Live from West Tech Fest - the biggest startup and innovation focused festival in Western Australia.

This episode we are joined by Cheryl Mack, CEO of Aussie Angels to discuss democratising angel investing and the investment landscape for startups in Australia. Cheryl arrived in Australia in 2015 and pretty quickly became what The Australian newspaper described as "a force to be reckoned with in the local start up scene".

As CEO of StartCon, she ran the largest start up conference in Australia, as well as creating the Pitch for $1M competition, which saw founders from the Asia-Pacific region and beyond pitching their startups to compete for a total of $1 million in investment. Cheryl is an active angel investor with over 32 startup investments, she leads an angel syndicate with over 450 investors, and she co-runs 361 Angel Club which has more than 500 investors.

We also have some fun little bonus interviews with attendees at WestTechFest!

If you are interested in getting started in angel investing - get in touch with Cheryl on Linkedin here or check out Aussie Angels on their website.

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This episode touches on some difficult topics including family and domestic violence and coercive control, burnout, and children experiencing trauma. If you or someone you know is struggling with difficult conversations or situations, please check out the resources below.

With a passion for connecting people, ideas and opportunities with purpose, Rebecca Beardsley is a creative and strategic thinker with over 25 years' experience in business development, marketing & communications. Having taken the leap from the corporate landscape, Bec is the founder of Untitled & Co, providing coaching to unstoppable female professionals, corporates and B2B organisations and paving the way for them to thrive, flourish and grow one conversation at a time.

In this episode, Bec bravely shares her story of leaving an abusive relationship and moving states; caring for her children who experienced deep trauma; and starting her own business.

Bec would love to connect with female professionals, corporates and B2B organisations who need a little nudge to reach their unstoppable potential. Connect with Bec on LinkedIn!

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1800RESPECT

1800RESPECT is available for free, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to support people impacted by domestic, family or sexual violence.

24/7 Confidential information, counselling and support help line - 1800 737 732

Website for resources, text or video chat - 1800respect.org.au

Support Groups

If you are experiencing (or supporting someone experiencing) trauma, know that you are not alone. Consider reaching out to a support group near you.

ConnectGroups Support Group Directory (Western Australia) - connectgroups.org.au/directory

Mental Health Foundation Australia Directory (Australia-wide) - supportgroup.mhfa.org.au/groups

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This episode touches on some difficult topics including challenges impacting the queer community, and youth suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling with difficult conversations or mental health, please check out the resources below.

Ashara Wills is the visionary force behind Let’s Queer The Air—a transformative business that fosters understanding and inclusion through authentic dialogue and engagement. A multicultural queer woman and a passionate advocate for environments where everyone can thrive, Ashara brings over a decade of experience in diversity, equity, and inclusion across multiple sectors.

Ashara's influence extends beyond boardrooms—she has also made waves in Australian Rules Football (AFL). As a driving force behind the West Coast Eagles' AFLW team and the club’s first registered female coach, she has broken barriers in a traditionally male-dominated arena, leaving an indelible mark on the sport and inspiring future generations.

Ashara would love to connect with businesses and organisations who are passionate about improving DEI within their workforce. If you or someone you know is looking for fun, engaging and compelling educational programs that go beyond just 'box ticking', check out Let's Queer the Air.

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Lifeline Australia

Providing all Australians experiencing a personal crisis with access to 24-hour crisis support.

24/7 Crisis Support Line - 13 11 14

Website for resources or text chat - www.lifeline.org.au/

QLife

QLife provides anonymous LGBTIQ+ peer support and referral for people wanting to talk about sexuality, identity, gender, bodies, feelings or relationships.

National Helpline (3PM to midnight, every day) - 1800 184 527

Website for resources or text chat - https://qlife.org.au/

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This episode touches on some difficult topics including eating disorders and suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling with difficult conversations or mental health, please check out the resources below.

Dr. Katherine is a motivational speaker on the benefits of self-respect. She works with organisations who want leaders that bring 100% of themselves to work and never say leave saying ‘coulda, shoulda, woulda’. She is also a board member, a former tech CEO and multiple scholarship winner. Despite these successes, she hid an eating disorder, severe depression, and suicidal thoughts. Her personal journey drives her to inspire others to find inner peace and overcome self-destructive tendencies.

Dr Katherine needs help spreading her message, so if you or someone you know is looking for a kick-ass keynote for your next event, why not check out her availability here!


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Lifeline Australia

Providing all Australians experiencing a personal crisis with access to 24-hour crisis support.

24/7 Crisis Support Line - 13 11 14

Website for resources or text chat - www.lifeline.org.au/

Butterfly Foundation

For anyone in Australia impacted by eating disorders and body image issues, as well as the families, friends and communities who support them.

National Helpline - 1800 33 4673

Website for resources or text chat - butterfly.org.au/

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With over two decades in startup/scale-up land and two unicorns (startup companies with a value of over $1 billion) under her belt, Sam loves nothing more than helping others shine.

Sam has a flair for building large resilient teams from the ground up, creating the people journey culture, implementing change management processes, streamlining operation processes, firefighting when the house is on fire and assisting companies set the foundations for successful growth.

Sam’s current major project (and hopefully next unicorn) is www.sapher.com – simple, effective, and affordable online security for everyday people. Help her get there by checking it out!
If you’d like to connect with Sam, she’d love to hear from you on LinkedIn or you can find her annually at the back of every session with a glass of champagne at West Tech Fest.

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Kate is an unapologetic feminist. She is the Founder and CEO of She Codes Australia, on a mission to inspire 100,000 women across the country to enter tech careers.

Kate’s work is closing the gender gap in tech, where only 30 per cent of employees are women. Her achievements have been recognised with the Business News 40 Under 40 Award and a Women in Digital Champion of Change award. She was recently named as WA's 2024 Young Australian of the Year.

Join us as we discuss the challenges faced by women entering the tech industry, and how we can be part of the solution.

Kate is on a mission to impact 100,000 women by 2025.
If you or your organisation is interested in meaningfully moving the needle for diversity, partner with one of Australia’s most loved women-in-tech brands, and attract incredible talent for your tech team at the same time - get in touch.

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For centuries women have been told that we’re each other’s worst enemies – but in our experience women are more like otters than queen bees. Female otters – bitches, if you will – join hands with each other to create rafts that stop them from drifting apart and losing each other while they are asleep.

Just like a literal raft of bitches, our experience has been that thriving women often have a tight-knit circle of other women who helped them get there by providing information and support along the way.

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