Geelong born and raised, Colleen was brought up in a hard-working business-focused family where there was always a job to do. After working in family businesses from as young as she could remember, Colleen Callander had her first taste of retail at the age of 16. Unbeknown to her at the time, this summer job would be the start of a retail career spanning over 30 years with 13 of those years at the helm of two of Australia’s iconic fashion brands.
Colleen is an award-winning CEO with a proven track record in building brands, creating winning cultures and building environments that allow people to be inspired and empowered.
Colleen is an inspiration to women of all generations. She wants to encourage women to have the confidence to believe in themselves and their abilities, share their voices and find their inner superpowers. Colleen aims to inspire and empower women to lead in their own lives – whether that be in boardrooms, organisations, communities or even the home. She wants women to believe it is possible to become the leader they always wanted to be, in business and in life. Together, women can create a new era of leadership – one that is centred in kindness, humility and self-awareness, and that puts people at its heart.
Where it all began.
As a teenager my career aspirations changed regularly. One day I would share with my parents I wanted to be a vet, the next week a hairdresser, the next a lawyer. As it turned out, none of these were going to be my career path. At the end of my year 11 schooling year, I started a casual summer job at the local Just Jeans store, and this was the start of my fashion retail career that would span over 30 years.
So, there I was at the age of 16 with no formal schooling qualification, I entered the world of fashion, starting as a sales assistant and was very quickly promoted to store manager. I was passionate and worked hard – and it paid off. At the age of 20, I was promoted to one of the youngest area managers in the group, overseeing 16 stores, and at the age of 24 I was appointed to the role of Victorian sales manager and this was where I spent the next four years of my career.
I had a passion for fashion, business and people and this was my winning combination. My nurturing approach went hand-in-hand with my love for people and ability to create winning teams. It was this people-first approach that allowed me to successfully foster and grow unique cultures throughout my entire career.
I had always dreamt of working at Sportsgirl, a brand I loved and had grown up with, so in June 1999 when I was approached to join the brand it was an opportunity I couldn’t refuse. This is where I would then spend the next 20 years of my retail career.
”However, the path wasn’t always smooth sailing”
Juggling three small children and a high-profile career, I suffered from burnout in 2007. I decided to throw it away – the job, the career, the leadership – before chance stepped in, and I continued on my road towards retail leadership. After implementing self-care into my life and putting myself first, I discovered the power of simple yet effective ways to stay on top of my health and my life – and I want to encourage all women to take care of themselves.
MY NEXT CHAPTER
After 30 years in retail and 13 years at the helm of two iconic fashion brands, it was time for me to start writing the next chapter of my life.
I was initially excited to have a break and pursue some passion projects: writing my book, mentoring and coaching, travelling and doing some charity work. Funnily enough, the break didn’t actually happen – I’ve been so busy! But I’ve been busy in a great way: so many new doors have opened, and I have so many exciting projects on the go.
As a CEO, my mission was to engage, empower and inspire people to be the best version of themselves, and now in this next chapter of my life, my mission is the same! Whether that be through my Mentor Me Women 4 week program, through my business and leadership coaching, speaking events, interviews, podcasts or through sharing my story in this wonderful online magazine ‘Women on Top’. I want women to believe in themselves and create not only the life they want to live in, but the one they deserve.
‘Leader By Design’ – Be empowered to lead with confidence in business and in life
My book ‘Leader By Design’ is perfect for women of all generations. I share my story from finishing school at the age of 16 to an award-winning CEO, and everything in between including how my upbringing influenced the women and leader I am today, hitting burnout, the power of kindness, how to find your superpower and how we all have the ability to become a ‘leader by design’.
I want to empower women to step up, have a voice, change the rules, live with confidence and embrace their superpower. You might not have discovered yours yet, but I can promise you, you do have one!
”I also want to inspire leaders and challenge organisations to embrace a new era of leadership…one that leads with kindness, authenticity, trust and self-awareness and embraces more women at the helm.”
LEADER BY DESIGN is part guide/pocket mentor, full of actionable tips, advice and insights – whether you’re climbing the corporate ladder, a student, an entrepreneur, a volunteer, a professional athlete, working in the family business or holding down a casual job while raising a family. Regardless of your current role and situation it will empower and inspire you to step into your confidence, lead with purpose and support you to reach your full potential, and position you for success no matter where you are in your leadership or life journey.
You too can become a ‘leader by design’ as I give you permission to become the leader you always wanted to be, and the kind of leader you always wanted to follow.
