Revealed: The most inspirational and influential business women in Bass Coast and Gippsland
They’re the talented, ambitious and hard working women who’ve taken the business world by storm with their innovative entrepreneurship. Meet the Bass Coast and Gippsland’s inspirational business women.
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The Bass Coast and Gippsland are home to some of Victoria’s savviest, creative and innovative business women in a rich and diverse local economy.
These women have taken the business world by storm, growing their brands into national names through hard work and determination.
Here are how some of the region’s most inspiring business women got started, what they’re most proud of and what they hope to achieve in 2024 and beyond.
ERIKA MCINERNEY
A natural and passionate leader, Erika McInerney co-founded the Warragul Farmers Market in 2013 and Binary Shift Conference in 2017, where she has volunteered her time and skills to community organisations and events across the region.
Growing up in the Latrobe Valley, working in Melbourne and then returning to Warragul in 2011 to raise her family, Ms McInerney works as a marketing coach and strategist who inspires and connects with others across her social media channels.
“So many things fill my heart when it comes to what I do,” she said.
“From a work perspective, I get such a kick out of seeing the light bulbs go off — witnessing people transform from feeling lost and overwhelmed to confident and empowered in their marketing is the greatest reward.”
Ms McInerney said her mission was to make social media a more positive and supportive space.
“And seeing that come to life through the connections and friendships formed within my community is incredibly special,” she said.
“It’s about more than just marketing — it’s about creating a space where people feel seen, heard, and encouraged to be their best selves.
“I think a good mindset is to not think you can or should do it all yourself — sometimes we do need help in areas we aren’t proficient in like finances or marketing.”
Ms McInerney’s advice to others is to “embrace the journey”.
“There will be ups and downs, twists and turns. But every experience, both good and bad, shapes you and makes you stronger,” she said.
RUTH MCGOWAN
Professional, political and powerful are just some of the words used to describe Ruth McGowan.
She also manages her own business as a consultant, speaker, trainer and coach.
When Ms McGowan decided to put her hand up to stand for her local council, she had no idea her first campaign would develop into a national movement to get more women elected to politics at all levels of government.
She was first elected as a councillor to the Baw Baw Shire Council in 2007 as the only woman on the council — this experience fuelled her passion to encourage diverse representation in politics.
Ms McGowan encouraged more women to stand for council, and at the following elections, she was elected as mayor, leading her West Gippsland community through the devastating Black Saturday fires in February 2009.
After retiring from local politics, she went on to apply her political campaign skills to support her sister Cathy McGowan to be successfully elected as a federal independent candidate in 2013 and again in 2016.
“My goal is to support more women in politics because I believe better decisions are made when there are women and diverse voices in our chambers and parliaments,” Ms McGowan said.
In 2019, she wrote Get Elected — a step-by-step campaign guide to winning public office, which has become known as the “Australian campaign manual” and sold more than 5000 copies.
MADELYN BARNES
Madelyn Barnes knows about all things beauty.
The Latrobe Valley woman is the founding owner of both Confidence Lashes and Beauty and Confidence Academy.
Confidence Lashes was started as a home business and expanded into a salon in July 2022 and her second business had a location open in September last year.
Ms Barnes said her team grew from just herself to now having seven lash artists and two administrators.
“Our clients are considered family, not just a number, we offer support in more than lashes and we become a safe place for many to pop in and have a chat if needed,” she said.
“I also push for better employment standards for my staff, this includes breaking out of the standard employer expectations and offering support in their personal lives too.”
Ms Barnes said she put 200 per cent into her work at all times.
“I lead my business with my heart, I love helping others feel confident, helping others is the entire reason behind starting my businesses,” she said.
“Find something you love and turn it into a business, anything is possible with passion and dedication. Make it your mission to help others.
“A woman with a mission is an unstoppable force.”
JOANNE GILLARD
The talented woman is the director of Barry Plant in Korumburra.
Joanne Gillard is known to many for her knowledge in the industry and her will to always help others, and said she loved people and being part of their journeys.
“Sometimes selling or buying a home comes along during a big time in people’s lives and we get to be a part of that,” Ms Gillard said.
“I hope that even one person has seen my journey and decided to just give their career dreams a go. You have to jump in the water before you can learn to swim.”
Ms Gillard said over the years she has built a solid network of referrals and repeat clients.
“Being a “go-to” in the area takes time and solid foundation of trust, results and presence in the market — especially in a small rural area,” she said.
“You have to be genuine, you have to do what you said you would, and you have to hold your reputation as paramount — always.
“People in small towns will always discuss you — make sure they only have good things to talk about.”
Ms Gillard said gender didn’t make or break a leader, instad it was hard work, dedication and commitment that mattered.
“Business in general is starting to see a shift and to see more women leaders — Barry Plant recently appointed our CEO Lisa Pennell — and we have already seen a significant shift to the way the company is going,” she said.
TAYLAH ROSE
Taylah Rose started her very own scrunchie business madebytaylahrose when she was just 15 years old.
