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Two small businesses empower like-minded women in the workforce

Roisin Kelly-Goldsmith
Jacquie Sharples. Photographer: Anthony Sharples

Only a few years ago, Jacquie Sharples worked nine till five as an engineer in Melbourne, pursuing her interests of health and fitness on the weekends. She felt the impact of a busy professional career, having little time to nurture her mind and body.

With the experience of a fast-paced career behind her, Jacquie left engineering to create her own small business, Carpe Diem Wellbeing.  Jacquie feels careers are often unessesarily tiring and stressful. Her business provides solutions for the working woman, helping to harmonise work and home life.

Carpe Diem Wellbeing, inspired by the aphorism, “seize the day”, is a holistic health and fitness program which strays from the mainstream expectation of losing weight and keeping thin.  Jacquie isn’t convinced weight loss programs are good for body image. Instead, her program redirects the mindset of body loathing to one of self love and care.

“It’s quite sad. One of the sentences I would hear all the time was, ‘I hate my body’ or ‘I don’t like my body,'” Jacquie says when disucussing the inspiration behind her new book.

Published in April, If Your Body Could Talk aims to combat these popular feelings among women. It’s written from the perspective of the body, a consideration on the psychology of body image. Cleverly structured in letter form, the book is designed to suit people who are time poor. The reader can just open the book on any page and take in its life-affirming and educational material.

It’s a similar success story for Tess McCabe, who was dissatisfied in a work environment with little room to collaborate with others.

She took over from Creative Women’s Circle around six years ago, and the business continues to grow with more creative talent. Creative Women’s Circle is a networking business linking like-minded creative women to better businesses and creative ideas.

“I think creative people by nature are often multifaceted people. Often we don’t just commit ourselves to one creative stream or one industry. We really like to cross pollenate in terms of different skills, so it’s important to have a network of people around you,” Tess explains.

Although online social networking has its place, Tess believes personal networking is equally essential for success, especially to foster creative minds. Services at Creative Women’s Circle include guest speakers and events, all with attendees eager for grow in their respective industries. Its structure is unique in being specifically for women. Tess notes it’s common for women having to choose between career and motherhood. As the mother of a young child, she knows too well industry success doesn’t always run seamlessly. For those who weave through parenting roles and jobs, Creative Women’s Circle is a platform for ongoing networking and business support.

Tess is a book designer by trade, and her latest book compliments the networking philosophy behind Creative Women’s Circle. The second in its series, Conversations With Creative Women, Volume Two records Tess interviewing professional women. Each interview is reflective and insighful, which Tess hopes creative women will identify with. Essentially, its a product of the kind of book she wants to read.

“It’s a great way to celebrate the achievements and highlight the stories behind a lot of female run brands and female run businesses I admire. And I know other people are really interested in them too,” Tess says.

Jacquie Sharples and Tess McCabe as women at the forefront of successful small businesses, exemplify the expanding need for managing and accepting challenges of work and home life. Both are utilising the medium of books and business models to communicate with women, encouraging them to better themselves, careers and businessses.

Tess McCabe. Photographer: Martina GemmolaTess McCabe's book design. Photographer: Martina Gemmola