Jen Duggan – Women in Innovation

The celebrations are in full swing as we mark the 10th anniversary of CBRIN, the grand opening of the Level 4 Scaleup Hub, and the highly anticipated Innovation Showcase just around the corner. With all this buzz, there’s no better time to spotlight the incredible people and ideas driving innovation in our community. This week, we sat down with Jen Duggan, Founder and CEO of Peak Women, a empowering brand that uses psychology to give women confidence, leading to successful careers and opportunities. See what Jen had to say!

Tell us what you are working on.

Peak Women is a social impact brand that is By women, For Women, Supporting Women.

Did you know, research says when you wear a blazer to work, you are more likely to make decisions, speak up in meetings and can take on negative feedback easier because you still feel like you belong.

Many women lack confidence at work, often keeping them from accessing pay rises, promotions and other opportunities. Using the psychology of clothing, Peak Women has designed the confidence blazer that supports women to be more confident, empowered and to stand out for all of the right reasons to gain career success.

We launched earlier this year and are committed to supporting women to succeed in the workplace through our clothing designs, partner and manufacturing choices, and education program.

 Why is innovation important to you?

Innovation is a constant in human history with so many small innovations leading to big change. Innovation does not need to be something completely new, just an improvement on what already exists. Many people hear the word innovation and think new technologies or capabilities however for me it is simply redefining the functionality in our clothing to improve styles that already exist.

At Peak Women we have taken the psychological impact of wearing a blazer and we have added positive affirmations to the lining to further support a positive and confident mindset of the wearer.

We have also put in plenty of pockets (no longer an innovation only allowed in mens clothes), created a more comfortable waistband and stuck with a fabric that is easy to care for. Thus making the blazer an easy choice regardless of the positive impact on your mindset.

What drives you to make a difference?

The amount of women I have met (including myself) that talk about themselves not being confident enough to achieve their goals. Women are socialised as young girls to conform, keep small and to accept what they are told by others. I genuinely want to see women find their own confidence and stop prescribing to others expectations. I am here to remind women when they say, ‘I can’t apply for that job’ or ‘I could never start a business’ that all it takes is a mindset shift and we can achieve anything.

What are your goals for 2024 and beyond?

I look forward to growing Peak Women and supporting more women to find their confidence. In 2024 we launched our first range of women’s suits in 3 options. In 2025 we are looking to expand the collection to another 3 options tweaking the offering slightly so keep your eye out.

Do you have any advice for getting more women into innovation and entrepreneurship?

Helping women understand that it doesn’t have to be the next iPhone that they create. Take a problem you have now and find a unique solution that will work for others.

We also have to remove the stigma of women succeeding in business, referring to their businesses as ‘just my small business’ and finding better ways to financially support female start ups. There needs to be more grants and angel investors specifically advertised to stop women from self excluding.

Shameless Plug

After launching earlier this year we were finalists in the Ausmumpreneur for our business model and the She-Com product awards for our Eve Print Confidence Blazer. It was a great achievement in our first couple of months of trading and it really validated who we are as a business.

Thank you Jen for sharing your journey, learnings and wins! Continue celebrating at the 2024 Innovation Showcase! Meet Jen and connect with other female founders, entrepreneurs and innovators!