Fempire Rising: Her Future, Her Voice

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Welcome to Fempire Rising, her Future, her voice, the podcast where women in business rise, lead and redefine success on their own terms. I'm Trudy Heins, and I'm the CEO of Fempire. I'm an entrepreneur and a business coach, and I believe when one woman rises, we all rise.   Each week we'll dive into real conversations about business, leadership, money and mindset, the highs, the lows, and everything In between, you'll hear stories of women who've turned their fire into focus, their fear into fuel  and their purpose into profit.If you're ready to build a business that gives you freedom, fulfillment, and financial confidence, then you are in the right place.  This is where passion meets purpose, and together we rise  because the future isn't just bright. The future is female.

  1. Episode 1

    Season 5 | Episode 1 | Your Story Is Part of Your Legacy

    Send us Fan Mail In the opening episode of Season 5 of Fempire Rising: Her Future, Her Voice, Trudy Heins sits down with Dr Karen Weaver, author, publisher, speaker and strategist, to explore how our stories, knowledge and experience can become part of something much bigger than ourselves. Season 5, Beyond the Founder, is about what it takes to build a business, platform or body of work that continues creating value beyond the person who started it. Karen’s journey is a powerful example of exactly that. After moving from Northern Ireland to Australia, Karen experienced a period of significant personal change that eventually led her to writing. What began with one book became a career in publishing, helping other women share their stories, build intellectual property and create work that can continue making an impact for generations. Together, Trudy and Karen explore why so many women hesitate to tell their stories, how writing can elevate a personal brand, and why a book can become far more than a marketing tool. They also discuss what it means to build something beyond yourself. Karen shares how she has developed publishing businesses, teams, partnerships and platforms that allow other voices to be heard, while maintaining the values and standards at the heart of the work. The conversation moves into leadership, legacy and the importance of knowing what success means to you personally. Karen explains why she has built her businesses around her values as both a mother and an ambitious entrepreneur, and why growth does not have to come at the expense of the things that matter most. Trudy and Karen also explore inspired leadership, trusting your intuition, choosing opportunities that align with your bigger purpose and understanding when something is simply another distraction. At the heart of this conversation is a simple idea: Your story has value. Your knowledge has value. And what you create today can become part of the legacy you leave behind. If you have ever thought about writing a book, sharing your experience or turning what you know into something that can continue creating impact beyond you, this episode is for you. Connect with Dr Karen Weaver LinkedIn Facebook Episode Highlights 02:28 Karen’s journey from Northern Ireland to Australia 03:35 Navigating PTSD, loss and a major life transition 05:53 The moment that inspired Karen to start writing 07:22 Writing her first 50,000-word novel in 30 days 08:32 Why every woman has a story worth sharing 09:07 Writing from a healed perspective 10:11 Realising she was building something bigger than her personal brand 11:56 Setting the intention to build a million-dollar publishing company 13:59 Trusting your knowing when making business decisions 14:37 Building a business without compromising your values 16:01 Defining success on your own terms 17:10 What stops women from writing their stories 18:22 Turning knowledge and experience into intellectual property 19:37 Legacy, family and showing the next generation what is possible 21:29 Why today’s women’s stories matter for future generations 24:17 Building teams and platforms that extend beyond the founder 25:21 Protecting quality, values and purpose as the business grows 26:32 Creating communities and experiences that live beyond the founder 27:30 Why women rising together matters 29:13 Making decisions that support long-term impact 30:56 How to distinguish an aligned opportunity from the next shiny thing 33:18 Knowing from the beginning that the business would become bigger than her 33:55 How Karen’s definition of success has evolved 35:30 Why the future of leadership is inspired, not controlling 36:25 What Karen hopes people remember about the way she led 37:11 Advice for women entering the next chapter of their business 38:42 Turning your knowledge, story and experience into lasting impact Become a Fempire Certified Business Coach If you're an experienced businesswoman ready to turn your knowledge into a profitable coaching business, we'd love to have a conversation. Learn more: https://fempire.com.au/become-a-coach/ Find a Fempire Certified Business Coach Looking for practical business support from a coach who understands the realities of business ownership? Find your coach: https://fempire.com.au/lp/work-with-a-coach/ Join the Fempire Academy Access practical business resources, masterclasses, templates, playbooks and a supportive community of women building stronger, more profitable businesses. Join the Academy: https://fempire.com.au/join-our-academy/ Connect with Fempire Website: https://fempire.com.au/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fempireinternational/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fempireinternational/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fempire/ Support the show

