Koala and Co

It hadn't been easy, setting up her business. It had, in fact, sometimes felt almost impossible, given the amount things working against her. When she initially went looking for backers and partners she saw them sum her up and dismiss her before she'd even started to speak. Young, their expressions said. Single mother. Marsupial. And although she knew she was every bit as smart as them these prejudices meant that many doors simply refused to open for her.

Then, on the rare occasion that someone would hear her out it was only to have her idea ripped to shreds. 'The world doesn't need a new type of eucalypt leaf,' they kept telling her. But she knew they were wrong. She knew she had a potentially world-changing product in her claws. So she ignored them all and went ahead and set up the company herself. She called it Koala and Co. because it sounded important like that, professional, but also because she hoped that one day her daughter might join her.

And she had succeeded. Despite everything. Through sheer determination and belief in her idea Koala and Co's easy-to-pick, easy-to-hold eucalypt leaves had become an enormous success. The same people who had sneered at her a year ago were now begging her to let them invest money in her company. She didn't gloat about it though. She had too many other things to think about. Childcare, for instance. Running a rapidly growing company single-handedly is not always compatible with the demands of motherhood. Her daughter had a fantastic nanny - usually so dependable - but today she'd called in sick. Today of all days - the day the photographer from Business Weekly was coming to photograph her for a profile piece the magazine was writing about her. She rang to try and reschedule but they said it wasn't possible. 'Bring your daughter along to the shoot,' the editor suggested. 'I'm sure she'll be fine.'

'Now this is a very important day for mummy,' she told her daughter as they made their way to the studio where the photoshoot was being held. 'Yes, Mummy.' 'You'll have to sit quietly in the corner and wait while they take the photos. OK?' 'OK Mummy.' But the moment the photographer pulled out his camera, everything changed. There was no way the daughter was going to miss out on being photographed and insisted on clinging to her mother's back. 'Well, at least don't upstage me,' the mother whispered, resignedly. 'Of course not Mummy,' said her daughter.