Calling Operator with Laura Nicol Ep 4. Katie Noonan from being a Lawyer to democratising access to learning with Forage.
In this episode, we cover:
(01:09) Katie's background, strong opinioned child to Law grad
(02:32) Moving to the NT to work with indigenous communities
(04:51) Taking a job at Indigenous Business Australia and discovering pitching and partnerships
(08:06) Joining Startmate women's fellowship as due diligence on the ecosystem
(10:11) Outreach hesitation and the first meeting with Forage's founder, Tom Brunskill
(15:08) All about Forage's mission and work
(19:01) Navigating ambiguity, being comfortable with pivoting and getting comfortable that some things don't work out.
(23:34) Jumping around a lot but approaching every job from the mindset of a CEO
(26:23) Pitching a new role within a business.
(31:34) Opportunities that come out of growth and moving to the US
(33:35) How Katie operates
(38:16) Being impressed by Startmates women's fellowship and the willingness to give back.
(40:13) The power of narrative (over non-fiction writing)
(41:03) How surfing is a metaphor for start-ups, riding the wave and being humbled (and how she's dealing with a lack of surfing in NYC!)
(43:43) Katie's vision for the future, both personally and for Forage.
Guest ideas?
Do you have an operator on speed dial who could be perfect for the show? Please share your suggestions with me via LinkedIn.
A note from your host, Laura:
My goal for Calling Operator is to open-source stories from startup operators across various functional areas and learn how they excel at building and scaling companies. As a Chief of Staff, I often find myself in (virtual) rooms with people facing similar challenges and reinventing the wheel. I want this podcast to open a line for operators across Australia and New Zealand to learn from fellow operators. Each episode shares personal stories, the execution behind big ideas, career-defining moments, successes, failures, and lessons.
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