Fleur Madden and Kirsty Jackson are the female founders of Freelancing Gems, Australia’s first online destination for employers to find skilled, available women looking for flexible work.
After Fleur and Kirsty experienced that employers were struggling to find these ‘rare gems’ of female talent, they decided to find a solution and Freelancing Gems was born.
Freelancing Gems is not only a jobs platform for women, but they’re also closing the gap on gender inequalities by improving economic participation rates and pay parity for women.
We recently spoke with Fleur and Kirsty about their business and journey as Queensland female founders.
What inspired you to start your business?
When we heard that women in consulting charge 38% less than their male counterparts and that there was no job site to help women find part time, freelance, flexible, consulting, remote roles in Australia, we knew we were the people to fix this problem.
What milestones have you reached?
We’ve recently celebrated two years in market after launching the business in August 2020. To date, we’re servicing close to 1,000 users and have connected women with more than 400 job opportunities.
What business achievements are you most proud of to date?
Connecting women with more than 400 job opportunities while supporting them to charge what they’re worth.
What’s your advice for other female entrepreneurs and businesses starting out on their entrepreneurship journey?
Build a community around you to support your business success. Close to 80 per cent of female founders are working alone and there is so much power in community. And be bold in your pursuits, don’t play small. You’ve got this.
