The Dialogue

Jutka Freiman was raised in Bondi by her father, her journey is an eclectic mix of discovery, loss and love.

'The longing that comes from the soul is a wonderful, virtuous longing and its greases the path to spirituality. The longing that comes from the ego, I think the Buddhists would call 'desire' and that's not so healthy,' says Jutka Freiman.

Since the mid-1980's Jutka has guided women on the journey from self to Soul through her 'Women Journeying' workshops. A psychotherapist and group facilitator with degrees in psychology and anthropology, Jutka has many strings to her bow. She is an expert in the fields of archetypal psychology, psychodrama, Gestalt, Somatic psychology, art therapy and the Enneagram.

She is wise, deeply creative and an inspiration for any woman wanting to embark on the heroine's journey.

Jutka Freiman is a psychotherapist and group facilitator. She has a degree in Psychology and Anthropology is a graduate membership of the Bereavement Care Centre, is a supervisor and trainer with the Institute of Group Leaders.

Since the mid '80s she has worked extensively locally and internationally using Attachment Therapy, Archetypal Psychology, Gestalt, Somatic Psychotherapy, Psychodrama, Art Therapy, Family Constellations and Enneagram. She brings to her work a passion for the creative and the collective believing both to be a true expression of the essential being

Jutka is an internationally certified Enneagram therapist, supervisor and trainer. She is on the teaching team for the (Helen) Palmer Daniels professional training in Australia (ETPT). She also offers comprehensive Enneagram typing sessions for individuals, couples and families.

On interviewing Neale Whitaker I found myself speaking to a man who is as humble as he is successful. A true professional with all the traits of a remarkable man and none of the BS that comes with success. Neale started his career as a PR agent working with real life Ab Fab Edina, Lynn Franks. It is in this role that he honed his love of publishing and his stellar magazine career as the Editor in Chief of both Belle and Vogue Living has turned him into a publishing darling.

Neale's spot as a judge on The Block on Channel 9 has cemented him as a household name and he has proved to be generous as a judge and mentor. In our interview he chats candidly about gay marriage, confidence and depression. As a style guru and household name Neale offers an insight into a world of beauty and shares his love for his partner David and two dogs Ollie and Otis. This interview, I am proud to say, was one of my career highlights it's a must listen.

Ronni Kahn is considered a maverick within the Not For Profit sector. From changing legislation to allow her to operate OzHarvest to consulting and speaking internationally she has single handedly changed the way we think about food waste.

In 1994, she became an events planner using her knowledge of flowers, food and business to quickly build Ronni Kahn Event Designs (RKED) into a successful enterprise.

It was during these events that Ronni became aware of the incredible wastage. She was over-producing food, because the best way to judge if a party was successful was by the amount of leftovers and she kept on throwing away perfectly good food.

Kahn says about $10 billion of food goes to waste every year in Australia, where 2.5 million people, of whom 603,000 are children, "don't have food security". So, in 2004, she started OzHarvest, which every day collects surplus food from delis, takeaways, boardrooms, hotels and restaurants, producers, growers, farmers and fields, and delivers it to more than 585 charities all around Australia. OzHarvest has brought wagyu beef to the poor, and whole salmon, raw and cooked food from the finest restaurants, and even the leftovers from Masterchef and other TV cookery shows.

She has actively lobbied to change the legislation around leftover food and is now consulting to countries around the world. When she launched Oz Harvest Ronni continued working in the catering business and doing very well however it soon became evident that she was needed full time and so now she is a full time member of the team.

Oz Harvest uses the term "For Imapct" rather than charity and they intend to grow the serive into other areas over the next few years.

Rachel Smith is remarkable, well in my book incredibly remarkable because is 2014 she chose not to buy anything other than basic necessities. Inspired by her efforts I tried to do this too and I failed after 3 months. She is also according to News Limited one of Australia's brightest thinkers on the perpetual challenge of urban planning. She is a passionate sustainable advocate and a massive cycling fanatic. She has spoken at more than 200 global conferences, given two TEDx Talks was hand-picked to be part of the international mobile think tank the BMW Guggenheim Lab and developed the world's first crowd solving bicycle map. Rachel was retained by the UK Government for 6 years as a specialist advisor working with businesses, schools and tourist destinations.

