recruitment of specialised management team and launch new data analytic modules to deliver valuable insights and position us as leaders in parking and EV data analytics.

 Pixii Pty Ltd, $133,740

Project Title: Changing women’s experience everywhere by bringing equality to bathrooms.

The project will result in a second generation dispenser for Pixii organic period products being brought to market, including new tech-enabled capabilities for stock monitoring and automated re-ordering. This will enable more building and facility managers to offer period products as part of their fundamental hygiene suppliers to staff and guests, just like soap and toilet paper.

The Paw Grocer Pty Ltd, $400,000

Project Title: Scaling for Expansion in the Domestic and Export Premium Pet Food Markets

The multi-faceted project will scale The Paw Grocer in both domestic and export markets. The grant funding will be used to improve our manufacturing capability & production efficiency, implement an inventory management system, and bring new products to market.

The One Two Pty Ltd, $362, 521

Project Title: The OneTwo domestic and global expansion

The OneTwo creates an easy bra shopping experience with hyper-personalised e-commerce, including a proprietary world-leading fit algorithm and innovative products.

The project aims to accelerate revenue growth in two years through commercialisation into the domestic and international market, as well as investments into intellectual property and technology.

Theratrak Pty Ltd, $150,000

Project Title: Theratrak, scale-up and market expansion to support the disability sector

Theratrak is developing an innovative online and mobile application based tool for therapists working with children with disabilities. Theratrak will support a wider cohort of people living with a disability, such as adults living with autism, intellectual disabilities, cerebral palsy and other physical and mental health challenges.

Theratrak will support a wider cohort of people living with a disability, such as adults living with autism, intellectual disabilities, cerebral palsy and other physical and mental health challenges.

Vapar Innovation Pty Ltd, $300,000

Project Title: Innovative AI sewer technology expansion to the USA

Vapar Innovation is developing artificial intelligence for sewer technology expansion into the United States of America. Vapar will implement a channel strategy to reach early adopter customers and set up sales operations internationally.

VETNexus Pty Ltd, $200,000

Project Title: Bridging the National Digital Skills Gap: Leave no-one behind

VETNexus has developed a Digital Literacy Licence (DLL) which is a suite of online courses with digital badges. These badges can be displayed on a participant’s social media profile and resume to verify their skills when applying for employment.

The DLL takes participants on a journey of discovery and decision making, actively engaging with the concepts covered to ensure they have developed the full range of foundational digital skills by the time they complete their full DLL.

The project will include digital skills roadshows, marketing materials, learning content to promote and raise awareness of digital literacy.

X-Hemp Pty Ltd, $480,000

Project Title: Scaling X-Hemp, Building Homes, Elevating Women, Capturing Carbon

X-Hemp uses waste agricultural materials and purpose planted crops to make environmentally-friendly hemp building products.

The project aims to deliver synergistic investments in people and processes, equipment and business enabling infrastructure, new product development, branding, marketing and new market activation.

Zondii Pty Ltd, $427,000

Project Title: Zondii Wool Scanning Device + Female Leaders Project

Zondii’s technology goes beyond human senses to measure the true value of food and fibre. The prototype is currently in on-farm beta trials and its application in wool measurement has attracted a growing waitlist.

The Zondii Wool Scanning Device + Female Leaders Project will fund an industrial design and refinement process; product launch in Australia and New Zealand; and professional development for Zondii’s female leaders.

This project will establish Zondii as a financially sustainable female founded startup, with a commercial product in domestic and global markets, and will provide economic growth for wool growers, improved earning potential for women, and job creation internally and within the industry broadly.

The post Meet the 34 grant recipients sharing in the $11.6 million Boosting Female Founders Initiative appeared first on Women's Agenda.

There are many contributing factors that need to be tackled to achieve equality for female entrepreneurs – from an increased number of women on boards, to encouraging women to apply for funding and back themselves more. Just as men apply for a job when they meet only 60 per cent of the qualifications, but women apply only if they meet 100 per cent of them – the same imbalance can be seen in funding applications. However, this is only part of the problem.

Rarely if ever will an entrepreneur thrive without various supports around them. Being connected with a mentor and other business owners through organisations like Entrepreneurs’ Organization (17,500+ members globally) who have faced the same daily challenges, is essential.

Entrepreneurs’ Organization Queensland spoke to six female members of the organization about the most significant and impactful lessons their mentors have imparted.

Kate Save, Co-Founder and CEO of BeFitFood and Entrepreneurs’ Organisation Melbourne Member

My female business mentor was Janine Allis. She told me to ‘hire slow and fire fast’ and she used an analogy that ‘one rotten apple could ruin the whole bunch’. She also believed that there were two types of people of which she classified them by their attitude as either those who were VERB’s (Victim, Entitled, Rescue, Blame) and those who would SOAR (Solutions, Ownership, Accountability, Responsibility). I have never forgotten this advice as I believe that I am more ‘grey’ rather than ‘black and white’ when it comes to making decisions. Therefore, I will often procrastinate when it comes to ‘off-boarding’ team members who are not the right fit due to my strong dislike for conflict, however I would always seek those employees who had the ‘SOAR’ attitude as it was easy to avoid those with the ‘VERB’ attitude by using a good interview technique and a strong line of questioning about previous employment.

Alicia Cook, Founder of Emerson Health and Entrepreneurs’ Organisation Melbourne Member

I’m still practicing this one. EO appointed me the most brilliant mentor I could hope for… and Caroline is constantly asking me “What did I say no to?”. Truthfully, it’s a daily struggle, because I want to do more than I have time for. It pains me every time I have to knock back an opportunity that sounds interesting or challenging!

Lauren French, Managing Director of Motto Fashions and Entrepreneurs’ Organisation Queensland member

Getting new customers is the only way to grow your business. Focusing on repeat buyers or business will only allow you to grow so far, so always make sure a portion of your time is solely focused on customer acquisition.

