SPARK Founders

#awinewith Shannon Blackbourn, Founder of Panacea Landscapes

https://www.panacealandscapes.com/

In this episode we talked about...

*Leaving school at 16 for a landscaping apprenticeship, then falling in love with learning - 12 more years of study across horticulture, landscaping and landscape design.

*Starting Panacea Landscapes four years ago with no money and no borrowed money - just her husband's tools, a family car with a trailer, and one little contract.

*Learning business completely from scratch: pays, super, insurance- including the day $12,000 of unpaid super appeared, and the wizard bookkeeper who answers the phone on a Wednesday night.

*Why hiring a landscaping coach was the investment that transformed her pricing, her profits and even her website (his review: "who built your website? Because it's terrible").

*Growing the Canberra way- do the best job on every single job, take the small losses to leave things right, and let word of mouth and referrals do the rest.

*Building a team of six (including her best friend) and figuring out each step only when she got to it- because if you knew all the problems up front, you'd never start.

*The bigger dream: therapeutic horticulture, starting with volunteering to garden with the kids at her children's school.

*Her advice: remember what your passion is, and when you think it's over or you're going to give up- if you really want it, push on, and it'll all workout.

Get more SPARK in your business...

SPARK Instagram Community| https://www.instagram.com/sparkbusiness.global/

FREE SPARK CEO Score card| https://sparkbusiness.global/the-spark-ceo-scorecard

$15k Quarterly Cash Grants for Women in Business| https://sparkbusiness.global/spark-women-in-business-grants

Join The SPARK CEO Hub| https://sparkbusiness.global/spark-ceo-hub

Thank you to IP Australia for supporting the SPARK podcast and women in business.

#awinewith Elisa Choy, Founder of Quantum Energy Shift 

In this episode we talked about...

• Your biggest blocks often aren’t about strategy or knowledge - they’re subconscious patterns, fears, and beliefs that keep you stuck, even when you know exactly what to do. 
• Healing and personal growth don’t always happen slowly. Sometimes one major life event can completely shift your perspective, relationships, business, and identity almost instantly. 
• Building a business from hustle, fear, and proving yourself creates burnout. Building from alignment, calm, and self-trust creates something far more sustainable. 
• The breast cancer diagnosis that changed a business. 
• Your past experiences, failures, pivots, and challenges aren’t wasted - they become the “fertile soil” that allows you to help, connect with, and serve others in a meaningful way. 
• We often already know what needs to change in our lives, but fear, conditioning, or subconscious resistance stop us from taking action. Real transformation happens when we reconnect with ourselves deeply enough to actually hear the message. 
• Success, peace, and confidence don’t come from becoming someone else - they come from returning to yourself, trusting yourself, and creating a life and business that feel aligned with who you really are. 

 Get more SPARK in your business… 

SPARK Instagram Community | Instagraminstagram.com/sparkbusiness.global 

FREE SPARK CEO Scorecard | SparkbusinessFREE The SPARK CEO Scorecard — SPARK

$15k Quarterly Cash Grants for Women in Business | Sparkbusiness2026 SPARK Biz Grants — SPARK

Join The SPARK CEO Hub | SparkbusinessThe SPARK CEO Hub 2026 — SPARK  

Thank you to IP Australia for supporting the SPARK podcast and women in business. 

#awinewith Taryn Watson, Founder of Fit Right Women's Health 

In this episode we talked about...

• Growth means nothing without sustainability - a business can look successful externally while struggling financially behind the scenes. Profitability, strong systems, and financial stability matter more than rapid growth alone. 
• COVID became the catalyst for a complete business reset, forcing difficult changes that ultimately created a more profitable and scalable clinic model. 
• Finding the right business partner can transform a business — complementary skill sets across leadership, finance, operations, and marketing created far greater stability and growth. 
• Being an expert in your field doesn’t automatically prepare you to run a business. Investing in coaching, mentorship, and business education became a major turning point. 
• Storytelling and education became powerful marketing tools, helping build trust and community through honest conversations about women’s health and consistent content. 
• Perseverance and long-term vision matter during hard seasons of business — continuing to trust the process and move forward step by step was one of the biggest lessons shared throughout the episode.  

