I have been supporting some of the most significantly labelled women globally, such as women who are experiencing homelessness, engaging in sex work or those who have been engaged in the criminal justice system.

I Founded Bridge It to support young women who have experienced such labels to have a safe and beautiful home where they could work to thrive in life and transcend these labels.Simultaneously, I was increasingly observing that labels were a much broader problem than just being with the women I had dedicated my career to supporting. Conversations with friends and personal experiences lead me to see that labelling was a MUCH bigger problem.

Now in the role of CEO for thefirsttime, I was experiencing comments like “you are just emotional because you are pregnant.” “People think you are pushy.” And increasingly, I was grappling with my internalised fears that I was “too ambitious.” I contemplated this deeply. One day after being labelled negatively AGAIN, I watched my kids bouncing on a trampoline. I have a daughter and a son. I stewed over how incredibly unfair it was that my daughter who by most people’s standards would be considered to be “bossy”, I consider her to be a future leader, will be seen negatively for her assertiveness, whereas my son would be likely to glide through life without such challenges.

As I thought more about it my mind whirled. Was I so afraid of what people would think about me, that I had to adapt how I behaved. I found myself worrying about what I could have said or done to make people think that I was pushy. Did I need to worry that I had cried in a Board room or sobbed in the carpark. I wondered what would be possible if I didn’t hold back anymore. Instead, I would say, “Yep, I am pushy and oh yeah I am very emotional” these are my superpowers, they are the things that make me, me and have contributed to successes that I didn’t know where possible.I thought that I would start a small social experiment starting with me. When I feel the urge to reign in my emotions because I am worried about how I will be perceived, I don’t do it. If I want to cry, I cry. I met with my whole team and let them know that the previous day I had sobbed at work. I want them to know that it is okay to be “emotional” we do hard work and it is not easy. I can lead that culture of being in touch with emotions and not being afraid to express them.

Then I started to communicate very openly with people who support me and Bridge It. I would tell them what I need to continue to run the Cocoon (with zero government funding). I needed more funds and more probono support. What I found was that there was an incredible openness to supporting me and the backers of my charity where happy to know what I needed. This led to very tangible and significant increases in funds that were raised. Which ultimately very significantly improved the lives of the young people we were supporting.

I went and spoke to my Mum to ask why growing up my nickname was “high maintenance Mog.” I truly had no idea why I was called that. Mum explained that, I was always rushing, always trying to get somewhere and that I put that stress onto everyone else. For example I needed a lift to a friends house and I needed to leave 5 minutes ago and everyone needed to drop everything to get me there. I think being frantic, pushed to my limit and trying to rally people is in my genes. I believe it is what has lead me to be a founder 3 times in my 37 years.I always look for opportunities.

When I was 10, I decided that I no longer had a need for all of my teddy bears. I hatched a plan to get a stall at my school fete. I would stick tags to all my teddys and do a prize every time raffle. I made myfirst$40. It felt so sweet to have money I had earned for thefirsttime. I think that may have sparked my love of “win/win” situations (more to come on that!) earning money, doing things differently and getting what I want or need (AKA being pushy.)

Growing up, I had a lot of love. That is something that I have never taken for granted and I understand gives me incredible privilege. But we didn’t have much money. We owned a small home, but my Dad worked hard for us not to loose it. He used to write down every penny that was spent in a black book. We couldn’t afford to go on fancy holidays or for expensive days out. But instead we would go on adventures for whole days walking in the hills with a marmite sandwich.  I saw other children having things that I couldn’t have, an icecream, getting their hair braided. I wanted those things too. I started working young, I was 13 when I got myfirsttwo jobs, one in a gift shop on Brighton seafront and another washing dished in a pub. I wanted my own money, that was so important to me.Now… back to my love of win win situations.

I had been pondering the challenge that Bridge It was facing with no having an government funding and being reliant on the incredible generosity of people to fund us. That didn’t seem very sustainable and made me worried that it was the most critical risk for the organisation. I had already previously experienced what it felt like to sink myfirstsocial enterprise baby because of lack of funds. I am determined that wouldn’t happen again. I wanted to find an income stream that did not rely on donors or government coming to the table.I have an interest in business and think that business has a responsibility to do good. I have consumed hundreds of hours of Dragons Den and was fascinated by start up businesses in particular.

The day I stewed and watched my kids jumping on the trampoline, I thought to myself, imagine in I could set up a business called Challenge The Label which would support women to tell their stories and spark conversations about the power of labels. CTL was born in that moment with a grand total of $400.