Meet our new member, the inspiring and successful Shirin Lakhani. 

Sydney-based entrepreneur, author, and global mentor Shirin Lakhani has spent over 15 years building businesses, mentoring women, and creating spaces where resilience becomes strength. A serial entrepreneur with experience across consulting, wellness, and community development, Shirin has earned a reputation as a leader who turns life’s toughest moments into catalysts for empowerment. Recently appointed Joint Secretary of the Women’s Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry NRI Council, she now uses her international platform to mentor and guide women across borders, helping them reclaim their voices, rebuild confidence, and shape new narratives for their lives.

What truly defines Shirin’s journey, however, is the courage behind it. Having faced profound health challenges and personal loss, she transformed her experiences into a powerful message of resilience through her bestselling book She Grows Stronger. Her work today centres on emotional resilience, leadership development, and women’s financial independence; areas she believes are essential for true empowerment. Through her mentorship and advocacy, Shirin reminds women that adversity does not define them; it can become the foundation of their strength.

Beyond her professional achievements, Shirin is also a devoted mother and a loving wife who continues to balance family with her mission of uplifting others. Her impact has been recognised with prestigious honours including the Indian Icon Award for Dynamic Entrepreneur of the Year and the India’s Iron Lady Award for Women Entrepreneur in 2022, followed by the Prime Excellence Award in 2025.

Her voice as an author continues to grow even stronger. In 2026, Shirin expands her literary journey with two upcoming books – She Wins Stronger in Every Way and Finding Light After Loss – both reflecting her belief that strength is not only built through adversity but also through the courage to keep moving forward.

Shirin Lakhani doesn’t simply grow stronger with every chapter of her life, she ensures that every woman she touches grows stronger alongside her.

We recently enjoyed interviewing her. 

Q. Your journey is deeply rooted in resilience. Can you share a defining moment when adversity shifted your perspective and ultimately shaped the leader you are today?

A. A defining moment for me came when I hit a point in my life where everything felt overwhelming — personally and professionally. I had always believed that being strong meant handling everything on my own. But in that difficult season, I realised that real strength comes from allowing yourself to be vulnerable, asking for help, and choosing to rise with support rather than struggle in silence. That shift changed the way I lead. It taught me to lead with empathy, authenticity, and purpose — and to create spaces where others feel safe to grow, heal, and rise too.

Q. You have built multiple businesses across consulting, wellness, and community development. What has been the common thread or philosophy guiding your entrepreneurial journey?

A. The common thread in everything I’ve built — whether in consulting, wellness, or community development — has been a commitment to creating impact through service. My entrepreneurial journey has always been guided by the belief that business should solve real problems, uplift people, and leave communities stronger than before. I focus on purpose first, profit second. That means listening deeply, understanding people’s needs, and building solutions that empower, support, and create long‑term change. No matter the industry, my philosophy has remained the same: lead with intention, operate with integrity, and use every venture as a platform to make a meaningful difference.

Q. In your book She Grows Stronger, you turn personal challenges into powerful lessons. What message from the book do you feel every woman needs to hear right now?

A. The message I believe every woman needs to hear right now is this: your strength is not defined by how perfectly you hold everything together, but by your willingness to rise after every setback. She Grows Stronger reminds women that growth often comes from the moments that challenge us the most. You don’t have to be unbreakable to be powerful — you just have to choose yourself, honour your journey, and keep moving forward with courage and self‑belief.

Q. As Joint Secretary of the Women’s Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry NRI Council, you mentor women globally. What are the most common barriers you see women facing today, and how can they begin to overcome them?

A. The most common barriers I see women facing today are self‑doubt, lack of support, and limited access to opportunities. Many women underestimate their own abilities because they’ve been conditioned to play small or wait for permission. Others struggle because they don’t have the networks, mentors, or platforms that can help them grow. And in many cases, structural biases still make it harder for women to be heard, recognised, or taken seriously.

Overcoming these barriers begins with three things:

clarity, confidence, and community. Women need clarity about their strengths and goals, confidence to back themselves even when the path feels uncertain, and a strong community that uplifts them instead of isolating them. When women surround themselves with the right support system, invest in their own growth, and learn to take up space unapologetically, they begin to break through every barrier — not just for themselves, but for others who follow.

Q. With your upcoming books She Wins Stronger in Every Way and Finding Light After Loss, how has your voice as an author evolved, and what new dimensions of your story are you most excited to share?

A. My voice as an author has evolved to become more open, more grounded, and more intentional. She Wins: Stronger in Every Way reflects my growth as a woman who has learned to rise through challenges, while Finding Light After Loss reveals a deeper, more vulnerable side of my journey — one that speaks to healing, acceptance, and rediscovering hope.

