Kenny Research Institute
This is Kenzo (but his friends called him Kenny) our faithful, humorous and highly intelligent Akita. He came to us as an 8 week old pup and settled in as though he was always meant to be part of the family.
Last month and with heavy hearts we had to let him go after spending 10 years and 8 months with us. It was devastating to say the least.
My previous career path required long hours, dedication and focus that meant spending less time with Kenny than I liked. It was not possible to have him at work with me as doggie crèches are not known to exist within my employer’s workplace.
It pretty well sucked as this was not an ideal arrangement if an organization wants the best out of their people.
I then thought about so many of my female colleagues, married with young children who are also pursuing a career in science. So many women in the workforce especially in science are faced with the stark choices of having to return to work soon after having their children in order to salvage their careers in what is a highly competitive industry.
Not withstanding the fact that in science the term “job security” is an oxymoron, there are still many women who are passionate about what they do and are willing to stick their necks out.
The predicament I faced has led me to my vision of building the Kenny Research Institute aimed specifically at supporting women in science. In doing so, Australia will not lose a highly educated and talented workforce that is vital to staying prosperous and relevant as a nation. (Take that onboard, politicians of ALL persuasions when you are considering cutting the budget to science and education).
In any endeavor there are good reasons and then there are the real (“selfish”) reasons. Do not for a moment think I am driven only by lofty, altruistic and philanthropic ambitions; in part I am also doing for my personal satisfaction.
The 7 foundation pillars of the Kenny Research Institute
- Bright and talented postdoctoral fellows will have a guaranteed 5 year salary (virtually unheard of) and a research assistant to pursue their particular specialized research niche. It allows them time to develop their area of expertise instead of chasing short term grants. That is counter productive as it takes their time and energy away from the main game
- Each postdoc will be matched with a mentor. The mentor is there to help them navigate through the politics that exist within any industry and temper any naivety about how the real world works
- Participation in personal development courses is compulsory; this includes being taught emotional intelligence enhancement skills. Gee, I wish I was taught that at school, how about you?
- Attendance in financial literacy courses is mandatory. Financial literacy equals financial freedom
- The Kenny Research Institute will be equipped with a human crèche, infirmary and a pet crèche. Happy mothers who can have regular contact with their human or fur kids are more likely to be focused and productive
- A 24 hour gym on site to cater to the irregular hours worked Notice the emphasis on health and wellness?
- A 24 hour cafeteria onsite that serves healthy meals. Junk food and soft drinks will not be available from the vending machines. If they want to eat crap they have to go elsewhere to forage for it. Good luck!
This is my promise to you Kenzo; RIP 25 June 2003- 24 February 2014
100 Women of Influence Award
It’s about time that women stepped forward from the shadows and claim the credit due for their innovation, creativity, money smarts. That’s just for starters.
Corporate support (Westpac Bank and Australian Financial Review http://www.westpac.com.au/about-westpac/media-releases/media-releases/2013/5-july) has made it possible for us to recognize the contributions women make to the lives of people around them.
If you know of someone who should be publicly acknowledged please nominate them.
Full article below:
Recognising female leaders across Australia
Nominations are now open for The Australian Financial Review and Westpac’s 100 Women of Influence awards. In its second year, the awards are dedicated to recognising and celebrating female leaders across Australia.
Westpac Group Chief Executive Officer, Gail Kelly and Financial Review Group Chief Executive Officer and Publisher, Brett Clegg were joined by female nominees from last year’s program to officially launch the 2013 awards at an event in Sydney this morning. The launch marked the call for nationwide nominations to unearth Australia’s inspiring women across a range of industries who work tirelessly to help shape a vibrant and inclusive future for all Australians.
At the launch of the awards, Mrs Kelly said, “Westpac is proud to continue its support of the 100 Women of Influence awards. It’s an important way to acknowledge the significant contribution that women are making to achieve change in their local communities, businesses and society more generally.
