Startup to Scaling Up with Women in EO: Stories of Grit and Growth

Women in entrepreneurship are reshaping the business landscape through building, scaling and leading with resilience and purpose. EO Melbourne’s Startup to Scaling Up event placed that journey centre stage as it gathers a dynamic audience of founders, business owners, and aspiring EO members to hear directly from female leaders who’ve done just that.

The discussion pulled back the curtain on what it really takes to grow a business: the hard decisions, the high stakes, and the deeply personal wins. Fresh from the Fireside Chat with The Hon. Julia Gillard AC, the audience was treated to even more insights, this time from female EO members who are leading from the frontlines of business.

Leading the conversation was Tracy Angwin, Marketing and Partnership Director of the EO APAC Regional Council and Founder of Australian Payroll Association. Known for her straight-talking style and strategic mindset, Tracy guided the panel through the question at the heart of the event: What does it really take to grow a business and lead with impact? The answers came from four powerhouse women in EO—Dawn Piebenga (EO Sydney), Melissa Strutt (EO Perth), Leah Akoka (EO Melbourne), and Donna Guest (EO Melbourne)—each with a distinct perspective and a refreshingly honest take on the entrepreneurial journey.

The panel didn’t sugarcoat the experience. Dawn shared how she built and led a national team in the complex world of medico-legal assessments, driven by empathy and precision. Melissa opened up about building and exiting one of Perth’s largest independent agencies, while balancing family and a fierce competitive spirit. Leah lit up the room with her insights on redefining productivity through people, and Donna spoke of building a brand that blends business with beauty, creativity with commerce. The stories resonated because they were real, marked by resilience, evolution, and clarity of purpose.

Throughout the session, what stood out was not just the success, but the solidarity. These women didn’t just build businesses, they built capacity—for themselves and others. They spoke of the pivotal moments where EO helped them level up: the conversations that challenged them, the connections that pushed them forward, and the community that never let them feel alone in the climb.

That spirit of growth was echoed by James Murray, EO Melbourne’s Membership Chair, who took the stage to introduce EO’s unique ecosystem. He walked the audience through the Four Truths of EO and its Four Pillars: Forum, Events, Network, and Leadership. Together, these pillars support a holistic kind of development, one that fuels not only business success but also personal transformation. 

For those in the room, especially the women looking for more than just a business network, Startup to Scaling Up offered a glimpse of what EO truly stands for. It’s a global community that values authenticity, growth, and impact. Whether you're just starting or scaling to the next level, EO is a place where entrepreneurs grow together. Ready to find your tribe? EO is where it begins.

Women of EO ANZ connect with self, others and nature at the inaugural retreat

It’s a retreat like no other as 28 formidable, entrepreneurial South Pacific women from seven EO chapters in Australia and New Zealand, including one from the USA, gathered for four days in the inaugural retreat of the Women of EO ANZ.

Participants from various EO chapters, including those from EO Melbourne, travelled to the unique and beautiful Kuku Yalanji Country, which is the land of the Kubirriwarra people, as they held the Women of EO ANZ 2022 Retreat on 25-28 August at Silky Oaks Lodge at The Daintree, Queensland. With the theme of “Connect with Self, Others and Nature,” the retreat was for the Women of EO ANZ to take stock, re-invigorate and connect with themselves, each other and the natural environment. 

Staying true to its theme, the retreat was structured in a way that provided the participants with the time for reflection, connection, learning, feeding the soul and a sense of fun. The idea of a retreat stemmed from the Women of EO ANZ’s September meeting, where members expressed being overwhelmed with exhaustion and mental and emotional fatigue. They embraced the suggestion for a retreat as it aligned with the group’s goals of creating greater connections and encouraging retention of women members across Australia and New Zealand.

The retreat was facilitated by Kylee Stone of The Performance Co., who is a very successful and respected facilitator and personal development coach. The program consisted of a formal learning day, yarning circles to articulate and process learning, meditations and reflections to embed learning, and informal yarning circles to further explore topics of interest. Participants also enjoyed various activities, such as river drifting, lunch in the rainforest, indigenous art lesson, life story through song, and a silent disco.

“(It’s) such a pleasure to meet in such an incredible location amongst these beautiful women. We are truly privileged to have access to these life-changing experiences,” shared EO Melbourne Member and Mentorship Chair & Key Executive Chair Jeni Clift.

