"Working in business consultancy and as a leadership coach for many years, it took a lot of determination and hard work to be successful. It was even harder to create a voice at the table for Women in Business. What I found was there was an expectation that all business people should be the same - hard nosed and bullish - if they were to succeed.

 

Never one to follow the rules and not great at being hard nosed and bullish, I led my career in a way that felt natural; with compassion.

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I started to notice there was a uniqueness that women brought to Business and I focused my time on pioneering a way for that role to be defined. Compassion with strength and determination. It's a powerful blend.

 

Having grown up as a self confessed 'water baby' and full of determination, I took a break from the corporate life to focus solely on Kiteboarding in 2018. I travelled around the world for 12 months with my kites and a smile.

 

It wasn't long after I started teaching that I recognised that same golden thread for Women in Extreme Sport. We are so unique, so beautiful and we bring this elegant strength to both riding and approach. Ride like a guy? We should be teaching those behind us to ride like a girl.

 

We often take time, focus on the detail, analyse it - sometimes over analyse it - and consider style and technique not just speed and strength. This approach results in finesse, smooth riding and perfection. Something that is hard, harder than just 'going big', to achieve.

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When I grew interested in competitions and the professional circuit, I realised like business, Women still need to be seen and heard at the table because it's just not happening yet. Woman in extreme sports have an elegance to their strength, it is incredible to watch and I felt it was about time it's recognised.

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In June 2019, on a hot and sticky day in Sri Lanka, I founded She Flies. I wanted to create a space that would help Women to push through the barriers of fear and start taking sports to the extreme, together. It created so much energy and passion for me seeing these women find their own power through this community, my community, I realised I was on to something. 

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Today, we are going from strength to strength, our community spans a global reach amongst all kinds of extreme sports, we welcome beginners through to the incredible women at the top and I can't keep up with the number of events and initiatives we run on a monthly basis. I'm lucky enough to have a great team of volunteers supporting me and I remain determined to put my heart and soul into it until women are truly recognised, respected and are no longer the exception."