    Season 5 | Episode 1 | Your Story Is Part of Your Legacy

  2. Episode 2

    Season 5 | Episode 2 | Build It So It Can Run Without You

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Fempire Rising: Her Future, Her Voice, Trudy Heins sits down with Marcia Griffin, entrepreneur, board director, author and experienced business leader, to explore what it really takes to build a business that can thrive beyond its founder. Marcia began her journey with Polar Cosmetics as the company’s only salesperson in Australia. From making nervous cold calls and running presentations in people’s homes, she went on to lead the business across Australia and New Zealand with a field force of 5,000 consultants. That growth forced Marcia to learn an important lesson early. You cannot build something significant if everything has to run through you. Together, Trudy and Marcia explore how she built leaders beneath her, transferred knowledge throughout the organisation and deliberately surrounded herself with people who were better than she was in key areas. They also discuss why culture matters more than simply adding headcount, how a small capable team can outperform a large disengaged one, and why founders need to listen to the people actually doing the work. Marcia shares some of the harder leadership lessons too, including what happens when you hire the wrong person, why leaving someone in the business who should not be there can damage the entire culture, and the importance of dealing with problems quickly. The conversation then turns to Marcia’s second business, skincare company Griffin + Row, which she later sold. Her experience on both sides of business ownership reinforces another important principle for founders: Build your business as though someone may want to buy it one day. That means clear systems, strong processes, accurate information and a business that does not depend entirely on the founder to keep operating. Drawing on her years in boardrooms and her work with CEOs, Marcia and Trudy also explore one of the biggest barriers to stepping back from a business: identity. When being the CEO becomes part of who you are, letting other people lead can feel uncomfortable. But building something beyond yourself requires developing others, trusting them and recognising that there is life beyond the title. The conversation also moves into financial independence, with Marcia sharing the personal experience that shaped one of the strongest messages in her book, Step Up and Wear the Damn Shoes. Her advice to women is clear: understand your money, know where it is going and never hand complete control of your financial future to someone else. If you are building a business that you want to grow, sell, step back from or eventually pass into someone else’s hands, this episode is a reminder that the work begins long before you leave. Connect with Marcia Griffin LinkedIn Website Marcia’s Book Step Up and Wear the Damn Shoes Episode Highlights 02:36 Marcia’s unconventional move from corporate economist to sales 04:05 Making 30 calls before getting her first yes 05:54 Why qualifications are not what make an entrepreneur 06:50 Learning more from successful people than from another degree 07:37 Why sales is not a dirty word 08:12 The lesson that changed Marcia’s view of selling: selling equals relating 09:12 Growing from one salesperson to a field force of 5,000 09:37 Building leaders and transferring knowledge throughout the organisation 11:41 Why purpose matters when building a team 12:57 What a business really needs versus what founders think it needs 14:49 Culture, respect and listening to the people doing the work 15:24 What happened when the wrong person joined the business 16:39 Why leaving the wrong person in a team damages culture 17:43 Building Griffin + Row and learning a completely different business model 19:19 What buyers look for when purchasing a business 22:27 Why every founder should keep their business sale-ready 23:24 What Marcia sees working with CEOs today 23:42 Why people are both the greatest opportunity and greatest challenge in business 25:17 Using outsourcing and AI to create greater capacity 27:11 Why founders need to adapt rather than fear change 27:36 Is failing to let go a systems problem or an ego problem? 28:03 When being CEO becomes part of your identity 29:34 Marcia’s advice for women considering board roles 31:44 How Marcia secured her first board position 32:39 Why board opportunities should align with your values 34:00 When Marcia first started thinking about legacy 34:38 The legacy created through developing other people 35:40 How Marcia’s definition of success has changed 36:55 The knowledge she now feels responsible for passing on to women 37:04 The financial experience behind Step Up and Wear the Damn Shoes 38:57 Why women must remain in control of their money 41:55 Knowing when it is time to let go or move on 43:11 How Marcia hopes people remember the way she led 43:54 What comes after business growth? 45:56 The four areas of life that matter beyond business 46:36 Why you should not wait until retirement to start living Become a Fempire Certified Business Coach If you're an experienced businesswoman ready to turn your knowledge into a profitable coaching business, we'd love to have a conversation. Learn more: https://fempire.com.au/become-a-coach/ Find a Fempire Certified Business Coach Looking for practical business support from a coach who understands the realities of business ownership? Find your coach: https://fempire.com.au/lp/work-with-a-coach/ Join the Fempire Academy Access practical business resources, masterclasses, templates, playbooks and a supportive community of women building stronger, more profitable businesses. Join the Academy: https://fempire.com.au/join-our-academy/ Connect with Fempire Website: https://fempire.com.au/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fempireinternational/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fempireinternational/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fempire/ Support the show

