Birth Beat – HCF Catalyst Accelerator 2018
By Edwina Sharrock, CEO and Founder of Birth Beat
birthbeat.com.au
Offering superior childbirth education classes online, anytime, anywhere. Delivered to you by a Registered Midwife.
Why did you apply for the program?
I was actually encouraged to apply for the program form alumni Heba Shaheed, the Co-Founder of The Pelvic Floor. Heba and I both share a very strong passion for improving womens health. When I first started to research the program and look further into the vision of HCF it seemed like the perfect fit. Plus the fact that I really needed to learn some business skills.
What’s it been like working with the corporate?
It was an incredible experience, to be honest I had been forewarned that it can be very challenging working with large corporate organisations. But in all honesty it has been an absolute pleasure. I personally believe this is because HCF are very motivated to truly deliver on their vision to their members. I think when you work with an organisation that has shared values it makes the journey so much easier.
What’s the biggest learning you’ll take away from the Slingshot program?
There are so many aspects of the program that were invaluable to me. I was probably one of the greenest in terms of business experience and knowledge out of the whole cohort. I found every week exciting and loved our content days on Tuesday when expert resources would join us. Personally I am also someone who thrives on a bit of pressure, you know I was always the ‘pulling an all nighter’ kind of gal before exams at uni. Therefore it was great having Ben Hutt, the Chief Program Director and EIR holding us accountable each week to reach our goals. However one of the biggest learnings for me is that is does not have to all be perfect. Test it, trial it, tweak it. Don’t let perfection stand in the way of getting stuff done!
What was your favourite aspect of the program?
The full immersion. I know this sounds hard to believe. It was very challenging being away from my family. I live in regional NSW in a town called Tamworth and I have two young children. It might sound like madness that I enjoyed the immersion however the fact that I was away physically allowed me to truly immerse myself and live and breath Birth Beat and implement everything I was learning from the accelerator.
What’s next for your Startup?
We are super excited to be working closely wiht HCF in offering our online antenatal classes to all their members and engaging with corporates who wish to provide this valuable course to their employees. We are also excited to be on the TV series Shark Tank this season so watch this space. Being inside HCF Catalyst has given us so much exposure and opportunities that we would not have had otherwise. I am so driven and excited to achieve our vision, to better the birth experience of all Australians… and then maybe the world!