Belinda Vesey-Brown, Founder of Meet Aandi and Entrepreneurs’ Organisation Queensland member

I have for some time been working on becoming more feminine, after I had one of my business coaches said to me, “Belinda, you operate with so much male energy, have you ever thought about the business leader you could be if you were your feminine self?”

At the time, I had short hair, only wore pant suits, drove a navy almost black very male looking car that was loud and confident. It was what I needed to stand out, be seen and heard, as a blonde woman in a male dominated world.

I was working mostly with 50+ corporates, you know the ones who would put their hands behind their heads and lean back in their chair before saying “so how can you help us with ……”. I learnt how take back control of that conversation, how to bring them out of that power pose and get them to listen to what I had to say. It served me, but I lost who I was. I became something that deep down I didn’t really like.

About 10 years ago I started to grow my hair longer, I wore more skirts and sold the car. I started to engage with more empathy, as I was trying to figure out who I really was as a female business owner and leader in my circle of influence.

Today I am still evolving and working on ensuring that I am being true to myself as a female business leader. The lesson I have taken from this awareness is that it is so important to be yourself and not reflect the traits that I had observed in the men competing for the same work. I now bring a different type of confidence that comes from within, instead of trying to reflect it on the outside.

Shivani Gupta, CEO of AskShivani and Entrepreneurs’ Organization Queensland member

One of my mentors told me to believe in myself and create space before taking big actions. He said that key decisions need space to not only think through but also feel through. We also speak about feminine and masculine energy. I am female with male energy and he is male with female energy. It is important to balance these out. I try and remember this guidance he gave me when making bigger decisions in business and in life. The space gives me an opportunity to tune into my intuition. The balancing of energies helps me step more into my feminine when I need and more into my masculine when I need to. I also practice saying positive affirmations to myself to create belief in myself.

Emilya Colliver, Director of Art Pharmacy & Sugar Glider Digital and Entrepreneurs’ Organization Sydney member

My female business mentor is Jane Bianchini, a fellow sole female founder. She helps me look at various business challenges through a different lens and perspective. One of my favourite quotes from Jane is ‘sacred cows make the best hamburgers’ which helped me make tough decisions on people and business challenges. Jane also believes that business is not black or white, nor shades of grey, yet shades of colour. This energises me and reminds me that all problems can be solved with a bit of colour. She constantly reminds me that what I focus on grows which ensures my energy goes into the right areas of my business to ensure it thrives. She reminds me constantly that most businesses fail when the founder gives up. So no matter how difficult owning and running your own business is, I’m determined to never give up!

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“I didn’t know what breastfeeding was,” she told Women’s Agenda. “I was actually nervous that I couldn’t produce it.”

D’Cruz decided to go to a lactation consultant to help prepare her for when her baby arrived. But the more she spoke with other mothers in Australia, the more she realised how little women knew about breastfeeding.

“It’s not just based on instinct. Maybe an element of it can be… but a lot is educated and taught,” she said.

“Not everyone realised that it would be better for them to seek professional help and advice from the beginning.”

Whilst breastfeeding is every mother’s own decision, the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends exclusive breastfeeding up until the baby is six months old, and suggests feeding the infant breast milk, along with other nutrients, until the baby is two years old.

D’Cruz’s experience as a new mum and the experiences she learned from other mums drove her to starting her femtech, medtech start-up, Acegirl, in 2022. Now, she is developing a prototype for a wearable breast pump for new mothers returning to work and wanting to continue breastfeeding.

Her product, SOFT, aims to give women a comfortable breast pump, destigmatising breastfeeding and breast pumping.

“If the system is not designed for breast pumping at work, maybe we can fix it at the product level,” D’Cruz said.

What is a breast pump?

It’s perfectly normal for a new mother to feel worried about the concept of breastfeeding, D’Cruz said.

“Being pregnant, breastfeeding – these are all new experiences, new transitions, and what that brings is a level of anxiety, nervousness,” she said.

“Because you’re entering the unknown, and it’s one of those things that you might hear or read about, but it’s not until you go through it yourself that you fully understand.

“Your body is also adjusting. Every body is different.”

Breastmilk is produced by a “supply and demand equilibrium”, D’Cruz explained. When they are at home with the baby, the breasts will produce as much milk as the baby needs.

But when the mother returns to work, without their baby, the breasts could stop producing milk.

“That’s where the breast pump comes in,” D’Cruz said.

“If you want to maintain your milk supply, you have to pump the same number of times that the baby would have breast fed at home.

“Generally, in the 9-5 period, babies breastfeed at least two or three times a day.”

The problem

Breastfeeding is becoming less stigmatised for those who choose to pump when they return to work.

“Some will want to stay at home – which is fine, it’s a choice – but many women go back to work these days with rising cost of living and rising house prices,” D’Cruz said.

“Also lots of women just want to go back to work for their mental sanity – just to have adult conversations and use your brain like you used to.”

However, a study in 2023 revealed women found pumping “difficult”, “time consuming” and “unpleasant” compared with breastfeeding at home with the baby.

The respondents to the survey said having a space where women felt comfortable in the workplace was vital to pump and therefore maintain breastfeeding.

But, as D’Cruz pointed out, this isn’t always possible for some women, particularly for women who work in environments like hospitals, schools and public transport.

“Not everybody has the opportunity to have a scheduled time and a private space to continue pumping two or three times,” she said.

“I see that as problematic, because breastfeeding is a human right – it shouldn’t be a luxury.”

D’Cruz experienced this herself when she returned to work after her first baby.

“Personally, I wanted to continue breastfeeding and personally, I was always somebody who really loved my career,” she said,

“But what I saw in front of me during this stage was having to choose one or the other. 

“I refused to accept that.”

The solution

In 2022, D’Cruz launched Acegirl, a medtech start-up focusing on helping women, who choose to, continue breastfeeding and breast pumping when they return to work.

