Event Recap | Own It - The Mindset of Bold Leadership with Di Foster | 6 May 2025

Session Overview: Di Foster on Bold Leadership

We were pleased to be able to present Own It: The Mindset of Bold Leadership event, with Di Foster at our offices on 6 May. Di brought her trademark energy and insight to a session that blended personal storytelling with powerful leadership lessons. Former head of Tamahine Knitwear, Di shared how resilience, authenticity, and mindset have shaped her journey through business and life. Her talk challenged attendees to take radical responsibility, rethink limiting beliefs, and lead with bold self-awareness.

Introduction to Di Foster

At our recent Own It: The Mindset of Bold Leadership event, business strategist and mindset coach Di Foster delivered a powerful and personal session on navigating business, leadership, and life with courage and authenticity. Drawing on her experience as a fourth-degree black belt, cancer survivor, and former leader of her family’s manufacturing business, Di challenged attendees to rethink the beliefs that shape their decisions and embrace a bold, present-focused mindset. Her insights into resilience, radical remission, and leading with authenticity left the room energised and inspired.

Di Foster shared the story of her family’s business, Tamahine Knitwear—once Australasia’s largest knitwear manufacturer. She spoke about the challenges following the removal of tariffs in New Zealand, which opened the market to cheaper imports. To adapt, the company launched its own brands and explored niche markets, but struggled to recover fully. One of her proudest achievements was solving a 25-year delivery issue by identifying the real production bottleneck—significantly boosting efficiency and profits. Her story offered key lessons on adapting to change, recognising core strengths, and shifting from a manufacturing to a marketing mindset.

Key Messages

The mindset of bold leadership Importance of self-awareness in leadership How personal stories shape our beliefs and actions Radical responsibility and being present The value of knowing yourself and embracing who you are

Additional Notes

• Be clear on the type of coach you need - coaching is valuable, but one size doesn't fit all.
• Many people become “accidental business leaders” by excelling in their craft, not necessarily in business.
• Use a “North Star” approach—look 10,000 days (27 years) ahead to set direction, but stay open to new opportunities.
  
  

A big thanks to Di Foster for sharing her knowledge with us and attendees for making it an informative session.

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