• "You then enter the workforce and quickly realise you're at the bottom. What felt like the top was just the top of a chapter; you finish university, do well, and then you're at the bottom of the next hill to climb."

  • "The thing about recruitment is that when you're selling ice cream, the ice cream doesn't wake up and say, "I'm worth more", but in recruitment, you're selling people, and you're selling them a dream. Changing jobs is a big deal. I was young, 23, and what did I really know about life and people's career needs? I was just trying to make a sale."

  • "I believe doors are opening everywhere, but most people don't see them because they don't know what they want. You have to be open to opportunities to see them, they really are all around you."

  • "On my first day, I walked in and found I had nine staff. I was thought, "Holy s***, what am I going to say to these people? I've never managed a soul in my life!" "

  • "People at council get a hard time, but I've never worked with a group more passionate about their beliefs and work. They could all earn significantly more in the private sector but choose to work there because they care."

  • "When you're a new Chief Executive, people don't really tell you the parameters. You have no one to ask, "What do I do about this situation?" or "Am I allowed to make this decision?""

  • "I believe in taking opportunities that come along and being outside of your comfort zone. All growth happens out there."

  • "I heard a fantastic quote recently that I think will stick with me: "We all dance atop a reservoir of untapped potential". I genuinely believe that."

  • "There are no organisations, no businesses, just groups of people working together toward common goals, like a hive of honeybees."

  • "I'm good at synthesising and bringing everyone on the journey because everyone wants to feel that what they say matters and that they're contributing to something meaningful. We're just people who want to be loved, appreciated, and do something that matters."

  • "Philosophically, I believe you can't have growth without discomfort. You can't get it right all the time. I used to be incredibly hard on myself, feeling that failure was not an option and for me, even a minor misstep was a failure."

  • "I don't believe in personal brand. I'm not a brand; I'm just myself. I have a reputation, and that's different."

  • "I believe too many leaders mistake the power of the position for personal power, leading to a crisis of confidence when they leave that job."

  • "There's no shortcut and leadership is a skill; it's not something people are born with. It's a learned skill, like any other. You've just got to keep putting the work into yourself."

  • "I also think it's important for young people to stretch themselves socially and intellectually. If someone asked me whether they should buy a house or go overseas, I'd say, "Get on that plane right now". Experiences count so much. You want to have a rich life, not just a rich bank account. Most very wealthy people would choose a rich life any day."