5 Minutes with Amy Hembrow | The Powerful Women Project.
E1. The Powerful Women Project, Amy Hembrow.
Introducing the latest, most exciting addition to my blog - ‘The Powerful Women Project’, a sequence of interviews with inspiring entrepreneurs. We are starting the first instalment of this series off with a bang!
Meet @amy_isha_hembrow…
Amy Hembrow is the eldest sister of the renowned Hembrow family, known as some of Australia’s most successful entrepreneurs.
Amy is the Director and Co-Owner at SSKIN, Co-Founder of the fitness app Tammy Fit and Co-Host on podcast Hanging With the Hembrows.
I was lucky enough to chat with Amy regarding all things business. The tests and rewards of running a company and the behind the scenes we don’t always get to see. So how does Amy roll her worlds of fashion, marketing, management, home and family into one entrepreneurial ball of success? I asked and she answered!
Every woman has different commitments and schedules in and out of the office. How do you manage your work-life balance, especially as a mother?
Balancing work and family life commitments can be hard and is something I'm constantly working at. Setting work hours for myself where I can be fully present in the Clinic or office is important. I try to create as much routine as possible, Monday's I work from Tammy Fit, Tuesday's - Friday I work out of SSKIN, unless I have meetings or events. I like to schedule all my board meetings and team meetings each month around the same time. Having this routine also allows me to be present when I'm at home. Although I will admit, it's hard for me to switch off and once my daughter goes to bed I usually jump on my emails.
What has been your greatest challenge and your greatest reward in your professional career?
There are so many! 2020 was a really challenging year, the Tammy Fit app was going through some big changes and I ended up outsourcing some help, we changed developers and now work more efficiently. It was a complex process and I felt a lot of pressure to not let the team down. At the same time I was a new mum about to open our Cosmetic Clinic SSKIN when the pandemic hit. So here I was having invested all this money, a newborn, and we couldn't even open. I was really lucky that I had my sister, who is my business partner, to lean on. We worked through all the obstacles together and managed to have a really successful launch. Every challenge I have learnt from, I've definitely become more of a 'solutions focussed' person. Things will go wrong, not everything will succeed but you can learn some valuable lessons and you become wiser. Seeing my businesses grow and evolve has been the greatest reward. I often think back to challenging times, how I felt completely overwhelmed and lost, and now feel so appreciative of how hard I've worked.\
What motivates you?
Two things really motivate me. Being surrounded by creative and successful people who are achieving their own goals motivates me as an individual. I love seeing others succeed and it fuels something in me to reach my full potential too. I'm also motivated by my family. I want my daughter to see that you can have a dream or an idea and you can work hard to make it happen.
What are the unique qualities or characteristics that you have brought to your career and workplace?
I'm very collaborative, I hire a lot of experts to work for me so I'm constantly learning from them. Company culture is extremely important to me, I've worked in past workplaces where I wasn't valued as an employee so I make the effort as an employer to be a good listener and to take action. There is nothing worse than bringing something to your boss, them nodding or acting like they heard you and it not going anywhere. I also like to think I'm an innovative thinker, I'm always thinking of how we can elevate the business, take the next step and set ourselves apart.
How do you define success?
I think success is a feeling, that sense of achievement. Evolving along the way, learning, the end goal might change as you go, but you feel a sense of accomplishment. Then you do it all again.
What does a typical day in your life look like?
Up early with my family, breakfast and some music/dancing to set the tone of the day. I either head into Tammy Fit or SSKIN, knock out my emails first. Usually have a meeting or two whether it's with suppliers, my business partner or staff. Back on the emails, maybe a couple of calls. By this point the day has gone so quickly! I head home and spend time with my daughter and husband, make dinner, we do the bath time routine and get her to bed (this has proved challenging now she is a toddler). Then I try to unwind by doing my skincare routine, this has become a little ritual, and I usually like reading - currently reading The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, and bed.
What is the one piece of advice you would give to a young woman just starting out in her career?
Surround yourself with people who motivate and support you. This goes a long way, I have a mentor I met early in my career who really helped me when I needed someone to bounce ideas off, or even when I needed help or had questions I didn't know the answers to. She was more established in business, she introduced me to contacts and gave great advice. Relationships like that are invaluable.
What is a mantra you live by?
Start now with what you have, there is no better time.