The startup, formerly known as EasyRent, provided subletting options in New Zealand and Sydney, before pivoting the business to expand in New York City.

Earlier this year, Kiki announced it would be launching a “girls only” club in the US city in an Instagram post, a decision that received significant backlash.

On Wednesday, Toby Thomas-Smith spoke in an Instagram video posted on Kiki’s account, addressing the situation from last month.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Kiki Club (@kikiclub.nyc)

“I have a lot to own and apologise for, since putting out that post four weeks ago,” Thomas-Smith said.

The co-founder first apologised to the people who found the decision “offensive and disrespectful”.

“I was extremely naive referring to Kiki as the first girls club in NYC and for not articulating the true reasons behind this direction,” he said.

When it was first announced, the Kiki co-founders cited the hire of its first female worker as the reason behind the decision, who “enlightened” the all-male founding team on the supposed problem of women meeting women in NYC.

“It was incredibly offensive to all the women founders who’ve been working and researching to improve the safe environments for women to live in,” Thomas-Smith said in his apology.

According to Kiki and Blackbird, the venture capital fund that invested in Kiki, women comprised 70 per cent of Kiki users. Thomas-Smith said it is women who engages with the subletting company the most, which encouraged the group to pursue the “girls only” club.

However, Thomas-Smith said the startup’s time in NYC so far has “lacked the special feeling” and the “strong level of connection in the community” that they had in Sydney.

“We’re still ultimately committed to subletting and our mission of changing how the world lives, but because we’ve been missing the connection piece, this has required our full focus the past few weeks,” he said.

“Again, I’m deeply sorry for how I went about communicating this focus in such a poor way. I won’t make these same mistakes again in the future.”

Blackbird’s response

Venture capital funds have a significant gender problem. In 2023, just four per cent of startup funding went to all-female teams in 2023, with all-male teams continuing to dominate across all deals done.

At the time of Kiki’s announcement, a lot of backlash was directed at Blackbird, Australia’s largest venture capital fund. Blackbird invested a 16 per cent stake in the all-male founded startup when it was based in Sydney and known as EasyRent.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Women's Agenda (@womensagenda)

Many commentators criticised Blackbird’s lack of response since the saga. But four weeks later, General Partner at Blackbird Ventures Samantha Wong released a statement on behalf of the company.

Her statement addressed the criticism surrounding the gender issue in Kiki and in VC funding in general, one Blackbird is “committed to improving”.

“As a former female founder who struggled to raise venture funding for her startup, and as a female general partner who has raised $160M over two separate funds for the New Zealand Blackbird funds that I run, I am empathetic to the challenge of fundraising as a woman,” Wong said.

“I can fully appreciate the frustration at inequity in funding for female founders that I saw in commentary on this story.”

Wong firstly clarified “a few facts” in relation to Kiki’s girls only club.

“Despite what you may have read, Blackbird did not back a women’s club, nor did Kiki ‘fail’ in Sydney,” Wong said. 

“We, along with numerous other investors, invested in Kiki to expand its subletting platform, off the back of its strong traction in Sydney, where it was known as ‘EasyRent’.

“At the time of our investment of 16%, EasyRent had been live in Sydney for 12 months, was essentially bootstrapped and was profitable.”

Kiki then made the “bold and risky” move to expand its business in NYC and “own the subletting category globally”, which Wong said has a “logical basis”.

“Women made up 70% of Kiki users in Sydney, but when they moved to New York, they experienced an imbalance of supply and demand, and didn’t have the ‘community magic’,” Wong said.

“As we all know, startup founders experiment and learn and sometimes adjust as they go. They do not always get everything 100% right. We see it as our role to provide support to them through the learning, shifting, ups and downs of the startup journey. 

“So that’s where our focus has been working with Kiki over the last few weeks.”

In 2022, Blackbird invested in 22 companies; 23 per cent of those companies had at least one woman founder in the founding team.

“While this is broadly in line with industry standards, it’s nowhere near where we want it to be,” Wong said. 

“We are committed to continuing to provide transparent reporting about our progress, acknowledging that we need to do better.”

Blackbird has several programs designed to mentor, coach and develop more women startup founders.

“There is much more work to do, and we’re committed to doing it,” Wong said. “We will continue doing our part to build an ecosystem we can all be proud of.”

The post All-male startup Kiki apologises for girls only club in New York appeared first on Women's Agenda.

When I embarked on my entrepreneurial journey many people were surprised to see me shift from being a social justice lawyer with a stable wage to taking the risk of starting a business with an untested concept. I had just given birth to my third child and many thought it was a crazy time to take such a big financial risk.

But what only those close to me knew was that I came from a family of entrepreneurs, business owners, and risk-takers, so not only was it in my blood, but it was also my turn.

