Before you get all PC on me - hold your horses.
Introducing, Jane Cay, Founder and CEO of 'Birdsnest'. One of Australias leading retailers.
I was fortunate to meet Jane at a recent event that I facilitated in Regional NSW (if you haven’t been to Dubbo Zoo, do yourself a favour and go visit, it’s amazing).
Oh, back to Jane.
I always say that now I’m my own boss, “I’m unemployable”. See, I kind have high expectations of the leader I would be prepared to follow.
Then I met Jane.
What an inspiration!
This lady is an innovator, she’s a risk taker, she’s a game changer & she’s a true leader.
She’s taken this small clothes business in regional Cooma & turned it into an online shopping haven & huge success.
It wasn’t her financial success that impressed me (although it did), rather her focus on connection, with her team and her customers.
She is committed to bringing the humanness back into the business (esp an online business).
Birdnest commit to writing a handwritten note to every online purchase (yes, you read right!). Of course, this wouldn’t be a big deal, except that often this equates to 1,000’s of orders in any one day. No surprises that her Customer Net Promoter Score is over 90.
She has over 140 people working for her, from working mums to interns & school-based trainees. Her commitment to developing an environment for optimal performance is also really cool.
Jane shared how she was under immense pressure & had to “calm the hell down”, which is when she learnt about how the brain is wired & more importantly how to manage her emotions when under stress.
That’s when they invested in Mindfulness Program to develop the entire teams’ understanding of their brain and how it works. As well as introducing a meditation room and 10.30am meditation rituals that employees can opt to participate in.
Little wonder, Birdsnest was ranked BRW’s 4th Best Employer (100+ employees) to work for in Australia!
When the leader at the top gets it.
When the leader at the top lives it.
When the leader at the top encourages it.
Magic happens.
Here’s to brain-friendly leaders, creating workplaces worth belonging to!
Cheers Jane, you are one awesome chick!
Until next time, keep connecting.
BLYTHE ROWE & Her Life on Heels.
The founder and director of Human Incite, is widely recognised for her passion, energy and her ability to shake things up. Blythe is brilliant at revving-up productivity and performance in organisations. She is on a mission to rid our workplaces of toxic behaviours, build meaningful relationships, personally and professionally and create workplaces worth belonging. Her enthusiasm simply is infectious!
Birdsnest is one of Australias leading retailers, and they are not just another online retailers!
Their little nest is based in the country town of Cooma in the Snowy Mountains of NSW and is now home to over 140 local birds! It all began when founder and ‘Big bird’, Jane Cay, fell in love with a farmer named Oli and married in 2000, that her dreams of running her very own online store from the country began.
It had to provide something unique and inspire confidence in women like no other online store had yet delivered and it had to look world class. So, in combining her love for fashion, IT and all things girly - birdsnest was born.
So, click the button below and learn more about the Birdsnest!