Date: October 2016

I came to work today realising just how extraordinary we all are as human beings particularly when we need to draw upon parts of ourselves that we didn't know exist.

Stress has never been my strength. I have never been able to handle it as well as I would have liked. I prefer to hide when I am stressed than to actually manage what I am going through. Life has many twists and turns and each of them has a lesson for us to learn. Sometimes, we don't want to learn that lesson, but don't have a choice. 

I was speaking to a journalist yesterday and was informing them of the speakers at the upcoming North Queensland Entrepreneurs Conference. While it may be branded that, people from all over the world are embarking on travelling to Townsville for this conference - that is how high the calibre of speakers are.

The main speaker is incredibly dear to me, as he has known me for a very long time. He has seen me transform from a young enthusiastic business woman (girl), to a woman that has more confidence and knowledge in so many different areas of business and industry sectors. At long last I can say that to most companies - I can add value. I think that transition is obvious in so many ways, and when you see someone on that journey, it is quite interesting to say the least.

There is so much talk on influencer marketing that at long last, they have a point, and in most effective marketing strategies, there is a new category that has to be integral to the overall tactical marketing outcomes of a business.

I was very proud of Emma Watson when she did her speech for the United Nations promoting HeForShe. It was a significant move forward in looking at the whole gender equality issue in a different, more level approach.

I thought long and hard about the women that work for me and the women and girls that are my family. This speech meant something, and I felt more men were standing up and saying that we should respect each other.

About two years ago, I was driving in my car with a man who use to own nightclubs and bars, and he said to me, "women will do anything for coke - I should write a book on it". I looked at him and said, "maybe you should". By bringing the issue out into the forefront, maybe it might create a situation where women think about what they want in life and how they want to be perceived. They may also think about the fact that doing cocaine is illegal and it doesn't make you a better person.

When I was young, sub-25 years of age, I never had an opportunity to go to a conference that had a line up of speakers quite like that of the North Queensland Entrepreneurs Conference. In fact, I really didn't know it existed. Well, it doesn't and certainly a lineup as inspiring as the one put together for Townsville on 8 November 2016, has not been done before.

In the 17 years of being in business, I have screwed up an awful lot. Sometimes I learned my lessons, others I was taught a few more times before I actually got it.

I cannot say that I am not nervous about the upcoming North Queensland Entrepreneurs Conference. Of course I am! It's going to be awesome. Without sounding Trump-ish, "Let's make North Queensland Great Again".

I've been in the Netherlands for 4 days and I am mesmerized, as always, with its sheer beauty. From harbour views through to fields of everything imaginable, you watch from the side a sustainable country go about its day on bikes, without seamingly a care in the world.

Arriving in to Amsterdam at 7am is a hard slog, even if you are flying at the front of the plane. One of the worse times to arrive after a 22 hour flight, as it is inevitable, lasting the day or at the very least, until your room is ready is almost impossible – even for the seasoned traveller.

I had heard about The Toren Amsterdam, a luxury, boutique hotel in the centre of Amsterdam on the famous Keizersgracht canal. When their tag line says “designed to charm” they were very serious on making sure that every visitor feels extra special. I was no different.