Brisbane backs business growth with expanded mentoring and leadership access
Investing in Brisbane means investing in business growth. And as Brisbane’s economy accelerates, strengthening the capability of local founders and business leaders is a clear priority.
Through the Brisbane Business Hub, the Brisbane Economic Development Agency is expanding access to learning and leadership opportunities, building on the Lord Mayor’s Women in Business Grant and broader Women in Business program.
Business owners will have the opportunity to hear from experienced leaders, including Brisbane’s inaugural Women in Business Champion Fleur Madden, alongside the likes of Cathie Reid AM, Susannah George, Cecily McGuckin, Karina Hogan and Anita Siek. Collectively, they bring decades of experience building, scaling and leading successful organisations across health, manufacturing, media, professional services and the creative industries, offering practical insights drawn from their own journeys.
The Brisbane Business Hub brings together local industry leaders and respected interstate voices to serve as mentors, speakers and facilitators. Together, they focus on practical capability building across Brisbane’s growing sectors, covering growth strategy, leadership, resilience, decision-making, navigating scale and more.
Fleur Madden: Making room at the right tables
Brisbane’s first Women in Business Champion, Fleur Madden brings more than two decades of entrepreneurial experience to the role. As CEO of The Ginsburg Firm, she works with women business owners to scale their businesses or prepare them for sale.
“I know how important it is to have a seat at the right table,” Madden says. “That means the right doors opened, connections made, opportunities presented and access to the right information and business support. I’ve witnessed firsthand how powerful it can be when those elements come together.”
As Brisbane’s first Women in Business Champion, she sees her role as one of advocacy and representation. “I’m proud to support and advocate for the women who are building businesses, creating jobs, fuelling our economy and shaping the future of our city,” she says.
Her advice to all business leaders looking to start or scale up is to put themselves out there. “You do not win new business sitting behind your desk,” Madden says. “Getting out into the community, building relationships and finding your people makes a real difference. The Brisbane Business Hub is a perfect place to start.”
Cathie Reid: Seizing the opportunity
Cathie Reid AM, co-founder of Epic Pharmacy Group and Icon Group, has built and scaled some of the leading businesses in Brisbane’s globally recognised health and life sciences sector. Today, her work spans investment, philanthropy and mentoring through Arc31 and the SpArc Foundation.
Now focused on backing others, Reid believes a lack of confidence can be a barrier to growth. “Don’t wait until you feel 110 per cent ready,” she says. “In reality, backing yourself and learning along the way is how growth actually happens.”
That perspective has been shaped by her own experience of building businesses in Brisbane. “Brisbane’s business and entrepreneurial climate has been absolutely fundamental to our growth,” Reid says. “All of the resources and opportunities you need are here, as well as access to key decision makers.”
As Brisbane enters a decade of heightened global attention and investment, with an economy forecast to grow from $201 billion in 2024 to $275 billion by 2041, Reid senses a once-in-a-generation opportunity.
“If I had one piece of advice to give to businesses in Brisbane, it would be to go all in,” she emphasises. “There is an enormous opportunity to take advantage of the economic growth that is going to happen over the next decade. Lean in, embrace it and go all out.”
Susannah George: Growing with the experience economy
Susannah George founded Urban List from her Brisbane bedroom in 2011. Today, it connects millions of people each month across Australia, New Zealand and Singapore with places, products and experiences.
Her journey mirrors Brisbane’s rise as Australia’s fastest-growing experience economy, with strong population growth and visitor expenditure of $13.7 billion fuelling demand for dining, culture, events and experiences.
For George, growth requires ongoing investment in personal capability as much as business expansion. “Whether that’s AI skills, leadership coaching or financial literacy, I’ve embraced investing in my own capability and capacity with just as much urgency as growing the business.”
She points to Brisbane’s collaborative culture as a clear advantage. “Brisbane is a city where relationships matter and people genuinely want to see you win.”
Cecily McGuckin: Woman of steel
Cecily McGuckin, CEO of Queensland Steel & Sheet, has reshaped the second-generation family business into one of Queensland’s respected steel suppliers, and is the first female CEO in Australia’s steel distribution industry.
She leads at a time of significant momentum for Brisbane’s advanced manufacturing sector. The industry contributed $15 billion to the local economy in 2024 and is forecast to grow by 29 per cent by 2031, creating new demand and new leadership opportunities across the sector.
“It’s usually been a very male-dominated environment, but it’s changing,” McGuckin says. “Think about those areas that have traditionally been for men and consider them for yourself. There are so many opportunities coming your way.”
Karina Hogan: Backing yourself in a city that backs you
Karina Hogan, Chair of BlakDance, brings a leadership approach grounded in integrity and lived experience.
“Sometimes it’s not beautiful and it’s not sanitised,” she says. “But when you make decisions with integrity, with truth and with heart, and with your ancestors in mind, then no matter how it turns out, it’s okay.”
She credits Brisbane’s business community with helping her grow into that confidence. “What’s helped me as a businesswoman is the people in Brisbane who have made time for me, invested in me and seen me, not just written me off,” Hogan says. “You’ve got to keep giving it a crack, but here, people will back you.”
Anita Siek: Owning your voice
Brand and copy strategist Anita Siek has built her career around digital learning, community and collaboration. As the founder of Wordfetti, she works with brands that ‘don’t do normal’, teaching them how to create meaningful differentiation through human-centred brand strategy and words.
She credits Brisbane’s business community as a major factor in her growth. “In Brisbane, people are generous with their time, their knowledge and their connections,” she says. “You can go to events, have real conversations and build relationships that actually lead somewhere.”
That sense of momentum is backed by the city’s broader shift towards a knowledge-led economy. In 2024, Brisbane’s knowledge economy contributed $39 billion to the local economy, driven by growth across professional services including finance, engineering and IT.
As competition for attention intensifies, Siek believes clear positioning matters more than ever. “There is just so much ‘same same same’,” she says.
“The one thing that is very hard to replicate is your stance, your insight, your perspective. That’s why my advice is to own your voice and speak up more.”
Brisbane Business Hub supports businesses at every stage of their journey. Explore mentoring opportunities, upcoming events and practical tools and resources to support your business growth.
