Ten inspiring Australian female entrepreneurs share why they started their business

PR queen Annette Densham works with inspiring women in business every day. Here she shares the stories of ten female founders who decided to leave the rat race and start their own business.

People across the nation are ‘quietly quitting’ or taking part in the Great Resignation, fed up with workplaces that just do not get that people are their most important asset. And the cohort leaving corporate life in droves are women who make the big leap into the great unknown to start their own business.

Trying to find statistics to ‘prove’ what the eye can see is hard. Not much research has been done on the growth of female entrepreneurship and female business ownership, particularly in Australia. But you only need to go to a business networking event or trawl social media to see entrepreneurship and small business is booming.

The most recent figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics for the Office For Women are from 2015 (and a lot has happened since then), showing “a 46 per cent increase in women business operators over the past two decades.” The Global Entrepreneurship Monitor Women’s Entrepreneurship 2020/21 Thriving Through Crisis report showed that an estimated 274 million women globally are involved in business startups.

Interestingly, “more than two in five women business operators were aged 40-54 (44 per cent)”. Women see running their own race as a far more attractive prospect than returning to workplaces.

10 Aussie female founders on why they started their business

But what drives women to leave the safety of a salary for the hustle and bustle of small business life, where there are no guarantees of success or money in the bank?

Ten Australian female business owners share why they started their business, and their reasons for leaving their jobs are not new – inflexible workplaces, lack of support for new mums, ageist hiring practices and glass ceilings based on gender.

What each of these women have in common is a gutsy tenacity and desire to find solutions to problems.

Melissa Gijsbers, founder of the Junior Writers Club

Melissa started her first business because she kept being told ‘Mums don’t run businesses’.

“So I started the first Australian mums in business network 20 years ago, because I couldn’t find one,” she said. “I am starting again due to chronic illness and caring responsibilities, as a job won’t give me the flexibility I need; plus I want to do something that I love, rather than a job that just pays the minimum for the skills I have.”

Katrina Wurm, founder of Stress Free Super Mum

Katrina started Stress Free Super Mum after many years navigating the world with her neurodivergent son.

“I would post a lot about how we managed as a family. I was asked to mentor other families at our school, after they received their child’s diagnosis from the school,” she said. “It grew from there. I am now the person for other mothers that I wish I had at the beginning of our journey.”

Karen Ostenried, founder of The Matanya Effect

Karen started her business when she couldn’t get a job.

“I was over 50, and decided to create one. I had started a business coaching presentation skills, but something was missing. I took my horse to be fixed from having PTSD and quickly realised I had the PTSD; then became an equine assisted learning facilitator. I love what I do to guide and empower people to change their lives for the better,” she says.

Peace Mitchell, co-founder of AusMumpreneur

Peace says isolation and business failure was her motivation.

“My first business failed because I didn’t have anyone to ask for help or advice, and people didn’t take me seriously because I was a mum working from home. With my sister, Katy Garner, we created AusMumpreneur to challenge stereotypes about mums in business and to connect women everywhere who were feeling isolated and needed support,” she said.

Beckie Lee, owner of Jazzy Words

Beckie was disillusioned with her career when she decided to officially start her copywriting and proofreading/editing business.

“I started freelance writing as a hobby through freelancing platforms when I was pregnant eight years prior, but starting my own business was a proper jump into the business world,” she said.

Amanda Thompson, director of Endurance Financial

Amanda felt she had no choice.

“As a single mother of two young girls, I was trying to keep up with the men in the corporate world. But it came at a price, physically and emotionally.  I had no choice but to try and go out on my own to stay in an industry I’m passionate about, but also to be present for all other important aspects of my life,” Amanda says.

Brenda Keane, owner of BeKeane Healthy and Fit

Brenda Keane is the leggings mogul behind BeKeane Healthy and Fit. She started her business because no one was making quality activewear for plus-size women.

“Five years ago, I was on a health and weight loss journey and found no exercise gear that made me feel comfortable and included. I made my own, making them bright and bold, and made sure our activewear is for everyBODY – inclusion is one of our values,” she said.

Danielle Bradtke, CEO of Foundations Of Hope

Danielle started the not-for-profit to give women like her, a survivor of domestic violence, support.

“There were no programs or support for women after the crisis when I left, so I created a free book to help them read a page a day. The book is now in hospitals and police stations. Then I felt I needed to do more, so I created a program and it took off from there,” she said.

Sandy Davies, founder of HappyPause

Sandy came out of ‘blissful semi-retirement’ to formulate HappyPause Balm out of sheer desperation.

“Inadequate GP perimenopause support, an allergic reaction to a chemically-laden product, and no natural solutions across the globe left me no choice,” Sandy says. “I love the unexpected journey that now provides soothing comfort to thousands of women. It has propelled me forward as an outspoken menopause advocate to ensure the experience is better for the generations that follow. So glad I had the courage to leap.”

Jane Turner, author and mentor

Jane Turner was in her 50s when she got the redundancy tap on the shoulder.

“After spending my whole working life in the publishing service, I was let go. So, I finished a book I’d started writing called Thrive in Midlife that completely changed my life, and now I work with people to bring their books to life,” she said.

Check out more inspiring stories about women in business here.

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