Business In Colour

Our guest today on Business in Colour is Sharmini Wainwright who is an experienced Managing Director with over 20 years in the talent space, leading the Michael Page and Page Group brands across Australia and Hong Kong. A former Chartered Accountant, Sharmini is currently the, Co-Head of the Page Group business in Australia. In this episode Sharmini recounts her upbringing, early influences from her parents and sister, especially her mother’s courageous move at 19 to come to Australia and her mother’s sage advice of, “see the opportunity and seize it”.

This episode is gold for candidates, hiring leaders and HR professionals, as Sharmini gives us a snapshot of the changes in the Australian talent market – we talk talent trends, flexible working, DEI and Sustainability as talent attractors, creating connection across 3 generations under one roof and how to look for potential in an interview rather than trap the conversation in the past. Sharmini generously shares her own reflections as a leader in business, often being the only woman in the executive circle and, nurturing her style and confidence. Sharmini is just magnetic, she leads with optimism, empathy, openness and clarity, please enjoy the leadership voice of, Sharmini Wainwright.

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Jason is the founder of Supawear and 2Eros. He is a designer, diversity champion and entrepreneur.

11 years after he founded the business Jason started to produce sustainable swimwear made from plastic bottles. Yes you heard it right, it takes about 10 plastic bottles to make 1 budgie smuggler and they have repurposed over two hundred and forty thousand bottles.

We learnt much more about men’s underwear in this conversation, things like stretchable, roomier pouches and curve technology. I have to say we did encourage Jason to start producing underwear for women as well.

As the son of refugee parents, who literally hustled for business when they arrived here not knowing any English, he grew up in western suburbs of Sydney facing not just discrimination but also struggling with his sexuality

He went to the extent of creating a whole different identity right down to different names for different set of friends. 

Jason wasn’t just hiding from his parents and friends, he also felt that he couldn’t be the face of his company for fear that because he was Asian it would impact the success of the business. 

We unpack so much in this podcast, from business to identity to coming out. 

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Our guest in this episode is Zii Nzira, who is currently the Co-CEO of Multicultural Arts Victoria. Having migrated to Australia from Zimbabwe in pursuit of an education in I.T, Zii has been able to evolve and establish a creative practice, under the name ZIIMUSIC. Through this he has not only managed to launch a multidisciplinary practice, but has also been able to create platforms and opportunities for individuals within his community. Hear Zii’s story from, lessons from his parents to, IT aspirations to becoming an Arts and Business Leader and Entrepreneur; how he describes the push and pull in his heart and head when he enters traditional white spaces and how he navigates this daily by designing and creating a future for himself and others. He gifts us a history lesson in how art became commodified and commercialised, a perspective that everyone should hear as the balancing act continues between the creator and consumer of Art. Hear his call to action at the end to leaders when designing how things should be… he says we should really consider how things are and were. Please enjoy the servant heart leader, Zii Nzira.

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Our guest in this episode, is Sarah Ibrahim, who is a mother of two, Principal Solicitor of Central Lawyers assisting small to medium businesses, with commercial law, Founder and Executive Director of The Racial Justice Centre, and Workplace Facilitator and Speaker. In this episode we learn about Sarah Ibrahim’s background, born in Cairo, migrating to Australia when she was 3, growing up in Western Sydney, becoming a commercial lawyer and having a social impact with racial justice. What we did not record in the podcast is the conversation which I feel is so important to capture – the cost to women of colour who are business leader’s and who are advocating for racism to stop – we often become defined by the advocacy which is often unpaid labour which  ripples onto the loss of commercial activity, we would have gained, if we were not so loud. Think on that. We are more than the issues we advocate for. Sadhana, Sarah and I have a rich discussion about why we don’t have a national, business, community conversation about race in Australia yet and Sarah gives people of colour some powerful advice – You are enough, don’t shrink or expand to fit in, don’t let anyone tell you, you are too much or not enough of something. You are Enough. Use this conversation to spark a conversation in your circle on the 21st of March, International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, and beyond. Please enjoy the charismatic, Sarah Ibrahim!

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Our guest today on Business in Colour is Nassim Khadem, who is an award-winning journalist, reporting on business news across online, radio and TV for the ABC. Nassim began working as a journalist with The Age in 2003, including being the newspaper's economics correspondent. Before joining the ABC, she worked in various business reporting and editing roles for Fairfax Media's BRW magazine, The Australian Financial Review and as deputy business editor for The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald. 

In this episode, we learn about Nassim’s growing up years, her father’s foresight to come to Australia, her parents backing to pursue journalism, when likely… other migrant parents preferred a legal or medical pathway; her take on fitting in and code-switching from her younger self to now. Nassim shares her career story which showcases her navigation through obstacles, her hard work ethic, her ability to influence her own path and engage mentors and allies strategically. She wraps this up in some really great advice at the end. What will move you in this episode is Nassim’s recount of her journalism work on Iran, she has an authentic and humanistic voice in this space and we are grateful for her advocacy for stories that just wouldn’t have been heard or told without journalists like her. Please enjoy and follow the courageous storyteller and leader, Nassim Khadem.

