LAST DAY: NOMINATE NOW
DO YOU KNOW AN INSPIRING & INNOVATIVE WOMAN?
ELEVEN years ago Amelia Gow’s life hit rock bottom.
She was living on the streets of Melbourne and suffering from an addiction and surviving through mental and physical abuse.
“It was 10 years of addiction and self worth issues,” Ms Gow, now 35, said.
“I was abused by someone I knew who held me hostage and beat me.
“It was then that I knew I had to make a change and take control of my life.”
Her change began with small steps.
“The big thing was being vulnerable and admitting I was an addict, (and) admitting I wasn’t OK,” she said.
“Getting back into the workforce took someone looking at me and asking me what my real story was.”
Those brave steps slowly grew into something bigger, with Ms Gow now earning a nomination for the Harvey Norman Gold Coast Women of the Year awards.
Now owner of not-forprofit recruitment company
Active Opportunities, the Surfers Paradise resident assists people with disabilities and barriers to employment get back into work with practical training and life skills. Ms Gow won the Australian Young Entrepreneur of the year Award in 2019. She said she never expected to be going down the business path.
Active Opportunities was founded in 2015 and “grew exponentially ever since”.
“I have no formal education in business, I have no idea what I am doing most days, I do it because it’s my passion,” she said.
“If I could get out of the gutter and make something of my life than anyone can.”
Ms Gow admits moving to
the Gold Coast gave her a “fresh start”. “It became my home and a safe place, the place that embraced me and didn’t judge me and gave me fresh prospects,” she said.
“I don’t think I would have gotten where I am and built what we have if it wasn’t for the GC and the community – it just wouldn’t have worked anywhere else.”