Sophie Kovic: Reflection on Being A Finalist In Australian Young Entrepreneur Awards 2025

I’ve never really been one to nominate myself for anything. Any awards or recognition that have come my way in the past were more of a half-hearted attempt to throw a hat in the ring, mostly for the sake of the team, rather than a real effort to say “hey, we’re doing something special here.”

But something feels different this year.

Maybe it’s the string of firsts we’ve had lately, our best months, biggest launches, new milestones, and the kind of growth that still makes me stop and pinch myself. The kind that’s put us on lists like the Smart 50 and seen us recognised in every award we’ve gone for. It’s been a huge step forward in every sense.

Somewhere along the way, I realised I’d been playing small.

I did a bit of media training recently and, while part of that is literally about learning to “sell yourself,” it also made me reflect on how uncomfortable that can feel, especially for women. We tend to deflect. Even the most capable, accomplished women will brush off their wins with an “oh, I just got lucky.” I’m guilty of that too.

But hearing someone else tell my story back to me made me realise how far we’ve actually come. From an idea sparked by a school lunchbox policy to a business that’s grown beyond anything I imagined, one that’s actually making a difference.

I think in Australia, we struggle with that “tall poppy” thing. We like to keep it humble. And I get it, it’s part of what makes us grounded. But sometimes it holds us back. We confuse confidence with arrogance, and we shrink to make other people feel comfortable.

When I read The Confidence Code, one line really stuck with me: confidence trumps ability every time. And it’s not just a motivational platitude, research shows that women are still far less likely to put themselves forward unless they feel they meet every single qualification for a role, whereas men will apply even when they’re sure they only meet 60 % of them.

I want more women to back themselves. To take up space. To put their hands up even when they feel unsure. Because if confidence really does trump ability, then maybe the most powerful thing we can do for each other is to keep reminding ourselves, we are already enough.

This year is actually the last year I qualify for the Young Entrepreneur of the Year award, so I just scraped in. And honestly, it feels like the right time.

Not to prove anything, but to acknowledge the work, the risks, the team, and the growth that’s brought us here.

So here’s to standing tall – and to the quiet achievers learning that it’s okay to take up a little more space.

Love Sophie xx