“A lot of women are using their return-to-work date as a mental date to stop breastfeeding,” D’Cruz said. “Even though they may have wanted to continue it for longer.”

Her product, SOFT, revolutionises the current medical-device-style designs of regular breast pumps that are “bulky” and “mechanical”, which women feel like they have to hide.

Instead, SOFT is a discreet, wearable breast pump, a hands-free way for women to pump without having to find a closed-off area at work. The design of the product also mimics a baby’s latch, making the process as comfortable as possible.

At Acegirl, D’Cruz is working on the prototype of SOFT, in partnership with Flinders University. Her product has been praised and has taken her to the final round of the Kickstarter Challenge award, run by the Accelerator for Enterprising Women.

Along with four other shortlisted finalists, D’Cruz is in the running to take out the category of Women’s Economic Equality, with a prize of up to $30,000. That money will help her take SOFT into the next stage of product development.

D’Cruz is optimistic that SOFT can create more choice for women when it comes to breastfeeding.

“The world hasn’t quite been designed for mothers to also have careers,” she said.

“So we’re trying to fix it at the product level.”

The finalists in the Kickstarter Challenge will participate in the Grand Final round in Canberra on November 29.

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There are many reasons that we are seeing more women show interest in owning their own business. Widespread layoffs during the pandemic contributed to an initial rise in female entrepreneurship in 2020, along with the need for flexibility. Being able to pursue their passions and charge what they’re worth are other key drivers for women looking to be their own boss.

However, despite the marked increase in women’s engagement in entrepreneurial activity, there are still many more male than female entrepreneurs in most countries, and there is also a need for greater support and funding for women looking to start and scale their businesses.

Below, five women who are members of the global non-profit Entrepreneurs’ Organization community share their thoughts on what it’s like to own their own business and how entrepreneurship can become a more inclusive space for women.

1. Annika Launay, CEO of Franc.World

Entrepreneurship is a vital driver of innovation, job creation, and economic growth. However, it has long suffered from a lack of inclusivity, with certain groups being underrepresented and facing significant barriers. As an example, only 3 per cent of venture capital funding went to all-female-founded startups in 2022.

Franc.World aims to change this narrative by opening the doors to conversations about self-discovery and future career paths at a younger age through their multimedia offering that includes books, documentaries and podcasts.

Our mission at Franc.World is to create a world where entrepreneurship knows no bounds and where everyone can thrive and contribute to a better future. We want to empower every Australian girl to reach her full potential to help eliminate career-based gender stereotypes and to create a truly equitable, inclusive and prosperous society for all.

By fostering early exposure and education about entrepreneurship and other career paths, Franc.World is paving the way for an inclusive landscape where everyone has equal opportunities to succeed. After all, you can only be what you can see.

2. Jenifer Clift, Director of Tenassia Pty Ltd

Seeing more women on boards of top organisations and in political leadership roles would have a significant impact on entrepreneurship for women. Setting the tone from the top that women belong in leadership roles and having women’s voices championed in decision making for business is an important starting point.

Having women on the boards of organisations for entrepreneurs specifically is also essential and is something Entrepreneurs’ Organisation has been committed to improving, offering equal representation where it matters.

3. Liberte Guthrie, Founder of Liberte Property

Mentoring opportunities are less often afforded to women. Building a strong and successful business often relies on having a strong network, though women are significantly disadvantaged in this regard. Research from LinkedIn found the ‘Gender Network Gap’ where women were 14%-38% less likely to have a strong and diverse network, held true across almost every country they looked at.

This may be due to existing male dominant networks that operate on dated values and non-welcoming environments, family commitments coinciding with networking opportunities or socialisation and the tendency for women to put their hand up less or ask for support less. Further to this there are less women at the top, which means you are less likely to be able to find and connect with one, find a female mentor in your field or one who can truly support you.

Either way, technology is slowly making it easy for women to find supportive female networks, when and where it suits them, and groups like Entrepreneurs’ Organisation are committed to running initiatives that connect women entrepreneurs with successful mentors who have achieved what they hope to. If your network is your net worth, fortunately the opportunities for women are changing in this regard and more initiatives and groups are emerging to support women’s entrepreneurship.

4. Emilya Colliver, Director of Art Pharmacy & Sugar Glider Digital

Greater support for female entrepreneurs in the early stages of their careers is essential to fostering a more gender-inclusive entrepreneurial environment. Women need equal access to education, training and business opportunities.

An OECD report on women’s entrepreneurship issues and policies states: ‘Not only have women lower participation rates in entrepreneurship than men but they also generally choose to start and manage firms in different industries than men tend to do. The industries (primarily retail, education and other service industries) chosen by women are often perceived as being less important to economic development and growth than high technology and manufacturing.’

This not only reinforces gender stereotypes but also limits the potential for innovation and growth in these industries. By encouraging women to continue their education across a broader range of industries, we can create a more diverse and inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem.

This increased diversity will lead to fresh perspectives, new ideas, and a greater variety of products and services, ultimately driving economic expansion. When we can create equal opportunities for education and training, we can see greater equality for women in business.

5. Clare Sheng, Director of The Fitting Room on Edward and The Modern Gentry

To improve gender equality in entrepreneurship, it is important for workplaces to be more transparent about their diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. When organisations openly support these initiatives and provide clear information about their implementation, it helps promote a more diverse and inclusive work environment.

However, simply hiring for diversity is not enough. Workplaces need to go beyond that and embed these initiatives into their culture. This can include measures like supporting women with families, respecting different religious and cultural holidays, and creating an environment where equal treatment is the norm.

To create a more equal playing field for women entrepreneurs, actions must be taken at various stages, starting from providing quality education and support and extending to ensuring representation of women on boards, particularly in organisations that can help bridge the funding gap for women’s businesses. The potential of women entrepreneurs is largely untapped and governments and businesses should make more efforts to support and harness this economic opportunity.