I needed to challenge myself and test my ability to combine commercial goals with my passion for solving social problems. I saw a gap in the market that conveniently also solved my need to access quality early childhood education and care for my three children under the age of three, so I decided to fill the gap!

When you throw yourself into entrepreneurship, there are the highs — like hitting 20 percent revenue growth month on month in the business’ first year. But there are also the lows, like when your personal bank account hits rock bottom because you can’t pay yourself yet, but you have to keep the lights on. The loneliness of decision-making and risk-taking at the top requires grit and determination, but it can also offer immense personal and financial rewards if you see it through.

Now that I have moved on from the business I established, I thought it was timely to share my reflections on the experience in the hope of encouraging others to take the plunge and bring their ideas to life that could just change the world.

The stomach for it

I have always said that to take the plunge as an entrepreneur, one must have the stomach for it. You need to be comfortable with rejection, making mistakes, and taking decisions that might not always pan out the way you hoped, despite all the best planning.

A recent episode of the Hidden Brain podcast (pop it on the list if you’re a human behaviour nerd like me) talked about our ability to live with failure and our own mistakes. They discussed the concept of ‘intelligent failures’, namely ones that are well-informed but occur when you are exploring new ideas, innovation, or trying to push yourself out of your comfort zone.

In my journey I needed to be comfortable with trying new things even if they didn’t work out, while taking the time to learn and reflect on them to improve my future decisions and actions. When you finally create something out of nothing, that feeling is indescribable, and it’s only through mistakes and failures that this kind of achievement is reached.

The right team

Having the right people around you to be able to execute is vital, but you aren’t always going to have the pick of the market when you’re a startup or make the right decisions the first time. So again, be comfortable with knowing when you’ve made the wrong choice and be swift in taking action to move people on if they aren’t the right fit.

Diversity of experience, skill, background, and way of thinking among team members is a must-have. You don’t want people who glorify you and are just excited to be part of a startup. You want people who question your ideas, push you out of your comfort zone, and bring skills you don’t possess.

As an entrepreneur, you are most likely the biggest risk taker in the room, but you need at least one person sitting next to you who tells you not to jump off that cliff.

The mental toll

Any entrepreneur or business owner will tell you that the mental toll of being a leader is almost impossible to quantify.

Not only is it lonely at the top at times, but you will also feel burdened by the weight of the business, you will have sleepless nights over finances, and you will be unpopular because of difficult decisions you make. So, ensuring you have strong self-care habits will be key to getting through these times.

During the height of Covid I found myself exercising more and taking frequent breaks from my computer to balance the stress of economic uncertainty. A great support network outside the business, like family and friends, will also provide reprieve and a place to debrief during those challenging times, not to mention being there to celebrate the successes.

In terms of the ongoing running of the business, make sure you have team members you can trust to run the business in your absence. Being away from the day-to-day is not only great for your mental health, but it also provides appropriate distance from the business to enliven creative solutions for problems you might have been grappling with for a while.

The learning

Once you decide to launch into business, you will most likely have the tools and skills to get something off the ground.

But be prepared to learn. A lot. I found myself watching YouTube videos to build a website myself, I got a friend to teach me how to use InDesign, and I tapped into my network to ask questions about insurance, marketing, trademarks, you name it.

After you have established the business and have confidence in the team you have created, be prepared to let go a bit (yes that’s directed at all the control freaks reading this). You need to impart your knowledge, give others the freedom to learn and make their own mistakes, but be there to guide and support them on their own journey of growth.

This type of freedom does, however, mean you need to maintain a strong culture of accountability and autonomy, otherwise you will forever be doing other people’s jobs. The reward of growing the capability of others will also form part of your entrepreneurial legacy.

The ‘why’

Many innovators and creatives can be easily distracted, so whatever you decide to focus on when taking the leap of faith into entrepreneurship, make sure it has staying power to command your ongoing attention.

If it’s going to be a fleeting interest then don’t do it, because there’s no such thing as easy money in business. Success takes time and commitment and your ongoing interest in the subject matter will be crucial to achieving that success.

In my case, the ‘why’ had a strong social purpose while also achieving commercial goals. The overall vision in the original business plan enabled me to create a clear set of values that remained relevant throughout the business’ evolution. This meant that many new recruits joined because of values alignment and understood the ethical framework that sat around decision-making and the way we operated, which allowed us to stay true to our purpose as the business grew and changed.

The leap

Taking the leap has to be the scariest but also the most exhilarating part of the journey. That nervous feeling when you don’t know if something will take off, but you have done all the preparation, planning, and research to get you there is fun, wild and takes guts.

If this is what you’re thinking of doing, then jump. You don’t know if you’re sitting on the next big thing that could change just one person’s life or shift the course of society forever, so maybe it’s time to step into the uncertain and share your idea with the world.

