It began with a summer job at Just Jeans. “From the minute I walked through the door, I loved it. Everything about it,” she says. When the area manager offered her a full-time sales assistant role at summer’s end, there was one catch; she’d have to leave school before finishing Year 12.
Sorrento. “Being there gave me space to breathe again, to slow down, to reconnect with myself and my young family,” she says.
Breaking that news to her parents wasn’t easy, but her father’s response became her lifelong compass: “Work hard. Be passionate. Love what you do. Never give up.”
“Walking along the beach will always be my happy place,” Colleen says. “Early mornings by the water, the sound of the ocean, and that sense of calm before the day begins, always followed by my coffee, with my dog Inca never too far from my side.”
She did exactly that, climbing from sales assistant to store manager at 18 years old, area manager at 20, and state manager overseeing 54 stores by 24 years old. In 1999, she joined Sportsgirl and spent the next 20 years there, including thirteen years as CEO across Sportsgirl and Sussan.
That place of recovery eventually became home. Today, Colleen lives permanently in Sorrento, where she’s found the balance between ambition and wellbeing that eluded her for so long.
I had convinced myself I wasn’t pretty enough, tall enough, confident enough
But success came with a cost. In 2007, at just thirty-six, she was commuting daily from Geelong to Melbourne while raising three young children. “I often describe myself during that time as a Formula 1 race car that had never been serviced,” she says. “I was performing at a high level, but I hadn’t refuelled, rested, or stopped in a very long time.” The breaking point came one evening when she told her husband, “I can’t do it anymore. I’m exhausted. I’m burnt out. I’m done.” His response was simple and life-changing: “Nothing is worth your health.” The next day, she told her boss she was resigning. Instead of letting her walk away, her organisation worked with her to create boundaries and support. She took three and a half months off, spending that time at what was then their holiday house in
She and her husband, Nick, have made Sundays their special day. When staying closer to home, they’re regulars at Hotel Sorrento. “Not just because of the great food and wine, but because of the people, the staff, the atmosphere, the Friday night raffle, and the strong sense of community.”
From her Sorrento home office last year, Colleen wrote The Power of Confidence, her third book following Leader by Design and Elevate. The book launched globally in January 2026 as Wiley Global’s lead title for International Women’s Day. “This book carries everything I’ve learned across my life and career,” she says. “From the shop floor to the boardroom, from burnout to rebuilding, from selfdoubt to self-belief.” At its heart is a 30-Day Confidence Transformation, a practical journey designed to help readers build confidence through daily reflection and action. “Confidence isn’t built in comfort; it’s built when you lean in, stay curious and keep showing up for yourself.” continued next page...
March 2026 PENINSULA essence | 9