“Westpac has a long and proud history of making a positive difference for women as part of our aspiration to be one of the world’s great companies for diversity and flexibility. These awards are a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the success and achievements of women across Australia and we look forward to starting the search again this year.”
Financial Review Group CEO and Publisher, Brett Clegg said, “Being involved at the inception of this initiative has been a great source of pride personally and for the Financial Review. This is an incredibly impactful and powerful awards program and there’s no better partner from our perspective than Gail and the Westpac team.
“Westpac and AFR want to acknowledge and take pride in powerful female leaders across all aspects of our society.”
The 100 Women of Influence awards are open for the general public to nominate outstanding and influential women across corporate, community, arts, philanthropy, public and not-for-profit sectors, as an opportunity to celebrate the skills of women in this country who achieve outstanding results in their fields.
Nominations are open across ten categories including: Board / Management, Public Policy, Young Leader, Social Enterprise and Not-for-profit, Philanthropy, Global Influence, Innovation, Local / Regional Community, Diversity and Business Entrepreneur.
Entries will be assessed by a panel of esteemed judges, which will be announced in the coming weeks.
The overall 2012 Woman of Influence winner, Social Enterprise winner and CEO of Foundation for Young Australians Jan Owen, said “Winning the awards really put my business in the spotlight, and the past year has been one of significant growth and learning.
“Women tend to generally be very humble and not see the importance of the work they are doing, and that is part of what makes these awards so powerful. I encourage you to nominate the women you see as role models so they can see the positive impact their work is having locally, nationally and internationally.”
Nominations to the 2013 100 Women of Influence awards are open this Monday 8th July and close on Sunday, 18th August. Entries can be submitted online at www.afr.com/100women.
The program culminates in an awards presentation event where winners will be announced from the 100 finalists, in Sydney on Thursday, 17 October 2013.
For further information please visit: www.afr.com/100women
Notes to Editors
100 Women of Influence Awards Categories:
- Board/Management
- Public Policy
- Diversity
- Business Entrepreneur
- Young Leader
- Global
- Local/Regional
- Innovation
- Philanthropy
- Social Enterprise and Not-for-profit
Entry and Judging Criteria
Candidates will be judged on their demonstrated vision, leadership, innovation and action in and beyond their field; their impact and how it was achieved.
The judging panel will give consideration to:
- Personal, academic, professional and community achievements.
- Demonstrated performance in their field.
- Demonstration of collaboration within and beyond their field, and a wider circle of influence than their direct role.
- How their influence has contributed to women’s social and economic advancement.
- Involvement and contribution to Australian communities through collaboration and mentoring.
- Extent to which their contribution was achieved in new and creative ways.
Key Dates and how to enter
- Entries open – Monday 8 July 2013
- Entries close – Sunday 18 August 2013
- Finalists announced in The Australian Financial Review on Thursday 17 October 2013
- Entry forms can be downloaded at www.afr.com/100women
- Completed entries can be uploaded online at www.afr.com./100women
- For more information about the 2013 100 Women of Influence Awards, please visit www.afr.com/100women
- Winners announced – Thursday 17 October 2013 at a gala event in Sydney.
Camilla Mendoza Interview: The Importance of Valuing Money
I have invited Camilla Mendoza our expert on money mastery for women to share her experience running her awesome workshop Money Mastery for Women in New York City.
So, the question on everyone’s mind for Camilla-Are New York women any different from their Australian counterparts when it comes to grappling with their ambivalence about making money and having financial security?
Find out here on this 2 part interview.
Camilla Mendoza Part 1 June 2012
Camilla Mendoza Part 2 June 2012
If you feel you could do with some help, Camilla has some practical suggestions about how to overcome some ingrained self sabotaging habits that have kept you financially strapped.
Find Camilla at http://www.moneymasteryforwomen.com/
Angels in Hell-re empowered after rape: Interview with Ruby Johnson and Leanne Peard
None of us goes through life unscathed.
