Most Replayed Moment: A Guilt-Free Way to Handle Work and Life

I’ve spoken with founders and working parents: the more life you carry, the less home should add. When your children are eighteen, what would you tell them about university, corporate life, and following you onto a panel?

I’d steer them toward corporate years. Boots taught me what university didn’t: what big business does brilliantly, and where size gets in the way. But building something—or joining a startup—has incredible energy.

What did Boots give you that travelled into everything after it?

Buying was relationships: spotting brands, helping entrepreneurs trial in Boots. A listing wasn’t the win; you had to make people choose it. I learned demand, finance, supply chain, legal, PR. I met Brandon through emails signed “Smiles, Brandon,” and thought, gosh, I want this person in my life.

When he left Indeed Labs, I wanted a beauty platform ranking products like travel reviews rank hotels. We paired up: I’d help with Deciem; he’d help with beauty. I left Boots at twenty-three or twenty-four—I knew it wasn’t forever.

“Focus is overrated” was on our Melbourne wall. Ten brands let us build manufacturing and comms in-house, share costs, and discover traction. When The Ordinary became huge, the others lost attention. Now an incubator needs dedicated people.

Brandon was eccentric and hot-headed; I was calmer. He wanted Deciem to feel like family. Belonging is still our North Star: having each other’s backs. Startup intensity made collaboration special, but I wonder whether those expectations were always kind. Balance changes; sometimes you need cover.

Family doesn’t avoid hard conversations. Kindness can mean coaching someone, moving them into a better role, or helping them leave well. We still have to perform. I’m useful around brand, people, culture, belonging, and impact; technical strengths from others matter.

Maybe that isn’t imposter syndrome; it’s self-awareness. Your team thinks you’re sunshine. How much did you pay Jenny in marketing?