Heart & Hustle: Gemma Fordham

Must our response to the crisis be all about panic and negativity? Or can a crisis be an opportunity to transform, take risks and liberate ourselves from fear of failure? Superstar radio boss Gemma Fordham thinks so. This trailblazer has shaped some impressive careers in her time: she was executive assistant to Nicole Kidman and counts Wendy Harmer, Jackie O, and Carrie Bickmore as close confidants. She now has one of the most high-profile roles in radio as Head of the Hit Network, which is home to over 50 stations, including 2Day FM, Fox at Southern Cross Austereo.

The way she adapted her business quickly to lockdown is impressive but typical: this mother of two and Telstra Businesswoman of the Year turned it around within days so that 67 people were broadcasting from home. What she didn’t anticipate though, was the transformation this crisis would create within her, releasing her from traditional constraints, taking unprecedented risks on live radio, and leading to even more creative success. What a way to thrive in a crisis!

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