The Traralgon designer’s dream paid off after she surpassed six figure earnings in the 2022- 2023 financial year — making about $140,000 in sales.
Ms Rose was also named as a finalist for two Victorian Young Achiever Awards.
She also has a strong online presence — where she has gained more than 106,000 followers on her Instagram page and 69,300 followers on YouTube.
Ms Rose said she loves that she has been able to inspire hundreds and thousands of people.
“It’s incredible the amount of messages and letters I receive thanking me for being their inspiration,” she said.
“My positive and can do attitude has been a great influence on my subscribers and followers alike.
“They are inspired to follow their own dreams and passions because of the way I share mine.”
Ms Rose said she pushed and utilised the use of reels, posting one a day and saw massive growth across all her platforms.
“If you love what you do, you will be more motivated and dedicated for it to grow exponentially,” she said.
LAUREN RUSSO
Bass Coast woman Lauren Russo is the manager and face of The Sticks Kilcunda — a boutique retail and community hub that has been sensitively designed by a local collaborative of creatives.
These include Brach (architects), Orchard Design (landscape architects) and The Set (design and interiors).
The business — which had its official opening on January 27 this year — comprises six boutique pods interconnected by an infill of curated open spaces and will offer a variety of programs and events catering to the ever-expanding coastal village, local enterprises as well as travellers visiting or passing through the area.
Ms Russo said she loved that everyday was different in her job.
“With The Sticks Kilcunda being a small, family run business, you have to wear many hats to make it all work and I love the variety of these roles,” she said.
“I also get to meet and chat with lots of incredible people which really fills my cup and inspires me to help grow and evolve the business in innovative ways.”
Ms Russo said if you were passionate about what you were doing, then the work was much easier.
“Have a clear vision about what you are wanting to achieve and take it on one step at a time, with smaller goals along the way all geared towards the end vision,” she said.
“Surround yourself with positive people and tools that help support you to move in the direction you want to go.
“As a working mum of four, I have had to learn to either be a member of the 5am club, or the 12am club… not both.
“Sleep is essential for productivity and clear thinking.”
MELANIE GODDARD
Melanie Goddard from the Latrobe Valley is a personal trainer, nutritional coach and the owner of her own business called Move with Mel.
Ms Goddard also runs her own boot camp sessions, and has developed a sound number of clients for several years and is passionate to help them achieve their desired goals.
Ms Goddard has formed many strong relationships from her work, where she has made lifelong friends doing what she loves most.
She also offers her own one-on-one coaching, where she will guide people not only to transform their body, but their mindset, confidence and stepping into their best self, feeling empowered.
Ms Goddard’s friendly nature and strive to help the community has allowed her to grow and receive the praise she has worked hard for.
SALLIE JONES
East Gippsland woman Sallie Jones is the director and co-founder of Gippsland Jersey in the popular tourist town Lakes Entrance.
Following in her father’s footsteps, Ms Jones’ journey is about coming together with the local community through collaboration and a shared love of food and place.
Ms Jones grew up on her dad’s dairy farm — which is now the home of Gippsland Jersey where she works endlessly as a dairy farmer.
She developed a connection to the land that’s embedded in her family history.
Ms Jones loves being on the farm and has gratitude for the people who have gone before her and guided her to the area.
Her father passed away in 2016 and she wants to live her life honouring him and to create a brand he would be most proud of.
Ms Jones’ responsibilities don’t stop at Gippsland Jersey, she is also a partner at Honeypot Creative Solutions and the co-founder and producer at Warragul Farmers Market.
ELENA KELAREVA
Dr Elena Kelareva is the executive director of GippsTech and founded the company in 2017, with the mission of growing regional start-up and tech communities.
Dr Kelareva has a PhD in Computer Science from ANU and 15 years of experience in innovation, start-ups and technology — including at Google where she was the product manager for the Google Maps Web APIs.
She said she loves working in innovation and technology as it’s such a broad field and you can learn useful skills you can apply everywhere.
“It’s given me opportunities to learn about and work in lots of different industries along the way,” Dr Kelareva said.
“To women early in their career, my advice would be to look for opportunities where you’d learn the most, and try working in a diverse range of companies and industries for a few years rather than specialising too early.”
Dr Kelareva said learning was the most valuable thing a person could get out of their job.
“Learning increases your skills and gives you access to better jobs down the track, and also early in your career, you may be surprised by the things you do and don’t enjoy,” she said.
“For example — I started my career thinking I wanted to work in academia, but decided to try working in industry for a couple of years first before starting on my ‘real’ career.
“I was surprised to find I actually enjoyed working in industry even more — something I never would have discovered if I’d just followed the most obvious career path.”
KIM DURRAND
Selling houses across the stunning Gippsland region is One Agency Country to Coast real estate agent Kim Durrand.
Ms Durrand was named the sales consultant of the year for last year and in 2022 by the company.
She said what she loved most about her job was the people and personalities she got to meet each day.
“So many people have fascinating stories and I consider it a privilege that I am invited into people’s homes and have the opportunity to help them in a small way to transition to their next home or property,” Ms Durrand said.
