After spending 15 years working with Microsoft Dynamics, I had built a career I was proud of—leading a talented team of consultants and delivering some seriously complex projects. But despite the success, I had hit a ceiling. Growth opportunities were limited, and I found myself doing more of the same, with fewer chances to challenge myself in new ways.

I was ready for something different and I had been watching HubSpot’s trajectory with interest—it was clear the platform was shaking things up and creating new possibilities in the CRM space. That innovation really appealed to me. Just as importantly, I wanted to work somewhere that valued fresh thinking and diverse leadership. After a long stretch of reporting to male managers, the idea of being supported by a strong female leader felt like exactly the kind of shift I was craving.

That’s when I started talking to Fraser. At first, it felt like a slow burn—a few conversations, some wishful thinking, and a bit of uncertainty about whether it would really come together. But it did. And when it did, it felt right.

Joining Engaging.io as Solutions Consulting Lead for North America has been the fresh start I needed. I finally have the space to grow again—and the backing of a team that’s as passionate, bold, and future-focused as I am.

Plus, I get to do all this from home, with the flexibility to work the hours that suit me best. It’s no surprise Engaging.io is ranked one of the best tech workplaces in Australia—it really is that good.

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When we started the business, our whole purpose and philosophy was to do ‘good work with good people’ and to prove you can have a successful business AND be nice to people. I never set out to be a female CEO, just a CEO, but in the tech space, it’s naive to think that being a female doesn’t make a difference when only 17% of CEOs are female. Ensuring more women are taking on roles in senior leadership positions is a particular passion of mine.

We started Engaging.io when I had two very little boys running around at home, so family first was how I needed to operate. We wanted to ensure that each employee also had the opportunity to put their family lives first, so we built up our internal processes and incentives around that philosophy. I wanted to be the kind of CEO that lived and breathed the values we created and instilled this into my team by leading by example. It’s also why we have one of the best flexible working and paternity policies in the world.

I have of course come up against sexism, misogyny and well, not particularly nice people along the way, but that’s the awesome thing about having your own business. We only work with people that we know we can help and who share our values. If you’re not a nice person, then you don’t get the privilege of partnering with us. So far I don’t regret a single decision when it comes to turning down work.

I do feel a responsibility as a female leader in a still mainly male dominated tech space to encourage and embrace diversity in all its forms, and am really proud of the eclectic team we’ve built across four countries.

I’ve been nominated for awards, interviewed by journalists, asked to judge on panels, and it’s always really flattering to get that recognition. But I hope my legacy will be to leave the world a better place than I found it, to encourage diversity and collaboration and to be aware of our responsibilities as humans to look after the world around us.

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I worked for one of Engaging.io’s clients, and always got on well with Michelle and the team. When I was looking to leave I reached out to Michelle and was over the moon to be offered a role. Imagine my dread when only a few weeks into the role I found out I was pregnant. I was over the moon about the pregnancy, but terrified about telling my new CEO.

As it turned out I didn’t need to be. Michelle couldn’t have been happier for me, and despite not working for the qualifying period, I was still given full maternity pay.

When I came back from Mat leave, I dropped down to a 4 day week, and whilst it’s never easy working part time hours in a busy and demanding role, I do manage to make it work. I also get heaps of support and flexibility from the business, so when unexpected things pop up as they frequently do with a young baby, I never felt like I had to choose between work and my daughter.

It’s also amazing to know that if I have another child, not only do I get extended paid maternity leave, but also my full super contributions paid for a full 12 months.

I don’t really have anything to compare it to having only been a mum since working at Engaging.io, but it’s hard to imagine a culture that supports and embraces parenthood more. We even have a SLACK channel just for baby pictures!

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Despite working for a business based in Australia, I live and work in Auckland. I enjoy traveling and so when I get the opportunity to go with work to Australia or the USA then it’s always a bit of an adventure, but working in another country day-to-day has never caused me an issue at Engaging.io as the business is set up for people to collaborate effectively no matter where they are.

What was very cool this year was being able to take my first ever ‘workcation’. My wife is Brazilian and until working for Engaging.io it was always a toss up between short and rushed trips to South America and longer unpaid breaks from work. Engaging.io let me work from Brazil for 6 weeks, so we no longer had to compromise. The 16 hour time difference didn’t always make it easy, but my CEO worked with me to find ways to make it work. As a result, I got to see all my extended family and have an amazing time on the other side of the world, but didn’t have to lose all my annual leave to do it. It was so refreshing just to be trusted to get my work done.

It’s definitely something I’ll do again as it wasn’t just my life that was made easier, but my wife and my son’s. To be this is the epitome of flexible working at its best.

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