    Season 5 | Episode 2 | Build It So It Can Run Without You

  3. Episode 3

    Season 5 | Episode 3 | Build a Business That Does Not Depend on You

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Fempire Rising: Her Future, Her Voice, Trudy Heins sits down with Monica Hester, founder of Hester Business Solutions, business coach, entrepreneur and founder of Working for a Purpose, to explore what it really takes to build a business that can thrive beyond the founder. Monica started Hester Business Solutions from a desk in her two-bedroom apartment in 2004. More than two decades later, the business serves thousands of clients across merchant services, point of sale and lending, and Monica now runs multiple businesses. The conversation begins with one of the most important questions a business owner can ask before launching something new: Is the first business actually stable enough to support the next one? Monica explains why age and revenue alone are not enough. Before starting a second business, the first needs systems, structure, financial stability and enough capacity so the founder is not simply multiplying chaos. From there, the conversation turns to the numbers. Drawing on Monica’s background in banking, she and Trudy discuss why understanding your financial position is one of the most important skills a business owner can develop. You do not need to become a bookkeeper or accountant, but you do need to understand what your numbers are telling you. Monica breaks down the financial reports every business owner should understand, including profit and loss, balance sheet, cash flow, accounts receivable and payable, and budget versus actuals. They also explore why leaving financial understanding entirely in the hands of a team member can lead to poor decisions, misplaced spending and a loss of control over the business. The conversation then shifts from commercial business to purpose-led work. Monica shares the story behind Working for a Purpose, her nonprofit supporting children and families in single-parent households. Rather than building an organisation that depended entirely on her, Monica deliberately created community relationships, partnerships and referral pathways so the organisation could continue operating beyond her direct involvement. Stepping back was not without challenges. Monica talks openly about losing good people who were not necessarily the right people for the role, revisiting company culture, strengthening systems and giving new team members clear boundaries and genuine decision-making authority. Her strongest lesson is simple: Money can buy equipment, technology and buildings. It cannot automatically buy good people, trust, leadership, accountability or culture. Those things have to be built. As a Fempire Certified Business Coach, Monica now helps other business owners make the same shift. She sees owners arrive feeling overwhelmed, out of control and lacking confidence, then begin to change when they realise the business does not have to depend entirely on them. The shift is from: “I have to make everything happen” to: “We can make this happen.” If you are building a business, thinking about adding another one, trying to step away from the day-to-day or simply wondering how to create something that can continue without you, this episode is for you. Connect with Monica Hester Hester Business Solutions HBS Coaching LinkedIn Working for a Purpose Working for a Purpose supports children and families in single-parent households with assistance designed to help keep families stable and supported. Learn more or support the organisation Episode Highlights 02:18 Starting Hester Business Solutions from a two-bedroom apartment 02:36 Building trust and transparency in merchant services 03:57 What must be true before starting a second business 05:32 Managing time and capacity across multiple businesses 06:40 Why financial literacy is critical for business owners 06:46 The financial reports every founder should understand 09:12 Why accounts receivable matters more than many owners realise 09:43 Budget versus actuals and what they reveal about the business 10:31 Knowing the difference between generating revenue and building wealth 11:42 What happens when the owner does not understand the numbers 12:26 Why every business expense needs a return 13:23 Building Working for a Purpose through community and partnerships 14:39 The mission behind Working for a Purpose 15:30 Why the organisation became deeply personal for Monica 16:58 What Monica learned when she stepped back 18:56 Why systems, culture and decision-making authority matter 20:41 What changes when the owner is no longer the only person who knows how things work 22:03 The first resistance business owners have to stepping back 22:21 Using the numbers to challenge that resistance 23:16 How quickly Monica has seen owners make the shift 23:54 What to do with the time you get back 24:23 Why exit strategy should be discussed much earlier 25:45 Monica’s early vision for her future 27:11 What she has built that will continue beyond her 28:06 How Monica’s definition of success has changed 29:44 Why she now feels responsible for helping other women achieve their dreams 31:39 How to know when it is time to let go 33:08 The leadership qualities Monica hopes people remember 34:59 Monica’s advice for women thinking about what comes after growth Become a Fempire Certified Business Coach If you're an experienced businesswoman ready to turn your knowledge into a profitable coaching business, we'd love to have a conversation. Learn more: https://fempire.com.au/become-a-coach/ Find a Fempire Certified Business Coach Looking for practical business support from a coach who understands the realities of business ownership? Find your coach: https://fempire.com.au/lp/work-with-a-coach/ Join the Fempire Academy Access practical business resources, masterclasses, templates, playbooks and a supportive community of women building stronger, more profitable businesses. Join the Academy: https://fempire.com.au/join-our-academy/ Connect with Fempire Website: https://fempire.com.au/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fempireinternational/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fempireinternational/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fempire/ Support the show