“I wake up everyday and vow to do the best job I can for my clients and simply do the right thing by people.
“It is a job that requires determination, resilience and a whole lot of time but I love the challenge of it.”
Ms Durrand’s advice to other women is to believe in themselves and have confidence in what you can offer the world.
“Try to minimise the impostor syndrome and remember that setbacks are an opportunity to learn and do better next time,” she said.
“Most of all, just find something you love and then find a way to make money doing it.”
LEAH METHER
A Willow Grove communications and soft skills trainer, speaker, coach, facilitator and author has engaged with many communities across Gippsland.
Leah Mether has a goal of assisting people with her practical and straight-shooting method.
Ms Mether teaches people how to communicate effectively under pressure, manage conflict, regulate their emotions and lead courageously through change.
She was also a former journalist at the Latrobe Valley Express.
“I work across a whole range of industries Australia-wide, prodomintaly here in Gippsland but I work on a national level as well,” she said.
“What I love most is these are skills are essential to your success in any role that involves working with people — and they are essential to your success not just in your professional life but in your personal life.
“The world is really waking up to the fact that the future lies in our human skills because they are hard to outsource and hard to automate.”
Ms Mether has published two books — Soft Is the New Hard: How to Communicate Effectively Under Pressure in 2019 and Steer Through the Storm in 2023.
She said both books have been successful in the leadership and communications space.
CLARE LE SERVE
A woman with passion and integrity is making the Bass Coast the area it is today.
Clare Le Serve was elected as the mayor of the Bass Coast Shire Council at the end of last year and she said she loves how many women leaders there are.
“There are so many of our local businesses and large employers as well that have women as their CEOs,” Ms Le Serve said.
Aside from her mayoral duties, Ms Le Serve, who has lived in the region for more than 40 years, frequently visits the French Island and she helps out in the family business there.
She has also spent many years in local community organisations and in the farming community.
Ms Le Serve is motivated by issues of equality for women and improving outcomes for disadvantaged sectors within the Bass Coast community.
“It’s about empowering people through discussions and encouraging people, particularly women, to step up and have that thought about what they can achieve in their own personal space or professionally,” she said.
“Women don’t start wars, they solve problems so I think that’s really important.”
JAN CHILD
Jan Child is the Bass Coast Health CEO which she was appointed to in September 2016.
Ms Child is a registered nurse with postgraduate qualifications in behavioural sciences, health administration and a Masters in Public Health.
She has more than 30 years of experience in public health, where she trained in rural western Victoria.
Ms Child then worked across Melbourne hospitals including Peninsula Health, Alfred Health, the Department of Health and Human Services, alcohol, drug agencies and the community health sector.
Ms Child is also a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a surveyor with the Australian Council of Healthcare Services.
LAURA A’BELL
A highly motivated woman from South Gippsland has worked across multiple industries including international aid development, not for profit organisations and all government levels.
Laura A’Bell is a zealous PR specialist with a marketing and strategic communications background.
Ms A’Bell has more than 24 years of leadership experience where she has leaded high performing teams and has a reputation of getting tasks done in an innovative way.
She enjoys developing brands to influence the community and for positive change.
BEC ANDERSON
One of Ray White Phillip Island’s most successful and outgoing real estate agents is Bec Anderson — and she knows about all things business.
Ms Anderson said she was lucky to work in the local real estate industry as she loved working with people from all walks of life.
“I have a passion for property and combining these has made my journey so enjoyable,” she said.
“I am also really proud that there are some very successful female agents throughout the Bass Coast — as real estate used to be a male dominant industry.
“This is definitely changing.”
Ms Anderson hopes her success will encourage anyone considering real estate as a career.
“ Success is there for anyone that is willing to put in the hours and commit fully to the role,” she said.
“I believe that success purely comes back to how you treat the people that you engage with.
“Focusing on communication and building relationships is vital — If you provide great customer service and ensure all clients receive a great customer experience, the sales results will happen.
Ms Anderson’s advice to other women is to get involved in the local community, have lots of conversations, be approachable and accessible.
“Always be honest and transparent, and take advantage of any ongoing training,” she said.
STACEY HOMICKI
Also conquering the Bass Coast area in the sales industry is Ray White Wonthaggi real estate sales agent Stacey Homicki.
Ms Homicki began building her career in the real estate industry five years ago, where it was always her intention of becoming a sales agent.
“ I have successfully achieved this goal and find great satisfaction in my career,” she said.
“I enjoy the dynamic nature of the real estate industry, the opportunity to meet new people and the sense of accomplishment that comes with helping clients throughout their buying and selling journey.”
Ms Homicki’s advice to women looking to build their career is to pursue their passion and choose a path that aligns with their interests and values.
“Be confident — believe in your abilities and don’t be afraid to take on challenges,” she said.
“And seek mentorship — find experienced professionals who can guide and support you in your career.”
Ms Homick also said for people to maintain a work-life balance as it’s important to prioritise self-care and maintain a healthy work-life balance.
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