The post Six things I’ve learned since launching and exiting my startup appeared first on Women's Agenda.

Mother-daughter duo Dr Christine Pitt and Skye Raward established Farmers2Founders in 2018 with a vision to put producers at the centre of innovation in agriculture and help solve some of the challenges facing the sector.

They’ve also launched a women-specific program, supporting female entrepreneurs with a technology idea or solution for agriculture. TEKWOMEN Victoria, a pre-accelerator program for female entrepreneurs, is currently inviting women to apply.

Speaking to Women’s Agenda, Raward said they had pinpointed a significant gap in funding for female-led startups, despite the evidence showing the remarkable success of female entrepreneurs in the agtech sector. As Raward shares, women are uniquely placed to offer solutions to some of the most pressing issues in agriculture.

“Our accelerator program is committed to addressing this challenge with a female-led approach, featuring experienced female mentors and coaches, along with the active participation of female founders,” Raward said. 

“We understand the broader issues contributing to women’s lack of confidence in entering male-dominated fields, especially in tech and farming. Our program will not only cover the standard topics but also incorporate additional elements specifically designed to foster confidence, focusing on nuanced areas to empower women in these industries.”

Raward said Farmers2Founders has supported over 250 early-stage startups and over 90 scale-ups, seeing exceptional success with some raising investments in the millions. 

“We have noted that the most successful startups are led by a diverse team – diversity drives innovation,” she said. 

Jessica Brunner, founder of The Bee Buddy, is one entrepreneur who has benefited from participation in the program for women.

The Bee Buddy recently launched at the Singaporean Food and Agritech Conference and is revolutionising the inspection and extraction process of beekeeping, ensuring a safer and more efficient practice. Her participation in the pre-accelerator program has been invaluable, she says. 

“The most valuable things were the network of support, both from the super experienced and knowledgeable Farmers2Founders team, as well as the amazing other entrepreneurs in the group, the opportunity to validate of my idea and understanding the commercialisation process and options, and being kept on track with tasks and timetables. I even won and R&D Grant which I hadn’t even known was available to me!” she told Women’s Agenda. 

Brunner said the Farmers2Founder program helped her to streamline her idea, focus on design and her minimum viable product, as well as challenge all of her exisiting business perceptions. 

Brunner says that women in agtech often don’t get given the same floor time as men, or necessarily have the time and space to focus on their project and commit to moving it forward. 

“Women in particular have a lot of balls juggling so having the mental space to be able to sit and commit is one of the biggest challenges – I definitely found Faremrs2Founders provided that for me,” she said. 

“I also feel that being selected and involved with Farmers2Founders gave me and my idea validity in others eyes. There was a sense of ‘well if she’s been selected and invested in then it must be a real project and not just some little hobby’.”

Feature Image: Jessica Brunner, founder of The Bee Buddy.

The post The program supporting female entrepreneurs to bring their innovative agtech solutions to life appeared first on Women's Agenda.

According to The Australian Financial Review, Kiki, previously known as EasyRent, raised $US4.5 million ($7 million) and was valued at $US28 million ($42 million) in August 2023. Blackbird Ventures, Australia’s largest venture capital fund, is reported to have a 16 per cent stake in the company.

The pivot was announced by Kiki co-founder Toby Thomas-Smith, who said in a video on Instagram, “We’re not doing subletting anymore. I know it sounds crazy but we’re launching a girls-only club in New York City.”

Recently, the team of five young men at Kiki employed the company’s first and only female employee, 25-year-old Australian, Caitlin Emiko as a “TikTok lead”.

Thomas-Smith described Emiko as “the first girl to join the team” and said she had enlightened him about a problem experienced by “girls” who move to New York City but struggle to connect socially.

“Ever since Caitlin joined the team, she’s really enlightened me to this problem I never even knew existed where so many girls in the city have moved here thinking that they’ll live their best possible life, but they’re just living, not thriving,” Mr Thomas-Smith said in the video on Instagram.

“There’s no central way to overlap. You can’t truly love New York if you don’t have the right people around you. So Caitlin, myself and the team’s new goal is to give you that life you saw in the movie, on Friends and Sex and the City.”

Kiki or EasyRent was first established as a subletting platform in New Zealand before closing down and launching in Sydney. It went on to close down in Australia and then launched in New York City last year. There have been reports of user issues with the subletting platform, as reported by writer Emily Sundberg.

Now, with the company set to launch its “girls only” club, many are questioning why the male-founded company would be dipping their toes into the women’s club space.

As entrepreneur and startup founder Lucy Wark highlighted on LinkedIn on Wednesday, how is it that these young, male founders were given funding for a subletting model that failed in two markets to relaunch in a third market?

And why are they able to pivot to a fresh business idea, a “girls only” club, with “no revenue plan”, as reported by the Australian Financial Review?

