In Australia women represent only 34 per cent of entrepreneurs, but the number of female entrepreneurs is growing at a faster rate than for men. Showing resilience in the face of glass ceilings, gender bias, pay gaps, and hugely disproportionate VC funding, a new breed of female founders is taking the start-up world by storm.
This month The Office Space honours the female founders working against the odds to make their business idea a commercial reality. We have assembled a line-up of women-led businesses that are giving the men a run for their money:
- Alyce Tran – co-founder of The Daily Edited, this former lawyer has created a monogrammed leather goods business valued at $30million;
- Anthia Koullouros – founder and CEO of Ovvio Organics, this practising naturopath and herbalist has created a range of award-winning herbal teas and tisanes now sold around the world;
- Cindy Luken – this food scientist and former chef sold her biscuit empire and is now building a beauty empire, Luk Beautifood, based on lipsticks made from natural products.
* Please note our Friday champagne brunch format
When: Friday 29 March, 11.30am- 1pm
Where: Golden Age Bar and Cinema
Tickets: $30 (includes champagne and pastries)
About Insight by The Office Space
Now in its fifth year of production, Insight by The Office Space is a business talk series that brings together innovative entrepreneurs and business leaders to explore burgeoning topics and reveal the secrets of their success under a monthly theme.
Traversing all aspects of business across the fields of design, film, innovation, technology, finance and marketing, the sell-out program has featured speakers such as actor, Susie Porter; dual Archibald-winning artist, Del Kathryn Barton: Qantas industrial designer, David Caon; producer, Jan Chapman; graphic designer, Vince Frost and City of Sydney Counsellor, Jess Scully. Insight continues to push the boundaries by asking the pertinent questions that impact all business decision-makers, be they from small, medium or even the larger organisations, as we face continuous change and new challenges Each month a new Insight theme is explored, delivered and debated. Our 2019 program is as follows:
- February 26th – The Future Workplace
- March 29th – Women in Business: Female Founders
- April 30th – Truth in the age of alternative facts
- May 28th – The War for Talent
- June 25th – East meets West: Consciousness and Consumerism
- July 30th – Investment: Property Profits
- August 27th – Lifelong Learning
- September 24th – Architecture and Interiors
- October 29th – Innovation Nation
- November 26th – The Morality Crisis: Ethics in Busines
All sessions start with drinks and light canapes in the Golden Age Bar from 5:30pm with the panel interview 6-7pm (with the exception of March which runs 11:30am-1pm). Tickets are $25 + GST per person and include a welcome drink.
Insight proudly supports the Sydney Community Foundation (SCF) with full proceeds from ticket sales going directly to the SCF Business Incubator for disadvantaged women. In 2018, the Foundation’s influential “Conversations or Change” event series merges with the popular Insight event program to give greater voice to contemporary issues relevant to all of us who live local in Sydney and beyond.
About Sydney Community Foundation. Sydney Community Foundation, established in 2004, is Sydney’s only independent Community Foundation, granting to grassroots organisations who design and run projects that meet the needs of Greater Sydney local communities. For over a decade, Sydney Community Foundation has been the small grant specialist, supporting grassroots charities and services across Sydney. During this time the Foundation has overseen the distribution of $5 million in grants for impact, ranging between $5,000 to $100,000 to projects that create belonging; education and employment pathways; build safety and independence; and transform place. For more information, please contact Naomi Tosic at naomi@theofficespace.com.au or 02 82182100. For program information or ticket sales, please go to www.theofficespace.com.au/blog or contact events@theofficespace.com.au
