Throwback to 2011, when I was invited to speak at a TEDxWomen event in Australia. I was invited because I'd created an innovative, unique agency model (in 2009, long before the 'gig economy' was a thing). But my favourite TED talks weren't about business lessons, so I decided I would speak vulnerably about the life lessons that led to me becoming the Founder of The Village Agency. Enjoy listening to my thick Aussie accent!
In 2014, I shared a SxSW stage with Patrick Van der Pijl, CEO Business Models Inc. You probably know Patrick's company from their globally recognized books and the original (and often copied) business model canvas. There's no replay, but here are our slides: a comprehensive guide on transforming your vision into a business model (thanks to Patrick) and the framework for building a strong brand (from me).
The story of how I was recruited by Doug Ray and Michael Epstein to run Strategy and Innovation for Carat in the USA can't be told in this small window of text. This was the moment that changed the trajectory of my career and saw me moving my whole life to New York City.
Just a year after I took the helm of the strategy and innovation team at Carat USA, we were crowned AdWeek's U.S. Media Agency of the Year. My team, dubbed the 'Catalyst' group, were cited as a big reason for the award.
As the head of Innovation for Carat, I was regularly published in various media outlets, sharing my foresight and predictions for the future of media, marketing and human behaviours with respect to technology.
Adweek celebrates the most innovative and influential individuals in the advertising industry, recognizing their outstanding achievements and contributions. In 2016, less than two years after arriving in NYC, I was honoured to be among the winners of this prestigious title.
In 2017, Vaynermedia hired me as their first Chief Strategy Officer to bridge the empathy gap within the agency and across the industry, according to Gary Vaynerchuk, the company's CEO and founder.
By 2019, I was ready for a big change. I trained over 16 weeks to teach meditation with 1 Giant Mind and Jonni Pollard, and I moved to Oregon. My marketing consultancy effortlessly attracted more aligned clients, such as Journey.live meditation app and doTERRA International. This was a huge turning point towards centering my passion for health and wellness in my career.