Sowing Sweet Seeds of Possibility
Description
Sowing Sweet Seeds of Possibility
Rethinking work, purpose and possibility in a changing world.
We are living through an extraordinary time of change. A time that invites us to rethink how we work, how we live, what matters to us, and what might be possible.
Join us for a day of connection, kōrero, storytelling and reflection alongside an inspiring group of wāhine.
Through four very different personal stories, we'll explore disruption, identity, possibility and courage. We'll share experiences, challenge some of the stories we tell ourselves, and create space to reconnect with our own strengths, wisdom and aspirations.
This isn't about having all the answers or figuring out your next big move. It's about taking time out, connecting with others, opening our minds and hearts, and perhaps sowing a few sweet seeds of possibility.
Your ticket includes a full day of facilitated conversations, inspiring speakers, morning tea, lunch and meaningful connection.
Come as you are. Leave with a little more possibility.
Lots of gratitude to Mint Floral for supporting us from the start!
Lineup
DISRUPTION with Di Crawford-Errington - what happens when change doesn't ask permission?
Di is the Founder and CEO of The Ontrack Group and President of the Institute of Certified NZ Bookkeepers - known in the industry as the “Payroll Whisperer” after 24 years helping Kiwi small businesses get payroll right, and twice named one of the Top 50 Women in Accounting globally. Based in Northland, Di's path hasn't been a straight line. A business built from her kitchen table, years of compounding pressure, and a decision that arrived in the middle of chaos rather than after it settled all taught her the same thing: disruption rarely announces itself, but there's always a choice in how you meet it.
IDENTITY with Bridget Robertson - the stories we tell ourselves.
Growing up in Whangārei in the 1960s and 70s shaped my outlook on life and, looking back, gave me the bravery to explore what is possible in this world. The values of kindness, compassion, service, empathy, and community were instilled in me from an early age. Travelling overseas as a young adult broadened my perspective and deepened my understanding of different cultures and the experiences that shape people’s lives. I have worn many hats throughout my different careers and have finally settled into a role that allows me to rewrite the narrative I have carried for much of my life - and I find I am often helping others change theirs when it no longer serves them. My role now is to inspire people, not by showing them my superpower, but by helping them discover their own.
POSSIBILITY with Lizzie Shupak Mandeno - following the excitement!
Lizzie is an organisational transformation and innovation leader with experience across large corporates, founder-led businesses, and public sector organisations. She's supported teams at organisations including Arts Council England, the Greater London Authority, the NHS, WWF, the UN, and BBC Studios among others. Her work centres on redesigning how organisations think, lead, and operate so they can thrive in the face of long-term uncertainty. With a post-graduate degree in regenerative design, she brings a strategic, humane, and commercially literate perspective to culture, innovation, and change. She is a Women Beyond the Box 2022 Neurodivergent Leader, a Fellow of Included VC, and an inaugural winner of the IPA and Campaign Magazine's Women of Tomorrow award.
COURAGE with Lian Passmore - choosing change before all the ducks lined up.
Lian Passmore spent 14 years at Northpower, working through 14 different roles to become Wellbeing Manager and building the Kaitiaki peer support network that still runs across all 14 sites. It was a good job. Secure, respected, and hers. Then she walked away from it, with one-year-old triplets at home, two older kids, and the family already down to one income. She took a sabbatical, enrolled in a Master of Technological Futures, and taught herself to build AI in the gaps of a very full house. Today she runs dreamstorm, an AI strategy and build studio in Whangārei, and has shipped more than 20 products. Lian grew up in the only Samoan family in Maungatūroto, had her first child at 19, and has never had a straight-line career. She's not here to tell you courage feels good. She's here to tell you what that leap cost, what held it together, and what she'd say to anyone standing where she stood.
HOST - Tania McInnes
Founder, Leading Lights Tania is the heart and driving force behind Leading Lights, creating spaces where women can connect, share wisdom, challenge their thinking and explore what's possible. With a background spanning community leadership, local government, governance, business and organisational development, Tania has spent much of her working life bringing people together, creating opportunities and helping ideas become reality. At the heart of her mahi is a belief in the extraordinary potential within each of us, and the importance of staying connected to our humanity, intuition and creativity in a rapidly changing world. She'll open the day by exploring why this moment in history calls for us to rethink what's possible, not just in the world around us, but within ourselves.
Tickets for good, not greed Humanitix dedicates 100% of profits from booking fees to charity