    Season 5 | Episode 3 | Build a Business That Does Not Depend on You

  4. Episode 4

    Season 5 | Episode 4 | Build the Brand So It Can Grow Without You

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Fempire Rising: Her Future, Her Voice, Trudy Heins sits down with Alicia Hagen, founder of Mint Peach Media, digital marketing strategist and multi-business owner, to explore what happens when a business has been built around the founder, and what needs to change if she wants it to grow beyond her. Alicia has spent 19 years in digital marketing, running paid advertising campaigns for businesses in Australia and internationally. But what makes her especially relevant to Season 5, Beyond the Founder, is the way she has deliberately built some of her own businesses so they are not dependent on her face, personality or personal following. Together, Trudy and Alicia unpack a problem many small business owners do not recognise until they are ready to step back. If all of the marketing revolves around you, your face, your voice and your personal relationship with customers, you may have built a successful business, but you may also have made it much harder to hand over, scale or sell. Alicia shares the story of Art Escape, a business she and her business partner built with an exit in mind from the beginning. Rather than making themselves the focus, they built the marketing around the customer experience, the outcomes and the business model. Once the numbers consistently showed that a future owner could work fewer days and still generate a strong income, the business was ready to sell. The conversation also explores Alicia’s NDIS business, Marching Forward, where she and her business partner have worked to preserve the heart and values of the original service while building a larger team around it. They discuss why founders have to become comfortable with other people doing things differently, why 70 per cent done well can sometimes be enough, and why micromanaging good people can prevent a business from ever growing beyond its owner. Marketing is also a major focus of the episode. Alicia explains why stepping away from being the face of a business does not have to mean losing revenue, provided there is a strong lead funnel bringing new customers into the business. She shares practical advice on building an email database, maintaining consistent lead generation and transitioning customers away from direct access to the founder. Trudy and Alicia also discuss authenticity in marketing, why simple real images often outperform polished or obviously AI-generated content, and why the strategy needs to change depending on whether you are using Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn or other platforms. The conversation becomes particularly practical when they look at what must be in place before marketing can be handed over. Standard operating procedures, clear ownership of passwords and platforms, an understanding of the numbers, and a defined marketing strategy are all critical. Alicia also shares her view on when a small business should and should not hire a marketing agency, why founders still need a basic understanding of their own marketing, and the numbers that matter far more than followers, impressions or pretty reports. If you are still writing every post, creating every graphic, answering every lead and managing every piece of marketing yourself, this episode is a practical guide to starting the transition. Because building beyond the founder is not about disappearing. It is about creating a business that can still attract customers, deliver value and grow, even when you are no longer doing everything yourself. Connect with Alicia Hagen Mint Peach Media Marching Forward LinkedIn Instagram Episode Highlights 02:37 How much of Mint Peach Media still depends on Alicia 03:22 Building Art Escape with a future sale in mind 04:44 The financial milestone that told Alicia the business was ready to sell 05:45 Why having a clear exit strategy changes how you build 06:46 Choosing capacity and passion when multiple businesses compete for attention 07:26 The story behind Marching Forward 08:56 Balancing purpose with commercial sustainability 10:25 Deciding where the founders needed to step back 11:53 What happens when the founder is the face of the business 13:16 Why stepping back requires founders to accept that others will do things differently 14:48 Can revenue survive when the founder is no longer front and centre? 15:45 Why new customers can make a transition easier 17:06 Building a lead funnel that works without the founder 18:03 Why your email database is one of your most valuable business assets 19:18 Alicia’s approach to keeping herself out of the spotlight 20:05 Why authentic content often outperforms overly polished marketing 21:00 The psychology behind what stops the scroll 21:58 What works differently on LinkedIn 24:13 Why standard operating procedures matter if you want to step away 25:07 A simple way to document processes without spending weeks doing it 25:59 Why every founder should document tasks, even without an immediate exit plan 28:07 What business owners get wrong when they hand marketing over 29:45 Why founders still need to understand how their marketing works 31:25 The numbers that matter more than impressions and reach 32:25 Why AI and better systems are changing the role of marketing agencies 34:05 When Alicia first began thinking beyond financial success 35:01 The legacy she hopes to create through Marching Forward 35:58 How Alicia’s definition of success has changed 37:13 Why women do not need to turn themselves into influencers to build successful businesses 38:44 Knowing when it is time to let go or pivot 40:14 How Alicia hopes people remember the way she led 43:24 Building deliberately towards your own definition of growth 46:18 The first steps to stop being your own entire marketing department 47:22 Using AI, systems and support to remove yourself from day-to-day marketing Become a Fempire Certified Business Coach If you're an experienced businesswoman ready to turn your knowledge into a profitable coaching business, we'd love to have a conversation. Learn more: https://fempire.com.au/become-a-coach/ Find a Fempire Certified Business Coach Looking for practical business support from a coach who understands the realities of business ownership? Find your coach: https://fempire.com.au/lp/work-with-a-coach/ Join the Fempire Academy Access practical business resources, masterclasses, templates, playbooks and a supportive community of women building stronger, more profitable businesses. Join the Academy: https://fempire.com.au/join-our-academy/ Connect with Fempire Website: https://fempire.com.au/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fempireinternational/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fempireinternational/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fempire/ Support the show

