Just do it…
Over the course of my professional career, I’ve lived by Nike’s tagline: Just Do It.
This mindset has been my driving force and mantra since the day I limped off the rugby field with a broken leg and a broken dream.
But here’s the thing about broken dreams: They’re just opportunities in disguise. When faced with a career-ending injury, I didn’t wait for opportunities—I just did it. I created my own path in the digital world.
Picture this: An England women’s rugby player, sprawled on a hospital bed, crafting a viral marketing campaign that would birth a social media agency. Sounds like the start of a bad joke, right?
But it wasn’t. It was the beginning of my love affair with the digital world and the future of work.
In 2009, I turned that broken leg into over 30,000 YouTube hits and 6,000 Twitter followers in a matter of days.
Fast forward 15 years, and I’ve built an agency that brought giants like Priceline and SpecSavers Australia into the social media age.
Growing from a one-woman show to a team of 12 wasn’t about waiting for the right moment – it was about just doing it, day after day. We’ve been featured in the Australian Financial Review as a testament to creative thinking and adaptability.
I’ve spent the last decade and a half refusing to be invisible. Refusing to be invisible meant just doing it – whether that was judging the Telstra Best of Business Awards 2024, contributing to Channel 7 news on technology, or pushing the boundaries of digital education. But here’s where it gets interesting for RMIT Online:
“The future of online learning is not about more information, it’s about more transformation.”
My journey illustrates the future of work that RMIT Online champions.
I’ve lived the reality of creating unexpected career opportunities through digital skills.
As a guest lecturer at RMIT and a La Trobe University’s Course Advisory Committee member, I’ve bridged the gap between industry insights and education. We even brought the Australian Institute of Sport face-to-face workshops online during COVID, finding innovative ways to engage athletes through quizzes, polls, guest influencers and live streams from different countries. This approach brought them all together to share knowledge, and it’s now a regular format they use.
Financial smarts? I just did it. I taught myself everything to get the company started.
As we grew, I found the right financial experts to enable our growth. Now, I know the questions to ask to make smart choices. This real-world experience taught me how to understand financial reports and make tough calls based on numbers.
What draws me to RMIT Online?
It’s the opportunity to just do it – to blend digital innovation with the power of learning. It’s not just making education more accessible; it’s about reshaping it.
This isn’t about incremental change. It’s about creating a future where education transforms lives. By merging tech savvy with educational insight, we can open doors many didn’t even know existed. That’s the kind of future I’m hungry to help build.
I’m fired up by the prospect of working with forward-thinkers who understand that the future of education lies in the digital space, and who are committed to preparing students for a world that’s constantly transforming.
The idea of leveraging AI, not just as a tool, but as a catalyst for reimagining how we learn and teach, is beyond exciting!
I’m keen to contribute my perspective to the mix, a blend of sports leadership, entrepreneurial grit, and digital expertise.. to help RMIT Online push the boundaries of what’s possible in education. My experience on the Rugby Victoria board has taught me the delicate dance between tradition and innovation, a balance essential in the education sector.
What truly lights me up is the potential to impact people on a global scale. By joining the RMIT Online Board, I see an opportunity to help the team develop learning experiences that show people what’s possible, bridge gaps, and open doors to possibilities that many might have thought were out of reach.
That’s me.
The rugby player turned digital innovator who lives by ‘Just Do It’.
The entrepreneur who understands that the future of education isn’t just about information but transformation.
Someone who’s built a company from a hospital bed, brought major brands into the digital age, and now wants to contribute to shaping the future of education with RMIT Online.
Looking forward to the possibility of meeting you and the board, Nicole.
The prospect of contributing to RMIT Online’s exciting future is truly energising.
Thanks
Sam
Ps. Lastly, this was an article I wrote a while back & I’d love the opportunity to update it with the experience I gain on the board at RMIT Online.