Entrepreneurial women of Queenstown
by Sharon Fifield, Chief Executive of Queenstown Business Chamber of Commerce
Grit and determination. That’s what it takes to run a business in Queenstown Lakes.
As you’ll see in this issue – we have that in abundance throughout our business community.
In writing this column I asked Chat GPT (why not) to outline what makes an inspirational woman. Here are the ingredients according to AI:
- Passion and Purpose
- Resilience and Perseverance (in other words ‘Grit and determination’ – I think we can all relate to that!)
- Leadership and Empowerment
- Achievements and Impact
- Compassion and Empathy
- Authenticity and Courage
- Continuous Learning and Growth.
While I think these are all qualities that make up an inspirational ‘person’, I’m confident that the woman we are going to hear from on June 16th, as well as the local women featured in this issue have the above in spades.
The theme for this year’s Westpac Women’s conference is ‘Creators and Change-makers’. A fitting theme as we all need to adapt to a changing world and be conscious of our footprint. We have some amazing speakers and will also be joined by Catherine McGrath, the CEO of Westpac, our headline sponsor. The event’s reputation preceded itself with the 250 tickets selling out within a couple of days, and a lengthy waitlist of keen attendees began.
I’m looking forward to this year’s conference, it will be my first from the Chamber side. There is an incredible amount of planning (i.e. grit and determination!) that goes into these events behind the scenes.
What I love about these events, and the Queenstown Business Chamber, is that when we come together and connect, we do it with the purpose of lifting each other up. We all share a common love for this area, and face similar challenges, so the chance to take time away from our busy day jobs to listen and learn is nothing but positive.
And a final note: If you want any support with your business, our door at the Chamber is always open for a cuppa (or other beverage).
See you soon, keep on inspiring.
Ngā manaakitanga