What excites me most is sharing the parts of my story I once kept private: the moments of grief, rebuilding, and quiet strength that shaped who I am today. These books allow me to speak with greater honesty and compassion, and to show women that strength and softness can coexist — and that both are powerful.

Softening From Strength: When Love Meets Self‑Respect

By Jacqueline Koloski

(https://www.connectingwithjacqueline.com)

There was a time in my life when love felt like effort. I over‑explained, I over‑functioned and I tried to be understanding, patient, compassionate, often at the expense of myself. If I’m honest, love felt less like connection and more like management and I know I’m not alone in that.

Where in your life has love felt like work rather than ease?

Where have you confused effort with devotion?

Like many women, I learned how to be strong early. I knew how to carry responsibility, to hold everything together, to remain emotionally steady even when the ground beneath me was unsteady. Strength became second nature. It was familiar and it was protective. Strength was safe. Softness felt riskier, not because I didn’t value it, but because, in the past, softness often meant accommodating, absorbing, and adjusting myself to preserve connection.

Many of us were never taught how to soften without shrinking.

Where has strength felt safer than softness for you?

What did softness once cost you?

 As a secure woman, I now understand something I couldn’t see then: softness without self‑respect is not intimacy, it is self‑abandonment.That kind of softness slowly teaches us to override ourselves. To stay quiet, to be “understanding” in moments where clarity is required.

Where in your relationships have you softened beyond your own capacity?

What have you told yourself to justify it?

Recently, I found myself in a relational dynamic that invited me to look closely at who I am now, not who I was two years ago, not who I was in my marriage, and not who I was when I tolerated inconsistency in the name of love. Growth has a way of asking better questions.

The most honest one I faced was this:

Who am I when I’m no longer managing emotional outcomes for others?

What I realised was both simple and profound. I am no longer willing to be someone else’s emotional regulator. There is a clear and necessary difference between supporting someone’s growth and becoming the emotional parent in the relationship. The secure woman understands that compassion does not require self‑sacrifice and empathy does not obligate endurance. Understanding someone’s history does not mean carrying it for them.

Who are you managing emotionally in your life right now?

What becomes possible if you stop?

I can see the wounds, I can recognise the patterns and I can hold empathy without absorbing responsibility. I can still say, “This is my boundary.”

What boundary have you been hesitating to name because you don’t want to be seen as difficult, cold, or “too much”?

What might change if you trusted your own discernment?

Secure love does not require emotional over‑functioning. It does not ask us to minimise our needs so that someone else can remain comfortable. Instead, it invites mutual accountability, emotional ownership, and adult‑to‑adult relating. Softness, when anchored in self‑respect, is no longer fragile. It is grounded, it is selective and it is powerful.

As you move through your own evolution, consider this:

What version of softness are you ready to embody now? One rooted in approval, or one grounded in self‑respect?

The evolution of the secure woman is not a move away from love, but a shift into a softness so anchored in self‑respect that it no longer requires self‑betrayal.

Meet our new member, the inspiring and successful Shynitha. 

Shynitha is the founder of Springle Robotics (https://springlerobotics.com.au/), based in Sydney. Springle is focused on bringing service robotics into hospitality, helping restaurants and cafés improve efficiency and enhance customer experience through smart automation. Their robots assist with tasks like food delivery and table clearing, allowing teams to focus more on service while technology handles repetitive work.

Shynitha started Springle driven by her passion for building solutions at the intersection of technology and real-world impact. Recognising that hospitality is one of the most demanding industries to operate in, she believes robotics can become a practical tool to help businesses run more smoothly while creating a better experience for both staff and customers.

Currently in the early growth phase, she is working closely with venues, running pilot programs, and introducing robotics to the Australian hospitality market.

Building a company from the ground up has been both challenging and incredibly energising for her, and she is excited to be part of a community of women who are creating and leading their own ventures. She looks forward to learning from others and supporting one another along the way. Shynitha also welcomes connections with restaurant or café owners, as Springle is currently offering one-month free pilot programs.

We recently enjoyed interviewing her:

Q. What inspired you to start Springle Robotics, and what moment made you realise that hospitality was the perfect industry for this innovation?

A. Springle Robotics was inspired by a deep desire to build something meaningful at the intersection of technology and human experience. It represents a return to a vision I’ve carried for a long time — one that stayed with me even as life took different turns. At some point, I chose to stop waiting and start creating, bringing together my experience, curiosity, and sense of purpose. Some inspirations quietly shape your path. Springle is a reflection of that — built with intention, resilience, and heart.

Hospitality became a natural starting point because the impact is immediate — enhancing service and customer experience. But our vision goes beyond that, with solutions across healthcare, logistics, retail, and corporate environments. We already have some solutions in these spaces. You can refer to our website for more details. Hospitality is where the value is most visible — but it’s only the beginning.

Q. Introducing robotics into traditionally people-driven spaces like restaurants can be challenging, how have businesses and staff responded to this shift so far?

