I came across 10thousandgirl, as most of us have – through a friend. It’s foundation in based in social entrepreneurship strongly appealed to me. It helped me to resolve my dilemma “I want to save the world, I just want to be able to have a beach house while doing it.”
I am a strategic brand planner in an advertising agency. I tell businesses where they want to be, and how to get there. I create tangible profit from intangible assets.
It felt a bit ironic then, to be a planner, without a plan.
My mother had always told me that the most important thing I did in life was marry someone rich – “marry right the first time” she said “and life will give you everything you want.” I used this sage advice as motivation to ensure that I became financially independent. With a lack of parental guidance however, it has taken me the best part of the first 10 years of my adult life to understand how to plan for the future.
It wasn’t that I was struggling financially or anything. I just didn’t know how many opportunities I had at my disposal. 10thousandgirl has given me a crash course in confidently navigating my way towards achieving my financial dreams.
10thousandgirl has taught me the value of a solid, continuously evolving life plan. There is something very powerful about having a vision – and sharing that vision with a supportive network of non-judgmental women.
In the Steering Committee we grow our own dreams whilst collectively shaping 10,000 Girl so it flawlessly meets the needs of young women starting on their own life planning journey.
After 8 months on the 10thousandgirl Steering Committee – I now have the confidence to take a career sabbatical.
In July – I am moving to Colombia. I am going write the novel I have always known was inside me – it’s going to be a trashy pot-boiler – I’ll save the great Australian novel for when I have a bit more life experience under my belt.
In the meantime, I am continuing to share the importance of life and financial planning with the women I meet – encouraging them to take life by the horns and shake as much out of it as they want to. Keep that Ripple, Rippling on. Because if nothing else, 10thousandgirl has taught me that those pipedreams are right there for the taking.
