Women in Business Creating Profit and Lifestyle!

When you have a monumental birthday approaching, it is hard not to really start thinking about your life. 

Birthdays often serve as milestones in our lives where we check-in to see if life is progressing (as we think it should.)  If only life was this straight forward! 

Sometimes other events or people in our lives cause us to take heed and evaluate whether or not we are happy or could be doing more.  I spoke recently at an event about spending years of my life working towards a career goal in the corporate world.  When I got there, it wasn’t what I wanted any more.  Slight bump in the career path!  That is just one example, I am sure we all have many more.  As we change, our desires change too and this is never something we can truly plan for.  When it’s unplanned and confronting, it may tempting to pretend that it is not happening.  Ever fallen out of love with someone you thought you’d be with forever? This is life and we need to adjust our dreams to keep in the flow towards a happy, meaningful life.

I am particularly interested in the change I see occurring in women’s lives.  What drives women to take a stand and to decide one day that they want to make their lives somehow different and extraordinary? For me, it was realising that I wanted to make a difference, have freedom and work with my creative brain more.   Whatever the trigger, you can’t ignore that deep, powerful and frightening feeling that life should have more meaning.  Looking out into the world for ideas and inspiration with your transformation goggles firmly fixed in place, it is amazing to see what opportunities start to come your way.

Recently I was lucky enough to have the chance to meet Jodie Eade.  Jodie has made the decision to do something extraordinary with her life and make a difference to the lives of thousands of children here in Australia. Not that her life was not wonderful before, but she has welcomed this opportunity to do more. Jodie is a wife and mum, with her own thriving business TDS.

In October this year Jodie is hopping on her bike and cycling with 21 other ladies around Cambodia to raise much needed money for Kids Helpline in the Business Chick’s Cambodia Challenge.  Each week over 12 000 children try to get through to the Kids Helpline here in Australia, however counsellors can only answer 6 000 of these calls.  What happens to these children when their calls go unanswered?

The ladies will be cycling their way to success around Cambodia for a full two weeks.  They will also work on a project at the Sunrise Children’s Village, operated by Geraldine Cox and the Australia Cambodia Foundation.   The Sunrise Children’s Villages are two orphanages located in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, Cambodia and were created in 1993, following a visit by Geraldine Cox. The orphanages care for hundreds of orphaned or disadvantaged Cambodian children.

Recently I spoke with Jodie about the inspiring challenge she is facing in October.

What made you decide to get on a bike and cycle around Cambodia?

‘Last year I went to Vietnam.  On this trip I decided to volunteer at a local orphanage.  This was an incredibly rewarding experience.  Helping these children is amazing and spending time with them was a privilege.  I realised at that time that I would love to do something meaningful like this here in Australia.  I found out about the bike ride around Cambodia and was keen to help Kids Helpline here in Australia.  I was also very interested in the work that Geraldine Cox does in Cambodia.  She is an amazing women and the opportunity to meet her will be wonderful.  We’ll be volunteering at one of her orphanages so we’ll really get to spend time with her and the children.‘

What preparation work have you done?

‘I have been a part of The Cycling Clinic in The Valley since January.  I go there twice a week currently in preparation for the ride.  I also ride on the roads here in Brisbane too.  The roads here are bitumen and smooth though and this will definitely not be the case in Cambodia.‘

What fundraising have you been doing and how can our Brisbane Woman readers support you?

‘We had a very successful pampering fundraising day recently at Simply Blooms in Morningside.  It was a wonderful day and lots of money was raised too.

Most people prefer to make a donation of some kind and this can be done through Everyday Hero.  For readers of Brisbane Woman who would like to make a contribution, they can email me directly at jodie@tdspecialists.com.au for more information or call me 0407 177 798.’

How has becoming involved with this event affected you?

‘It really opens your eyes.  It’s not that I didn’t know what was happening in the world before, but now I feel a much greater passion.  I realise that I can make a difference too.  There are many different volunteer organisations that people can get involved with all over Australia and worldwide.  It has made me much more aware of how many people really do need help.  Now, for example, I also volunteer with Homeless Connect here in Brisbane and at the Royal Children’s hospital.’ 

Would you recommend charity work to other women also? 

‘Yes I would.  It’s a very individual and personal thing and you need to find something that connects with you personally.  The work is so incredibly rewarding and you can give as much or as little time as you have.  It does not need to take over your life.  There is a massive return on investment for the work you do.’

What holds many of us back from volunteering?

‘It is like having your own business – we don’t always make the time to do the things we really should for our businesses.  We make excuses in all areas of our lives that we don’t have the time or the ability to do what we really want to.  It is a personal choice and if this is what you really want to do, then you should do it for yourself.  I am very lucky to have such a wonderful and supportive family.  My husband volunteered with me at the orphanage in Vietnam so he is 100 percent behind me in this.’

Jodie and her 21 female companions will be cycling around Cambodia from the October 22 to November 4.  Please contact Jodie and offer her any support you can.  The picture above is of some of the beautiful kids at the Sunrise Orphanages in Cambodia.

Congratulations to Jodie and all the other ladies taking up this wonderful physical and emotional challenge.  Another example of wonderful women doing extraordinary things here in Brisbane.

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Has there been a time when you decided to really make a difference – tell us about it?