Maseena Ziegle’s Ladies Who Launch in Hong Kong
Every time I’ve moved on in my life, something better has come along. So I’m not afraid anymore. I just know that the next step will bring something exciting.
Ladies Who Launch in Hong Kong is a collection of 12 women with no previous experience as entrepreneurs go on to create million-dollar businesses. Among the 12, what touched my heart was the story from Rhonda Gretton, an Australian woman who was divorced in her 40s and created her barbeque empire.
Thoughts:
Rhonda had been an expatriate wife and stay home mum with a large house since she arrived in Hong Kong. She was divorced in her 40s and rather than going back to Sydney, she toughed it out and started her small business to support her three children. She got her hands dirty across different types of businesses including publishing a newsletter in the New Territories, buying and selling garden soil in bulk, partnering with a Cathay Pacific pilot to sell swimming pools, moving on to sell pool chemicals and finally, creating her own distribution of Australian barbecues equipment.
Agility & Resilience Leads to Transformation. I am impressed how Rhonda transformed herself. She was agile to do the labour work to divide soil into smaller bags, she was resilient to deal with suppliers when people laughed in her face and thought she was a middle-aged woman who knew nothing.
When we talk about transformation, sometimes we look for help and support. What Rhonda did is a completely different game. She blazed her way by having faith in herself. Rather than having fear or viewing things and people in a negative way, Rhonda kept an open mind on opportunities and she was willing to learn and change herself in any circumstance. Transformation takes agility and resilience.
How It Changed Me:
Every time I’ve moved on in my life, something better has come along. So I’m not afraid anymore. I just know that the next step will bring something exciting.
In my personal and professional lives, there were times I literally, had fear that kept me up all night. Sometimes we blame it the uncertainties, but it was really the fear in our heads that hold us back. The above words were quoted from Rhonda when she was in her 50s. It reminds me –
· To see things as neutral. We come across good things and bad things in our lives, people come and go, in the end we all just do fine.
· Fear is just a state of mind, believe that no matter how good or bad it is, it will change.
· Don’t be afraid. Have faith in yourself. If Rhonda could create her business empire in her 40s, you can build your path with endless possibilities. Believe in yourself, and something exciting will come along.