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As we celebrate International Women's Day and head off to our various events, consider the theme for this year. #Embraceequity.

I see equity not as something we need to embrace as a nice to have, but as a fundamental human right.

We shouldn’t have to fight for equity, or justify it, it should be a given. Equity is about the financial, emotional, and physical safety of women.  

When we consider the safety of women in Australia Simone O'Brien's story is one we all need to hear. She is one of the most courageous person we know

In 2012, Simone suffered a horrific domestic violence attack at the hands of an individual who would not take no for an answer.

 It started with emotional and psychological abuse, stealing, and insults and It ended with Simone being beaten with a baseball bat to within inches of her life.

She has lost eyesight in her right eye and her sense of smell, her skull is currently held together with screws and titanium plates and  The ripple effect on her children has been unimaginable.

Simone however is a very determined woman and with the support of family, friends, doctors and nurses and multiple ongoing operations she today shares her journey, and raises the awareness of domestic violence

She hopes to give victims strength to get out of violent relationships

We talk to Simone about red flags, what we should be on the lookout for, not ignore them and maybe chose to remove ourselves from that situation.

Simone hopes to have at a national level what in the UK is known as Clare’s Law which is about domestic violence disclosure.

Today in Australia  on average 1 woman a week is killed in Australia by her current or former partner

Over 60% of women experiencing violence from a current partner are working

1 in 6 women have experienced abuse before the age of 15

This is an issue we all need to be involved in, to understand better, to push for change so  that it is not left up to the victims and survivors  to make a difference

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This episode features Aseel Tayah who is a leading practitioner, creative producer and the founder and CEO of Bukjeh. Her work is deeply committed to making social change through the arts, culture and education. This Melbourne Based-Palestinian artist is, the eldest of 5 children and was taught by her father – a Professor in science to ask why and to say no before yes. In this podcast we talk about Aseel’s journey transitioning from Pharmacy to the Arts, how she made political art in her home country that led her and her husband to Australia. Since arriving here, Aseel has not stopped making an impact.  Aseel gives us something extra special at the end of this podcast, don’t miss this and the incredible leadership and personal power of Aseel Tayah.

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Anyier Yuol is a human rights and diversity, equity & inclusion activist. She is the Founder and CEO of Anyier Model Management and the Founder and Chair of Lead Beyond Education & Miss Sahara. Her numerous awards include; a Young woman of the West 2020 (highly commended); PhD scholarship at Western Sydney University 2019; Zonta International District 24 Women of Achievement Award 2019; Professional and Academic Excellence Award, a celebration of African Australian Inc. 2019; Blacktown City Woman of the Year 2018 and more. Anyier has been interviewed on SBS, ABC TV and Radio, and local news.  In this episode, Anyier has a clear message ahead of #iwd2023 for both leaders organising events and for women speakers who need to value their worth in dollars. This conversation is jam packed with courage, commercial and social enterprise thinking, guidance on influence and mobilising a movement of change in an industry that often only includes some women.  Anyier shows us how to model the change we all want to see, a fairer and more respectful Australia. Follow her work at: https://www.misssahara.com/

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Our guest in this episode is Ilanit Bard who is an outstanding leader and innovator in the food service and fine dining industry. Born in France to a North African Mother and a Middle Eastern Father, she says, fitting in, has always been her priority growing up. In this episode we talk to Ilanit about her career transitions from developing corporate travel software;  to polishing plates and cutleries at the lower ground of the Crown casino, surrounded by immigrants, and learning English from them; to General manager of Lume restaurant in South Melbourne; to two impactful entrepreneurial ventures that have lifted communities. The first being Soigné Hospitality (Soigné is French for meticulous), where Ilanit supported restauranteurs with recruitment and training to switch operations and cope during the global pandemic. The second being Thick Accents project;  a nomadic pop-up event that put the spotlight talented migrant women working hard in the shadow in the food industry. For Ilanit, The Thick Accents wasn’t just a project. It was therapeutic. It helped her to get comfortable within herself, and as she says, for the first time in 34 years, own her story as a migrant. Not letting clichés and stereotypes dictate who she is. Her advice to migrant women: “You are your ancestors wildest dreams”, drawing from the poem by Darius Simpson – Ilanit reminds us to value who we truly are and remember our unique heritages.  Please enjoy the courageous, generous leader, Ilanit Bard.

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Wanitha Tanasingam has a unique ability to help people expand perception beyond preconceived notions using 'FoodPrints'.

Cross-cultural connections between peoples, cultures and history. Through food and cooking, she builds mindfulness around nourishing oneself, one’s community and world - drawing out analogies to broader social, environmental, and business issues. Please enjoy the magnetic Wanitha Tanasingam. 

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