Other participants were also very satisfied with the whole experience. Here are some of their feedback:

“This was my first women’s event and I really get the value that this community has.”

“I’m going to tell every woman in my Chapter that she should join WoEO!”

“What a blessing to meet women from around Oz and NZ! – Loved our friends from across the ditch!!”

EO promotes diversity in its membership and encourages various interests among its members. In fact, EO has a program called MyEO that enables EO members to curate a tailor-made curriculum of groups and events. With MyEO, members get the exact experience they want and value and desire.

MyEO Women is a MyEO Premier Group dedicated to supporting the retention and recruitment of women to the Entrepreneurs’ Organization through building a collaborative, diverse and supportive member community that offers rich networking and learning opportunities for women entrepreneurs.

(Photos from Women of EO ANZ.)

The rise of female entrepreneurs

In celebration of Women’s Month this March, we take a look at the present state of female entrepreneurship and how it contributes to the big picture of the entrepreneurial journey. Women taking the path of entrepreneurship are on the rise, yet we still need to do more to support and encourage them in this endeavour.

EO is taking extra steps to welcome more women business owners into their fold so as to extend the needed backing and provide the values that can strengthen them and their enterprise. There are governments that are also providing the necessary infrastructures to encourage more women to start and grow their own businesses. We still need to up our ante to level the playing field for all genders globally.

The challenges that female business owners face

Even in our modern times, women are still up against huge challenges in our society. The need for funding and lack of confidence in them by investors as well as unfavourable stereotypes and prejudices on women are just a few of those stumbling blocks female entrepreneurs have to face. It is even trickier for female business owners to navigate in industries that are dominated by men. In addition, they also play vital roles in family life and home management, which they have to juggle on top of running a business.

Successful female entrepreneurs

There are women who withstood the rigours of life, braved through storms and emerged triumphant in their journey. Arianna Huffington, Tory Burch, Cath Kidston, and Pamela Slim are among the many female business owners that have shown us that nothing is impossible if you only put your heart and mind into your goals. Their stories show that despite the hardships women face in society, one can still reach the top and carve a name for oneself.

How women can succeed in business

The question, however, is how to do it? First of all, go and test the waters. There’s no better way to find out what you’re up to unless you take the first step. Come up with a formidable plan, organize a good team and get the ball going. While you’re at it, widen your network and surround yourself with likeminded individuals. Join groups like EO or attend workshops and business conferences or get a mentor who can guide you through the journey. Put your venture out there, aim for continued growth in your profession and business, and watch out for opportunities that can help you on your journey.

The need for more women entrepreneurs

As we move forward towards economic development in various parts of the world across different industries, we need to narrow the gender gap among male and female entrepreneurs. Providing opportunities for women will empower them to run their own ventures, tapping into their strengths and capabilities that can help spur and increase financial growth and shape societies and communities.

More and more women are taking the entrepreneurial journey. It’s a good start, but we need to widen the road because the current numbers are not yet enough. We long to see a future where one day we’ll see equal figures for men and women when it comes to business ownership, especially among developing countries. We hope that future generations will have access to the same opportunities regardless of gender, belief and background.

10 Books by Women Business Leaders

The business space is no longer just a man’s world. Many women entrepreneurs have already entered the scene, although the path is still a challenging one. There are those who have paved the way can guide other women who are contemplating going through the entrepreneurial journey.

Apart from encountering gender bias in their respective industries, women also have to juggle various responsibilities, such as homemaking, parenting and running a business. Good thing there are resources available where you can gather insights from female business leaders on how to brave the business world. We have listed 10 books by women leaders in the business field where you can take inspiration from and help you chart your own path.

Shark Tales: How I Turned $1,000 Into a Billion Dollar Business 

by Barbara Corcoran - Founder, The Corcoran Group

At 23, Barabara already worked in 20 or more jobs. Borrowing $1,000 from her boyfriend then, she left her waitressing post and founded a real estate firm in New York City. The rest, as they say, is history. But the part between establishing her real estate company and growing it into a billion-dollar business is what most people are curious about. Her book is the key to finding that phase of her career that catapulted her to a Shark Tank star. She turned the lessons she gathered from her mother into strategies, adding common sense, determination and creativity into the equation.