    Season 5 | Episode 4 | Build the Brand So It Can Grow Without You

  5. Episode 5

    Season 5 | Episode 5 | Build the Salon, Not the Chair

    Send us Fan Mail Content note: This episode includes discussion of childhood sexual abuse, domestic violence and mental health. Please listen with care. If this raises anything for you, support is available through 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) or Lifeline (13 11 14) in Australia, or your local support services. In this episode of Fempire Rising: Her Future, Her Voice, Trudy Heins sits down with Jenni Tarrant OAM, owner of Bond Hair Religion in Kingston, Canberra, multi-award-winning hairdresser and founder of the Tarrant Foundation, to explore what it takes to build a business that clients come back to for the business, not for one person. Jenni has spent more than four decades in the hair industry and more than two decades owning Bond. What makes her especially relevant to Season 5, Beyond the Founder, is that she has done this in one of the hardest industries in the world to build beyond yourself. In hairdressing, the client follows the stylist. When the stylist leaves, the client usually leaves with them. Bond has been built differently. Its clients come for the salon, its team wins national awards in their own right, and Jenni is confident the business would run well if she stepped away for a year. Together, Trudy and Jenni unpack how that happened, starting with consistency. Every team member at Bond, from first-year apprentices to management, follows the same precise procedures, from how a client is greeted to how they are gowned up. The result is an experience so reliable that clients who follow a departing stylist elsewhere often come back. The conversation then turns to leadership, and Jenni is refreshingly honest about what it cost her. She set out to be the boss she never had. She closed the salon to take her team to Bali, paid for everything and kept giving more, expecting loyalty in return. It did not work. Jenni explains how she replaced that approach with a 50/50 goals model, where team members set personal and professional goals and must match what the business invests in them. She also shares a lesson many women business owners will recognise. The people-pleasing patterns we carry in our personal lives often show up in our businesses, along with the disappointment and resentment that follow when staff do not respond the way we hoped. For Jenni, real growth in the business started with work on herself, supported by a business coach and a life coach. Hiring is another major focus of the episode. Jenni ended her turnover problem by identifying the values shared by her longest-serving team members and building them into Bond's core values. Every applicant now rates those values before anything else, and only those who match at least three of the top ten get an interview, no matter how short-staffed the salon is. Trudy and Jenni also discuss what it means when good people leave for the right reasons, and why developing the next generation of leaders is part of building something that lasts. The episode closes with the Tarrant Foundation, built off the back of the business to support people facing domestic violence, sexual abuse, homelessness and mental health challenges. Jenni shares the personal story behind it and how the foundation gives 100% of donations to people in need, through goods and services rather than cash. If you own a salon, clinic or practice where you are the one everyone books with, this episode is a practical and honest guide to building something bigger than your own chair. Because building beyond the founder is not about being less present. It is about creating a business with the systems, values and people to keep delivering, even when you are not in every appointment. Connect with Jenni Tarrant OAM Bond Hair Religion The Tarrant Foundation LinkedIn Episode Highlights 02:50 Starting in hairdressing at 14 03:31 Managing a salon at 21 and buying the salon she worked in 04:37 Building a salon clients come to for the salon, not one chair 05:06 Why Bond tells clients where a departing stylist has gone 06:57 The precise procedures behind a consistent client experience 08:22 Why every team member follows the same process every time 09:09 The Bali trip and the cost of trying to be the perfect boss 10:30 The 50/50 goals model: you want it, you match it 11:50 Why money is not always the motivator 12:52 How people-pleasing shows up in business 14:19 The martyrdom trap and the work Jenni had to do on herself 15:41 Why Jenni invests in a business coach and a life coach 17:30 Being a great hairdresser does not make you a great business owner 18:30 Hiring on values: the three out of ten rule 19:30 When good people leave for the right reasons 21:47 Separating friendship from business relationships 22:36 Mind, heart and soul: why Jenni built the Tarrant Foundation 23:40 Kokoda, Kilimanjaro and fundraising outside her comfort zone 28:54 What would happen at Bond if Jenni was away for a year 29:40 Lifting the professional standing of the hair industry 30:43 When Jenni first began thinking about legacy 32:00 What Jenni has built that will continue beyond her 32:50 How Jenni's definition of success has changed 33:36 The knowledge Jenni feels responsible for passing on 35:57 Knowing when to let go and watching your people grow 37:30 Leading with fairness, firmness and fun 39:16 Advice for women thinking about what comes after growth 40:24 Where to start if you are the one every client books with 41:29 Who Bond does its best work for 42:35 How the Tarrant Foundation works and how to support it Become a Fempire Certified Business Coach If you're an experienced businesswoman ready to turn your knowledge into a profitable coaching business, we'd love to have a conversation. Learn more: https://fempire.com.au/become-a-coach/ Find a Fempire Certified Business Coach Looking for practical business support from a coach who understands the realities of business ownership? Find your coach: https://fempire.com.au/lp/work-with-a-coach/ Join the Fempire Academy Access practical business resources, masterclasses, templates, playbooks and a supportive community of women building stronger, more profitable businesses. Join the Academy: https://fempire.com.au/join-our-academy/ Connect with Fempire Website: https://fempire.com.au/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fempireinternational/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fempireinternational/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fempire/ Support the show

    Season 5 | Episode 5 | Build the Salon, Not the Chair

  6. Episode 6

    Season 5 | Episode 6 | Two Brokers, One Brand: Building a Partnership That Outlasts the Person

