When I think about the last five years, the first word that comes to mind is gratitude.
Building Allara has been the most humbling, challenging, and rewarding experience of my life. It’s changed the way I see leadership, people, and even myself. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that you can’t pour from an empty cup. I promised myself that if this business ever found success, we’d use it to make a difference beyond our own doors. That promise became something very real: The Love Bucket.

The Love Bucket is something we feed to give back to the community that has supported and shaped us. Every year, we put money aside from Allara’s profits to support causes, charities, and people who need a little extra love. It’s our way of making sure we never lose sight of why we started in the first place.

Refilling the Bucket – Including my own

For a long time, I equated giving with achievement. I thought that if I just worked harder, helped more people, and kept saying yes, I’d eventually feel whole. But burnout has a way of teaching you what boundaries can’t.

Over the past few years, I’ve learned that giving back starts with filling your own cup first. I’ve done the deep work; fitness, wellness, self-reflection, coaching, retreats, all of it. And one of the biggest parts of that journey has been transforming my health from the inside out.

At the start of this year, on January 20th, I stepped on the scales at 81.2 kg and knew something had to change. I wasn’t happy within myself. I felt sluggish, tired, foggy, puffy, and nowhere near my best as a leader, a mum, or a business owner. I wanted a lifestyle that supported every part of my life, including the demands of running multiple businesses. So I committed to a 16-week journey that became one of the biggest transformations of my life.

I kicked things off hard with a strict keto phase. Two
shakes a day, one lean meal, no carbs, ketone testing, headaches, hunger, the
lot. But the early drops kept me committed. By week two my skin was clearer, my
energy was shifting, and I could feel myself coming back to life.

It wasn’t smooth sailing. My weight dropped, stalled, went
up, then down again. I battled period bloat, travel, business stress, one
injury, slow weeks, mental fatigue, and even a Hungry Jacks meltdown that ended
in tears, but the difference this time was that I didn’t quit. I recalibrated
and kept going.

I built real, sustainable habits such as daily steps,
meditation in the sauna, meal prepping, supplements, low-intensity cardio,
resistance training, rest, and actually checking in with myself instead of
avoiding hard feelings. The biggest shift was realising the transformation
didn’t happen at the end, but in the messy middle where I found discipline,
patience, emotional regulation, and the confidence to back myself no matter
what the scale said.

I lost 17 kg, landing at 64.6 kg, feeling sharper, calmer, stronger, and more aligned, and because I’m me, I didn’t stop there. Jake and I decided to take things to the next level as I prep for a body-transformation competition, aiming for around 54 kg. I’m currently at 60.4 kg, taking it slow and building muscle (and yes, forgive me in advance if you see a Christmas cocktail in my hand). What I’ve learned is simple: when you take care of yourself deeply, every part of your life rises with you.

Community Over Everything

Allara has always been about people first. It started around a dining-room table with a few passionate hearts and it’s grown into a national team connected by the same values: We Show Up. We Give & Give Back. We Come As We Are.

That spirit of community is what drives everything we do. Whether it’s supporting Powerchair Hockey on their road to the 2026 World Championships, or  sponsoring Boccia Penrith Club, our mission has always been to use business as a force for good.

Some of my proudest moments haven’t happened in a boardroom. They’re making sandwiches for children who go without, survivors of domestic violence, cooking meals for sick children and their family’s and Ronald McDonald House, or at a Tuesday morning huddle watching our team celebrate each other’s wins. Those moments are the heartbeat of Allara.

Giving Back, Growing Forward

This year, our team has continued to find creative ways to give back. From raising funds for grassroots sport and disability inclusion, to launching wellbeing initiatives inside our organisation, to encouraging our team to take part in community volunteering, the ripple effect of kindness just keeps expanding.

Every initiative comes back to one question: How can we make life better for the people we serve? That question keeps us honest. It’s what drives every partnership, every event, and every new idea. Personally, I’ve found that giving back doesn’t drain you, it expands you. It reminds you why you started. It reconnects you to purpose.

This year, we’re incredibly proud to be supporting the Australian Powerchair Hockey Team on their journey to the World Championships in Finland. We are collecting donations to raise as much as we can for these legends whose world revolves around this sport. Click here to Donate!

Looking Forward

As we close out another incredible year, I can’t help but feel grateful for how far we’ve come, and inspired by what’s ahead. 2025 has been a year of growth, connection, and community impact. From supporting local sports clubs to launching new initiatives through The Love Bucket, our purpose has never felt clearer.

As we move into 2026, The Love Bucket will continue to grow, and not just in size, but in reach. We’re expanding our partnerships with community organisations, deepening our charitable focus, and creating more opportunities for our participants and team to get directly involved in giving back.

Final Reflection

This past year has reminded me that true success isn’t just about scaling a company; it’s about scaling impact. It’s about seeing participants thrive, watching staff grow into leaders, and knowing that our work is creating real change in people’s lives.

To every participant who’s trusted us, every team member who’s shown up with heart, and every partner who’s believed in what we do, thank you. You are the reason The Love Bucket exists, and the reason Allara continues to grow from strength to strength.

We’re so excited to see what 2026 brings; the new connections we’ll make, the lives we’ll touch, and the communities we’ll continue to stand beside. Here’s to the next chapter of giving back, growing forward, and leading with love, together.