How did your business journey begin?
My journey into the world of solopreneurship was by accident really. After a successful 30-year career in the corporate world, I decided to take a break and work on finding my purpose. I’d always loved developing and nurturing my teams so decided to complete my coaching qualification. I looked at a few roles and then realised that I was looking in the wrong places. I needed to look closer to home, back myself and create a platform where I could share the benefits of my experiences with other leaders, business owners and purpose driven businesses.
What are you working on at the moment?
Growing my business. I’ve recognised where my skills lie and where there are gaps so I’m bringing in other professionals to help as needed. I’m broadening my network and building relationships so that equates to a fair amount of coffee and conversation. I have some fabulous clients – some I’m working with as a business or professional coach. Others are on the consulting side of my business. Currently, I’m loving the work I’m doing with a startup in a bespoke CFO consulting role. Whilst I have a solid understanding across all facets of business, numbers are my thing and I enjoy helping business owners and leaders demystify their numbers and make better decisions. I am exploring becoming a licensee of an accounting literacy product which I am excited about because it is a fun way to make numbers simple for a much wider audience. I am also writing workshop content which I’ll soon be delivering so watch this space!
With my governance hat on, I am very involved as an Independent Director of Yamatji Southern Regional Corporation where I value being part of an organisation that has the potential to significantly impact the lives of the Yamatji people. I also contribute to WestCycle as a Non-Executive Director.
What do you love about being a part of the Spacecubed community?
I love being part of a community where everyone supports each other. There is genuine respect, courtesy and interest in what our Spacecubed colleagues are doing. I like the vibe at Fern; it energises me and I have found it to be a productive workspace. It is a great thinking and creative space, yet it also facilitates the head down, get things done approach which is so crucial at times. And the high-tech coffee machine at Fern is pretty cool too!
Can you share with us one of your favourite success stories?
When I first met one client a year ago, I found a dysfunctional business, a toxic and chaotic environment, characterised by poor working relationships where no-one enjoyed working anymore. Working together with the leadership team, we unpicked the organisation. It was like peeling back the layers of an onion. We identified that they didn’t have a strong foundation, the values and purpose were not clear and no one was held to account. We rebuilt the foundations of the company, starting with their “Why”. We affirmed its reason for being, its mission. We embedded values, and remotivated and reunited the team around a common purpose. One year later there is clarity of business objectives, roles and accountabilities, an effective leadership team that is kicking goals, and a culture centred on behaving in line with the company’s values.
How have you adapted post COVID-19?
I dusted myself off and started all over again. The sudden nature of the arrival of the pandemic forced me to have a good hard look at myself and my business. I gained clarity around what was needed to be successful. You could say that it was a kick in the pants. It gave me thinking time, time to work on my business rather than in my business. I recognised my key strength as a financial coach and adopted the tagline - your friendly face of finance. I recently had feedback from a CEO I had worked with who said to me “Debbie, I have learnt more about numbers from you in six months than I have in the seven years of being a CEO. Thank you for being so patient with me.” I joined Spacecubed. I realised that whilst I enjoy my own company, there is a limit to how much of my own company I can keep! I understand how much I value relationships and the inspiration I gain from others. I’ve gained confidence putting my brand online and genuinely connecting online.
If you're curious about coworking, and want to work in a creative space that supports and fosters business growth, discover our trial options! Join the Spacecubed community today for just $200 for 30 days, or $600 for 90 days.
