Day 365

I find myself reflecting on my first 12 months at Safewill, and realised that I haven’t taken a full stocktake on everything I’ve done so far. So I figured I’d write it down, see where it leads me… 

But first, a little rewind to set the scene: My career started in Sydney back in 2017, when I was an agency recruiter for Robert Half. Sales and recruitment were two things I had no experience in, but knew I needed to start somewhere if I was going to put my  degree to use. Three years later, after growing my team, hitting revenue firsts for our little division (think, The Little Train That Could vibes) and working with some of the best businesses in Sydney, I was off on my next adventure. By 2022, I’d been recruiting in agency for 5 years, and felt that it was time to learn the other side of recruitment. Enter: Immutable. My career accelerator and first internal talent role. 

Working at Immutable was an incredible opportunity, and one that has helped set the pace for my growth. I implemented new tools and processes, built reporting capabilities, streamlined hiring processes and had direct access to the founders, which gave me incredible insights into how they think about shaping their teams, performance and vision. Immutable was my catapult, and where I landed next is where everything seemed to click.

Enter: Safewill

My first P&C role, and Safewill's first P&C hire.

Coming into the business, I knew I had 50% of the role handled: Talent Acquisition. I can do it with my eyes closed! The other 50? Well… time to learn, and quickly. 

I joined all the forums, bought a membership to AHRI, (practically downloaded ALL their resources - lol), read through Fair Work resources day in/day out, joined webinars, conferences and asked questions on HR slack channels. Side note: my GOODNESS those slack channels are filled with the most generous, kind HR pros out there - they’re always willing to provide advice! Literal lifelines. My mind was filled with all the theory, and then it came to application. 

I’m naturally process oriented. I can see the end state, and all the tiny pieces that need to be in place to achieve that end goal. That has served me well, and I’ve been able to implement some incredible pieces of work that are setting up Safewill for success: 

I’ve also organised offsites, supported the development and roll out of our values refresh, developed training sessions on how to craft and deliver feedback, launched interview training workshops, surprised Adam with the LinkedIn Top Startup nomination (and subsequently making top 10!), managed complex people matters, proposed wellbeing programs, iterated, iterated, then iterated again. 

Shipping all of this hasn’t been perfect, and one thing I’ve come to appreciate through all of this is the importance of resilience; adapting, learning, and coming out better on the other side. To be completely vulnerable here for a quick moment, I’ve rushed some processes, drafted one or two that the business wasn’t quite ready for, and completely fumbled the communications strategy for a rather large program of work. Do you know what got me through those “oh sh*t ” moments? My leadership team had my back, and the wider business gave me the grace to learn and improve. It’s one thing to make mistakes, but it’s another to have the space and trust to recover from them, and I’m very grateful to have that here at Safewill.

What Can Aspiring People and Culture Leaders Take Away From This?

This mix of wins, lessons, and growth got me thinking: What would I tell someone else stepping into their first P&C leadership role? What could they take from my experience to make their own path a little smoother?

🏃🏻‍♀️‍➡️ There's No Shortcut to Mastery

You can read all the resources, attend every webinar, and download every template under the sun, but nothing compares to rolling up your sleeves and figuring it out as you go. It’s not always comfortable, but that’s where the magic happens - and where you really start to grow.

💪 Resilience Will See You Through

Mistakes are inevitable, but the way you recover is what matters. The trust and support of a good team make all the difference. Surround yourself with people who’ve got your back and give yourself permission to learn and adapt along the way.

🫱🏻‍🫲🏼 Relationships Matter

The stronger the relationships you build - both within your team and across the business - the easier everything becomes. People need to trust you to buy into your ideas, and that trust starts with open communication and a willingness to listen.

🌏 Think Big, Start Small

I’m a naturally process-driven person, so breaking big goals into small, actionable steps is second nature. Being able to see the big picture while knowing exactly what needs to happen to get there is a superpower worth cultivating.

📚 Stay Curious and Keep Learning

I’ve spent countless hours trawling through forums, diving into resources, and asking questions that probably sounded silly at the time - but every single one of those moments has been worth it. Be humble enough to admit when you don’t know something, and then go find the answer.

⏳ Timing is Everything

Having great ideas isn’t enough. One of my biggest lessons has been learning to read the room and align my initiatives with where the business is at, not just where I want it to be

🫁 Breathe Life into Values

Supporting the development and rollout of our company values has been an incredibly impactful piece of work. We refreshed them at the right time as pre-work for scale, and the investment was absolutely worth it. I'm seeing firsthand how clear values give people something to rally around, guide decision-making, align teams, and reward and recognise those who champion them. Most importantly, they will make it easier to stay true to who we are as a business - even as we grow. 

🎉 Celebrate the Wins (and the Lessons)

Hitting big milestones feels incredible, but some of my biggest growth has come from reflecting on the things that didn’t quite land. Every success teaches you what works, and every failure teaches you what to do differently next time.

🗣️ Feedback Is a Game Changer

Crafting a culture where feedback flows freely - up, down, and sideways - has been a huge focus for me. Giving feedback is important, but so is learning how to receive it gracefully. It’s all part of building trust and driving performance.

💭 Scale Thoughtfully

Doubling headcount, implementing systems, scaling culture - it’s all exciting, but it’s also a balancing act. Growth isn’t just about speed; it’s about doing it in a way that keeps your values and team culture intact.

💞 Keep People at the Centre of Everything

Every policy, system, or initiative you introduce has to work for the people in your business. When you prioritise the human side of what you do, you’ll build a team that’s not just high-performing but deeply engaged.

Reflecting on these last 12 months, I’ve realised there’s no one-size-fits-all guide to navigating a role like this. I hope that by sharing my experiences, the wins, the lessons, and the messy in-between moments, it might help others feel a little more prepared - or at least a little less alone. For me, the next 12 months are all about scale, growth, and continuing to learn as I go. Let’s see where this adventure takes me next.

I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't plug Safewill Opportunities 👋🏼

One thing that’s truly special about Safewill is that the autonomy and ownership I’ve experienced is not unique to my role. Safewill is a place where everyone is empowered to make a real impact. If you’re looking for a company that gives you the space to lead, take initiative, and shape the future, check out our open roles: careers.safewill.com. We’re growing fast and looking for talented individuals who will thrive in a high-autonomy, high-impact environment. 

Here’s to day 366 and beyond…