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Fempire Rising: Her Future, Her Voice, Trudy Heins sits down with Tina Howes, director of Amara Mortgage Brokers and a member of the Fempire Collective, to explore what it takes to build a business partnership that holds together, and a business that does not depend on any one person. Tina spent 14 years in commercial and corporate banking and seven years as a mortgage broker before starting Amara four years ago with her business partner, Tom. What makes her especially relevant to Season 5, Beyond the Founder, is the structural decision they made from day one. In broking, the client usually follows the broker. Whoever wrote your loan is who you call, and when that broker leaves or retires, the relationship usually goes with them. That makes many broking businesses very hard to hand over or sell. Tina and Tom chose a different model: two brokers under one brand, with shared systems, a shared team and a clear agreement on what happens if things change. Together, Trudy and Tina unpack how that partnership was built, starting with choosing the right person. Tina and Tom had worked side by side for nearly seven years before going into business together, so they already knew each other's values, work ethic and numbers. Tina explains why aligned vision and values matter more than anything else, including how hard each partner wants to work and how much they want to reinvest in the business versus draw out personally. The conversation then turns to structure. Tina shares why they put a partnership agreement in place from the start, how they agreed in advance what would happen to clients if they went their separate ways, and why defined director lanes make disagreement productive rather than personal. Tom leads on business development, tech, compliance and credit. Tina leads on people, marketing, culture, process and finance. Systems are another major focus of the episode. Every process at Amara is documented, and the client experience is the same whether the loan belongs to Tina or Tom. Because there are two of them, they could hire before they needed to, build the back office early and design the business to scale rather than scrambling to build processes once they were already flat out. Trudy and Tina also discuss what changes when a partnership becomes a brokerage, how business value shifts from individual trail books to the brand, and how to fairly reward partners whose contribution is not always measured in revenue. Tina is refreshingly honest about what she would do differently: say no sooner, avoid shiny-object distractions and get business coaching from the very beginning. If you are considering going into business with someone, or you are a solo operator wondering how to build something bigger than your own client list, this episode is a practical guide to getting the structure right before you sign. Because building beyond the founder is not just about systems. It is about choosing the right people, agreeing on the hard things early, and creating a business that keeps working even when life happens. Connect with Tina Howes Amara Mortgage Brokers LinkedIn Episode Highlights 02:31 From corporate banking to mortgage broking to business owner 03:09 Using quieter periods to work on processes and systems 04:21 Why Tina and Tom chose partnership over a solo brokerage 05:10 Splitting director duties by strength 06:13 How Tina knew Tom was the right business partner 07:10 Why shared values can make or break a partnership 08:02 Partnership as a marriage, and why you need the prenup 08:18 Putting a partnership agreement in place from day one 09:19 Disagreeing productively with clearly defined lanes 09:54 The support network around the partnership 11:06 Advice for anyone considering a business partnership 11:25 Agreeing upfront on what happens to the clients 12:43 Shifting value from the individual broker to the brand 13:56 Building to capacity before bringing in more brokers 14:28 Identical processes for every loan, whoever's client it is 15:51 Why two partners could hire before they needed to 16:30 Shared resources, and Trudy's own exit from a financial planning practice 17:10 If it's just you, you've created yourself a job 18:45 What happens if one partner steps away tomorrow 19:09 How client reviews shifted from naming a broker to naming the team 20:34 What Tina would do differently if she started again 22:19 Why starting a business was about reaching her own potential 23:09 Letting every team member work to their highest and best use 23:30 The culture and process that will continue beyond Tina 24:04 Success as growth, happiness and the journey 25:19 Health first, and why women need to put their hand up 27:00 How to know when to let go of a task 27:33 Leading with authenticity, and the right to say no to clients 28:21 Business growth and personal growth are one and the same 29:39 The one conversation to have before signing with a business partner 29:56 Who Amara works with best Become a Fempire Certified Business Coach If you're an experienced businesswoman ready to turn your knowledge into a profitable coaching business, we'd love to have a conversation. Learn more: https://fempire.com.au/become-a-coach/ Find a Fempire Certified Business Coach Looking for practical business support from a coach who understands the realities of business ownership? Find your coach: https://fempire.com.au/lp/work-with-a-coach/ Join the Fempire Academy Access practical business resources, masterclasses, templates, playbooks and a supportive community of women building stronger, more profitable businesses. Join the Academy: https://fempire.com.au/join-our-academy/ Connect with Fempire Website: https://fempire.com.au/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fempireinternational/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fempireinternational/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fempire/ Support the show

    Season 5 | Episode 6 | Two Brokers, One Brand: Building a Partnership That Outlasts the Person