Get more SPARK in your business… 

SPARK Instagram Community | Instagraminstagram.com/sparkbusiness.global 

FREE SPARK CEO Scorecard | SparkbusinessFREE The SPARK CEO Scorecard — SPARK

$15k Quarterly Cash Grants for Women in Business | Sparkbusiness2026 SPARK Biz Grants — SPARK

Join The SPARK CEO Hub | SparkbusinessThe SPARK CEO Hub 2026 — SPARK  

Thank you to IP Australia for supporting the SPARK podcast and women in business. 

Answering all your FAQs on the SPARK Women in Business Grants - applications close 31 May 2026 midnight AWST.

 Get more SPARK in your business… 

SPARK Instagram Community | Instagraminstagram.com/sparkbusiness.global 

FREE SPARK CEO Scorecard | SparkbusinessFREE The SPARK CEO Scorecard — SPARK

$15k Quarterly Cash Grants for Women in Business | Sparkbusiness2026 SPARK Biz Grants — SPARK

Join The SPARK CEO Hub | SparkbusinessThe SPARK CEO Hub 2026 — SPARK  

Thank you to IP Australia for supporting the SPARK podcast and women in business. 

#awinewith Rebekah Pozzoli, Founder of Intuitive Mummas 

In this episode we talked about...

• How Bek turned a deeply isolating motherhood experience into a business that creates real community. 
• Building a business from a genuine gap in the market can create powerful impact. 
• Sometimes the best business ideas come in your hardest seasons, not your easiest ones. 
• Growing organically through word of mouth, flyers and local connections still works. 
• Balancing motherhood, study, work and business requires constant prioritising and flexibility. 
• Verbal agreements can become very expensive lessons in business. 
• Protecting your intellectual property, systems and admin access matters from day one. 
• Resilience in business often comes from believing in the mission when things fall apart. 
• Your business can evolve as you evolve, and that is not a weakness. 
• Women in business do not need to have it all figured out before they begin.

 Get more SPARK in your business… 

SPARK Instagram Community | Instagraminstagram.com/sparkbusiness.global 

FREE SPARK CEO Scorecard | SparkbusinessFREE The SPARK CEO Scorecard — SPARK

$15k Quarterly Cash Grants for Women in Business | Sparkbusiness2026 SPARK Biz Grants — SPARK

Join The SPARK CEO Hub | SparkbusinessThe SPARK CEO Hub 2026 — SPARK  

Thank you to IP Australia for supporting the SPARK podcast and women in business. 

Interrupting our usual female founder interviews to share the $5k winner of Round Eleven of the SPARK Women in Business Grants!  

Meet Jariah Kaissis, Founder of Nagula Physcology.

https://nagulapsychology.com/

Nagula Psychology is an Indigenous-owned telehealth practice delivering culturally responsive psychological services across Australia. As a First Nations psychologist and sole trader, Jariah provides comprehensive psychological assessments, evidence-based interventions, and professional supervision services via telehealth to clients nationwide, with face-to-face appointments available in Carina, QLD. 

Round Twelve opens for application on May 1st, 2026: https://sparkbusiness.global/spark-women-in-business-grants 

Get more SPARK in your business… 

SPARK Instagram Community | https://www.instagram.com/sparkbusiness.global/

FREE SPARK CEO Scorecard | https://sparkbusiness.global/the-spark-ceo-scorecard

$15k Quarterly Cash Grants for Women in Business | https://sparkbusiness.global/spark-women-in-business-grants

Join The SPARK CEO Hub | https://sparkbusiness.global/spark-ceo-hub 

Thank you to IP Australia for supporting the SPARK podcast and women in business. 

#awinewith Fi Mims, Founder of Fi Mims Photography

fimimsphotography.com.au 

In this episode we talked about...

• Why women in business over 40 face a completely different set of challenges and opportunities. 
• How your business should evolve alongside your life, energy, and responsibilities. 
• Building a successful business is not just about profit, it’s about sustainability. 
• Personal branding starts with understanding your “why”, values, and ideal client. 
• You don’t need to share everything online—just what aligns with how you want to show up. 
• Authenticity is your biggest advantage in a world of AI-generated content. 
• Storytelling is one of the most powerful ways to connect and stand out. 
• Content can be simplified into three pillars: authority, personal connection, and promotion. 
• Waiting too long to get help in your business will slow your growth and lead to burnout. 
• Outsourcing (even small tasks) can completely transform your capacity and scalability. 
• Your business should be designed around the life you want—not the other way around.  