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“When I think about little Steph, I think, she didn’t give a shit about anything, what anyone would have thought,” Smith said.

“I was very confident, very loud, very comfortable with who I was.

“I only learned to hate my body… when someone told me I was missing (certain traits).”

Speaking at the Commonwealth Bank’s Women in Focus conference in Byron Bay last week, Smith, the co-founder of the global fitness and wellbeing app Keep It Cleaner (KIC), spoke about how her personal journey of redefining health has led her to where she is now: helping others redefine their own health as well.

“I think everyone can relate to that feeling of being your worst enemy when you look into the mirror. Unfortunately, that’s where we naturally go… (to) pick on ourselves,” Smith said.

“But we often have to remind ourselves that it is super important to be that cheerleader for ourselves.”

Finding passion and purpose

Steph Claire Smith has 1.5 million followers on Instagram, not to mention thousands of subscribers to the KIC app, which she co-founded with her business partner and best friend, Laura Henshaw.

But her messages of positivity and empowerment are a far cry from a decade ago when, after finishing high school, she embarked on her modelling career. It was 2013 when she met Henshaw at Melbourne Fashion Week.

“We were both feeling pretty lost – in ourselves and in our bodies,” Smith said.

“The relationship we had with food and exercise was horrible. I fell down into eating and restricting myself from foods I’ve always loved and enjoyed. I stopped seeing friends and I ended the day making myself sick from feeling so guilty about what I ate any day.”

Smith and Henshaw both travelled overseas for their modelling careers, but returned home to Australia at similar times and in similar mindsets – both at war with their bodies, a war they couldn’t seem to win.

A decade ago, Smith said the fitness industry on social media framed fitness in the idea of looking a certain way, and pushed unhealthy, toxic diets.

“There was nothing back in the basics, and just cooking real food and enjoying it that way – worrying about the nutrients and the ingredients rather than the numbers,” Smith said.

Ultimately, Smith and Henshaw’s personal experiences with this culture sparked their business idea.

The ceiling

Despite her passion for health and wellbeing, combined with her creative streak, Steph Claire Smith never saw herself as a business leader.

“There were a lot of people who looked down on me and gave me a ceiling to where I was gonna go in life, because I wasn’t academically intelligent in their eyes,” she said.

“It put a ceiling on me for a really long time… to this day, I get intimidated… I’m still trying to teach myself that the way that I am – my creative mind, I’m not super academic and regimented – that’s ok. I can still be a business leader – I just have a different personality.”

Steph Claire Smith and Laura Henshaw began building their business in 2015 with an e-book and subscription website, which would release one workout and three recipes a month. The pair also did some work with the company behind the Chris Hemsworth fitness app. 

By this point, Smith had half a million followers on Instagram, and it was here that they realised it was time to do it on their own.

“We just became more and more passionate over the years,” Smith said.

“We wanted to be in every corner of the business.”

Smith, alongside Henshaw, took the “scariest and biggest risk” of her life in 2018. She broke that ceiling that was placed over her for all those years.

Keep It Cleaner (KIC)

The Keep It Cleaner (KIC) app was born in 2018, with workouts, recipes and wellbeing exercises available to subscribers.

Just two years later, in 2020, the KIC community grew to more than 250,000 members. And they’re just getting started.

“Our mission is to change the relationship people have with wellness and themselves,” Smith explained.

“But part of that is also helping people recognise that they need to be enough, and that they can define what their healthy routine is. But we can be the tool to help them do that.”

What makes the KIC app stand out is the role of the KIC community in driving almost every aspect of the business.

“A lot of our values… have been created by our community and by the responses from the community,” Smith said.

“We’re energetic, supportive, inclusive and flexible.”

Around 90 per cent of KIC members are Australian, and Smith said the plan is to expand the market first to the UK, where there are already 150,000 people “following the KIC journey” and 1,000 subscribers to the KIC app. Then, Smith and Henshaw plan to turn their attention to the US.

Intuition: ‘The most powerful resource’

Smith and Henshaw have built one of Australia’s most well-known apps, despite having little to no experience working in technology.

“It’s very rare that you find a tech company that was founded with two people with zero tech experience,” Smith admitted.

But the pair said their love for learning helped them make the right connections with the right expertise to build the KIC to where it is today.

“We just kept reaching out to help. We kept asking people, we kept getting people on board, who we believe might have had the experience that we lacked, who helped us identify what things were right or wrong,” Smith said.

But their most powerful resource in building their tech company? Intuition, Smith said.

“You just gotta trust yourself,” she said, “it gives the best results in business.

“If there’s anyone that’s feeling like maybe you didn’t fit in a mould of being able to be an entrepreneur or a business leader, because of something that someone has once told you… this is how you need to be. Just know that it can happen.”

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It’s something Rebecca Dredge personally experienced when she started a family, and ultimately inspired her business, Kiddo – an app to find local, verified, trusted and affordable babysitters, nannies and NDIS support workers.

Women’s Agenda spoke to Dredge about her entrepreneurship journey to learn more about Kiddo, some of the challenges she’s faced, and the advice she has for other entrepreneurs, as part of our series marking Global Entrepreneurs Week.

Can you give us a brief description of your business?

I’m the CEO and founder of Kiddo, a care platform that gives parents more time and freedom by connecting them to local, verified, trusted and affordable babysitters, nannies and NDIS support workers instantly.

Kiddo’s technology simplifies care options for parents in one place, tailoring care solutions based on a child’s needs. The inclusive care platform provides a haven of trust, connecting parents to verified, compassionate carers. Alongside a commitment to quality care, Kiddo empowers parents to enjoy reliable childcare, whether for crucial work commitments, professional networking, or well-deserved downtime.

