Beyond Resilience

On January 2nd, 2025, my world shifted. A serious back injury forced me to rethink everything—how I work, how I move, how I balance being, a mother, a wife, a friend, and a leader.

The initial instinct was to focus on resilience—to push through, to endure, to get back to where I was before. But I quickly realised that resilience alone wasn’t enough. The real opportunity lay in antifragility—the ability to take a setback and turn it into a foundation for something stronger. Instead of just recovering, I had to evolve.

I know I am lucky. There are so many people facing far greater challenges than mine. But this experience has reinforced something I’ve always believed: growth doesn’t happen when things are easy. It happens when we are tested.

I first learnt about being "anti-fragile" from a great mentor and friend Cathy Dimarchos who corrected me when I was boasting about how resilient I was a couple of years. I never truly connected with this personally until now.

Resilience vs. Antifragility

Resilience is like a rubber band—it stretches under pressure but snaps back to its original shape. Antifragility, on the other hand, is like a muscle—it grows stronger when stressed.

A setback like this could have slowed me down, or worse, made me question if I could keep up. Instead, I’ve had to rethink how I work smarter, how I prioritise, and how I lead—not just at TP24 24, but also with the Women's Commercial Finance Forum (WCFF) , a platform I am deeply passionate about. The demands haven’t changed, but my approach has.

Why Antifragility Matters in Business and Leadership

Whether in business, leadership, or life, resilience alone isn’t enough. Markets shift. Industries evolve. Challenges—personal and professional—arrive without warning. The ones who succeed aren’t the ones who simply endure; they are the ones who use adversity as a launchpad for growth.

Here’s how I’ve embraced antifragility—and how you can too:

1. Lean Into the Challenge

Pain—whether physical, professional, or emotional—can feel like a signal to stop. But often, it’s a sign to adapt and push forward in a new way. Instead of fighting against my situation, I’ve embraced it as a chance to refine how I work and lead.

2. Prioritise What Truly Matters

With limited physical capacity, I’ve had to be ruthless with my focus. High-impact work gets my attention. Distractions and unnecessary commitments? They fall away. This mindset shift has made me more efficient than ever—something every business leader can benefit from.

3. Stay Agile and Open to Change

Rigid plans break under pressure. But agility? That allows for evolution. In both TP24 and WCFF, I’ve seen how being flexible, responsive, and open to new ways of thinking leads to better decisions and stronger outcomes.

4. Build a Support Network

No one thrives in isolation. Having a team you trust, colleagues who step up, and a personal support system that has your back is invaluable. I’ve always believed in surrounding myself with great people, and this experience has reinforced just how essential that is.

5. Find the Growth in the Struggle

Every challenge offers lessons—if we are willing to look for them. Instead of asking, “Why is this happening to me?” I’ve asked, “What is this teaching me?” That shift in perspective changes everything.

Antifragility in Action

I’ve watched businesses collapse under pressure, and I’ve seen others just barely survive. But the ones that thrive? They adapt, evolve, and use adversity as fuel for something greater.

I’m applying that same mindset to my own journey. This injury isn’t just something to overcome—it’s an opportunity to emerge even stronger, more efficient, and more determined.

Antifragility isn’t just about bouncing back. It’s about transforming obstacles into stepping stones for something greater.

Resilience is about survival. Antifragility is about growth. Which one will you choose?