  7. Episode 7

    Season 5 | Episode 7 | You Can't Sell You: What Makes a Business Worth Buying

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Fempire Rising: Her Future, Her Voice, Trudy Heins sits down with Katrina Ryan, chef, former restaurant owner and business broker with Stockbridge Business Brokers, to answer the question every business owner eventually faces: what is my business actually worth? Katrina began her career in 1987 at Neil Perry’s Blue Water Grill in Bondi and went on to spend five years as head chef at Rockpool, training apprentices including Kylie Kwong. She taught for 12 years at the Spirit House Cooking School on the Sunshine Coast and co-wrote a cookbook along the way. In 2012, she and her husband Mark opened The Golden Pig in Newstead, Brisbane, a licensed cafe by day and a food and wine school by night. They ran it for more than a decade and sold it in 2024. Today, Katrina values and sells other people’s businesses, specialising in hospitality. What makes her especially relevant to Season 5, Beyond the Founder, is that she has sat on both sides of the table. She built a business that ran on her own name and her own hands, turned it into something a buyer would pay for, and now sits opposite other owners trying to do the same. Together, Trudy and Katrina unpack what separates a business worth real money from one worth almost nothing, starting with Katrina’s own sale. Without realising it at the time, Katrina had already been preparing The Golden Pig for sale. She had trained a head chef and a manager to take on more responsibility, built a recipe system that every chef followed, and deliberately shifted the marketing away from her own face. When she took three weeks off to travel overseas, the business ran well without her. The conversation then turns to the buyer’s perspective, and Katrina is direct about what matters most. Profit comes first. A profitable business where the owner is not working 60 or 70 hours a week is far easier to sell. Katrina shares the example of a cafe run under management that is selling at full asking price, with new enquiries coming in every day. A similar business where the owner works full-time will attract fewer buyers and a lower price. She also explains why many owners come to a broker too late, and what needs to be in place well before a sale: documented systems, processes and how-to manualsclean financials, with no blurring between businesses and minimal personal expenses run through the booksbusiness email addresses and phone numbers separated from personal onesa recognisable branda diverse customer and supplier basea clear breakdown of revenue by sourceTrudy and Katrina also discuss the tax trap of minimising profit for years before a sale, why buyers usually look at three years of financials, and why exit strategy should be part of the conversation from the very beginning. Katrina names the blind spots she sees most often. Owners overestimate their profit, often because of GST sitting in the bank account, and underestimate how quickly rising costs erode their margins. They also undervalue their database and, above all, a strong staff culture where trusted people can make decisions. One of her most surprising insights is who actually buys businesses. Very often, it is a loyal customer who already loves the brand. If you are the face, the hands and the engine of your business, this episode is a practical and honest guide to building something a stranger would pay for, whether you plan to sell, step back or simply have more choice. Because building beyond the founder starts with one shift. You cannot sell you. You can only sell a business that runs without you. Connect with Katrina Ryan Stockbridge Business Brokers Katrina’s broker profile LinkedIn Episode Highlights 02:49 How a chef became a business broker 03:39 Was The Golden Pig already a business someone could buy? 04:01 Delegating to key people and the recipe system that made the business transferable 05:20 Deliberately taking the focus off herself in the marketing 06:00 Why you cannot sell you 06:48 What surprised Katrina about selling her own business 07:49 What she would do differently if she were setting up for sale again 08:28 What separates a business worth real money from one worth almost nothing 09:46 The cafe run under management selling at full asking price 11:10 “I’m not selling you, I’m selling the business” 12:00 Why most owners come to a broker too late 12:50 The practical things to fix before you sell 13:30 Customer and supplier concentration risk 14:28 Why some buyers want room to improve 15:35 The biggest fear for any buyer 17:34 Clean financials and the tax trap of minimising profit 18:18 Exit strategy and the three-year financial window 19:57 Why a clear breakdown of revenue matters to buyers 21:07 What makes a hospitality venue worth buying, not just worth working in 21:58 Why your customers are often your most likely buyers 23:23 What owners consistently overestimate 24:30 Pricing, margins and profit as the reward for risk 25:43 What owners undervalue, from databases to staff culture 27:09 Legacy without a master plan 27:40 Passing on knowledge to staff and thousands of students 28:36 How Katrina’s definition of success has changed 29:15 Overcoming imposter syndrome and asking for what you are worth 30:11 Life stages and knowing when it is time to step back 31:20 Leading by example, and when it becomes doing everything 32:12 Being liked versus being respected 33:03 Passive income or sale: why stepping back works either way 34:06 The first thing to do if you are the business 34:57 Who should talk to Stockbridge, and when Become a Fempire Certified Business Coach If you’re an experienced businesswoman ready to turn your knowledge into a profitable coaching business, we’d love to have a conversation. Learn more: https://fempire.com.au/become-a-coach/ Find a Fempire Certified Business Coach Looking for practical business support from a coach who understands the realities of business ownership? Find your coach: https://fempire.com.au/lp/work-with-a-coach/ Join the Fempire Academy Access practical business resources, masterclasses, templates, playbooks and a supportive community of women building stronger, more profitable businesses. Join the Academy: https://fempire.com.au/join-our-academy/ Connect with Fempire Website: https://fempire.com.au/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fempireinternational/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fempireinternational/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fempire/ Support the show

    Season 5 | Episode 7 | You Can't Sell You: What Makes a Business Worth Buying

  8. Episode 8

    Season 5 | Episode 8 | 54 Years and Still Changing: Margaret Porritt on Building a Business That Lasts.

