What a Year! (No, Really…What Was That?)

2024. A year that started with ambition, shifted with surprise and ended with a clarity I didn’t even know I was searching for.

Let me take you back to January. Picture me: coffee in hand, ready to take on a shiny new role as Chief Operating Officer and Workforce Manager for a company I thought would be my next big chapter. [Finally, some structure after running my own ship for so long. A team. A purpose. A change of pace.]

It was a dream scenario: great people, big plans, and an opportunity to grow. We were diving into the NDIS space, expanding into education, and even labour hire. I spent time in Cairns with the team—head full of possibilities. But it meant making a tough decision: I pressed pause on Navig8Biz. I told myself, This is fine. It’s the right call.

Six months in? The dream crumbled. [Cue the record scratch.] Suddenly, I found myself out of the role and sitting on my proverbial bum. July-August hit me like a freight train.

Pause. Reflect. Breathe.

I remember sitting there, the dust settling, and asking myself: What now? But here’s the thing about me—I’m not one to stay down. [Okay, Joanne, get up. Phone a friend. Make some calls. You’ve done this before.]

And so, I did.

I picked up the phone, reached out to people I trusted, and asked for support. And you know what I got? Humanity. Offers of collaboration. Excitement about projects I’d put on the back burner. I realised something: the universe wasn’t shutting me down…it was redirecting me.

The universe was handing me Navig8Biz again and whispering, "You belong here. Stop running from it."

By September, I was back at the helm, full of energy and ideas. [Is this what alignment feels like?]

I didn’t just dust Navig8Biz off. I rebuilt it. Rebranded it. Gave it the 10th iteration of its beautiful, messy, growth-driven identity. I revived our Facebook group for women in business, reimagined the Her Transformation Program, and started showing up in places where I needed to be.

As member of Women’s Network Australia I was offered the role of ambassador and then steoed it up to Partner—a role I take seriously. I stepped into LeadHership Global in the US as a trusted advisor, where I’ll be hosting monthly board group sessions. I also took on an ambassador role with the Small Business Association.

[I can hear some of you thinking, Why so many associations, Joanne? Here’s why:]

I needed spaces where I could show up fully—as an entrepreneur and as a woman—to learn, grow, and give back. I wanted to build deeper relationships, not just surface-level connections. That meant saying yes to what served me and no to anything that didn’t. [Phew. That alone was worth it.]

 But that wasn’t all.

This year, I also took a deep breath and enrolled in my MBA with Ducere Global Business School, specialising in Strategy and Leadership. [Was I scared? Sure. Did I think, "Am I too busy for this?" Absolutely.]

But here’s what I learned: this MBA isn’t about the letters. It’s about the journey. I’m building my business while studying. I’m collaborating with leaders from all over the globe. I’m doing real, practical projects—not exams—and learning from some of the greatest minds on the planet. Prime Ministers. Presidents. CEOs. [Me, sitting in my office, soaking in insights I wouldn’t get anywhere else? Wild.]

Now, as the year comes to a close, I’m clearer than ever on where Navig8Biz is headed in 2025.

1. Her Transformation Program: The program is bigger, bolder, and better than ever. I’ve brought on FIVE incredible mentors: an energy healer, professional speaker, fashion stylist, unconscious bias expert, and profiling tool specialist. Together, we’re creating a one-of-a-kind experience for women ready to grow themselves and their businesses. [Taking this program global next year? You bet. UK and US, here we come.]

2. MBA Advocacy: I’m not just studying this MBA—I’m shouting from the rooftops about it. Entrepreneurs, if you’re serious about your growth, this experience is transformative. [Not for the letters. For the learning.]

3. Business Consultancy: Helping businesses scale, build solid foundations, and embrace automation. SOPs, CRMs, workflows—the “unsexy” stuff that actually makes businesses work. Using my high-tech, high-touch approach, I’m freeing entrepreneurs to focus on what they love: their clients.

So, here we are. December.

I could look back at 2024 and think about the bumps, the unexpected turns, and the uncertainty. But instead? I’m looking back with gratitude.

Gratitude for the lessons. Gratitude for the people who showed up when I called. Gratitude for the universe pushing me (gently and not-so-gently) back to my purpose.

And most of all, gratitude for the clarity that’s come from leaning in, trusting the process, and showing up fully as me.

[2025…I’m ready for you. Let’s go.]