Community-minded, community-spirited and always thinking of others and how she can help them, Sally Eberhardt can certainly put her hand up when it comes to inspirational women. While we can (and should) recognise women every day of the year, 8 March is International Women’s Day – a day of celebrating the achievements of women across the globe. It’s also an opportunity to make a positive difference for women everywhere. Not only is Sally a writer, author and speaker, she can also add ‘mentor’ to her growing list of achievements and successes.
When you first meet Sally, you might easily be mistaken for thinking she’s an extrovert. She oozes a confidence that sees her fit easily into any crowd. But deep down Sally’s a quiet achiever, a trait she uses in her favour to make real and meaningful connections with others, both within the community and in the business world. As with many others in the community who do a lot for others, Sally is quite humble and doesn’t feel she warrants any fuss.
“For me and through everything I’ve done, I just like to show that anyone can do little things, but the little things can make a difference,” Sally says. “I haven’t done anything massive or noteworthy and that’s exactly the point, each of us can do something small and still make an impact.”
A strong business mindset didn’t come about by accident for Sally, who watched on as her parents worked hard while she was growing up in Caboolture.
“They had a succession of four small businesses, so I saw them work very hard to get ahead,” Sally says. “They bought their first little business, picked it up, sold it for a bit more and then bought the next one. They did that a few times.
“I didn’t want to follow the same path initially because they often worked seven days a week and that wasn’t for me. But there was an upside – between businesses and when they were running the swimming pool, which was closed over winter, they would hook up the caravan and ask us kids whether to head north or south. We had some great family holidays together combining learning and adventures. We’ve all grown up loving travel.
“I also saw my parents help a lot of people and support numerous charities in various ways. They are great role models and from them I have learnt compassion, the art of connection and the power of kindness. I take these values as my own and try to live by them every day. You don’t need to have money or education or be a leader. Being a supporter, volunteering and raising awareness of an issue that is close to your heart is something that we can all do.”
Initially studying at Ag College but never venturing into the field, Sally “fell into market research” instead. It was just the beginning of the many paths she would follow including running her own businesses and then tackling writing, including her own book Pain-free Networking for Introverts.
“I’ve always written,” Sally says. “I enjoy writing articles, short fiction and even poetry. Everything has linked in with the next thing.
“I found with copywriting, I was also helping people with their marketing and knowing their unique selling proposition was part of that. I became really good at recognising what was special about them, because people often don't see what's special about themselves.
“Self-care isn’t selfish – it helps us to be at our best to look after others and make the world a better place.”
“You don't see yourself through other people's eyes. I listen and ask questions – points came up where I think, ‘Wow that's what I need to write about.’ You don't have to be cheaper; you just have to be different and reach the right people.”
In a change of direction, Sally took on a business advisor role at ETC in Caboolture in 2022, where she would spend the next 12 months working with local small business owners through the Self Employment Assistance Program to help them improve and reach a greater audience.
“A friend of mine whom I had been writing event promotions for told me I would be perfect for the job,” she says. “And I loved the mentoring. It was so fulfilling to help people find their strengths, recognise them and work on them.”
As someone who had the benefit of working with Sally as my business mentor throughout a big part of 2023, I hold her in high regard. But, how does she feel about being called a mentor in every other aspect of her life?
“I get so much joy out of making a difference because sometimes it can be as simple as saying a couple of sentences to someone that just turns a light on for them,” she says. “Just that little bit that gets them thinking about something they may not have thought about otherwise.”
These days Sally is back working for herself (and enjoying the freedom) as a freelance copywriter, among other things that pop up within the community, including being an Executive Board Member of Caboolture Neighbourhood Centre, a member of Business and Professional Women (BPW) Caboolture and continuing to network every chance she gets.
Given she has ridden the waves of ups and downs by working for others and of course for herself, what’s the best piece of advice Sally has to offer other women out there?
“Schedule white space for yourself – time for you to relax or do something you love,” Sally says. “Do that first and then schedule everything else. Make time for self-care because you cannot fill the cups of others when your own is empty.
“As women, we are all guilty of putting ourselves last and looking after everyone else. That’s what we are programmed to do. Then we wonder why we burn out and we're not enjoying life. Self-care isn’t selfish – it helps us to be at our best to look after others and make the world a better place.”
If you want to know more about Sally, drop by her website sallyeberhardt.com