Here awards listed include: Winning the CIHT BP Road Safety Award Awarded the AITPM Janet Brash Memorial Scholarship Nominated for 2015 Queensland Premier's Award for leadership in sustainability. And then there is the challenge of breaking the consumer trend when she didn't buy anything new or 2nd hand during 2014 and saved 38% of her take-home salary.

Rachel is the author of Underspent – How I broke my shopping addiction & buying habit without dramatically changing my life.

Jasmine Batra left a successful career in India to immigrate to Australia. She found herself at the bottom working in a call centre. This didn't deter her. Using her experience as a learning curve she soon excelled and learnt all about Australian customer serive and sales. She is now one of Australia's most respected Digital Marketing Strategists. With an MBA in Marketing and an Honours Degree in Information Technology, Jasmine combines these two disciplines towards delivering marketing solutions which are powered through digital marketing methods and tools.

With an illustrious career spanning from Advertising, Marketing and Project Management, she has developed a sharp acumen in Digital Media including SEO, Google Analytics and Website Conversions.

Leading the way as a digital futurist helping mid-size and large companies understand and navigate the digital landscape and soar new heights. Having worked in digital marketing space for 16 years backed by Honours in Systems Management and MBA in marketing. As the founder-director of one of Australia's most respected digital marketing agencies Jasmine leads a team of over 20 passionate people working on some of the toughest and challenging projects in the industry.

Combining her passion for Digital marketing with her love of sharing Jasmine is a sought after speaker and media commentator as well as a committed mother and wife.

Cate Sydes was appointed to the position of CEO of Marist Youth Care in 2006. In 2015 she was a finalist in the Telstra Business Women's Award and she has been recognised for her commitment to social justice. As the first woman to head the Marist Youth Care she has been innovative and proactive in providing vulnerable people in poverty with the resources and tools to work towards economic independence.

Cate has held senior management roles in the Australian community services sector working with children and families at a national, state and local level for thirty years. Prior to working with MYC, she was National Manager of the LifeForce Suicide Prevention Program and NSW State Manager Accommodation Services (holding both roles concurrently), with Wesley Mission.

For the past 10 years, Cate Sydes has focussed on building Marist Youth Care into a leading not-for-profit agency helping more than 1,800 of the most disadvantaged young people per year.

Through the introduction of an ever-expanding range of innovative and targetted youth welfare programs, Marist Youth Care provides vulnerable young people in poverty with the resources and tools to work towards economic independence.

"I am proud that I have helped build an organisation that is vibrant, diverse and innovative. Social inclusion is a priority for Marist Youth Care, ensuring that we allow access for all young people who need safety, support, education, training or employment. We work with those at risk of exclusion from education, young offenders, homeless youth, Aboriginal people, migrants, refugees and young people in transition from care," says Cate.

Landmark programs such as the Aboriginal Trainee Support Worker Program introduced by Cate Sydes 5 years ago have established MYC as the laregest employer and trainer of aboriginal people in Western Sydney. ATSWP has enabled local people to gain skills, qualifications and employment in the community services sector. In partnership with the local Aboriginal community, MYC trains then employs culturally aware and experienced staff to work with and achieve outstanding results for Aboriginal young people in juvenile justice, foster care, education, training, employment and family support programs.

"Programs like ATSWP provide very real solutions to improving the life chances of vulnerable young people and enable them to be responsible for themselves and take control of their destiny," says Cate.

Susanne tossed in a profitable corporate career to enter the word of gender equality no easy feat when you are fighting against the old guard. After interviewing her I imagine there is little that this formidable woman is scared of. She combines the perfect mix of intelligence, passion and poise and is taking on the one of the most challenging issues facing women in the workplace today. She is the Founder and Executive Chair of the Centre for Gender Economics and Innovation, and is credited with being the Founder of the Gender Economics Movement.

Susanne is an internationally sought after Speaker and Consultant in Diversity and Gender Economics, and prior to that as an expert speaker on Project Management, Governance and Outsourcing.

A serial entrepreneur, Susanne previously owned a successful retail business and later, was one of the few women to establish a multi million-dollar information technology consulting company focusing on Business Transformation. She brings an extensive business consulting history to the field of sociology and academia and is the driver for the development of Gender Economics as a field of study.

