Women to the front #1
Kym Hunter | Founder & Managing Director | Champion Life Education (Canopy Founder)
In honour of Women’s History Month, we’re shining a spotlight on some of the incredible women that make up the Innovation Bay communities and ecosystem at large.
We were lucky enough to get a few minutes with Champion Life’s Founder and Managing Director Kym Hunter this week to talk about her journey to now, who she looks up to and what changes could be made to the industry to address diversity and equality.
Name, Role, Company, founded?
Kym Hunter, Founder & Managing Director, Champion Life Education. Founded in 2017.
What does Champion Life Education do?
Champion LIfe is a video activity and outcome measurements platform that delivers wellbeing interventions to populations in need including young people, people with disability and seniors.
What moment has brought you the most joy looking back on your journey to date with Champion Life Education?
The moments where we get feedback from our end users bring me joy. The stories from people using our program that find motivation, confidence and competence to be more active and the joy that brings them is just awesome.
What’s something you think all founders should know about the ‘startup’ journey?
I think it would be useful to know that you are running your own unique race and there is no point wasting your time comparing yourself to others.
Prior to starting Champion Life Education what were you doing?
I initially worked at the Australian Institute of Sport in the Sports Science field. I then had 4 kids and a husband that travelled frequently for work so for 15 years I worked part-time on marketing and administration for his business which allowed me the flexibility I needed to raise the kids. Champion Life was the result of my reconnecting with my passion for the importance of physical activity for mental health and the need to reverse a very challenging financial situation after my divorce.
Name a woman that inspires you?
Sara Blakely, the founder of Spanx. She has built an incredible company, has 4 kids and is very open about the challenges she faces in balancing it all.
As a female founder, what changes would you love to see in the industry?
I would like to see the industry walk the talk more. There is a heap of virtue signalling going on in the industry with regards to supporting female founders but very little has changed. I think everyone involved in funding or supporting founders to watch Dana Kanze’s Ted Talk on implicit gender bias in startups, then consider their own interactions with female founders and see if they can do better.
Connect with Champion Life Education
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
Connect with Kym Hunter