Tendering was not the path I expected to take, but it became the work that showed me how meaningful impact can happen in very real and practical ways. What began as a dream of diplomacy eventually led me into the world of aid, and then into tendering, where I discovered a craft that is strategic, collaborative and deeply purposeful.
My first tender, supporting a judicial reform program in Indonesia, opened my eyes to a completely different kind of contribution. It showed me that winning work is not just about process or paperwork. It is about bringing together ideas, people and strategy to create something thoughtful, persuasive and worth choosing.
Over time, that journey became Tender Plus. From a one-person business to a team working across Perth, Sydney and Brisbane, I have seen just how much skill, care and resilience this work demands. Tendering is often misunderstood, but it plays a vital role in shaping infrastructure, services and communities, and the people behind it deserve far more recognition than they often receive.
This story is really about why tendering matters. It matters because it creates opportunity, supports recovery, and helps good work move forward. And it matters because behind every submission are people doing their best to make a genuine difference. That is the story I want to keep sharing.
CHAPTER MARKERS
00:00 From Diplomat Dreams to Tendering
01:53 How I Found My Way into Aid Work
02:06 My First Tender Win and What It Taught Me
03:52 Balancing Motherhood and Career Ambition
04:18 How I Built Tender Plus
05:06 Working on Major Australian Projects
05:33 Why Kindness Matters in Tendering
06:01 Leading a Business Through COVID
06:26 My Blood Cancer Diagnosis and Recovery
07:38 Why I Started This Podcast
08:23 Final Thoughts and Invitation to Listen
LINKS:
Web: https://www.tenderplusconsulting.com.au/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tender-plus/