Looking Back: Winning the 2026 Women in Leadership Award

When I first opened a laptop in my spare room back in 2012, up to my eyes in laundry, I never imagined it would lead to a night like this. I’m excited to share that I was recently named the winner of the 2026 Women in Leadership Award at the CEO Magazine Women in Leadership Awards, presented by Commonwealth Bank.

It’s a huge moment for me, but even more so, it’s a nod to everything our entire Laundry Lady  community has built over the years.

From a Spare Room in Queensland to the World

When I started The Laundry Lady, I was just like so many busy parents, constantly drowning in laundry and convinced there had to be a better way. I recruited a handful of local helpers and began connecting them with nearby families who desperately needed an extra set of hands.

Looking at where we are today still blows me away. What started as a simple solution in my home has grown into a technology-enabled marketplace supporting more than 550 independent Laundry Partners across Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the UK.

What touched me most about the judges' decision was their recognition of our balance between strong business growth and real social impact. That has always been the heart of my vision. Every single laundry pickup booked through our platform directly supports a Laundry Partner, many of whom are women seeking flexible, meaningful work that fits around their family commitments.

Why This Award Means So Much

While receiving awards is always lovely, this one feels deeply rewarding. It validates the model we set out to build from scratch: a business designed to give busy households their time back, while simultaneously opening doors for hundreds of people to build genuine, flexible streams of income.

This award sits alongside other milestones I’m incredibly proud of, including our wins at the Smart50 Awards and presenting at SXSW Sydney. For me, every single one of these moments tells the exact same story: that a business built around real people, flexibility, and tangible results can scale globally without losing its heart.

What This Means for You

You might wonder what a trophy on my shelf actually means for you as a client. To me, it’s proof that the service you rely on is built on a solid foundation and led with purpose.

Whether you book a quick one-off wash, dry, and fold or rely on us for regular weekly pickups, you are supporting a movement. You’re backing a dream that started with an overflowing laundry basket in a spare room and turned into a thriving global network supporting thousands of households and hundreds of independent business owners.

Looking Ahead

I want to extend my deepest gratitude to everyone at our head office, as well as every single Laundry Partner working across Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. This award belongs to all of us. You are the reason we continue to grow, thrive, and give people their time back, one laundry basket at a time.