“Honestly best of luck to Kiki.nyc and I never want to wish failure on a startup, I know it’s hard. BUT the sheer volume of “things the average female founder could never do, let alone be rewarded for” in this piece is staggering – from flying international in their underwear and being applauded for it, to being given funding to try a model that failed in two other markets in a third market, to pivoting on a dime to a new business with no revenue plan after demonstrating an appalling disrespect for their early users,” Wark wrote on LinkedIn.

As we’ve reported time and again on Women’s Agenda, there is a obscene funding gap for female founders in startups. Just 2 per cent of US$238 billion allocated by VCs in 2022 went to all-female founded teams, according to PitchBook, while in Australia, the figure sits at just 3 per cent.

“I rarely get truly angry about funding imbalances and who gets the ‘benefit of the doubt’ these days because I really prefer to channel my energy into building businesses and doing pragmatic things to improve the situation, but yikes, this one got me,” Wark continued.

“Also – it’s “women”. Not “girls”. If you want to launch a business for us, do us the courtesy of referring to us as not-children.”

The pivot from Kiki comes as the startup sector faces harsher conditions amid economic uncertainty and as female founders continue to face roadblocks in accessing funding and wider discrimination.

And, as entrepreneur Emma Bates raised on Instagram, is it concerning that “an all male team (barring one woman)” is building a social space for girls?”

“While more men/male dominant industries (like tech & VC) do need to recognize the need for these safe spaces for women & girls to connect as HUGE (business) opportunities, building them with a male dominant team with only it seems (weeks?) of knowledge on this space is really alarming to me.”

The post Why have five men started a “girls only” club in New York City? appeared first on Women's Agenda.

Dr Wallace, the founder of artificial intelligence fintech Flamingo AI and the Responsible Metaverse Alliance, was one five venture capitalists to join Shark Tank Australia in 2023, alongside Jane Lu, Sabri Suby, Davie Fogart and Robert Herjavec. 

In a post to LinkedIn this week, Dr Wallace revealed that she had invested in a number of businesses that had been pitched to the Sharks on the program. Five of the six startups are founded by women or young people.

The businesses include: 

• Yaala Sparkling, co-founded by Tara Croker and Mel Davey, is an Indigenous-led flavoured sparkling water company. Tara Croker was previously named a finalist in the 2023 Women’s Agenda Leadership Awards.

• Sock Drawer Heroes, by Erin Spencer and Bec Cerio, a world class online and physical shop dedicated to products that support Gender Euphoria for Trans and Gender diverse people.

• Glossy Boys by teenager Lucas Lane and his mother, Breanna Lane, a business providing top quality nail polish for boys.

• Cinnamon Cove, by teenagers Myla and Liv,  providing stylish and age-appropriate swimwear for tweens.

• Kaasida, by Akanksha Rai Sinha, specialising in hand made embroidery clothes supporting women artisans in India.

• Nevabuds, founded by Nevada Smith, a startup providing a range of clippable headphones so that you don’t lose your earbuds.

“I am so pleased that on the show I was able to be my true self – focused on diversity and inclusion, ethical business and products and the environment- and now I have 6 fabulous businesses and their entrepreneurs to support,” Dr Wallace shared.

“Wishing an incredible 2024 to these young Australian companies – and hoping the LinkedIn community can also support these epic individuals and their super great products. ”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Catriona Wallace (@catrionawallace)

Dr Wallace also clarified how the investment process works on Shark Tank, noting that Sharks are not paid to be on the program and they use their own money to invest.

“Once the show is filmed the production company and broadcaster are no longer involved in the investment transactions. It’s just the individual Shark and the company who was successful in pitching on the program,” she said.

“Once a Shark makes an offer on the program then we go into standard investment Due Diligence (DD) with the entrepreneur and their company. The Shark pays their own legal and other costs of conducting DD and getting the deal done. Sometimes in DD the Shark and/or the entrepreneur may agree not to go ahead with the deal. So not all deals on the show go through to completion.”

A former police officer, Wallace is a trailblazer in the Australian entrepreneurial and artificial intelligence sectors. In 2016, her company Flamingo AI became the second ever female-led business to list on the ASX. She has also founded the Responsible Metaverse Alliance, an organisation working with with politicians, government officials, regulators and policy makers to address the potential harms of the metaverse.

The post Shark Tank’s Dr Catriona Wallace invests in startups by women and young people 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!

The post Six female founders share powerful insights they learnt from their mentors appeared first on Women's Agenda.

“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.

The post The entrepreneur creating a discreet, wearable breast pump appeared first on Women's Agenda.

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.

The post Rebecca Dredge’s solution to a common parenting challenge became an award-winning app appeared first on Women's Agenda.

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.