“The greatest lesson I have learnt is that a title doesn’t automatically make you a leader”
Leadership is a topic I am extremely passionate about, not only my leadership but also the leadership those around me, especially women.
We have all looked up to and admired people with titles, levels of authority and positions of power throughout our lives labelling them leaders. What I learnt over time is that it is not someone’s title, level of authority or position of power that automatically qualifies them for leadership. There are people at the highest level of organisations, communities and politics with titles and rank, and people do what they say because they have power and authority… but we would not choose to follow them.
I didn’t realise at the time, but now looking back over the years, I was shaping myself into the leader I wanted to be by observation. I listened, I learned, I made mental notes and I asked questions.
I was intrigued with the way that people behaved, both good and bad, and I always wondered why this was? What made people treat others with kindness and respect? What made people step all over others for their own gain? What made some people create environments of fear, and others, environments of collaboration? Why were some people caring and others cruel; why were some generous and others greedy?
I was constantly taking mental notes of the leader I did and didn’t want to become.
I decided to become a LEADER BY DESIGN – the title of my book. I decided to become the leader I wanted to have, the leader I wanted to be, and a leader people would choose to follow.
As leaders, every decision, every interaction, every reaction and every action, is an expression of our values, the leader we want to be and influences future leaders.
‘Leader By Design’ is available now on www.colleencallander.com.au. Or in all good book stores and online bookstores 1st May.
Contact Colleen for more information, booking enquiries and bulk book sales enquiries.
Email: colcallander@gmail.com
Web: www.colleencallander.com.au
instagram.com/colleen_callander
![From Music to Perfume: How did your background as a music teacher influence your transition into perfumery, and how do you incorporate your musical sensibilities into creating fragrances? I’ve always thought in terms of metaphors, and music has many that can be related to perfumery! Beyond just thinking in terms of top, middle and base notes [soprano/alto/tenor in choir], I approach each fragrant idea as a composition. When documenting my ideas, song structures often come to mind. As the scent brief is visited, I meditate on what the fragrance should convey - do I want to create an accord or a “chord” of fragrance note combinations? Do I want an a capella soloist (a particular ingredient to stand out more than others?) Many of my thoughts regarding song composition transfers to my scent formulation process, with me treating each note as an intentional soliloquy at some point.
Brand Origin: What inspired you to start Pink MahogHany in 2005, and how has your vision for the brand evolved since its inception?
An avid lover of all things pleasantly scented (with slight modesty), looking back in retrospect, it’s no huge surprise that I’ve created an indie perfume house with just an idea to provide unique options for those who may be sensitive to unnecessary pungency. Initially, I just wanted to evaluate various blends to note their aroma profiles when “played” together…it wasn’t until I had friends and family asking if I knew of brands that catered to those who may be on the more olfactory sensitive side, that I really began to take my research more seriously. In the almost 20 years that Pink MahogHany has been in existence, our micro visions for the brand have evolved to larger territory. Where Pink MahogHany used to only be a personal brand, we are now also a bespoke formulation service provider to other indie brands seeking unique fragrance offerings for their products. These products range from (but are not limited to) perfumes, candles, body butters and lip balms. Ingredient Transparency: You emphasize transparency and the use of desirable ingredients in your products. How do you select your ingredients, and what challenges have you faced in maintaining this standard?
Being an indie brand often comes with a set of assumptions and misconceptions - one of them being more negative than positive as it relates to ingredients used. There is a lot of “fluff” in the industry with labeling falsification. Because fragrance formulas are a trade secret, not every molecular breakdown of a material has to be noted on the ingredient label (it would be incredibly long), but we at Pink MahogHany™️ adhere strongly to the IFRA [International Fragrance Regulatory Association] regulations that state for common and potential allergens to be listed on our ingredient label. We’ve taken this a step further to also include these ingredients listed on our website to promote further transparency, all while protecting our intellectual property. Unfortunately, we’ve had companies to unethically sell lesser expensive “dupes” of our artisan perfumes, so as a way to create a better authenticity stamp, we make it our duty to be honest about our claims. If our perfume says “Rose Bulgaria”, it is in fact just that and not a component of rose being passed off as the source material. Collaborations and Custom Scents: Can you share more about your work with private label clients? What excites you most about creating custom scent solutions for other indie brands? I could easily sum this up in one word and say “Funding.” True, there is money out there, but I’m always thinking outside the box. Having a program that has an “Each One Fund One” mentality doesn’t exist (that I’ve been made aware of). Bootstrapping can be quite the challenge, even when you’ve reached the 6-figure mark annually. Competition to be seen and set apart is extremely high, so having quality packaging and branding is a must. There are lots of factors to consider, though when desiring to make upgrades. If there were a unique, tier-geared funding operation available, it would help perfume brands offset packaging and bulk material costs in the beginning stages.
