With the media full of US politics and election results – one thing I am so aware of is that as business leaders we will keep doing what we can do to make the world a productive place for all. We are doing our bit to keep commerce thriving, to employ people, buy things, sell things and support the communities that support us. The large macro-economic forces are in fact made up of billions (if not trillions) of micro actions and efforts which sustains our society. I attended two completely different events this week which enabled me to stay grounded, keep it real and focus on what is important to me and those around me – in fact, they were pure escapism.

On Tuesday I heard Audette Exel speak on her work at Adara Group. Audette has worked for almost two decades with the simple premise that you can create businesses & revenues to effect social change. Running an investment bank that’s sole purpose is to produce profits to fund the social work her business, which employs 200 in Uganda and Nepal. She said:

1. Remove the borders and barriers (especially the one’s that you create in your own mind
2. People with passion can and will affect change
3. Live with gratitude – always
4. Don’t take ‘no’ for an answer – without taking risks there is no change
5. Respect everyone – without judgement
6. Stand up for what you believe in
7. Step out of your tribe and question the accepted orthodoxy
8. Business and financial models matter – for anything to have sustainability it must have it’s own momentum
9. Learn the hard lesson of humility, recognise your own (un)conscious arrogance, and SHARE personal mistakes so that others don’t do the same
10. Believe in people – including yourself – and stay positive

Such great messages in any context.

On Thursday I attended the Tate Gallery Nude Exhibition at the Art Gallery of NSW hosted by EY. Looking at, and immersing myself in the rawness of the human form from past centuries reminded me, ‘We are all just people, doing the best we can, muddling our way through the chaos of life’. No one person is better than another, we are all unrepeatable miracles – in many ways. Feeling hushed by Rodin’s The Kiss, or lost by the scale of the works… meant that for a few hours I was in a ‘foreign world’. And in so doing it keeps balance on the rest.

Rehearsals started for Shark Tank Series 3 and it has been announced that there will be the same five Sharks back in 2017.

At 9.28 am summer time on a Sunday morning in Sydney, the 1.5 millionth person (Eduard Muriá Gené) chose to click on the button and subscribe to what I have to say about life as an entrepreneur, business leader and mother, on the LinkedIn Influencer platform. I chose to write my reflections on What 1.5m people taught me about ‘influence’.

We are full time back in Shark Tank this week – my pick up time is 5.30am… big days, but very much looking forward to seeing who we get to meet for 2017.