Celebrating unstoppable women
As a company built around the values of empowering and supporting women, Ziera is sharing the stories of Kiwis inspiring others with their amazing spirit.
I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change. I am changing the things I cannot accept. – US political activist Angela Y. Davis
Name Alexia Hilbertidou Age 18 Occupation Activist & Entrepreneur Alexia’s unstoppable moment Organising the two-day motivational Third Wave Conference for several hundred high school girls, featuring high-profile speakers.
Alexia Hilbertidou is determined to change the world – and she is fearless in her quest. The 18-year-old is the founder of GirlBoss New Zealand, a social enterprise boasting 10,000 members that aims to address gender inequality by empowering female students. “I find confidence in knowing that what I’m doing is having an impact,” explains Alexia, who is also the brains behind KaiShare, a food distribution service for those in need. “I don’t wait for milestones and I don’t wait to be given permission to go out there and create change.” The teenager’s big thinking has taken her to the edge of the world – quite literally. She was recently invited by NASA scientists to take part in an overnight mission at 45,000ft, something she describes as “an absolutely life-changing experience”. Optimistic she might see gender equality in her lifetime, failure is not an option for this outgoing entrepreneur. “The fear of failure can really hold us back,” Alexia says. “A lot of the time that fear stems from the fact that we are focussed more on how other people perceive us, and less on how we can reach our vision.”
My typical week...
With a schedule that can involve presenting to high school students in Wellington or delegates at the Future of Work Conference in Malaga, Spain, Alexia’s working weeks are hugely varied. However, the core of Alexia’s work involves preparing the GirlBoss newsletter, delivering workshops in schools, spreading the word about GirlBoss and “cajoling sponsors”. To exercise, she enjoys boot camps, and in her downtime makes the most of living near the beaches and parks of Auckland’s picturesque Hibiscus Coast.