Career Conversations
Ideas, stories and practical tools for navigating your career
Career Conversations shares the stories behind remarkable careers. Some women knew exactly where they were headed. Others changed direction entirely. Some founded businesses, others transformed organisations, communities and industries. Every conversation offers a different perspective on work, leadership and finding your own way.
Originally published between 2018 and 2021, these conversations have been lightly edited for readability and updated where possible to reflect where each person is today.
Leadership
Career Change
Confidence
Entrepreneurship
Money
Wellbeing
Women at Work
Creativity
Purpose
STEM
Governance
Communication
Networking
Alice Shopland
Founder, Angel Food
Auckland, New Zealand
Long before plant-based food became mainstream, Alice Shopland founded Angel Food with little more than conviction, curiosity and a willingness to learn. She shares what it takes to build a business around your values, navigate uncertainty and define success on your own terms.
Alexia Hilbertidou
Founder and CEO, GirlBoss New Zealand
Auckland, New Zealand
Alexia Hilbertidou was just 16 when she founded GirlBoss New Zealand. Driven by a desire to see more young women in STEM, business and leadership, she's built a movement that encourages girls to think bigger, challenge expectations and create opportunities for themselves and others.
Melissa Baer
Entrepreneur and Business Owner
Christchurch, New Zealand (and Canada)
Melissa Baer has always done things differently. From funding her own rugby career as a teenager to building businesses across two hemispheres, she's created a life driven by freedom, purpose and financial confidence rather than following a traditional career path.
Melissa Gollan
Founder, RIP Global
Wellington, New Zealand
Melissa Gollan didn't expect her career to take the path it did. After working towards a future in policing, an unexpected life event forced her to rethink everything. Today, she's the founder of fintech company RIP Global, championing women in business and innovation.
Erica Austin
Community Curator, Photographer and Creative Professional
Christchurch, New Zealand
Erica Austin has never been defined by a single job title. With a background in architecture, she's built a career around bringing people together through community projects, events and photography, proving that your strengths often matter more than your job description.
Kirsty Sailsbury
Life Coach, Speaker and Podcast Host
New Zealand
Kirsty Sailsbury transformed her own experiences into a career helping others build confidence and create lives they love. Her story is a reminder that some of our greatest challenges become the foundation for our greatest contribution, however unexpected the path there.
Abbe Hyde
Entrepreneur and Innovation Consultant
Dunedin, New Zealand
Abbe Hyde never imagined becoming an entrepreneur. What began with a university enterprise programme and an exchange semester in the United States eventually led her into the startup world, where she's learnt that curiosity, trust and saying yes can open unexpected doors.
Anya Satyanand
Executive Director, Ember Innovations
New Zealand
Anya Satyanand didn't leave school knowing exactly what she wanted to do. A gap year, a teaching career and time overseas eventually led her into leadership, where she's focused on helping young people realise their potential and create opportunities for themselves.
Monique Surges
Chief Executive, German-New Zealand Chamber of Commerce
Auckland, New Zealand
Monique Surges has built an international career spanning Germany and New Zealand. As a leader, mother and advocate for sustainable business, she shares why curiosity, resilience and lifelong learning have shaped every stage of her career, both at home and abroad.
Sandra Clair
Founder, Artemis
Dunedin, New Zealand
Sandra Clair has spent decades exploring the connection between people, plants and wellbeing. Combining science, traditional knowledge and entrepreneurship, she's built a career centred on helping others live healthier lives, while continually challenging herself to keep learning and growing.
Rawinia Rimene
Founder, Girl Native
Ōpōtiki, New Zealand
Rawinia Rimene's journey hasn't been straightforward. A high school dropout and young mum, she transformed her life to build Girl Native, a skincare and makeup brand grounded in confidence, culture and entrepreneurship. Her story is one of resilience and refusing to let your past define your future.
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