To celebrate International Women’s Day 2018, we shone the light on the ladies within the Jamaica Blue family. Here at Jamaica Blue we have a high rate of female employment, with around 70% of our network being women!
We’ve interviewed some of our strong business women such as our franchise partners, store managers as well as the women in management within the Jamaica Blue head office team.
So we asked these ladies what International Women’s Day means to them and much more.
Enjoy the read!
Peta Buttfield
Franchisee, Jamaica Blue Grand Central Shopping Centre Toowoomba, QLD
What does international women’s day mean to you?
International Women’s Day for me, is a day to celebrate and reflect on the strong and resilient women who have dedicated their lives to creating change and progress socially, culturally and politically. It’s a day when the female’s can band together, support each other and feed the flame that keeps our voices loud and proud.
What is your favourite coffee?
Small, double shot flat white
Which female icon would you like to have coffee with. Dead or alive?
Amy Schumer. She speaks her mind, stands up for herself and vigorously promotes body positivity.. and she would be a hoot to have a coffee with!
Who is a woman that inspires you the most and why?
I had a dear friend that was superwoman to me. She was my age (26), had a mountain of hardships, was a single mother of two children and ran two businesses. On top of all this, she gave everything to help me become a better version of myself. She not only believed in me – but made me believe in myself and showed me that I deserve better. The world needs more of this, more people like her.
What advice do you have for young women who are contemplating starting their own business?
Believe in yourself, stay true to yourself and take time out for yourself!
Sarah Evans
Franchisee of Erina Fair Jamaica Blue
What does international women’s day mean to you?
Celebrating women in their entirety. Whether it be their day to day lives, career or personal achievements. We now have
more opportunity than ever before and it’s empowering to see what so many women have achieved.
What is your favourite coffee?
Would have to be a Cappuccino.
Which female icon would you like to have coffee with. Dead or alive?
Oprah. An inspirational women who built an empire after a diverse and challenging upbringing. She inspires me by giving
back to communities, charities and the less fortunate.
Who is a woman that inspires you the most and why?
It would be my late Grandmother – She inspired me through her courage. She overcame her life challenges with both grace and
dignity and for her strong set of family values.
What advice do you have for young women who are contemplating starting their own business?
Be true to yourself, don’t ever give up! Every day is a new day and don’t let self doubt get in your way. Back yourself and aim for the stars!
Donna Ryan
Franchisee of Jamaica Blue and Muffin Break Kingaroy.
What does international women’s day mean to you?
It is the celebration of the great achievements women all over the world have made.
No matter how large or small, everybody has something to be proud of, so embrace it.
What is your favourite coffee?
Piccolo latte
Which female icon would you like to have coffee with. Dead or Alive?
The Queen mother.
Who is a woman that inspires you the most and why?
Janine Allis. She is a wonderful, exciting entrepreneur. To start a business from home and develop it into a household name is very inspiring. Her business is still expanding and she continually looks for new ventures. She mentors business owners and franchisees and gives back to her industry.
What advice do you have for young women who are wanting to advance their career?
Don’t sit and wait for a great opportunity to fall into your lap because it won’t. If you want something, you have to make it happen. It is not always smooth sailing but with hard work, passion and the enjoyment of what you are doing, the rewards will be there. Change your mindset and make it happen.
Sarah Collins
Company Cafe Manager, Jamaica Blue Fiona Stanley
What does international women’s day mean to you?
To me international women’s day means celebrating the achievements of women from around the world. It’s about empowering current and future generations of women to excel in anything they want to achieve.
What is your favourite coffee?
Small flat white, extra shot!
Which female icon would you like to have coffee with. Dead or Alive?
Ellen DeGeneres. Not only is Ellen hilarious, she is not afraid to speak her mind and support what she believes in.
Who is a woman that inspires you the most and why?
No single women inspires me, however a collection of different women do. First my mum, she is my rock and she inspires me to be the best kind of person I can be. Secondly my old manager Charmaine inspires me to be a fair and awesome manager. She also taught me how to show people that I can do my role and stand strong. And finally women who have it far tougher than I do in life, they remind me that no matter how tough a day or a week is, I can and will get through and I will come out stronger for it!
Danika Heslop
Product & Procurement Manager, Jamaica Blue
What does international women’s day mean to you?
It is a great reminder of how far women have come, what we have fought for, and what we have achieved.
What is your favourite coffee?
Cappuccino
Which female icon would you like to have coffee with. Dead or alive?
Elena Arzak – one of the most amazing female chefs ever!
What advice do you have for young women who are contemplating starting their own business?
Believe in yourself and don’t doubt yourself. Be organised, measured with decisions and honest with results. Be prepared to be nimble and make changes when needed.
What advice do you have for young women who are wanting to advance their career?
When I was a young chef, I was given some good advice to advance my career – it was to “find the experts, stick by them and learn everything they have to give. If you want to master seafood, go and work with the best seafood chef. If you want to learn desert, go and work for the best pastry chef”. I have lived by this throughout my career, seeking the people who I believe are the best at their jobs and learning as much as I can from their speciality.
What advice would you give your 20 year old self?
There is so much pressure when you finish high school to know what you want to do with the rest of your life. I would tell my 20 year old self not to worry so much about picking the right career path, and more to go down the path of doing something that I love. The career will follow, and so will all the necessary skills and training needed to succeed in that career.
Melissa Wei
Marketing & Customer Experience Manager, Jamaica Blue
What does international women’s day mean to you?
It used to mean equal pay for women to me. But as I’ve grown in the workplace over the years, I’ve seen that a bigger issue is women’s “Crab Mentality”, which is amplified by Australia’s “Tall Poppy Syndrome”. Now I want International Women’s Day to be about women supporting women because if women band together and look out for each other, the world is our oyster.
What is your favourite coffee?
It used to be a cappuccino. However, since having my daughter I must confess I love a hot chocolate.
Which female icon would you like to have coffee with. Dead or alive?
Coco Chanel; I love her style and the trails she blazed in fashion.
Who is a woman that inspires you the most and why?
The Iron Lady, Margaret Thatcher: as she had gravitas and grace in equal measure.
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