Institution: University of Adelaide
Course: Professional Management Program
Institution: Department of Defence (Australia)
Course: Defence and Industry Study Course
My path towards leadership and management was not linear, but instead a headfirst dive straight into the deep end of business.
After 15 years in the design industry, in 2018 I left my career in Interior Architecture to join my brother as Co-Founder of a high-tech startup based on an advanced composites technology he invented that had global application. It has often been noted that this was a significant career shift, however in response I highlight the shared ethos of creation and ambiguity tolerance that both design and startups share.
Business strategy had for many years been an interest of mine but in those first formative years of our company, we had an incredible technology, grit and determination, but no formal business training.
In 2019 I was fortunate to be introduced to the ILF and visited by the former CEO of the ILF, Geoff Vogt. I still recall what Geoff said to me after his visit – he said while we don’t have many startups in the ILF cohort, I see something in you, and I want to support you. I was encouraged to apply and fortunate to be granted scholarships for 2 courses – the Professional Management Program (PMP) and the Defence and Industry Study Course (DISC).
The PMP is offered at the University of Adelaide Business School and is a mix of core subjects and electives that encompass a broad overview of what you would find if you completed an MBA – it is often used as a lead into the larger course. I found it to be a brilliant basis to build my business knowledge upon. I was starting to learn the rules of the game.
The DISC is a residential program run by the Australian Department of Defence that takes place in 4x 1-week modules all over Australia. The cohort are a mix of Defence personnel and Defence industry, ranging the entire spectrum of Defence seniority and industry from startups to Primes. Originally scheduled to take 12 months to complete, the arrival of the Covid pandemic impacted the scheduling of my courses, particularly the DISC, as interstate travel was stopped. However, the extended timeframe proved to be beneficial. The cohort became incredibly close, and Praxis received our first contract with the Australian DoD due to the relationships I formed during the DISC.
The ILF has gone well beyond the scholarships in its support of Praxis and myself. It has provided consistent support and networks that have been critical to navigating the choppy waters of starting a business.
From the Defence course that helped us enter that market, the framework that the Professional Management Program gave me, the guidance from my ILF mentor through the mentorship program, to introductions through the network that led to finding our first CEO and our Chair. All that came from the ILF, and I have no doubt it will be ongoing.
