Kathy O’Grady nominated for award after launching business to help grounded flight attendants

A Sunshine Coast mum is helping grounded flight attendants relaunch into the workforce.

A Sunshine Coast mum has launched a new business to help airline staff fly high after being grounded due to the pandemic.

Former flight attendant Kathy O’Grady said witnessing her co-workers lose their jobs sparked an idea.

Ms O’Grady started Crew For You in September last year in a bid to help keep airline staff employed during Covid-19.

She now employs more than 40 people on the Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Brisbane and Sydney.

“It’s given them some purpose and helped them to not dwell on whether or not they could get a job anywhere,” she said.

“I’m very much a supporter of realising how well trained they are and how valuable they are to the service industry.”

Ms O’Grady said a lot of airline staff were suffering from depression after Covid-19 closures.

“They had this career and that lifestyle and then they never even realised it was their last flight,” she said.

“They landed and that was it there was no flying any more – there was no good bye.”

The Cooroy Mountain woman said Crew for You was just the boost needed for a lot of workers.

“We as flight attendants didn’t realise what an amazing thing we did have until we got out of the industry,” Ms O’Grady said.

“Now they’re lost, they had nowhere to go and during Covid it was hard to get a job anyway but when you’re older in the industry people don’t want you.”

Sunshine Coast business owner Kathleen O’Grady, with daughter Remy and husband John, has been nominated for a national award.

The 56-year-old has been nominated for a 2021 AusMumpreneur award in recognition of her resilience through the pandemic.

She said she was lost for words when she found out about the nomination.

“I felt over the moon, I was ecstatic, shocked … and honoured that somebody thought of me,” she said.

“Some people like to knit and I just like to help people.”

Sunshine Coast mum Kathleen O'Grady says she gains strength and inspiration from her mum Elizabeth and daughter Remi.

She said her 16-year-old daughter Remy was a source of strength.

“Being a mum and juggling work is something we just learn to do,” she said.

“It’s amazing what you can do when you think outside the box.”

Ms O’Grady’s skill as a wedding celebrant has also resulted in her being voted in the top 10 celebrants in the Australian Bridal Industry Academy awards.

She has travelled through Queensland and overseas with her second business, Weddings by Kathy.

She said her inspiration came from her 94-year-old mother Elizabeth Janes.

“I aspire to be like her, she is the best mum in the world and she taught me how to be a good mum,” she said.

“When Remy was born I told her if I could be half the mother she has been to me that I would be a fantastic mum.”