A. In Australia, adoption is still at an early stage, so some hesitation is expected — especially around investment and real-world value. At Springle Robotics, we’ve addressed this by removing the risk entirely. We don’t just sell robots; we partner with businesses to assess their space, optimise the setup, and run a tailored two-week free pilot.

This allows teams to experience the benefits firsthand — improved efficiency, smoother operations, and a unique customer experience. In most cases, once businesses see the impact in their own environment, the value becomes very clear. What starts as curiosity quickly turns into confidence. Robotics isn’t about replacing people — it’s about elevating human experience. At Springle, we’re building technology that works quietly so people can focus on what matters most.

Q. As a founder in the early growth phase, what have been some of the biggest challenges you have faced, and what lessons have shaped your leadership style?

One of the biggest challenges has been building something new in a market that is still evolving. Early on, it’s less about selling and more about building trust and awareness.

That journey has taught me resilience and patience — to stay consistent even when traction takes time. It’s also shaped my leadership to be more partnership-driven, focusing on understanding customer needs and creating real value rather than just offering a product. Ultimately, it’s reinforced that strong leadership comes from clarity of purpose, adaptability, and quietly believing in what you’re building.

A. How do you see service robotics transforming the future of hospitality in Australia over the next 5–10 years?

Over the next 5–10 years, service robotics will move from novelty to necessity in Australian hospitality.

With ongoing labour challenges and rising customer expectations, robots will support teams, improve efficiency, and enhance overall experience — not replace people. Instead, they’ll take on repetitive tasks, allowing staff to focus on more meaningful customer interactions. Early adopters will lead the way, and robotics will soon become a standard part of modern hospitality operations.

Q. Being part of a growing community of women entrepreneurs, how important has that support network been in your journey, and what advice would you give to other women looking to build in tech?

A. Being part of this community, even as a recent addition, has been really valuable. Building something in tech can feel quite solitary at times, so having a space to connect, share experiences, and learn from others on a similar journey makes a real difference. What I appreciate most is the openness — the willingness to support, exchange ideas, and celebrate each other’s progress.

My advice to women looking to build in tech would be to start before you feel completely ready. You don’t need to have everything figured out — clarity comes through action. And just as importantly, find your community. Because when you combine courage with the right support system, you become far more capable than you think. Be awesome to each other!

When Life Presses Reset

By Lence Naumovski 

A few weeks ago, everything changed. After 35 years in corporate, across banking and health insurance, I found myself stepping into a reality I hadn’t known in decades: one without a title, a calendar full of meetings, or a clearly defined next step. Being made redundant is never something you quite prepare for. It arrives, it disrupts, and it asks you to pause in ways you didn’t expect. And yet, what followed didn’t feel like an ending, it felt like an invitation.

Just two days after my final meeting, I attended an International Women’s Day event. From the outside, it may have looked like just another professional gathering. But internally, something had shifted. I was no longer anchored to the identity I had built over 35 years. And quietly, I found myself asking a question I hadn’t needed to ask in a very long time: Who am I now, and what comes next?

If I’m honest, the answer hasn’t come in a neat, polished way.

Instead, it has been a mix of excitement, uncertainty, and a lot of deep thinking. There is a certain thrill in standing on the edge of the unknown, but there’s also discomfort. Because when the structure you’ve relied on for years disappears, so does the familiar rhythm of your days.

For the first time in a long time, there’s no 9–5. No back-to-back meetings. No constant emails demanding attention. No external structure telling me where to be and what to do. And that absence feels both freeing and unfamiliar. In that space, I have realised how much of my identity was tied to movement, productivity, and momentum. Without it, there’s a quiet stillness, one that forces reflection, but also creates room for something new to emerge.

Right now, I am allowing myself to explore rather than rush. To stay open instead of forcing clarity. And that openness has led me to a new path ; working alongside Jeff Ghaemaghamy, Donna Ghaemaghamy, and Katherine Hodge on Project Helix, starting with the Healthy Home and Workplace Movement using the PRYSM iO scanner.

It feels aligned. It feels meaningful. And it feels like the beginning of something different. But I’m also aware that this is a completely new way of working, thinking, and showing up. There is no blueprint, no familiar framework to lean on. It requires me to trust myself in a different way, to embrace uncertainty rather than resist it.

This isn’t a story about having it all figured out. It’s about being in the middle of a transition, that in-between space where identity evolves and new possibilities begin to take shape. Because sometimes, what feels like an ending is simply life making space for something more aligned. And sometimes, the most powerful thing I can do; is pause, reflect, and give myself permission to explore what’s next.

