Chaos, Courtrooms and Clients
The Unlikely Business Lessons I Definitely Did Not Ask For
In late April, my daughter and I returned from a rather normal food shop one Saturday afternoon, that quickly descended into what can only be described as absolute bloody chaos. Unfortunately, we became the victims (god, I hate that word) of a terrifying incident that no woman or child should ever endure. Our home was invaded by rage, fear, and failure, not just by the man (a fairly new neighbour of 4 weeks) who stood outside our door, screaming, bashing and trying to break in, but by the system that failed to respond when we cried for help.
Since then, I’ve been navigating the aftermath - emotionally, financially, legally and logistically - while still trying to hold together a business that supports my daughter and I. Albeit it not particularly well, admittedly! And, it’s not over yet, with it going to court this week, who knows what will happen.
Let’s be honest: Australia has a culture problem. Men can be aggressive and unhinged, and it’s brushed off. Women are expected to be quiet, calm, composed, even while being threatened, dismissed, or ignored. And when we cry out for help? The system shrugs.
I only got help because I screamed loud, pulled every string, and used every connection I had. And that’s terrifying. Because what happens to the women who can’t? Who don’t know who to call, what to say, or how to fight back without losing everything?
The institutions we pay for didn’t protect me and my daughter. I got an apology live on 2GB Ben Fordham’s show from the Assistant NSW Police Commissioner LISTEN HERE and yet…I am still fighting for people to do what’s right.
This is what I’ve learned so far….
1. Language Matters
In the aftermath of what happened, one of the most jarring things I had to face was the language used to describe it. Real estate agents referred to it as a "neighbour dispute." Others called it an "altercation." Let me be clear: this wasn’t a dispute. It was a violent, unprovoked, terrifying incident that threatened the safety of me and my child.
Minimising language protects the perpetrator, not the victim. And in business, just like in life, the words you choose matter. They carry weight. They either empower or silence. If you're a brand, a business, or a human in a position of communication - be careful. Be accurate. And for god's sake, don’t downplay danger to protect your liability.
2. Survival Is a Skill - and So Is Still Showing Up
Women in business are not just managing meetings and margins, we’re carrying the emotional load of parenting, protection, financial stress and personal safety. As a single mum, my ability to show up professionally while breaking down internally is something I now recognise as a quiet superpower.
One week after the incident, I was at a 100 women event I had assisted in organising. Was I at my best? Absolutely not! But I got there and did what I had to do.
Sometimes, simply still showing up is the win.
3. Community Is Everything
When systems fail, it’s people who save you. Clients who offered compassion, friends who held space, complete strangers who have offered support and guidance - these are the relationships that reminded me I wasn’t alone, even when I had to find the strength myself.
Your network isn’t just who you collaborate with. It’s who you collapse with, and who helps you rise again.
4. Your Story Is Your Strength
For years I’ve helped businesses shape their brand stories. But nothing will teach you storytelling like getting through something that nearly breaks you. I’ve learned that people connect with truth. Not perfection.
Throughout this ordeal, I’ve chosen not to hide what has been happening. I have been open with my clients, not out of obligation, but out of respect. I show up with honesty, even when it’s raw. I let them see the reality, not just the polished version of me.
Authenticity isn't a branding strategy, it's relatability and deepening connection. It’s showing up, even when your world is falling apart behind the scenes. In business and in life, share the messy middle. It's where the real connection lies.
It’s also revealed who my clients are, not just professionally, but as human beings. I’ve always led with care and compassion, treating clients like the friends I want to see succeed. This has showed me who reflected that back. Some stepped up. Some stepped away. And while business may be transactional to some, for me, it’s built on something deeper. That difference has never been clearer, and this will shape who I work with in future.
5. Build a Business That Can Bend, But Never Break
This chapter didn’t just test The Ripe Idea, it tore through it like a wild hurricane. I’ve had to cancel meetings, refund clients, miss deadlines, and watch as months of momentum vanished. The business I built to provide stability for my daughter and I, cracked under pressure I never saw coming.
But here’s the truth: it broke because I wasn’t in it. Because I was trying to survive. Because my mental health and well-being crumbled for a couple of weeks.
I now understand that having a flexible business isn't enough. What I need is a recovery plan, quick sharp!
I’ve learned how fast things can fall apart, and how deeply committed I am to putting them back together.
6. Lead With Heart, Always
Trauma can make you bitter. Or it can make you bold.
This experience has shown me not only how I lead, but who truly stands beside me. I’ve lost two clients over the past month, and that’s okay. Business isn’t always personal to everyone. But for me, it is. I run The Ripe Idea with heart. I care deeply for my clients, many of whom I consider friends. That same heart is what I bring to them, and it’s what I’ve quietly observed in return.
This isn’t just about who stayed. It’s about who sees me. Who checked in. Who cared beyond a line item on an invoice.
I want to work with clients who care. I want to support businesses that value people. I want to build campaigns that matter. And I want my daughter to see that even in pain, there is purpose.
TO ALL THE WOMEN IN BUSINESS...
Especially the single mums, the caregivers, the survivors, the quietly-coping warriors:
You are expected to hold it all together 24/7 - raise good kids, build strong businesses, smile on cue, soften your strength, but stay strong enough to survive anything and everything. You are told to do it all, be it all, carry it all — and somehow make it look so goddamn effortless.
You are doing more than most will ever understand. You are holding up families, futures, and the foundations of your business, sometimes all at once. And you are doing it often in silence, often unsupported, and still showing up.
This experience has broken me, at times, when I have felt like giving up. I’m still not sure I’m through the worst of it. But it’s lit something fierce and unrelenting in me, a fire that says: not just survive, but rebuild better. A fire that will fuel my daughter’s understanding of what it means to stand your ground and rise again as a woman.
I’m not just here to sell. I’m here to serve. To lead. To create safe spaces, in marketing, in business, and in the world.
Thank you to those who stayed. Thank you to those who saw me. And to every woman out there building something from the ashes, I see you.
So What Happens Now?
This isn’t about women versus men. It’s about standing up to abusers, liars, and manipulators, regardless of who they are. It’s about calling out a system that’s broken. One that protects the aggressor, questions the victim, and delays action until it’s too late. We need to stop waiting for tragedy before we take threats seriously. I’m speaking up because silence keeps these systems in place - and I won’t be silent.
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