Additionally, the app provides a space for special care for those that have young ones needing NDIS support. Kiddo has fully qualified and specialised carers to suit all needs for an array of children and families. Kiddo’s streamlined processes and functionality assists babysitters to take their services to the next level. Kiddo provides parents with peace of mind through its review and rating systems alongside the insurance coverage on all bookings. The structural concept of the app reassures families in knowing that all care providers have been fully identified, with completed Working with Children Checks. Since launching late 2019, Kiddo has amassed more than 40,000 users.

More recently, I’ve wanted to create further connection in communities by tackling child care shortages in the Early Childhood Education and Care sector. Tapping into Kiddo’s 15,000 registered care providers – we’ve extended our services to ‘Kiddo Childcare Recruitment’, a jobs marketplace that acts as a dynamic recruitment platform for child care centres, OSH centres and kindergartens to connect with their child focussed carers on the Kiddo app.

We’re more than an app; we’re a community of people that care. Kiddo fosters strong connections within local communities, propelling growth, empowerment, and lasting relationships among our valued stakeholders.

What inspired you to start your business?

I had long worked in the banking and finance industry – it was only after returning from maternity leave that I felt somewhat out of place and had seen a softer side to the world. I had experienced the problem of trying to find a babysitter and had heard countless stories from other new parents. When I needed a babysitter personally, I turned to a traditional babysitting agency and had no idea who was being ‘sent’ to me. I turned to a Facebook page and thought ‘really am I doing this? I don’t know who these people are, what checks have been done’. I knew there had to be a more effective, transparent and safer way to find in home care for our children. Kiddo was born!

Since then, I’ve been on a mission to help families Australia wide. Not only to provide parents a safe place to find care but also a way for women in our communities to find flexible work options and create true connection.

We have babysitters as young as 18 and also carers in their 60s – hearing some of their stories has been truly inspirational. One story in particular, a lady in her 60s telling me how Kiddo had allowed her to feel valued, wanted and at the same time having purpose again. She said it was amazing to be ‘actively selected by families for my age’ and that she ‘hadn’t felt valued in years’ – she referred to herself as a ‘Granny Nanny!” on Kiddo. It’s stories like these that inspire me to forge on for Kiddo every day.

What challenges have you faced, and how have you overcome them?

One of the greatest challenges was physically launching Kiddo – getting started as a solo, non-tech, boot-strapped founder, Kiddo was my first business. I had a two-year-old at home and worked in the front study to create Kiddo. Successfully launching a two-sided platform meant I had to ensure we had sufficient carers and parents registered ready to use our services for launch day.

As a first-time entrepreneur and solo founder, I had to learn so much. I didn’t even have social media accounts when I launched Kiddo! Fortunately, I was able to grow my network of mentors, contractors, and advisors with amazing people who brought valuable expertise and support to the table. Throughout my journey with Kiddo, I made it a point to engage as many women and mothers as possible, as it aligned with our values and fostered some incredible connections with like-minded women in business.

However, by far, my biggest challenge was successfully undertaking a capital raise. Although I had the assistance of an incubator, I had to prepare and pitch it shark tank style.

Do you have a vision for the future of your business?

My vision is for Kiddo to become a household name, to be the care platform or ‘virtual village of care’ that every family can rely on. We are proud that we provide families inclusive care options. We have worked hard to ensure we have thousands of amazing child focussed care givers on Kiddo. With the ‘tap of a few buttons’, parents can be matched to babysitters, nannies or NDIS support workers as needed. In the short-term, we are looking to scale and grow our Kiddo recruitment service in the Early Childhood Education and Care sector. We know there are so many staffing shortages in childcare centres and just how much of an impact this is having on families. We want to solve and empower this sector – to allow more parents to return to work, more of our carers to take up work options efficiently. With our technology we have the power to create true change!

Do you have any advice for aspiring female entrepreneurs?

We were recently recognised with the 2023 Women in Digital Innovator of the Year award. This award also made me reflect on the fact that, just as it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a village or a tribe for a startup to succeed.

My advice for any aspiring female entrepreneur is just start, become obsessed with your customer, understand what their true problems are and solve them. Remember the power of your dreams, set wild goals and celebrate them when you achieve them! It makes them so much more meaningful when they happen. Never forget with a bit of hard work and having your ‘tribe’ by your side – women can achieve anything they set their minds to.

I’m deeply grateful to mentors, inspirational women and those that support the wider tech industry as a whole, without them I could not have come this far. Organisations such as Women in Digital are vital – showcasing amazing diversity and talent, while encouraging more connections that continue to make this ‘village’ we all need.

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But she says there were silver linings in losing the business. Always the dreamer, she made a decision to pick herself back up and chase business goals once again. Now, she is the founder of her new business, Dream Life, where she turned a $3000 loan to start her business, into a multi-million dollar brand.

Today is the final day of Global Entrepreneurs Week, a week dedicated to recognising those who are paving the way for a better future with innovative business ideas.

Women’s Agenda shares the story of Kristina Karlsson, founder of Dream Life.

Karlsson’s new business, Dream Life, is built on her deep belief in human potential, and centred around her passion for helping inspire and empower people to discover and then turn their personal, business or work dreams into reality.

What inspired you to start your business?

Losing kikki.K in such difficult circumstances had wonderful silver linings – as all challenges do when you’re ready to look for them. It’s really what led and inspired me to create my new Dream Life business, which has given me a much greater sense of meaning, purpose and fulfilment than I’ve ever had – and it’s making such a difference to thousands and thousands of people’s lives.

Every day I get to use what I’ve learned in my 20 plus years as a creative, leader, entrepreneur, author and avid life-long learner – to inspire and empower others, particularly women. You could probably say I’m a born entrepreneur – and being curious and a life-long-learner has always fuelled my business progress. I know from first-hand experience that great things start with dreaming first.

What challenges have you faced, and how have you overcome them?