Susanne developed a whole of organisational diagnostic, the Diversity Performance Review Framework(DPRF™) and currently works with the Australian resources industry using the framework to assess an organisation's diversity capability. That is, measure the degree to which an organization accepts diversity, and is able to integrate systems that enable and enhance that diversity to leverage increased innovation and performance.

Susanne believes that by understanding the underlying research and formation of economic theory, we are much more likely to change the conversation around gender. She is developing the field of Gender Economics, which looks at the exploitation of gender for profit, how this affects organisational culture, company profitability and how underlying economic and gender theory translates into economic policy at a global level.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree, majoring in Sociology and Business Management with a focus on gender, and previously undertook a Bachelor of Business Finance with a computing major. As well as her consulting work, Susanne is a Guest Lecturer in Gender Economics at Macquarie University and was nominated for the Griffith University Alumni of the Year Award in 2015.

She is the author of "Contemporary Global Perspectives on Gender Economics (IGI Global 2015).

While Wendy's business career has been exceptional it is her personal life that in many ways defines her. With a strong belief in God, Wendy has spent her life caring for others. Wendy and her husband have fostered 13 children through their home offering love and support to neighbourhood children in need. Wendy is also a cancer survivor and sits on the board of World Vision. Wendy is an experienced, versatile global business leader and entrepreneur. She is the Chairman of Wengeo Group, an innovative diversified investment group. She is also Chairman of Springboard Enterprises Australia, Australia's only internationally focussed business accelerator for women entrepreneurs seeking investment capital. Previously, Wendy was a Senior Vice President of Alcatel Asia Pacific and was responsible for a sales budget of 4.2 billion Euros. She implemented the sales of major mobile and broadband services to 17 countries and was on the team that negotiated with the Chinese Government to bring the internet to China. She has also had global leadership roles with QBE Insurance, Alcatel and TNT International. Wendy is on the organising committee of the annual Sydney Prayer Breakfast. In February 2013, Wendy was honoured in the Australia Day 2013 Honours with Medal of the Order of Australia for service to the community through a range of women's and youth organisations. On International Women's Day 2013 she was inducted into the Australian Businesswomen's Hall of Fame. Order of Australia Medal Government House, Canberra

Wendy Simpson was conferred with the Order of Australia Medal at the official Ceremony May, 2013. She was listed for the Award as part of the Australia Day announcement 2013 in recognition of her significant contribution to youth organizations, women's groups, mentoring. .

Finalist Telstra Businesswomen's Awards Telstra

In recognition of her leadership in the male dominated telecommunications industry and her key role in helping in the transformation of the industry during its de-regulation, she was a finalist in the Telstra Businesswoman of the Year Awards

Chairman's Prize University of NSW Australian Graduate School of Management

Awarded for academic excellence and leadership contributions to the AGSM during the MBA course

100 women of influence Australian Financial Review/ Westpac

Debb Meyer is a fighter, a survivor and a winner. I met her in my studio and discovered a woman that challenges herself to succeed not just in business but in life. I was introduced to her as the winner of the Franchise Woman of the Year for her business Narellen Pools. Her career has spanned some of the most successful franchise operations but what impressed me was her life philosophy and how she has turned tragedy into hope. I LOST MY BABY, BUT NOT MYSELF.

When Xavier Christopher was born at 8.19am on January 31, there was no excitement or congratulations.

At just 25 weeks, it was action stations as doctors worked to save his life.

Shortly after the emergency caesar, my husband Chris made his way over to the table where Xavier laid. I'll never forget his face as he turned to me with a look of pride, love and disbelief and said,

Honey, it's a boy!

It was such a precious moment that's etched into my mind. Even in the tragedy of what was happening, I had a giggle when I saw my husband in his blue scrubs and pink surgical hat, but we were quickly snapped back to reality, to our living nightmare.

As an army of doctors whisked Xavier away, the anesthetist, a beautiful man, kept stroking my head and telling me it was going to be ok. The two obstetricians sewing me up talked about their golf weekend, completely detached from this life-changing experience.

That morning, I'd been the happiest woman in the world. Now, I was totally and utterly devastated.

