Today is about acknowledging and celebrating women across the world for all the contributions they have made to advance our world and grow our communities.
Annette Mayne, Founder of The Reconnect Project, Cass Croucher, Co-founder of She Elevates, and Viria Charitos, Founder of MEBEME, shared their personal stories in developing innovative ideas and turning them into successful business models in our diverse and growing local community.
Georges River Mayor Nick Katris said that it is a proud day to showcase entrepreneurial women in the Georges River community. He shared his own stories of strong women in his life who broke the bias in more challenging times gone by.
"Our Local Government Area is home to more than 16,000 businesses, providing approximately 55,000 jobs, of which 37% are filled by locals and 54% are female."
Georges River Council General Manager Gail Connolly said, "International Women's Day is an important reminder, not only for the opposite gender, but for our own gender to support women's advancement.
"Every woman's professional journey is going to be different, but what women have in common is their courage.
"It takes a lot for women to juggle between running a family life, a professional life and for some, a business.
"It not only takes talent, but an incredible amount of courage to embrace the challenges. That is what makes women effective leaders: strong, tenacious, imaginative, brave, and instinctively in touch with every day life."
More than 130 community members gathered in Hurstville this morning to hear from three truly inspiring local businesswomen.
Ticket sales of more than $4,000 from Council's International Women's Day event will be donated to the women's crisis accommodation centre in the Georges River area - a place where vulnerable women can find support and feel safe.
With the breakfast hosted and sponsored by Club Central, attendees experienced first-hand the newly refurbished venue.
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet delivered a virtual address at this breakfast, followed by Mayor of Georges River Council, Nick Katris.
