Award Winning Women

Traditionally, celebrating your achievements is not something that has come naturally to many women.

Our Australian culture and ‘tall poppy’ biases have been contributing factors also.

As times progress and the role of women continues to evolve in modern society, so do the many opportunities for recognition.  Celebrating our successes and empowering women to showcase their achievements is what Brisbane Woman is all about.

One of our Brisbane Woman readers, 31 year old Olivia Maragna was recently awarded Queensland’s Telstra Young Business Woman of the Year for 2008.  What a wonderful achievement for this entrepreneurial woman and working mum!

Olivia established her company Aspire Retire Financial Services in 2003.  We caught up recently so I could offer my personal congratulations and to chat about the award.

How did you become nominated for the award.  How does the process work?

It starts off with a nomination process so someone has to nominate you for that. Telstra advises you that you’ve been nominated and then sends you out a questionnaire to fill out which is quite intensive. It’s quite a lengthy process, it takes about three or four months, and once you’ve lodged your submission they narrow it down to six finalists in the state. Each finalist then goes through a judging process which involves a face to face interview and then the winner is selected. The six finalists are chosen out of thousands of nominees so it was quite incredible.

Was there one characteristic or activity that helped you get over the line?

There were probably a couple of things. One was communicating the merits of financial advice and how we deliver it at Aspire Retire Financial Services. We are a fee for service – no commission business and have our own financial services licence so we can really focus on what is best for the client and constantly adding value to their financial situation.

The other big thing they focused on was charity work. We do a lot of work in places like Fiji and Vanuatu and there was a definite focus on the fact that you work hard but what do you do for the community as well.  We’ve been to Fiji and arranged to paint a local school and fix up their play ground equipment. We’ve also been to an orphanage in Fiji that I adore where we took clothes and food.

What did winning the award mean to you?

It was quite amazing. It was an incredible experience and a big celebration of looking at the milestones I’ve achieved over the last 10 or 15 years.  It’s also about celebrating the young entrepreneurial spirit.

What impact has winning this award had so far?

I’ve had a lot of women ask if I’d be interested in mentoring them so it will be a great opportunity to inspire and empower other young women.   I have also had many opportunities press wise and organisations asking me to speak.

What effect do you think the award will have on your business?

I’ve had enormous feedback from clients and colleagues and friends who have seen articles in the newspapers. I think clients love it as well, as they enjoy seeing their adviser do well.  One of the past winners told me that the difference between today and tomorrow is that they’ll believe you tomorrow, so it’s about enhanced credibility.

In a business sense new clients are coming to see me due to the publicity also.

Do you think some women tend to shy away from awards?

I think we are all humbled by the things we achieve and we don’t necessary boast about what we do.  I think a lot of women achieve amazing milestones and probably don’t think what they do is so great.

What is your formula for success?

My formula for success has been to surround myself with positive people who keep you accountable, support you when you need it and keep you grounded, to keep work and life in balance.  One of the greatest benefits that has come from my business success has been the ability to help others less fortunate.  In the past two months, we have raised almost enough money to cover the running costs of an orphanage in Fiji for a whole year.  For the average Australian, these dollars would barely see them through a month; for 13 Fijian children, it can feed, clothe, house and provide proper care and educate them for a year.

Olivia also attributes her success to finding a balance between work and family, which includes husband and business partner Stephen and three children.

A wife, a mother of three, a successful business owner - how do you fit it all in?

I separate business from my personal life by outsourcing menial tasks so I can devote time to the kids and ourselves.  When you work hard and play hard, it’s important to stay grounded so once a month we take the family in the campervan to the beach, bush or our family farm at Gympie.

Olivia’s tips for creating a successful work-life balance:

1) Value your time – Work out the value of your time per hour and outsource what’s not efficient for you to be doing.
2) Do what you’re best at… and surround yourself with experts to do what you’re not (good at)
3) Treat your staff well and give them the flexibility they need in terms of family commitments as retaining experienced and good staff are critical to the success of your business
4) Delegate, delegate, delegate. By giving others around you the opportunity to support you, they gain responsibility, are more accountable and they get recognition. It’s great for up-skilling. Generation Y staff in particular, thrive on being given increased responsibility and recognition. Often, we underestimate how much responsibility they can really handle.
5) Get a life. Work is not ‘the be all and end all’. The world does not revolve around you. If you’ve got a good business and put the systems in place so staff can manage problems, if you leave for a few days, you can really relax.

So please join me in congratulating Olivia as the 2008 Telstra Queensland Young Business Woman of the Year.  This award celebrates the achievements of women’s personal goals and milestones and promotes the entrepreneurial spirit of young women today.

Let’s share our achievements

Have you won an award?  Have you been nominated?  How has it benefited you personally and professionally?

If you would like to suggest a topic or provide feedback on this blog then I would love to hear from you.