About
A bit about me and my entrepreneurial journey.
Dream Big // Take Risks // Be Real // Give Generously
I fell in love with France in Year 9 and set a goal of doing a 12 month student-exchange. At 14, I went home from school every day to bake thousands of biscuits, sold books through party plan, sold chocolate-coated snakes from my high-school locker (the school canteen shut the operation down as they started losing money!), babysat and catered for parties on the weekends.
Started my first business
exchange student to belgium for 12 months
1999
I fell in love with France in Year 9 and set a goal of doing a 12 month student-exchange. At 14, I went home from school every day to bake thousands of biscuits, sold books through party plan, sold chocolate-coated snakes from my high-school locker (the school canteen shut the operation down as they started losing money!), babysat and catered for parties on the weekends.
1997
2002
first introduction to grants
Coordinated aid and development projects throughout South & Southeast Asia, and was first introduced to grants, funding, cross-cultural funding relationships.
2006
got married & moved into grants in local government
Brilliant job split between coordinating local government grant applications to state & federal government, and upskilling community groups & NFPs on finding and winning grants. Saw the need for an easy-to-use online grants directory.
2009
VOLUNTEERED PROFESSIONALLY IN MOLDOVA (EASTERN EUROPE) WITH MY HUSBAND FOR 14 MONTHS
We quit our excellent jobs, raised funds to support us, and moved to Moldova (between Romania & the Ukraine). An eye-opening and very challenging time.
2011
COMPLETED MY MASTERS, BECAME A MUM & CONSULTED
Submitted my minor thesis on donor-driven development to complete my Masters degree at 8 months pregnant. Became a mum and started my first consulting business. My one of favourite years of all time.
The game-changing year. I launched The Grants Hub (bootstrapped with about $20,000 from selling our home) at 39 weeks pregnant.
My 11-day-old son was completely unexpectedly diagnosed with congenital heart disease. I found myself with a nearly two-year-old daughter, a baby in emergency open heart surgery, and a startup.
LAUNCHED THE GRANTS HUB, HAD A SECOND CHILD, NEWBORN SON HAD EMERGENCY OPEN HEART SURGERY
GROWTH SPIKE! MY FAMILY COULD LIVE 100% OFF THE GRANTS HUB’S GROWING REVENUE, WON MY FIRST BUSINESS AWARD & COMPLETED OUR FAMILY WITH A THIRD CHILD
2016
A viral Facebook post, a Volunteer Grant and business awards triggered a huge growth spike for The Grants Hub. My husband resigned as a primary school teacher to work in Operations Management at The Grants Hub. Three pre-school aged kids and a growing business made for a busy yet life-filled home.
2013
2017
first employee
The Grants Hub’s first employee! Growing a self-funded startup to the point of being able to provide someone else with work was a huge milestone. The team has continued to grow since that very first employee, our Grants Researcher.
2021
launched hey good thing, started the grants uncovered podcast
Launch of the Grants Uncovered Podcast. Launch of Hey Good Thing, a social enterprise creating gift boxes exclusively from Social Enterprise, B Corp and For-Purpose brands.
