Helen has more than 20 years’ experience in healthcare in a range of roles including the delivery and design of research, clinical service leadership and regulation. As a leader Helen is known for achieving results, supporting individual growth whilst leading with compassion, authenticity, and care. Her professional career has been underpinned with the consistent objective of improving health outcomes and patient safety.
When did you start your business?
2020
What was the inspiration behind starting this business?
At age 39, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Share the Kindness was born from a happy collision of ideas. A need to find a tool for my own young girls to help them to understand my hair-loss and the need to give myself permission to accept help whilst I had treatment.
What are you most excited about in your business?
That such a small gift of kindness of one of our dolls has on patients and their children who receive them can have a profound impact on their experience. Like ripples on a pond, kindness starts small, with a kind word or gesture and it is exciting to see those ripples grow into something more.
What has been the most challenging thing about starting your business?
Being patient with myself and with the speed at which we have been able to grow and adapt.
What advice would you give to other women thinking about starting a business?
Authenticity is a personally truthful behaviour defined by you based on your personal experiences. It is not something that is taught, it is something that evolves, but, if you are prepared to be vulnerable, truthful and embrace the life experiences that have made you the person you are today it is achievable. A product or service that comes from an authentic place and that lives and breathes its values is incredibly powerful.
Why did you enter the AusMumpreneur Awards?
To enhance brand awareness and gain product credibility
What did you enjoy the most about being part of the awards?
The opportunity to connect with like minded women in business
What surprised you most about the awards?
How welcoming and genuinely supportive the event attendees were
How did the awards help you in your business?
They have provided me with a ready network of like minded women to connect with. Even if I hadn’t met them in person, when I have reached out all the ausmumpreneurs have been incredibly supportive.
What advice would you give to other mums thinking about entering the awards?
Be authentically you and be proud of what you have achieved. A small achievement for one is a massive achievement for someone else, compare your accomplishments with what you set out to achieve, not what others have achieved.
What has been the best thing about starting your own business?
Seeing the impact that such a small idea can have for individuals and their communities
What’s happening next in your business?
We are in the process of registering as a charity and our next design dolls focus on diversity. From there we want to take steps to enhance sustainability and reduce our environmental footprint.
What are your big plans for the future?
We want to branch out to provide other meaningful and heartfelt supports to patients experiencing cancer. This may be blogs, podcasts or other products that help patients and their families through cancer treatments.
