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March 08, 2022 7 min read

Today marks a day of celebration, to honour and acknowledge the achievements of every single woman, and to take action towards equality. Today is your day. At Girl and the Sun we strive to make every single woman feel confident through the clothing we design. We chatted with a few friends and fierce women in business who have created an incredible name for themselves through their everyday hard work, talent and strength.

What does being a woman mean to you? 

I think the best way to describe what being a woman means to me is to share what aspect of my life makes me most proud, and that's being a mother. Also what it took to become a mother, and how it completely changed my perspective on what it means to be a woman the day my son was born.  Motherhood has really brought out the good, the bad and the ugly out of me, I'm both my best and my worst self.  The unconditional love I share with my son is one of the deepest and truest relationships I know.  Being a woman means being compassionate and vulnerable towards our loved ones without feeling weak for doing so. It means being selfless & empathetic whilst also being strong & assertive.  Being a woman is A LOT, but I wouldn't have it any other way!

Which woman/women inspire you and why?

While there are many women that inspire me, I always go back to one - Maya Angelou "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." Just one of her many quotes that I reflect on that inspires me.  I believe she personifies what it means to be a woman, her story is extraordinary,  and a true testament of courage & strength.

Advice for your younger self? 

Don't dull your sparkle to make others comfortable! and if you want something, just ask! The worst they can say is no.

What have you learned about yourself since starting your business? 

I think it takes a lot of courage and alot of risks to start a business. I have never thought myself to be a very confident person, and I have always been cautious - so taking risks wasn't really in my DNA. But the day after I quit my full time job to work on my business full time I found out I was pregnant. While fear & panic would have usually been running through my body, it was actually quite the opposite that happened.  I think knowing I was about to be a mother only gave me the courage & strength to really give my all to my business in order for it to succeed. 

 

 
What does being a woman mean to you? 
I'm so many things to so many people - I'm a wife, dog-Mum, daughter and daughter in law, sister and sister-in-law, aunty, friend, and then at work I'm a business partner, employer, manager and colleague so I wear a lot of hats, but I think that's exactly what being a woman is. Women are so diverse, creative, caring and supportive, and that's exactly who and what I want to be. 
 
Which woman/women inspire you and why?
I'm fortunate that I'm surrounded by an incredible group of women in both my work and personal life. My business partner Grace inspires me every day (and even more so now as a new Mum!) and I absolutely couldn't be on this journey of owning and running two businesses without her, or with anyone else! She pushes me further, picks me up when I'm down, is my number 1 cheerleader and reminds me that anything is possible. My sister is exactly the same and is someone who inspires me daily because she is tenacious, has a heart of gold and charisma like no other, is smart and savvy and doesn't take no for an answer. I need to be more like her! And then there is my Mum, whose work ethic and resilience is a massive inspiration. 
 
Advice for your younger self? 
I'd tell her that she's on the right path, and to keep working hard because every opportunity I jumped headfirst into back then has led me to where I am today. I'd remind my younger self to make the most of every opportunity, to stay connected with the people I cross paths with both professionally and personally (because the world is small and there are always ways to collaborate!) and to be present despite living and working in a fast-paced world, because although the days are long, the years are short! 
What have you learned about yourself since starting your business? 
I've learned to be firm, stand my ground and advocate for what's important but always with kindness. I've learned that if you work hard and do good work, good things happen and that with every set back, there is a win right around the corner if you keep pushing forward. 
 
What does being a woman mean to you? 

Being a woman to me is about being resilient and strong and yet caring and gentle. Growing up I was always surrounded by strong women who taught me a lot about being a woman. Motherhood has always been a big part of that as we have a big and traditional Greek family and we grew up close with my aunts & uncles & cousins & my siblings and their families. Becoming a mother myself has been such a huge part of my journey as a woman that I am so incredibly proud & grateful of.

Which woman/women inspire you and why?

I am so fortunate to have so many strong and inspirational women in my life. My late grandmother (my mum's mum) who I was named after, inspired me with her strength and resilience to survive the second world war in Greece when she was only about 3 and to make it to Australia and work her butt off to create a family, a business and a home. She was a strong matriarch in our family. My mother and my aunties are also such a hard workers and amazing mothers and cooks and inspire me daily. I am so grateful for our big family.  

Advice for your younger self? 

Work hard for what you want because nothing worth having comes easy. And from the incredible book by Don Miguel Ruiz – The Four Agreements; Be impeccable with your word; Don’t take anything personally; Don’t make assumptions; Always do your best.And read more books! I love reading and I wish I had started reading more non-fiction books earlier.

What have you learned about yourself since starting your business? 

Gosh where do I start! I have learnt so much! One big one is that I cannot do everything myself and that it is ok to outsource things to other talented people. Team work makes the dream work! Another big one is that I don’t know everything and I am ok with that & that I am constantly learning and growing as a team member and as a boss.    


What does being a woman mean to you? 

To me, being a woman means being myself unapologetically. Through sharing my ideas, pushing boundaries, and finding my own voice, I can prove that gender should never restrict us to the cultural boundaries of how a woman is expected to be. Women are all unique, and that’s the beauty of it.

Which woman/women inspire you and why?

My mum - she entertains and inspires me every day. 

Advice for your younger self? 

Work harder, travel more and make as much money as you can while you're young.

What have you learned about yourself since starting your business? 

My energy is best spent on the areas that I am good at. Hire out to experts in the areas you're not good at and surround yourself with people that will help you achieve your goals.   

What does being a woman mean to you? 

I don’t know if it’s IWD looming, or Grace Tame to thank - but I’ve been pondering this a lot recently. Even with the world being a little weird lately, I feel like there’s never been a better time to be a woman. I’m excited that conversations around gender bias/rights are on the up, that female comradery and community is gaining momentum and that stigmas are being challenged on both a professional and a social level. Sure, we’ve still got a fair way to go, but geez we’ve come a long way - and that is SO worthy of celebration! So for right now, that's what I'm choosing to focus on - playing a part in the process. 

Which woman/women inspire you and why?

I find I'm most inspired by my peers rather than trailblazers/figureheads persay. I’m lucky to be surrounded by a network of uniquely talented and strong women who inspire me at different levels daily. Some successfully run their own businesses. Others are mothers stepping up to the responsibility of raising their sons/daughters to be the best people they can be. Some are quick to call things out or stand up for what they believe is right. ALL of them are legends and there's something I can learn from each of them.  

Advice for your younger self? 
  1. Challenge yourself to question things, don't just accept things at their face value.
  2. Embrace conversations where you feel out of your depth - chances are you'll learn something.
  3. And for the love of god, start wearing SPF daily!
What have you learned about yourself since starting your business? 

A LOT! Mostly it has allowed me to explore and expand my own resilience, which I've come to find super empowering. It's also a trait that I feel everyone should actively work on strengthening. The unpredictability of the past few years has reiterated to me just how little we have control over, and the importance of nuturing and appreciating what is within our power.  


 
 
What does being a woman mean to you? 

To me, being a woman means so many things. As women we are strong, powerful and assertive, but at the same time compassionate and vulnerable. We can show these qualities without feeling weak. 

Which woman/women inspire you and why?

My Yiayia's (grandmothers) are my biggest inspirations. They are both so strong; coming to Australia with nothing and building increible loving families while building a life here in Australia.  

Advice for your younger self? 

Surround yourself with good people & do all things with love. 

What have you learned about yourself since starting your business? 

It would have to be my worth. I think I second guessed myself so many times and in some ways put myself down. But as ive grown, ive come to learn my strengths and worth. 



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