Like many in business, I experience self-doubt, overwhelm and this inherent fear of failure. But thankfully, I’ve learned over the years, every business owner has experienced this and overcome the challenges and each of these challenges can and will be overcome. I remind myself, that anyone can start a business, not everyone will run and operate a profitable one. I am my own hype woman and my positive self-talk is out of this week.

Do you have a vision for the future of your business?

I came out of kikki.K without much financially. In the difficult times before the administration, we reinvested a lot, as other partners did, so Dream Life started with very little capital.

It’s a situation most entrepreneurs have dealt with, and it’s exactly how it was in the start-up of kikki.K, so that’s been a very normal challenge to work through really. It’s all about being creative, smart, careful and industrious. Finding ways to do things brilliantly for our customers – without having big budgets and loads of people to help.

An unexpected challenge has been being back on the tools in every respect after being in a position for many years where we had a brilliant team (at one stage, over 1,500), and my role was much more strategic and all about leadership rather than ‘the hands-on doing’. It was a real Creative Director’s role. I love every aspect of Dream Life – it’s such a joy – and I’m learning so much as I go back to the challenge of being way more hands-on with a small (but mighty!!) team. One of the ways I overcome this challenge is through my mantra, “It’s about progress not perfection’. We can do anything but not everything at once, so it’s important to prioritise what’s most important – and make progress on that first. Knowing we’ll eventually get to everything. It can be a little frustrating at times, but for us it’s growing pains – and you have to be growing to have them!

Another challenge has been starting without a direct connection to the 4 million kikki.K lovers worldwide that we had lovingly built up, one by one. It’s meant that I’ve lost contact with many, but gradually, they’re learning what up I’m up to now and jumping into the Dream Life movement. I felt quite sad, and it was all quite raw after losing the business I’d built from nothing more than a dream – which was essentially built on my personal design ethos, life principles, personal values and personal purpose & dreams. It was so authentic, so genuinely concerned with doing good in the world over profiteering – and it was such a family to me.

For a while, I just needed to withdraw, so we didn’t do anything to let people know what had happened. Although I stuck to coaching and helping people pro bono through those challenging times, I didn’t want any press and so I kept a low profile. That meant we lost contact with many of the millions who had followed me as I built kikki.K. We’ve taken a very subtle approach to promoting Dream Life – more word of mouth than anything – and I’m now getting so much joy from reconnecting, as people discover what my new thing is – and fall in love all over again! It’s beautiful to welcome people back!”

Do you have any advice for aspiring female entrepreneurs?

Start with dreaming. Take time to consciously dream about what it is you want, what impact you want to make on the world, and why. Dreaming is where it all started for me – and I know how powerful it is for a million reasons, particularly for entrepreneurs.

The post ‘There were silver linings in losing my business’: Kristina Karlsson on starting from scratch appeared first on Women's Agenda.

Self-doubt, overwhelm and a fear of failure never put out Crawford’s firelight, as she built her business to where it is today, working with a wide range of companies – from NGOs and government agencies to multi-national corporations.

Her driving commitment, however, is amplifying the voices of First Nations Australians.

Today is Day 4 of Global Entrepreneurs Week, a week dedicated to recognising those who are paving the way for a better future with innovative business ideas.

Women’s Agenda spoke with Dixie Crawford from Nganya. This is her story.

Can you give us a brief description of your business?

Nganya is a boutique consulting firm specialising in the development and implementation of Reconciliation Action Plans in Australia. Our clients include small and medium, large multi-national corporations, NGOs and government agencies. We are committed to ensuring the voices of First Nations people and communities are heard, understood and acted on. Our work is to enable change through education, story-telling and connecting corporations with First Nations Australians for relevant and impactful outcomes on social justice and equity.

What inspired you to start your business?

I started my business when I felt I had outgrown my then role in the public service. I took a leap of faith into the unknown of business and the rest is history. I wanted a challenge, a stretch and to test my skills in business as I have always had a curious mind. I just backed myself up and have done so every day since starting in 2018.

What are some challenges you have faced, and how have you overcome them?

Like many in business I experience self-doubt, overwhelm and a fear of failure. But thankfully, I’ve learned over the years that every business owner has experienced this and overcome these challenges and each of these challenges can and will be overcome. I remind myself that anyone can start a business, but not everyone will run and operate a profitable one. I am my own hype woman, and my positive self-talk is out of this world.

Do you have a vision for the future of your business?

To continue to grow with staff and the services we offer for more impact. Growth for us is not about having a big business; it is about having an impactful business that sets up organisations for better relationships with First Nations communities through education, empathy and experiences to present different insights, perspectives and new knowledge.

Do you have any advice for aspiring female entrepreneurs?

Recognise failure is inevitable, but so is success. Understand that you will learn more from your losses than from your wins in business. Remember the problem you are facing right now; someone already did and has overcome it, so seek out mentors. And finally, don’t take advice from people who aren’t where you want to be.

The post Amplifying First Nations voices with Dixie Crawford’s business Nganya appeared first on Women's Agenda.

It inspired her to create GoFIGR in 2020. Since then, they have raised their seed capital to $2.8 million – and Turpin, who was a finalist in the 2023 Women’s Agenda Leadership Award for Entrepreneur of the Year, is showing no signs of slowing down.

It’s Thursday, Day 4 of Global Entrepreneurs Week, a week dedicated to recognising those who are paving the way for a better future with innovative business ideas.

Today, Women’s Agenda shares the story of Helena Turpin and GoFIGR.

Can you give us a brief description of your business?

GoFIGR is an internal talent marketplace platform tailored for mid-large enterprises. It bridges the gap between employees’ skills and ambitions with in-house opportunities for learning, projects, and further development. By aligning individual career objectives with organisational needs, GoFIGR not only empowers employees to realise their career aspirations but also enables companies to economise on external recruitment expenses while nurturing a skilled and motivated workforce.