The Evolution of the secure woman

By Jacqueline Koloski

(https://www.connectingwithjacqueline.com)

The Space Where Trust Rebuilds

Enjoying a cuppa, reflecting on the way life unfolds, I’m reminded how relationships often bring us face to face with ourselves. Sometimes things happen that shake our sense of certainty. Words are spoken, emotions run high, and in the midst of it all we find ourselves trying to make sense of what we feel. Not just about the other person, but about what sits true within us.

Trust is an interesting thing. It doesn’t arrive instantly, and when it is shaken, it rarely repairs overnight. It asks for time, patience, and a willingness from both people to remain present in the process. There are moments when we can understand why someone has done something. Perhaps fear was involved. Perhaps vulnerability was difficult to hold. Understanding the reason behind an action can bring compassion, yet it doesn’t necessarily remove the feeling that something needs to be rebuilt and that is the space where reflection becomes important.

In the past, I might have rushed to smooth things over, wanting harmony to return as quickly as possible. These days I’m learning that it is okay to pause, to take a breath, to allow time to pass so that clarity can gently return. Sometimes the most respectful thing we can do for ourselves and another person is to say, I need time to see how I feel. Not as a rejection, not as a punishment, but as an honest acknowledgement that emotions take time to settle.

What I am noticing more in life is that repair is not something one person can carry alone. True repair happens when both people are willing to remain open, even when the conversation is uncomfortable. It requires honesty, patience, and a shared understanding that trust is built through consistent actions over time.  I’m also learning something else along the way. It is possible to care deeply for someone and still hold space for your own feelings. Those two things do not cancel each other out. They simply ask for balance.

Life has a way of showing us where we are growing. Sometimes that growth looks like speaking calmly when emotions are high. Sometimes it looks like choosing not to rush toward resolution and sometimes it simply looks like sitting quietly with our thoughts and letting our hearts guide the next step.

What I’m coming to understand is that clarity rarely arrives in the middle of the storm. It tends to find us later, in the quiet spaces, when we allow life to breathe again.

Perhaps that is the gentle reminder here.Trust, like many things in life, unfolds slowly. It asks for honesty. It asks for patience and above all, it asks that we remain true to ourselves as we walk the path forward.

When trust feels unsettled in your life, do you allow yourself the space and time to understand how you truly feel?

In moments of repair within a relationship, are both people carrying the responsibility for rebuilding trust, or have you found yourself holding it alone?

The  evolution of a secure woman is not found in having all the answers, but in knowing when to pause, listen to her own heart, and honour the truth she feels within.

There is a lie that ambitious women have been quietly told for a very long time. It sounds something like this: If you want to be successful, you have to sacrifice. If you want to rest, you are falling behind. If you want peace, you must not want it badly enough.

Maybe you have felt it too, that relentless pull between who you are building yourself to be and the woman underneath it all who is simply, quietly, tired.

Maybe you have sat at your desk at midnight, running on cold coffee and sheer will, telling yourself that one day, when things settle down, you will finally breathe. One day, you will slow down. One day, you will feel like yourself again. We are here to gently, lovingly tell you – that day does not have to wait.

This is why Business With Balance exists. Not to slow your ambition. Never that. We see the fire in you and we would never dream of dimming it. BWB was built for the woman who wants to rise; in her career, in her business, in her life; but who refuses to arrive at the top completely depleted, disconnected, and wondering where she went.

We believe something that the world does not always make room for: that success and wellbeing are not opposites. They are partners. And when you nurture both, something extraordinary happens; your ambition becomes sustainable, your confidence becomes unshakeable, and your life becomes something you actually want to live, not just survive.

Here is what we know about you.

You are capable of more than you have probably admitted to yourself. You have ideas that light you up and a vision that keeps you awake, not from anxiety, but from possibility. You are the kind of woman who shows up, who delivers, who holds it all together with both grace and grit. But somewhere along the way, you may have started to believe that rest is a reward you have to earn. That asking for support is a sign of weakness. That you can pour endlessly into your work, your family, your goals and somehow never run dry. You can’t. Nobody can. And you were never supposed to.

Balance is not a destination. It is a practice.

It is the daily, deliberate act of choosing yourself as often as you choose your goals. It is building a business that supports your life, not one that consumes it. It is understanding that a woman who is grounded, healthy, and at peace with herself is not less productive, she is more powerful than she has ever been.

At BWB, we bring together the tools, the wisdom, the coaching, and the community to help you build that kind of life. We blend psychology, neuroscience, and real-world strategy because transformation is not surface-level, it reaches into the beliefs you carry, the stories you tell yourself, and the quiet places where your greatest potential is still waiting to be discovered.

And then there is the community.

There is nothing quite like being in a room, or a conversation, or a shared moment, with a woman who truly gets it. Who has felt what you have felt. Who has questioned herself, rebuilt herself, and chosen herself again. Our community of women is exactly that. Driven, warm, real, and deeply invested in each other’s growth. We do not just network here. We connect. We collaborate. We celebrate. We lift.