Industry Challenges: What are some of the biggest challenges you've faced as an independent fragrance house, and how have you overcome them to grow your brand? As the brand continues on the path of organic growth, I would like to expand our reach into schools, offering perfumery as an arts elective for middle and high school. I’d love to partner with botanists, farmers and horticulturists directly to grow and source raw materials for the students to work with in the creation of tinctures. My passion is getting back to nature as best as possible, as nature was my first “scent experience” as a child. We would also love to witness our fragrance creations being used to scent model homes, our focus diffuser blends being used in automobile dealerships as well as partner with Air Bnb and boutique hotels that specialize in highlighting minority, indie brands. Personal Journey: How has your personal experience, particularly as a divorced mother and someone who has experienced the loss of a child, shaped your approach to life and your work in perfumery?
Because I homeschool my twin sons, we are together a lot more than most, so one thing we all do is have moments of sharing where a neutral “floor” is laid to converse about anything. Though they are quite communicative by nature, I realize that sometimes I can be in work mode so much that it spills over into what should be our quality time. My sons see the authentic me and learn how to communicate through seeing authenticity. I’ve learned not to feel as if I have to be the epitome of perfection but allow them to see my imperfections vulnerably but with discernment. Having had two traumatic experiences pretty close together has taught me how to truly slow down and enjoy the simplicities of life - igniting a spiritual aspect that I’ve always carried but never fully explored…until Kenji’s sudden passing (2018.) Grief has a way of catapulting us into a quest for more meaningfulness in both life and business. After Kenji’s passing and my processing through the initial stages of grief, I was able to incorporate our spiritual bond into Pink MahogHany by way of essential oil diffuser blends for both focus and sleep and most recently aromatic perfume elixirs. It’s been quite the process channeling the void of his physical presence, but I also have peace knowing he can be honored in a great way through scent. I noticed once I began to be more open and receptive to spiritual signs, synchs and “winks”, more ideas began to flow. It’s been this way since his transition. Emotional Expression: Fragrance is often tied to memories and emotions. How does your personal life influence the fragrances you create, and do you have a particular scent that holds special meaning to you? My creative process is much more alchemic now, and I include Kenji by talking out loud to him, believe it or not. I’m a firm believer that when our loved ones transition from the physical plane, they are still present - just in another form. I choose to keep his memory alive by not pretending he never existed (even if for a brief period of time). I am working (slowly) on a book and accompanying fragrance, but I know it will require me to revisit some memories I’m not quite ready for, so until then, his big brothers will launch their debut fragrance, The Peaceful Tiger (they chose the name.) I’ve learned that even in what we consider “small things”, our transitioned loved ones want to be recognized and acknowledged. When the twins and I designed their fragrance label (with a designer out of the country that didn’t know anything about me personally), we had issues with the graphic - so much so that the designer asked if they could rework the design. When they sent the proof for approval, the Tiger was not only younger but sleeping, with an uncanny, angelic resemblance to baby Kenji! Becoming more aware and being more sensitive to my intention for launching a fragrance has definitely made room for more divine situations like these to occur. Healing Through Scent: In what ways has creating fragrances been a form of healing or expression for you, especially after the loss of your son, Kenji Mwamba? I know my sons may not necessarily want to be perfumers, but they definitely have an entrepreneurial heart. My desire is that whatever they decide to pursue (acting, script-writing, music or architecture), they know that anything is possible with the right amount of determination, grit, belief and immersion. One reason I chose to homeschool is so they could enjoy learning without restraint and have ample time to devote to their own separate passions and it still be fun. They know Pink MahogHany is theirs if they want it (many, many years from now - lol), and we are already discussing business structures for whatever they choose their role to be once I retire. Work-Life Balance: How do you find balance between your professional responsibilities and personal well-being, and what self-care practices do you prioritize? I’m not just a perfumer; I’m also a consumer, and self-care is huge for me. I often take salt baths to reset my energy and clear my mind after being around large groups of people or free a long day. I’m a habitual perfume sampler, and I have so many to choose from to wear as my “nightcap.” Even if just for 10-15 minutes, I cherish each moment I’m able to have some “me-time.” When time and co-parenting schedules permit, I’m definitely on a flight somewhere to indulge in some delicious food and mouth-watering mocktails!](https://www.womenontopp.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/IMG_3812-1200x720.jpeg)
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