    Send us Fan Mail Please note: During this conversation, Margaret shares her personal views on politics and current affairs. These views are her own and do not represent the views of Trudy Heins or the Fempire team.  In this episode of Fempire Rising: Her Future, Her Voice, Trudy Heins sits down with Margaret Porritt, who started Feathers in Melbourne in 1972, to talk about what more than five decades in business really teaches you. Margaret trained as an apprentice to Norman Hartnell, the royal dressmaker, and learned millinery from her mother. For the first 25 years, she built Feathers stocking Australian designers. In 1995 she launched her own label, Feathers by Margaret Porritt. Along the way she was named Victorian Telstra Businesswoman of the Year, Ragtrader’s Retailer of the Year and Most Inspiring Leader at the Australian Retail Innovators, and she was inducted into the Businesswomen’s Hall of Fame. She is 86, and she is still in business. What makes Margaret especially relevant to Season 5, Beyond the Founder, is that she has traded through every recession and every major shift in retail for more than half a century, and she is still here. Together, Trudy and Margaret go back to the beginning. After her divorce in 1972, with three young sons and very little money, Margaret took a part-time job in a small Melbourne dress shop. Within a year she had bought it, and within three months she had a second store. Her advice for anyone wanting to start a business is to work in that business first, because it all begins and ends on the shop floor. Margaret is refreshingly honest about the biggest mistake of her career. By the late 1980s Feathers was doing more than a million dollars in each location, and she believed she had a formula that could not fail. When the early 1990s recession hit, she stopped listening, and the business fell to $200,000. To survive, she sold her house and put the money into the business. In three years she closed 20 stores and opened 21, testing locations and moving on fast from the ones that didn’t work. She then launched her own label after a major supplier opened a competing store next door and cut her deliveries. Her central lesson is change. Listen to your customers, adapt, and do not let past success convince you that what worked yesterday will work tomorrow. The conversation also covers the hardest chapter of Margaret’s working life. After several years of losses, and following the loss of her youngest son, she announced her retirement. Her customers would not let her go. Feathers has since gone from twelve stores to a leaner model of two stores and an online boutique, with most of its range made in Australia. Trudy and Margaret also discuss: why you should not be embarrassed to contract or pivotmaking decisions quickly and backing yourselfwhy outstanding customer service still sets a business apartsuccession plans that don’t go to planwhy not every business owner wants to sell, and why that is a valid choicethe tension between control and empowerment when you build a teamIf you are facing a tough trading year, weighing up what you are prepared to put on the line, or wondering whether your business can outlast the version of you that built it, this episode is a rare chance to learn from someone who has done it for 54 years. Because building beyond the founder is not about standing still. It is about listening, adapting and having the courage to change, again and again. Connect with Margaret Porritt and Feathers Feathers Boutique Feathers Boutique LinkedIn LinkedIn Episode Highlights 02:36 Margaret on humility and why women undersell their achievements 03:18 Starting again in 1972 after divorce, with three young sons 04:27 From part-time shop assistant to owning two stores in three months 05:40 Why it all begins and ends on the shop floor 06:20 Meeting the market with what customers actually wanted 08:30 The 1990s and the cost of no longer listening 09:13 From over a million dollars per location to $200,000 09:40 Closing 20 stores and opening 21 in three years 10:41 Dropping a major label and launching Feathers by Margaret Porritt 12:33 Selling her house to save the business 13:20 Running a business on instinct 15:02 Announcing her retirement, and the customers who would not let her go 16:40 Knowing your customer and staying clear on who you serve 18:04 Keeping the offer simple 21:32 Margaret’s top advice for tough times: change 22:19 Going from twelve stores to two and an online boutique 23:28 Why women should not be embarrassed to pivot or contract 24:43 Learning new technology at any age 26:57 Why you don’t have to sell your business 28:11 Stepping back, hiring good people and letting them do the job 30:38 Dressing a woman’s spirit and soul 31:54 Outstanding customer service as a point of difference 32:42 Take a deep breath and make the decision 33:55 If it is not the right decision, make another one 35:33 Legacy and succession plans that didn’t go to plan 37:39 What Margaret hopes will continue beyond her 38:19 How recognition followed the hard work 39:02 Speaking from the heart 40:06 Why running a household is running a business, and why women need to understand money 41:19 “I haven’t got to that stage yet” 42:06 Leading with honour and making hard decisions 43:30 Learning to trust and empower people 46:42 Advice for the woman doing it tough this year 47:57 What worked yesterday may not work tomorrow 48:44 The loss of collaboration in business 49:48 Who Feathers serves best Become a Fempire Certified Business Coach If you’re an experienced businesswoman ready to turn your knowledge into a profitable coaching business, we’d love to have a conversation. Learn more: https://fempire.com.au/become-a-coach/ Find a Fempire Certified Business Coach Looking for practical business support from a coach who understands the realities of business ownership? Find your coach: https://fempire.com.au/lp/work-with-a-coach/ Join the Fempire Academy Access practical business resources, masterclasses, templates, playbooks and a supportive community of women building stronger, more profitable businesses. Join the Academy: https://fempire.com.au/join-our-academy/ Connect with Fempire Website: https://fempire.com.au/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fempireinternational/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fempireinternational/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fempire/ Support the show

    Season 5 | Episode 8 | 54 Years and Still Changing: Margaret Porritt on Building a Business That Lasts.
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About

Welcome to Fempire Rising, her Future, her voice, the podcast where women in business rise, lead and redefine success on their own terms. I'm Trudy Heins, and I'm the CEO of Fempire. I'm an entrepreneur and a business coach, and I believe when one woman rises, we all rise.   Each week we'll dive into real conversations about business, leadership, money and mindset, the highs, the lows, and everything In between, you'll hear stories of women who've turned their fire into focus, their fear into fuel  and their purpose into profit.If you're ready to build a business that gives you freedom, fulfillment, and financial confidence, then you are in the right place.  This is where passion meets purpose, and together we rise  because the future isn't just bright. The future is female.

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