- 7 November 2024
- Posted by: Laura Croft
- Category: General News
2024 is the 10th anniversary for CBRIN and the innovative ecosystem. To celebrate, we sat down with Sita Sargeant, co-founder of She Shapes History, a social enterprise dedicated to sharing the stories of the women who have shaped Australia through weekly tours around Canberra. We asked Sita about her journey, where she is now, challenges she’s overcome and all the wins along the way.
What are your big wins/challenges since we last spoke?
Wow, it’s been such a massive few years! I don’t even know where to begin. I’ve successfully scaled She Shapes History from a side hustle into a multi-six-figure business. We went from running one tour a week to offering six public tours and several private and corporate tours each week. My original co-founder left after the first year, so it’s been just me for the past two-plus years. In that time, I’ve grown the team to eight guides (and counting!).
One of the biggest highlights has been signing a book deal with Hardie Grant Explore to write a women’s history travel guide to Australia, which is due out in mid-April! I got to spend six months traveling around Australia doing research for the book, and it was incredible—honestly, pretty life-changing. I never would have imagined when I started this journey in 2021 that it would lead to a book deal!
As for challenges—there haven’t been any single ones that stand out because, honestly, there have been so many. But that’s part of what I love about being an entrepreneur. You’re always learning, and you’re always a bit shit at almost everything because you haven’t done it before. I feel like I’ve grown so much as a person, thinker, and leader since starting She Shapes History, simply because I’m always being pushed. I love the diversity in my days and feel really lucky that I get to learn and do something new every day.
What are you currently working on/towards?
Right now, we’re focused on scaling nationally and documenting our systems to make sure we do it right! The first three cities we’re expanding to are Melbourne, Brisbane, and Sydney. We’re also developing a pilot schools program, which has been really exciting and fun to work on.
How has being part of the innovative community helped you achieve your goals?
The biggest benefit has been having a community and people to turn to. I have a few close friends who are also entrepreneurs, and I think it’s really important to have people around who’ve made the same choices and are on a similar journey. Especially in a public service town like Canberra, where it feels like most people are on a different path and don’t always get why you’d forgo a six-figure salary to run a historical tourism company, it can feel isolating as a solo founder. I’m incredibly grateful for friends who “get it” and who I can grab a drink with, whether it’s to commiserate or celebrate.
I’ve also found that people in the community are exceptionally generous with their time. If you politely reach out for a coffee or drink, 99 times out of 100, they’ll say yes. (Pro tip: If you’re the one asking, let the person you’re asking choose the place! Don’t make them come to you.)
What advice would you give to yourself 5 years ago?
Honestly, I don’t know if I’d give myself any advice. I think the journey I took is exactly the one I needed to take, and I’m grateful for every opportunity I’ve had to learn and grow as a person. There have been a lot of really difficult moments and lessons over the past few years, but I believe they were things I needed to experience. (Plus, I’m pretty stubborn, so I’m not sure I’d have listened to any advice anyway!).
Join us on a tour! Come experience firsthand why She Shapes History has been so successful and uncover some of Canberra’s incredible hidden history. We run public tours from Friday to Sunday and offer private tours at any time that works for you. We’d absolutely love to share the stories of the remarkable women who helped shape Australia.
Thank you Sita for sharing your journey and updating us on all the amazing things you’ve been doing. Continue celebrating at the 2024 Innovation Showcase! Meet and connect with other female business, entrepreneurs and innovators.