Ruby Johnson
Leanne Peard
Sometimes we cannot avoid the slings and arrows inflicted by thoughtless, tactless and downright objectionable people who co habit planet Earth.
These come in the form of verbal or physical bullying or worse.
Depending on our level of self esteem and self confidence we either roll with the punches or feel that it will take an eternity to heal those wounds.
If you are a regular reader of my blog articles you will know that at the very core of becoming successful is our perception of our self esteem, self worth, self confidence that will either get you there or stop you from achieving all your goals.
I had the privilege of speaking with Leanne Peard & Ruby Johnson authors of Angels in Hell-re empowered after rape about their personal experiences and what they have done to move on.
Watch my interview with these 2 remarkable ladies: viewMedia.do?mId=192824806
or download the interview
Ruby Johnson Leanne Peard Interview Part1
Ruby Johnson Leanne Peard Interview Part2a
Ruby Johnson Leanne Peard Interview Part2b
Firstly I want to acknowledge their courage and honesty for writing about their personal experience with rape.
Secondly I want to thank them on behalf of everyone who has been through it for sharing their means and methods to heal (emotionally) and move forward with their lives rather than be held hostage to the past.
“Change or tapping into personal power is not an easy—but definitely a necessary—part of this journey called life, especially for those of us who have been violated, abused or attacked.
The bad news is that many will not take the steps to change; many will not be able to forgive. Many will stay in the darkness and never experience the beauty that life has to offer. We would hope that you will choose to change, to transform your life and re-‐empower yourself.”-Angels in Hell re empowered after rape
Leanne Peard is the director of Absolute Wisdom a Life and Business Coaching consultancy, a Master of Reiki, and mother of two; she lives in tropical Cairns Queensland.
Ruby Johnson is the owner/director of Wholistic Enterprises and the founder of the College for Actualising Human Potential. She has designed and had nationally accredited the Cert IV to the Advanced Diploma in Wholistic Wellness and is the Author of 2 other books: Your Drug or Your Life and Wake Up & Breathe.
Purchase the book at http://www.celebratingwomanhood.com.au
Visit them on www.facebook.com/angelsinhell1
Preparing for a Brilliant Career in 2012
Even if you are hanging out for your Christmas holiday break and a chance to relax, as your coach I urge you to continue forward planning your career and future NOW.
I use the analogy of a tomato seed that is not much to look at but when is in fertile soil and with the requisite water, warmth, right amounts of sun and shade will emerge from the soil firstly as a tiny seedling but eventually bear lots of summer fruit. Pay day!
Consider yourself the tomato seed and the coming holidays the equivalent of the fertile soil, water, sun and shade where you plan and sketch your career path for 2012.
If you have been toying with the idea of changing careers or becoming an entrepreneur and have procrastinated, NOW is the time gather intelligence about your new venture and also do the inner work (on yourself) to prepare for the big leap.
Firstly the inner work
Below are a number of ways to get clear on the whys and then why not and how to’s; the list is by no means exhaustive but it will give you a starting point.
Top 5 Reasons for Changing Careers:
- Job dissatisfaction- Is this all there is?
- Burn out- Tired all the time
- Mind your head on the Glass Ceiling- You want a promotion?
- Not challenging anymore- It’s the same old song
- Better pay- Is the grass greener yonder?
Top 3 Tips for a Smooth Career Change
- Know why you want a change-See above
- Know where you want to go-Stock take your current skills
- Plan how to get there- You have the keys to unlocking the golden handcuffs
Top 5 Reasons for Not Changing Jobs:
- Fear of the unknown-I’m crap at managing my money
- Fear of the unknown- Do I know enough?
- Fear of the unknown- Can I make it on my own?
- Fear of the unknown- What if I fail?
- Fear of the unknown- I don’t have a Plan B
I suggest journaling what comes to mind based on the follow on phrases I have included after each point.
