My next guest for this podcast series is Julie Allen. Julie is a website specialist who’s been running her own website design and training business Biz Yourself since 2012. Which is backed up by her former career in finance, including as the director of finance broking service JMA Lending Solutions. Julie currently lives and grew up in the same part of Melbourne as me, an outer eastern area where AFL football continues to reign supreme as the preferred winter sport.

For the first time in 2024, Julie laced up her footy boots at the age of 53, to start playing in the Masters AFL league. The following year she was voted in as vice captain. And in the same year, was honoured with the Spirit of the Hawka award, based on peer votes submitted after each game. An award that recognises those players who bring effort, positivity, and heart both on and off the field.

As we’ll further discuss in this episode, playing football has showed Julie the rewards of taking on something new both physically and mentally, no matter what age. Along with learning a whole bunch of new skills, and finding confidence as a leader in a totally different environment.