 Get more SPARK in your business… 

SPARK Instagram Community | https://www.instagram.com/sparkbusiness.global/

FREE SPARK CEO Scorecard | https://sparkbusiness.global/the-spark-ceo-scorecard

$15k Quarterly Cash Grants for Women in Business | https://sparkbusiness.global/spark-women-in-business-grants

Join The SPARK CEO Hub | https://sparkbusiness.global/spark-ceo-hub 

Thank you to IP Australia for supporting the SPARK podcast and women in business.

Interrupting our usual female founder interviews to share the $10k winner of Round Eleven of the SPARK Women in Business Grants! 

Meet Allison Marron, Founder of Bartender's Daughter.

https://www.bartendersdaughter.co/

Hear how Allison was inspired to launch Bartender’s Daughter, bringing small-batch cocktail mixers from her home in Miami, Florida to Australia. Growing up, she watched her dad, Gina, a legendary bartender with over 45 years of experience, transform simple ingredients into extraordinary drinks, and strangers into lifelong friends. That legacy now lives on in every bottle. 

Round Twelve opens for application on May 1st, 2026: https://sparkbusiness.global/spark-women-in-business-grants 

Get more SPARK in your business… 

SPARK Instagram Community | https://www.instagram.com/sparkbusiness.global/

FREE SPARK CEO Scorecard | https://sparkbusiness.global/the-spark-ceo-scorecard

$15k Quarterly Cash Grants for Women in Business | https://sparkbusiness.global/spark-women-in-business-grants

Join The SPARK CEO Hub | https://sparkbusiness.global/spark-ceo-hub 

Thank you to IP Australia for supporting the SPARK podcast and women in business.  

#awinewith Lisa Thomson, Founder of Harmonie Health 

In this episode we talked about...

• How Lisa turned a deeply personal family experience into a health tech business.
• Building a product that supports people to stay safe and independent in their own homes.
• The complexity of speaking to multiple customer groups in one business.
• Why emotional storytelling is such a powerful marketing tool.
• What changes when you go from building products in corporate to building your own startup.
• The importance of talking to end users early instead of waiting for perfection.
• Wearing all the hats as a founder while still protecting your health and energy.
• The realities of raising capital as a female founder in a capital-intensive industry.
• Why founders need to become their own biggest cheerleader.

  Get more SPARK in your business… 

SPARK Instagram Community | https://www.instagram.com/sparkbusiness.global/

FREE Mini Sales Course | https://sparkbusiness.global/free-mini-course

FREE WORKSHOP Start a podcast to grow your business | https://sparkbusiness.global/start-a-podcast-to-grow-your-business

$15k Quarterly Cash Grants for Women in Business | https://sparkbusiness.global/spark-women-in-business-grants

Join The SPARK CEO Hub | https://sparkbusiness.global/spark-ceo-hub 

Thank you to IP Australia for supporting the SPARK podcast and women in business.  

#awinewith Anastasiya Ovechkin, Founder of the Osteo Den 

In this episode we talked about...

• The reality of living with conditions like endometriosis, PCOS and autoimmune disorders—and why they are so often dismissed.
• How lack of education about our own bodies strips women of autonomy and informed choice.
• The broken healthcare narratives women are still being told (and why they need to change).
• Why so many women reach a point of being completely exhausted, dismissed and “done” before seeking deeper support.
• Turning pain into purpose: how lived experience can become a powerful business and mission.
• The connection between physical health, emotional patterns and identity.
• Why healing isn’t about completely overhauling your life - but often leads to transformation anyway.
• The importance of listening to your body and building a life and business that actually supports it.
• Redefining success as alignment, energy and sustainability, not hustle and burnout.

 Get more SPARK in your business… 

SPARK Instagram Community | https://www.instagram.com/sparkbusiness.global/

FREE Mini Sales Course | https://sparkbusiness.global/free-mini-course

FREE WORKSHOP Start a podcast to grow your business | https://sparkbusiness.global/start-a-podcast-to-grow-your-business

$15k Quarterly Cash Grants for Women in Business | https://sparkbusiness.global/spark-women-in-business-grants

Join The SPARK CEO Hub | https://sparkbusiness.global/spark-ceo-hub 

Thank you to IP Australia for supporting the SPARK podcast and women in business.