Be MPowered 2024 Wrap

Let's take a moment to celebrate the highlights and key takeaways from an unforgettable day that marked a new chapter in empowering mums in business.

5 min read
Listen to this episode of Mumbition The Podcast now!

Nothing beats a story with a happy ending, and this year’s Be MPowered 2024 conference for business-owning mums certainly had one! The sixth iteration of our flagship event was an overwhelming success, leaving attendees inspired, connected, and ready to take on new challenges. With record-breaking registrations, thought-provoking sessions, and meaningful visibility opportunities for our community's businesses, this year's conference truly exceeded expectations.  
Let's take a moment to celebrate the highlights and key takeaways from an unforgettable day that marked a new chapter in empowering mums in business.

Grateful for Our Aligned Sponsors and Partners

We couldn’t have made this event such a success without the support of our incredible sponsors and partners. A huge thank you to NRMA Insurance, The Squiz, Maggie Dent, Thriday, Mental Health First Aid, The Black Card, Simple Split Financials, Day One Podcast Network, and Kiddo. Your commitment to empowering women in business made this event possible, and we’re so proud to have partnered with you.

Dynamic Speakers Who Inspired and Energized

This year’s speaker lineup was nothing short of spectacular, bringing dynamic energy to every conversation. We kicked things off with Tracy Hall, who shared her powerful story of overcoming financial and emotional betrayal. Her practical advice for women looking to improve their financial acuity was a highlight, leaving everyone feeling more confident and capable in managing their finances. ‍

Session key takeaways

  • No matter what season of life you are in, make sure you have some kind of employment
  • Money gives women choices and choices are important
  • Take extreme ownership of your finances; hand over the laundry or after school pickup, don’t ever hand over your finances  

We were then treated to the one and only Maggie Dent – the queen of common-sense parenting. Her conversation with Mums & Co’s Founder Carrie Kwan was the most-watched part of the program, offering parenting advice that resonated across all stages of life, from babies to teenagers. Maggie’s insights were invaluable, and her connection with our audience was truly special. ‍

Session key takeaways:

  • Surrender and aim to be the best expression of yourself, and know your core-beliefs
  • On how can parents effectively set boundaries between work and home life in a digital age; meal times are phone-free zones, prioritise helping kids to sleep, work out the times when you’re most effective and negotiate that with your family. Recognise we do far too much for our kids when they are capable so discuss how they can step-up (everyone can embrace the Laundry bed lucky dip!)
  • Prioritise your well being and role-model it for your co-parent and kids: What are you doing once or twice a week that fills your own cup?  

Members invited to watch the session recording here.

A Commitment to Psychological Safety

2024 has been a challenging year for many in the small business space, and we were determined to provide a psychologically safe environment for all attendees. Thanks to our Silver Sponsor, Mental Health First Aid, we were able to uphold this commitment. We had three trained mental health first aid officers on hand to support attendees, ensuring they had the resources and guidance they needed during sensitive or potentially triggering conversations. In addition, Mental Health First Aid created a dedicated mental health resource page to ensure ongoing support for our community.

Energizing Panels on Partnerships and Community

Our panels were packed with inspiring insights and practical advice. Kate Watson from The Squiz, Kat Azar from IAG, and Katrina McCarter from Marketing To Mums & Partnerships Mastery were led in an engaging discussion with our Partnerships Principal, Liz Kaelin, on creating successful partnerships and collaborations as small business owners. With expertise spanning small business, startups, and corporate insights, their advice was invaluable for anyone looking to grow through strategic partnerships.
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Session key takeaways:

  • Remember you have value to offer in a partnership and not being afraid to go out there and pursue partnerships with organisations where you know you have a lot to offer.
  • Be friendly but upfront with potential partners; set your expectations early to ensure everyone’s time is respected and your intention and ROI is clear.  
  • SMEs have just as much to offer corporates and when in doubt start small  
  • Values drive your partnership strategy, be clear on what your brand stands for and what you want to achieve with potential partners before you set out to speak with them.  


Members invited to watch the session recording here.

Meanwhile Lucy Kippist, our Community Manager, led our community discussion.  Yarraka Bayles of The Black Card, Paz Pisarski of The Community Collective, and Verity Hare of Tradie Wives invited us to rethink how we build and nurture communities. Their personal stories reflected the true passion they have for the communities they’ve built across different industries, offering lessons that resonated with everyone in the room.
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Session key takeaways:

  • Building “community” is very different from building an “audience”  
  • Find your “niche cubed”, i.e, you’re a community of women, who run businesses in New South Wales  
  • The importance of finding a shared purpose in community and how to drive member-led engagement for our business.


Members invited to watch the session recording here.

Visibility Opportunities That Delivered Real Value

One of the standout features of this year’s conference was the opportunity for visibility and connection. Our speaker program was complemented by a show reel of members pitching their businesses, followed by a 30-minute working session facilitated by our brilliant Mums & Co expert team, including Jo Downer, Brett Lillie, Rebecca Saunders, Rebecca Dredge, Emma Hueston, and Stephanie Gobraiel. Attendees were able to share their business asks and network with like-minded women, creating lasting connections and collaborations.

To top it off, our digital swag bag featured exclusive discounts and promotions from our members, sponsors, and wider network, further enhancing the overall value and sense of community.

A dedicated Be MPowered season of Mumbition the Podcast

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A bespoke 8-week season of our Mumbition the podcast was dedicated to interviews with our Be MPowered speakers and sponsors providing a terrific opportunity for our community to connect and be inspired by the event program in the lead up to the big day! Podcast interviews include Paz Pisarski of The Community Collective, Tracy Hall, author of The Last Victim, Katrina McCarter founder of Marketing To Mums, Verity Hare founder of Tradie Wives, Matilda Brown of The Good Farm Shop and Rebecca Saunders of The Champange Lounge.  

A Celebration of Community

Curating the Be MPowered conference is a true labour of love for the Mums & Co team. It’s a privilege to spend half a day with the women in our community—celebrating their wins, sharing their challenges, and creating an environment that’s supportive, warm, and fun. We are incredibly proud of what we’ve built together, and the energy from the event will fuel us as we continue to empower women in business.

We look forward to building on this success and creating even more meaningful events in the future. Until next time!

Watch the entire Be MPowered 2024 program on our Mums & Co digital library

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