You will be very surprised at what pops out of your head. You will have before you the internal dialogue that has kept you from moving towards your goals. If you feel stuck and afraid, there is only one remedy-TAKE ACTION
As a gentle reminder, I’d like to leave you with the Law of Action summed up in one sentence;
The only time you have the chance to show courage is when you are afraid–Dan Millman Way of the Peaceful Warrior
Expert Advice From Female Entrepreneurs Part 2
Following on from Part 1 where I posted excerpts from a webinar hosted by Amanda Gome, founder and publisher of the business E-newsletter Smart Company (www.smartcompany.com.au) called “Women on Top-How to Get There”.
In this installment, we examine how your skills can make or break the deal
Here are the 3 tips on the subject of Skills:
TIP 4:
USE YOUR SKILLS TO CLOSE THE DEAL
I think you have to have that bit of ruthless streak in you. You have to train yourself to do that ‘take someone by the throat’ kind of move in a nice way. But I think women are quite good at it. I think women are often seen as having these great powers of empathy and introspection and I think that they can use those in dealing with people.
If you’re in a meeting where you want someone to do something or you want to close the deal, you use those tools to close the deal, to read body language and understand where that person is coming from and use it. Diana Gribble
TIP 5:
DEVELOP YOUR OWN SKILLS
Treat yourself as if you’re a product of a business. If you are responsible for a brand in a business, you would sit down and say what’s my business plan for the brand?
So it’s doing the same thing with yourself. I want to achieve this position, so I need to have financial skills, I need line management, I need strategic thinking. Then you ask how am I going to collect those along the way? What are the different types of roles?
And actually talking about it and planning it with your respective family and with your respective employees.
If you want to be promoted and want to have a long-term view, really think about yourself and how you’re going to develop yourself and then go out and negotiate and get people to share that vision with you and agree to take you on that journey. Gillian Franklin
TIP 6:
IF YOU DON’T HAVE THE SKILLS, DON’T PRETEND
People shouldn’t try and pretend that they have skills that they haven’t because you will be caught out. I think what you should do is say this is what I love doing, this is what I think I’m good at. If I’m not good at it, I would like to be. I’ll go out and figure out how to get those skills.
This brings in the whole role of mentors that I think women do particularly badly. So you need to go and talk to people who have been there, done that and say give me advice. Ask them how they did it. Gillian Franklin
My 2 cents worth:
Regarding Tip 5 where Gillian Franklin poses the question of branding with respect to you the person, I am with her 100% of the way.
As a female executive, do you actively and consciously project your brand.
So my question to you is, What do you stand for?
Do you make yourself known as the person who wants the job every other person is vying for, and what have you done to distinguish yourself from the rest of the herd?
The reality is that even if you have done a terrific job to date, you still need some shameless self promotion to get your message heard and your brand noticed by the powers that be.
Ask yourself if you are up for it.
If not, email me and I can suggest some techniques that will get you over your self -consciousness.
Until next time, keep your eye on the prize.
How To Ask For and Get A Payrise Using The Kiri Waiata Green Method: Kiri Waiata Green Interview
Kiri Waiata Green is not your conventional business and life coach. Professional qualifications aside this remarkable lady has a God given and unique gift to help her clients find their voice (literally). 
If you are one of the silent majority who struggles to ask for a payrise or promotion and feel you have hit a glass ceiling (I’m talking to you ladies), perhaps it is time to consider alternative methods of approaching your boss for that pay increase and promotion.
So, in corporate speak you are requesting a review of your remuneration package such that it is commensurate with your current roles and responsibilities.
In reality you don’t feel you have the right to ask.
This problem of massive self doubt is one that Kiri regularly helps her clients banish and shatter using her novel and incredible program called “Breaking the Sound Barrier”.
Kiri Waiata Green Interview (unlinked)
Listen to my interview with Kiri as she explains the physics of using sound and vibrations generated at the molecular level to remove limiting self beliefs and emotional blockages to wealth creation.
