65: Sisters Doing It for Themselves: How Global Sisters Is Creating a Rising Tide for Women in Business (with Mandy Richards)
Media MagnetShow Notes
Episode 65: “You Don’t Have to Wait to Be Chosen” with Mandy Richards, Founder of Global Sisters Guest: Mandy Richards, Founder & CEO of Global Sisters Host: Liz Nable
Social entrepreneur and founder of Global Sisters, Mandy Richards, shares how she built a one‑stop support ecosystem that has helped almost 10,000 Australian women start and grow micro businesses, particularly those facing barriers to traditional employment like caring responsibilities, disability, migration, trauma and domestic violence. Mandy unpacks her unconventional journey through social work, business, international development and human rights law, and explains why she believes self‑employment is a powerful path to economic security for women who need flexibility, community and a sense of agency.
Together, Liz and Mandy dive into the real (often invisible) obstacles women face when starting a business – from confidence and self‑doubt to childcare, regional isolation and systemic barriers – and how Global Sisters combines education, coaching, microfinance, corporate partnerships and storytelling to make business a genuine option, not a last resort. They also talk about social media, self‑promotion and why women tend to minimise their achievements, plus the mindset shifts and simple, practical steps that help founders show up, back themselves and create a ripple effect of change in their families and communities.
Key Topics:
Mandy’s non‑linear career path: social work, business, social enterprise, innovation and human rights law.
How childhood years in Indonesia and exposure to poverty shaped her drive for social justice and women‑focused work.
Early work with Hamlin Fistula hospitals in Ethiopia and business incubation projects with the Botswana government.
The impact of Dragons’ Den, startup burnout and why Mandy moved decisively into social enterprise.
The origin story of Global Sisters: from an “Etsy‑style” marketplace idea to a national platform and community.
Who Global Sisters supports: women facing DV, trauma, disability, caring responsibilities, migration and refugee backgrounds, age discrimination, regional isolation and long‑term welfare.
Why self‑employment can be a powerful, flexible income option when standard 9–5 roles are out of reach.
What the Global Sisters platform actually offers: education programs, coaching, microfinance, financial capability support, “runway” programs and long‑term community.
Corporate partnerships with brands like Mecca, Google, AMP and Kip & Co, and the real‑world opportunities they create.
Success story – Yoko: from homesick and jobless to running a mindful miso business, featuring on MasterChef and publishing a bestselling Japanese pickling book.
Success story – Sana: from migrant student and homelessness to running a multi‑six‑figure floral and installation business with major retail activations.
Global Sisters’ systems‑change work, including developing a home‑ownership and mortgage model for women on low incomes.
Confidence as the number one barrier: why identity, language (“I am a businesswoman”) and community matter so much.
Social media, comparison and why authenticity and “real life” content are outperforming polished influencer‑style marketing.
The ripple effect: how one woman’s business success lifts children, families and whole communities.
Liz’s perspective on media, thought leadership and why women struggle more with visibility and self‑promotion than men.
Timestamps (Approximate):
00:00 Introduction – meet Mandy Richards and the mission behind Global Sisters. 03:00 Liz’s background as a TV journalist and how that led to Media Magnet. 05:00 Mandy’s early career in social work, business and social enterprise. 07:00 International development, Hamlin Fistula hospitals and Botswana business incubation. 09:00 Dragons’ Den, startup burnout and the move into social enterprise. 11:00 The spark for Global Sisters: Vietnam, hill‑tribe women and market access. 13:00 Growing up in Indonesia, s
More from Media Magnet
Enough of the box-tickers. My guest today says most small business owners have, at some point, buried their head in the sand about their numbers, come to her flying completely blind, and finally hit the point where enough is enough.
"I think we've attached a lot of success to raising capital." When a business raises $25 million and gets a $100 million valuation, we treat it like a win. My guest today says that's not actually a marker of success at all, and understanding the difference could change how you think about your own business.
Most people who sell a business they've poured five years of blood, sweat and no salary into would take the win and put their feet up for a while. My guest today looked at her payout and thought, "Great, let's do it all again, but harder, faster, and with a lot more on the line this time."
There are 2.2 million self-employed Australians. Nearly half of small business owners aren't contributing to their own super. And most of them are telling themselves the same thing: my business is my retirement plan.
They beat out 14 other applicants for the lease. They opened with 5,000 local social media followers already waiting for them. They had a line out the door on winter mornings. Their biggest day was 444 coffees in a little suburban cafe with just two people behind the counter.