Executive Director, Beerenberg Farm
Authentic Leader Development Program, Harvard Business School, 2023

Overlooking the lush fields of her family’s famous strawberry farm, Sally Paech literally leans forward in her chair to prove a fundamental point.

“We are entrepreneurs by nature, we’re never sitting back and thinking ‘great, we’ve got this’. We’re continually innovating and always, always trying something new,” she says.

It’s a philosophy that has carried the Paech family through nearly 200 years on their Hahndorf property, and six generations of turning strawberries into one of South Australia’s most recognisable icons: Beerenberg Farm. What began as Grant and Carol Paech selling homemade jam from the farm kitchen has grown into a global condiment brand, a tourism destination, and a name synonymous with the Adelaide Hills, and indeed South Australia.

Sally, who’s worked in the family business for the past 17 years, says the secret to Beerenberg’s longevity isn’t fruit and sugar. It’s vision. And values.

“You think differently when you’re in it for the long game. You’re not asking, ‘what can I take out of this?’ You’re asking, ‘what can we build for future generations’.”

Purpose sharpens those choices.

“Our brand purpose is to share a taste of the country life… when people visit, when they eat our products, when they see them in the fridge. That immediately rules out a whole lot of things that we won’t do because it doesn’t align with our brand purpose.”

Before Beerenberg

Fresh out of uni at 20 with a Bachelor of Business (Marketing), Sally didn’t always plan her path around the business. Recruitment led her to Melbourne, where she handled national clients including the Commonwealth Bank.

From there, her world widened further. A role in a consulting firm managing AusAID, World Bank and United Nations projects thrust her into the mechanics of international development, which inspired a Master of Social Science.

Later, in Victoria’s Gippsland, she moved into local government. As Community Services Manager she led youth and aged-care programs, managed 100 home carers, and reported directly to the CEO.

“I didn’t feel ready; I was not ready. But if I hadn’t have done it, I wouldn’t have learned. I wouldn’t have stretched. I wouldn’t have built my capacity as a leader.”

Returning to the Hills

It wasn’t until she returned home to South Australia – toddler in one arm, baby in the other – that Sally stepped into the family business.

“It wasn’t some grand plan; it was timing and opportunity. My brother said, ‘can you look after the website?’ That was in 2008.”

What began as a part-time role evolved into Marketing Director, where she oversaw a major rebrand in 2013 and helped steer Beerenberg through more than a decade of growth. This year, Sally shaped a new portfolio: Executive Director of Family Governance & Community Partnerships. It’s a title that might sound corporate, but its heartbeat is deeply human.

She runs the Paech family council, bringing together siblings, in-laws and grandchildren to ensure every generation feels connected to the farm’s future. She leads philanthropy initiatives that teach the family’s children the value of giving. She forges partnerships with charities like Variety – The Children’s Charity through her role as Variety’s Board Chair, creating opportunities for Beerenberg staff to volunteer. And she sits on the Adelaide Hills Tourism Board, working to preserve and promote the very landscape that sustains the farm.

“Our kids don’t have to work in the business but whether they like it or not, they’ll always be connected to it. Building social capital within the family and giving back to the community that supports us – that’s what legacy really means.”

Harvard leadership lessons

In 2024, Sally travelled to Boston to study Authentic Leadership Development at Harvard Business School – an opportunity made possible by an Industry Leaders Fund (ILF) grant.

She admits she felt like “Sally from the strawberry farm” among 150 executives from multinational corporations. But what struck her was how universal the experience of leadership is.

She says the six-day course was less about strategy and more about stripping back the layers of identity. One exercise asked participants to tell their life story in two minutes – then retell it without mentioning anything from the first version.

 “The first story is about jobs and achievements. The second becomes deeper, more personal.”

By the end, Sally felt “emptied out, rearranged, and put back together with clarity.”

“Leadership needs confidence. Harvard gave me that. It taught me to be comfortable with being uncomfortable, to make tough decisions. If you know yourself, you can lead with purpose.”

The power of the ILF

Without the ILF, Sally admits Harvard would have remained out of reach.

“The personal and professional development of people is fundamental to our economy because we need emotionally intelligent, forward-thinking South Australians with an international viewpoint, which is what the ILF provides.

“I think of the saying ‘a person’s mind, once expanded, can never go back to its original dimensions’. That was the case for me, I came back with a different perspective.”

Looking forward

With Beerenberg’s first-ever external CEO at the helm, the Paech family is reimagining the next decade. The details are under wraps, but Sally promises bold ambitions.

“We’ve never considered selling. For us, it’s about reinvestment, about the next generation, about our community and our role within it.”

And as she looks out over the rows of berries from her office window, Sally knows leadership – like farming – is never done.

Sally’s Leadership Lessons

• Know your purpose – personal and organisational.
• Say yes before you feel ready – growth happens in discomfort.
• Forgive yourself – mistakes are lessons, not verdicts.
• Get comfortable being uncomfortable – tough calls come with the territory.
• Lead with authenticity, not ego – people can smell the difference.