Kiri is a Beyond Success Qualified Coach, a NLP Certified Practitioner (Success Dynamics Institute), holds a Diploma in Counselling (Australian Institute of Professional Counsellors), and a Certificate IV in Small Business Management.
Find her at
Katana Abbott Interview: It’s Never Too Late To Become A Millionaire
If I said to you that a child can grow up in poverty with an abusive stepfather and then at 18 marry a violent man, walk away from that marriage virtually penniless, hit rock bottom physically, mentally and emotionally before coming back as a self made millionaire at 47 years of age, you could be forgiven for thinking this was a Cinderella story of feel good fiction.
Let me introduce you to Katana Abbott, the lady whose life I just described. 
I have no doubt that countless women can identify with Katana’s early financial circumstances. However, this is not the point of the exercise because I invite you to listen to my interview with a woman who took action on a number of fronts to change her life.
Katana Abbott Interview You can download the mp3 recording and pdf transcript of this interview by going to http://yourmoneyandyourmindset.com/online-store/
The most obvious was to qualify as a certified financial planner and grow a multi million dollar business. Equally important but not as apparent is Katana’s commitment to becoming a life long student of personal development.
Katana is living proof that when you change your thought and beliefs from can’t to can, positive actions that support your new beliefs pave the way for financial and personal success.
Her concern for the financial futures of Americans entering their golden years prompted her to coin the clever analogy of the “three legged stool” of Social Security, Savings and Pensions as the highly unstable but fundamentally the default option of many peoples’ retirement plan. Know as the Midlife Millionaire Coach, Katana is focused on helping women entrepreneurs, ages 43-65, create financial freedom whilst following their passion.
Her generosity knows no bounds so if you go to http://www.smartwomenscafe.com you will get a free membership to the community and can participate in a free monthly coaching call beginning in April.
And there’s more!
If you go to http://www.Katanaabbott.com you will get her free midlife millionaire success system and for everyone listening to this interview receive Katana’s signature financial organizer planner to get your finances in order.
Ladies and gentleman, you are witnessing the actions of a woman who not only knows that her life has a higher purpose; she lives it.
Prince Charming Isn’t Coming or How to reclaim your financial destiny: Barbara Stanny Tells
Barbara Stanny is a pioneer in the field of financial education for women and has authored a number of books including the best seller “Prince Charming Isn’t Coming-How women get smart about money” and “Secrets of Six Figure Women”.
When I spoke with Barbara Stanny about her road to becoming financially literate, her story had an all too familiar ring. Many women will be able to identify with her journey; some of it isn’t pretty, some of it will cause you to squirm. You may even feel the fear stab you in your heart because it hits uncomfortably close to home.
Listen to her pull no punches interview here: Barbara Stanny Interview1 (unlinked)
She like so many women did not feel confident enough to take control of her finances until fate intervened. What started as a simple act of withdrawing cash from an automatic teller machine turned into horror when these two words “insufficient funds” appeared on the ATM advice slip.
Barbara’s spouse (who mismanaged her inheritance) left her to find her own way out of the financial maze that included paying back taxes of $ 1million. Believing in the adage that “what doesn’t kill you will make you stronger,” she set out to learn the language of money. In doing so Barbara discovered how to overcome not only the external but internal blockages to becoming financially independent.
As Barbara states, “In your deepest pain lies your highest purpose”. We are eternally grateful that her purpose to empower women through her books, seminars and retreats has saved many a woman from financial ruin.
What appeared initially a financial disaster of monumental proportions has been a gift of self discovery. Barbara is passionate about sharing her hard won knowledge in her latest program “Sacred Success” for women who are on the verge of or have reached affluence. Specifically it speaks to women who want to make a difference in the world through philanthropy.
This is indeed a fine legacy for any woman.
Find Barbara at http://www.barbarastanny.com