What inspired you to start your business?

It was a mixture of frustration and good timing! I’d become a bit stale in my corporate role and had the opportunity to apply for a startup accelerator via Antler. I took my experience from my experience in the HR sector, where I led projects to tackle rising employee turnover. It became evident that the core issue was a lack of career development. It struck me as an odd gap that there wasn’t a streamlined method to match the supply of skills with the demand for them so alongside two former HR colleagues, we pitched the idea and raised some pre-seed capital to start the business.

What are some challenges you have faced, and how have you overcome them?

I don’t look like the stereotypical founder, I’m always very honest and maybe a bit too self-critical which I’m sure has cost me deals and definitely hindered my ability to raise capital. Raising our Seed round earlier this year ($2.8m AUD) was my biggest challenge and also my biggest success! When I was able to shift my mindset into the value I know our business is going to create for investors and customers rather than feeling worried about asking for investment, it made all the difference. It took a lot of preparation, a lot of practice and a lot of discomfort but my advice is to push on through, you’re capable of so much more than you think you are.

Do you have a vision for the future of your business?

I’d love to see GoFIGR become the destination for all things work and career no matter your age, stage or location. Imagine a place where you can learn about and get matched to new careers, be shown ways to develop skills and understand the impact of your career choices in terms of salary, impact, impact of automation. I’d love to see GoFIGR help people reach their full potential!

Do you have any advice for aspiring female entrepreneurs?

My advice is to surround yourself with great people you can turn to for advice, support and guidance. I have the most amazing network of investors, advisors, colleagues and other women founders who are my biggest cheerleaders, I could never have done this without them (and my amazing co-founder)!

The post How Helena Turpin and GoFIGR are filling the career development gap in employee turnover appeared first on Women's Agenda.

In 2020/21, Australia generated around 75.8 million tonnes of waste. This was the equivalent of 2.95 tonnes per person, according to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW).

It’s something that concerns Radhika Mayani, founder of Left-handesign, a business that creates eco-friendly stationery from sustainable products.

It’s Day 3 of Global Entrepreneurs Week, a week dedicated to recognising those who are paving the way for a better future with innovative business ideas.

Today, Women’s Agenda shares our Q&A with Radhika Mayani.

Can you give us a brief description of your business?

Left-handesign, is Singapore’s first plantable stationery brand that has expanded to Australia. It specializes in creating eco-friendly stationery products that can be planted to grow into beautiful plants. Our products align with principles of sustainability and the circular economy. The goal for Left-handesign is to become the most beloved plantable stationery brand not only in Australia but also nationwide. Our passion for entrepreneurship and commitment to environmentally friendly products are central to our business’s mission and vision.

What inspired you to start your business?

My journey towards sustainability began when I worked in the hospitality industry in Singapore and witnessed the significant wastage happening in hotels. This experience triggered my determination to find a solution to the waste problem and promote sustainability.

Founded in 2017, Left-handesign® is the result of my passion for nature and stationery. I managed to strike a balance between these two interests and launched the ‘BĪJ’ collections, which include a range of stationery products such as pens, pencils, notebooks, and more. What sets these products apart is that they are embedded with seeds, offering users a unique experience when the stationery reaches the end of its life. This innovative approach aligns with my commitment to sustainability and reducing waste.

I strongly believe that creating awareness about such products is a crucial step in addressing the waste problem and making them a global alternative to single-use stationery. I envision the products replacing traditional single-use stationery items in various settings, including offices, schools, universities, government organizations, hotels, and beyond. My dedication to sustainability and the journey towards creating a positive impact through my brand exemplify our commitment to environmental responsibility and conscious consumerism.

What are some challenges you have faced, and how have you overcome them?

Some of the most significant challenges that entrepreneurs face include, the high cost of living and business, the limited domestic market, intense competition, and a shortage of skilled workers. In conclusion, there are many advantages to entrepreneurs, with a favorable business environment and robust infrastructure, it also poses significant challenges that entrepreneurs must overcome by adopting the right strategies such as leveraging technology, building a strong network, focusing on niche markets, emphasizing innovation, and partnering with government agencies. By adopting the right strategies, entrepreneurs can navigate these challenges and build successful businesses.

Do you have a vision for the future of your business?

The future of Left-handesign would be expanding our product line, increasing market presence, and forming strong partnerships with sustainability-focused companies are excellent strategies for achieving our goal of becoming the most beloved plantable stationery brand in Australia and nationwide. Continual innovation in sustainable stationery will likely keep us ahead in this competitive and environmentally conscious market.

To further realize this vision, we consider actively promoting our sustainability initiatives, engaging in community outreach and education on eco-friendly practices, and staying up-to-date with the latest developments in sustainable materials and production methods. Additionally, conducting customer feedback and market research can help us tailor our product offerings to meet the evolving needs and preferences of our target audience.

Overall, our vision aligns well with your passion for sustainability and entrepreneurship, and with dedication and strategic planning, we’re well-positioned to make a positive impact in the field of sustainable stationery.

Do you have any advice for aspiring female entrepreneurs?

As an aspiring female entrepreneur with a passion for sustainability and entrepreneurship, here are some pieces of advice that may be particularly relevant to your journey:

1. Believe in yourself and your abilities.

2. Build a support network of mentors and fellow entrepreneurs.

3. Embrace your unique perspective and use it as an asset.

4. Continuously learn and adapt to changes in the business landscape.

5. Develop financial literacy to make informed decisions.

6. Network actively online and offline.

7. Cultivate resilience to navigate challenges.

8. Set clear business goals and create a roadmap to achieve them.

9. Advocate for fair opportunities and compensation.

10. Prioritize self-care to avoid burnout.

11. Celebrate your achievements, big or small.

12. Stay true to your values, especially if sustainability is your mission.

Remember that every entrepreneurial journey is unique, and you have the power to shape your business according to your vision and values. Stay passionate, stay persistent, and keep pushing towards your goals. Your dedication to sustainability and entrepreneurship is inspiring and has the potential to make a positive impact on the world.