Two hours later, I finally saw my Xavier. He weighed 850g, was perfect and looked just like his Daddy. He was the beautiful baby I'd loved from the minute I saw two pink lines on the pregnancy test.

Xavier fought gallantly for 29 hours, but the odds were against us.

We had to turn off his life support; the most heart-wrenching decision we've ever made. Before we did, we held him for an hour. We said everything we thought we'd have a lifetime to say. Xavier passed away in my arms, surrounded by love.

I let out a primal scream as I saw him take his last breath.

Going home to an empty nursery without our son was the most harrowing and lonely experience of our lives. My arms physically ached; I knew I should be holding Xavier, yet I wasn't. We'd lost the thing we wanted most in the world – a family. At that moment and for some time, I was absolutely and utterly broken.

My healing journey is ongoing and always will be. There was a moment in time I didn't think I could go on. I was so totally broken, I didn't see how I could ever be happy again. I remember that moment so clearly.

I was in the bath when I felt my darkest hour; I was lost, broken, depressed, sad and angry. I felt like I was at the bottom of the deepest hole, it was black, it was dark and I was drowning. I couldn't see the light. But then as if someone was talking to me, I heard:

If you don't pull your shit together, you are going to lose more than Xavier, you will lose your husband, your friends, your work and most importantly, yourself. Xavier wouldn't want that, do you? That's not what you are about, you get up and you fight, you find a way to the light.

It was that day in the bath, I chose to find the light.

To believe I am not what happened to me, I can choose what I want to be. I can choose to be happy, I can choose to move forward in my life whilst still honouring and loving my son. I didn't want to be defined by my loss. To be that person sitting on the sidelines of life just barely surviving, I wanted to be thriving.

Xavier's death has changed me in many ways but, I haven't lost myself.

Here I am, three years later. A wife and mother to a beautiful son in heaven, a two-year-old daughter Eliza and 7 month old son, Kingston. I am strong, happy and whilst I miss Xavier every moment of every day, I can live with my grief.

I lost my baby, but I haven't lost myself.

By Debb Meyer

Angela is the Founder and CEO of Vivo Café, an iconic Sydney CBD destination for office workers, tourists and weekend shoppers. Angela has been in small business for thirty years, and was 'born' into the hospitality business, catching her first shoplifter at the age of three. She has gone on to own, operate and sell close to 30 businesses, naming her mother, Chris, as her biggest influence and inspiration. Through the wins and disappointments, her path has been fuelled by self-belief, ambition and the motivation of her parents' achievements after migrating to Australia.

Driven to empower and educate other small business owners to follow a greater path, Angela founded Eagle Waves Radio in 2013, Australia's first digital radio station dedicated to small business. The name is symbolic of Angela's vision to give small business the 'wings' to ensure that they never fly under the radar. Stationed within Vivo Café, Eagle Waves Radio has delivered over two thousand live shows and podcasts since launch, with Angela 'the Voice of Small Business', a natural behind the microphone. Her commitment to raising the profile of Australian small business can also be seen in her monthly column for My Business magazine and as a commentator on Sky News Business.

In 2012 she became the first Australian Greek woman to be elected as a Councillor to the City of Sydney, an amazing achievement formally recognised by the European council. Her experience and commitment to small business saw her elected as Deputy Chair of the City of Sydney Economic Development and Business sub-committee. This will see her Council responsibilities extend to encompass a wide variety of issues including, economic development and strategy, global city relationships, trade and marketing, small business, village economies, tourism and more.

More recently, Angela has announced that she will contest the role of Sydney Lord Mayor at the September 2016 elections.

She is a sought after keynote speaker, MC and media commentator who has featured in the Sydney Morning Herald, The Daily Telegraph, The Australian Financial Review. She has appeared on radio and television, including, The Today Show, Paul Murray Live, Sky News Australia, ABC News, Sky News Business, SBS, Studio 10, Sunrise, 2UE, 2GB and 702.

Angela is a natural connector who can engage an audience of any size with her warm and enigmatic presence. As an award winning entrepreneur and small business leader, she is in demand to speak on topics including women in business, entrepreneurship, staying competitive in retail, leadership and people and culture. Her own business journey is entertaining and powerful, and one that inspires and empowers audiences of all types.