Suzy Jacobs, Managing Director, The Athena Network – Australia & New Zealand

Suzy Jacobs is the force that drives The Athena Network in Australia; she chose the role following extensive experience in both corporate and small business.  Her energy, enthusiasm and determination are fired by an absolute commitment to have women in business prosper.

Whilst Suzy grew up in a world flourishing with academics, philosophers and lawyers, she was acutely aware from a very early age it wasn’t the world for her.  Leaving school early she threw herself into the corporate world with an aim to connect with people and specifically, customers.  She began her career working for some of the big names in recruitment – Drake Personnel and the international arm of UK recruitment firm Brooke Street Personnel.

In 1990, keen to involve herself in the PC world she hooked up with the retail division of IBM, learning the ropes as she made her way to National Sales Manger.  Not one to rest on her laurels she made the move to Compaq as National Training Manager (Networking) determined to increase her technical understanding of the computer industry and develop her training skills.

By 1995 Suzy was looking for new challenges – ones that would broaden her knowledge and understanding of business.  So began her love affair with SME.  Suzy and her partner launched Think Lateral Company – a design company and manufacturing plant in Sydney.  With her husband taking the lead in design, Suzy implemented the business structure and during the time they were both on board they were recognised in the industry receiving awards in both design and customer service.

However, it was an overseas posting that had a major impact on the direction Suzy was taking in life.

London came calling at a time when Suzy had pulled out of the workforce to focus on her young children.  She was not to know that it would lead her to finding her life’s vocation – coaching, motivating and inspiring women to have the confidence to be the best they can be.

Having completed a Personal Training and Life Coaching Certificate and a B Sc – Health Sport Fitness, Suzy opened the doors to Inform Fitness, a boutique health and wellbeing centre for women.

The business was designed for women who had lost a sense of power in relation to their health. Teaming up with a leading nutritionist and physiotherapist, Suzy used her Life Coaching tools to provide the support, encouragement and education to set her clients on the path to better health and fitness.

Whilst in London, Suzy’s active involvement in women’s issues and SME brought her into contact with The Athena Network, the UK’s leading business networking group for women.

From her very first meeting, Suzy was captivated – here was a business network with a structure that could support her vision “to have women in business prosper.”  Suzy immediately recognized The Athena Network’s universal appeal and specifically, the economic benefits the network could bring to businesswomen back home in Australia.