My Maximalist

Ten years ago Miz was of the belief that I knew enough about what I was doing to invite me to speak at the Import/Export show she created and produced yearly. I said no that year, and the year after, and the year after. It had been a terrible time for my family, I’d lost both my father and sister in a short time frame, and I had very little energy for anything other than day-to-day functioning, let alone being “an expert” in public.  

Her dogged persistence and determination to get me up on stage convinced me in the fourth year that I had enough to offer, and I agreed to be a panellist at the 2012 show. The combination of her encouragement and support (and patience) that day, the people she introduced me to then and since, and the ongoing presence that she holds in my life, both through her openness and generosity as the voice of 40totheMax and as Miz Feiler herself, have taken me down paths I’d never have ventured near otherwise.

Since that day in 2012 I’ve been to Mexico as part of the G20 Young Entrepreneurs Summit, joined EO and YPO, been an EY Entrepreneur of the Year Eastern Region nominee and been swept up by the EY Entrepreneurial Winning Women program, started and grown a For Purpose enterprise that supports career women through the power of modern mentoring, and made connections with people who have taken me personally and professionally to new levels. My own MaximaLIST is a guiding light through my 40s, and holds me accountable to myself and what I want to achieve for myself and my family, and keeps me marching in the right direction. Merely thanking her does not begin to cover it, but as she doesn’t do any of this for the recognition, but more for positive impact and the ripple effect, I’ll leave it at that.   

Adina Jacobs
Co-Founder STM Bags
Co-Founder Mentor Walks Australia