The post Radhika Mayani’s commitment to sustainability through her business Left-handesign appeared first on Women's Agenda.

But there are solutions to the period waste problem, and there’s one business that’s driving this change.

Robyn McLean founded Hello Period in 2017, creating sustainable period periods like the menstrual cup and, the business’ latest product, the menstrual disc.

It’s Day 3 of Global Entrepreneurs Week, a week dedicated to recognising those who are paving the way for a better future with innovative business ideas.

Today, Women’s Agenda shares our Q&A with Robyn McLean.

Can you give us a brief description of your business?

Hello Period is an award-winning sustainable period care brand. We make reusable period care that is leak-proof, comfortable, cute and, according to our fannytastic customers, life changing. We are the only brand in the world that has something for everyone – period cups and discs for all cervix heights as well as reusable pads and undies. All our products hold at least 3 times more than single-use tampons or pads. 

What inspired you to start your business?

I’ve had dreadful periods my whole life as when I tried a menstrual cup, it instantly changed the game for me. But rather than feel joy, I felt pissed off that I hadn’t known about them earlier. I didn’t want my daughter to get stuck with the same uncomfortable, expensive, single-use options. The more research I did, the more appalled I was by the lack of innovation in the period care industry. It had seemingly been lumped in the taboo ‘let’s ignore periods’ basket and for too long people with periods just put up with it. 

What are some challenges you have faced, and how have you overcome them?

Learning how to run a business has been the biggest challenge, haha. Honestly it was never something that was on my horizon. My background is in journalism and marketing and I was quite happy to stay in that lane until my pig-headed determination got the better of me! I’ve learnt to ask lots of questions and not be afraid to ask for advice – people in business are so generous when it comes to sharing their own stories and I think that’s been one of the best ways to help me feel more confident. Even the most successful brands have a backstory that involves uncertainty and heartache at some stage. 

Another challenge has been getting people to try something new. Tampons and pads have been the go-to products for the last few decades so convincing people to give something like a menstrual disc or even reusable pads a go can take a bit of education. We’ve created a fun brand that turns heads and tends to stop people in their tracks long enough to get them curious. That’s key to getting more people to give sustainable period care a go. Once they have – the most common piece of feedback we get is ‘I just wish I’d made the switch earlier!’. 

Do you have a vision for the future of your business?

My vision is for Hello Period to be the world’s most loved and trusted sustainable period care brand. We want to engage, entertain and educate our customers about why reusable period care is the future. It’s my dream that my grandchildren will only ever see tampons and single-use pads in museum exhibitions on how people managed periods in the past. We want to be a world-leader in driving this important change. Reusable options are seriously more comfortable and they not only save the user money, but they save a huge amount of waste. One Hello Disc or Hello Cup is the equivalent of over 2000 tampons. 

Do you have any advice for aspiring female entrepreneurs?

If you’ve got a good idea, follow your heart. There’s nothing you can’t learn about business so, if you think you can do or create something that is different or fills a need, then go for it. Reach out to people in business you admire and ask them questions. But don’t expect it to be easy. There have been a lot of tears over the years and times when I have wanted to give up but I really believe in our brand.

We have thousands of customers all over the world who are so grateful that we have made periods easier to manage and that is so incredibly satisfying. When you have tough days make sure you talk to people – don’t bottle up your anxiety.

Being an entrepreneur is so much fun but it’s really hard too and it’s so important to look after your health – eat well, drink lots of water and get plenty of fresh air. Do I sound like your mother? I could do with taking my own advice more, but when you are your own boss it’s easy to work 7 days and not give yourself enough time to recharge the batteries. 

The post The global period waste problem – and Robyn McLean’s solution with Hello Period appeared first on Women's Agenda.

The culture and history of the Gunditjmara people inspired Niyoka Bundle to start her very own business in 2020 to showcase the flavours and ingredients her ancestors have used for 65,000+ years.

Pawa Catering features an Indigenous fusion menu, created using native ingredients and inspired by classic family favourites. The business also sells Taka Gin Co.m a gin using native fusion ingredients.

To mark Global Entrepreneurs Week, a week dedicated to recognising those who are paving the way for a better future with innovative business ideas, Women’s Agenda is sharing a number of Q&As with women building businesses.

As a leading First Nations entrepreneur in Australia, Bundle shares her story.

Can you give us a brief description of your business?

I run a catering company which focuses on using native foods. We also have a Cafe inside Hamer Hall, along Southbank, which also has a native theme throughout. And then there’s Taka Gin Co, our native fusion gin. 

What inspired you to start your business?

I have always been interested in food and cooking for people. I also wanted to offer something unique and putting both together made sense. We take native foods and showcase them in a modern western way, in everyday foods that people like to eat.

What challenges have you faced, and how have you overcome them?

Being a small family business, we have had cash flow challenges in busy periods. Payment terms are long for small businesses like us and at a busy time of year , such as now, leading into the party season, we have a lot of outgoing costs to make it happen. Also we are still feeling the effects of covid. it affected the industry hard, and we still haven’t seen a full return to the city to work.

Do you have a vision for the future of your business?

At the moment, we are working on expanding Pawa Caterings offerings by working in partnership with larger companies, which is great for our growth. We would love to work on more event partnerships and have our gin in more spaces. I also hope to increase First Nations places in all areas of my business.

Do you have any advice for aspiring female entrepreneurs?

Have a good team you can rely on or maybe a mentor you can ask for advice. And my number one advice is to have your finances sorted at the start so there are no surprises. Keeping on top of that is hard, but if you have the plans in place early, it’s a lot easier to manage.

The post How Niyoka Bundle brings Indigenous flavours and ingredients into catering appeared first on Women's Agenda.