She Means Business: Turn Your Ideas into Reality and Become a Wildly Successful Entrepreneur

by Carrie Green - Founder, Female Entrepreneur Association

Carrie’s foray into entrepreneurship was an arduous and lonely one when she began her first online business at a young age. To connect with other women and to support each other through inspiring stories and business trips, she formed the Female Entrepreneur Association. She also came up with a digital magazine, She Means Business, which is of the same title of her book. Carrie shares her experience through her book and provides some tips and exercises to hone your entrepreneurial mind.

I Thought it Was Just Me: Women Reclaiming Power and Courage in a Culture of Shame

by Brené Brown - CEO, The Daring Way

Female business leaders can pick a lot of inspiring thoughts and nuggets of wisdom from this book by Brené Brown, a University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work research professor and TED Talks speaker. Her in-depth studies and research enabled Brené to establish The Daring Way, a training and certification program for helping professionals, and write several books, including I Thought it Was Just Me. The book tackles the effects of shame on women and how women can transform these into courage, compassion and connection.

Thrive: The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Life of Well-Being, Wisdom, and Wonder

by Arianna Huffington - Founder, The Huffington Post

People may know Arianna as the name behind The Huffington Post and the Founder and CEO of Thrive Global, yet there is more to her than meets the eye. Regarded as one of the world’s most powerful women, Arianna shares her personal realisations on how the drive for power and money can hold us up temporarily through her book, Thrive. She emphasizes the need for a third metric to redefining success, which is living a life of well-being, wisdom, and wonder.

In the Company of Women: Inspiration and Advice from Over 100 Makers, Artists, and Entrepreneurs

by Grace Bonney - Founder, Design*Sponge

Here’s a book where you will find 100 stories of female entrepreneurs and how they faced various challenges. Design*Sponge founder Grace Bonney has been featuring the creative community and the people behind the designs. Through her encounters of women that embrace the entrepreneurial spirit, she came up with the book, In the Company of Women, which is a rich repository of inspiration from women of diverse background and how they brave the challenges of setting up their own creative businesses.

Girl Code: Unlocking Secrets to Success, Sanity, and Happiness for the Female Entrepreneur

by Cara Alwill Leyba - Creator, Dagmar Rose Vintage and The Champagne Diet

Cara has transformed her passion for fashion and writing into a business, and she has inspired many people through her designs, books, podcasts and workshops. Her book Girl Code is like a blueprint for female entrepreneurs as she shares her stories and life lessons. The book also has practical workbook sections that can help readers reflect on themselves and transform their lives.   

WorkParty: How to Create & Cultivate the Career of Your Dreams 

by Jaclyn Johnson - CEO, Create & Cultivate

Embodying the name of her business, Jaclyn has been at the forefront of women empowerment, encouraging them to create and cultivate their ideas to make a mark for themselves. At 28, she already sold her first business and opened her second company, Create & Cultivate, which is a multi-million dollar business. Apart from that, she invests in startups owned by women. Her book reveals the roller-coaster ride that is her entrepreneurial journey and features other female entrepreneurs who have also overcome adversities in their respective journey.

Body and Soul: Profits With Principles 

by Anita Roddick - Founder, The Body Shop​

Anita founded the global beauty brand, The Body Shop, where she had merged her advocacy for environmental consciousness and ethical consumerism into the products. She has left a legacy, not only for her business but for her activism and philanthropic works. She penned Body and Soul, the story of how she founded The Body Shop and brought it to success, along with her views and stands on various social issues.

#GIRLBOSS 

by Sophia Amoruso​ – Founder, Nasty Gal and Girlboss Media

Named by Forbes as one of the world’s richest self-made women, Sophia went against all odds, did several jobs and created an online eBay store that led to the establishment of Nasty Gal. Later on, she filed for bankruptcy and established Girlboss Media. Sophia realised she’s different, given her problematic background, so she wrote #GIRLBOSS for women like her and how they can still get on track on the road to success.

Broken Open 

by Elizabeth Lesser – Co-Founder, Omega Institute

Elizabeth has been involved in various environmental and social causes. She co-founded Omega Institute, which has been providing training and workshops on various fields and topics, including spirituality, personal growth and women’s empowerment. Her work, Broken Open, has a mix of stories, anecdotes, insights and other tools to guide those who are at the crossroads of their lives to make the right choices amidst the difficulties.

Both male and female entrepreneurs can learn from the writings of these women business leaders. Take inspiration from their experiences and bring the lessons from their entrepreneurial journey to your personal and business growth. Use these as your guide as you move forward towards your goals.