Emma Schneider (Operations Manager) with Julie Gillespie (Founder)
Get to know who you'll be partnering with...
It all started with a conversation.
Back in 2017, I was struggling with a story I kept telling myself: that my mental ill-health made me unemployable. Chatting with a friend at our kids' school art class, I poured out my doubts. Emma, with her sharp eye, saw right through it. She knew my skills were valuable, and I just needed a way to move forward confidently.
Her words, "Use your skills, Julie. Help others along the way," were a turning point. The first step in this was to become a Mental Health First Aid Instructor, and through this I have now heard more than 1,000 stories from individuals grappling with challenges – of pain, fear, and loss, yes, but also incredible stories of hope.
Witnessing that transformation firsthand, I realised the power of conversation. It was the key that unlocked the door to a better path.
Then, a few years later, guess who walked into my office? Emma! She offered to join me, and even though it was a leap of faith, I knew it was the right move. Together, we hold each other accountable and create a supportive space to keep pushing forward.
This is why we do what we do. We see the potential in everyone, just like Emma saw it in me. Our programs help unburden leaders so they can open conversations, build resilience, and create workplaces where everyone can thrive.
Emma keeping Julie on track!
Since then, we've shaped the business and the programs we've offered our clients, recorded a podcast series, and levelled up the business, to share these experiences that use all of our skills, research, learnings, struggles, and compassionate empathy, to Transform the way we Connect©.
Our purpose is to: Elevate Leaders. We do this by reconnecting leaders to their genuine ability to lead fearlessly - with curiosity and compassionate empathy; as this goes towards empowering leadership capabilities to amplify your employees Well-being. Ultimately, and as a huge bonus, this gears you towards surpassing some pretty audacious performance and ESG (Environmental Social and Governance) goals.
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Our dedication to you and each other...
We promise to hold you steady while you become a positively impactful leader.
We promise to give you the tools (small and large) to support you building strategic connections.
We promise to answer all of your questions along the way.
As a speaker, facilitator, and coach, Julie is passionate about helping organisations, leaders, and their teams cultivate meaningful and sustainable social connections.
This isn't just about raising awareness. It's equipping people with the tools and showing them 'how' to use them.
Julie's mission is to evoke a willingness in leaders to engage in curiosity, a behaviour that creates the opportunity to challenge the status quo, and ultimately, to Transform the way we Connect at work.
As Operations Manager, Emma ensures that each person we connect with has a meaningful experience.
"We all need an Emma!" is what our clients often say.
She is a profound amplifier that works with Julie to bring the big, audacious vision to life. Emma is a passionate advocate for keeping the dialogue real and shining a light on the path for others.
Transforming the way we Connect©
Raising Awareness & Skills Training & Facilitation
We use three proven frameworks the will transform the way you connect; from a leadership, team, and organisational perspective:
Testimonials
MHFA Workshop
Confronting. Insightful. Engaging. Invaluable. Emotional. Practical. Uncomfortable. There were a lot of words to describe the Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) workshop I joined this time last week. We can never know the 'right' things to say or do at any given moment, but if we can be given a toolkit to know what to look out for when interacting with others, we can be that little bit better off. I feel that little more confident knowing when to step in to offer support, and direct to professional services, like our EAP, if need be. Hindsight is a beautiful thing, and those few days made me reflect on previous interactions with friends, colleagues, room mates, etc. And boy did I learn how to be better next time! Huge shoutout to our #MHFA workshop facilitator, the amaaazing Julie Gillespie BCom eMBA MHFA (who I've aptly nicknamed Brissy's Brene Brown) 👏 Thank you!! I would highly encourage anyone who is interested to take a look at the upcoming workshops in your area in the link below. Just like St John's first aid, this MHFA can equip you with the knowledge to potentially save someone's life. PS. get ready to sit in discomfort, because without it, there is no room to grow. #mentalhealthfirstaid #MHFA #contractorcare #giveadamn
Bernie Wolff