It’s about time I re-introduced myself…

Hi, I’m Mandi. I grew up in Sydney with South African immigrant parents and a sister 15 months older than me. My parents worked hard to provide for us. My Mum was a legal secretary, and my dad juggled various jobs — jewellery salesman, early morning newspaper delivery, music teacher, and even a clown and magician at kids' parties. Looking back, I guess he was an entrepreneur before the term became cool; he did what he could to support our family.

I landed my first job at 12 in a hair salon (despite 14 being the legal working age—rules, schmrules). From there, I had a paper run, worked in cafes, and packed shelves at the local store—my early dive into the hustle life!

I aspired to be a chef and left school at 16 for a prestigious Sydney Five-Star hotel apprenticeship. But after peeling carrots every day for 4-weeks, I quickly realised I was more suited to sales or marketing roles than the kitchen. So, I returned to school and gained a Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing & Hospitality.

Post-uni, I spent five years in the hotel industry, including an eye-opening stint in San Francisco during the Dotcom boom. Seeing 22-year-olds ordering burgers with $400 bottles of wine and driving off in Ferraris was a crash course in entrepreneurship.

Returning to Sydney, I ventured into entrepreneurship myself. At 23, I started a relocation company while working full-time, then launched a cookie empire. Being a one-woman baking machine quickly wore thin as I balanced nighttime baking with daytime work.

In my late 20s, while pregnant with my first child, I launched a blog (before blogging was 'a thing'). I invested $5000 in a website, wrote content, and hustled with a newborn in tow. My approach has always focused on the immediate steps—what needs to happen today and this week to boost clients and revenue.

My superpower? Turning experience into practical wisdom. After building four businesses over 25 years and a successful business acquisition in 2017, I thrive on helping others grow their ventures. I’m an open book, eager to share the mistakes I’ve made so you can avoid the pitfalls on your journey.

I've worked with hundreds of founders across various industries, loving every moment of making a difference in their businesses. Today, I’m a mentor and coach, specialising in partnerships and founder of Nourish Travel.

Thanks to the incredible Tory Archbold , I've been embracing the power of storytelling recently. So, here it is—the first of many stories I'll share with you.

If you’re still reading this, let’s grab a virtual or in-person coffee to connect and explore how to work together.

More details via the website .