Interview | Gemma on all things Infamous Swim and mumma life.

"As an owner of a swimwear label, we are all about body positivity in both women and men; our focus is to have everyone feel good in their swim, no matter what stage of life they are at! This value is so heavily ingrained into my life that I choose every day to be a strong female role model to my boys by demonstrating good values that will breakdown gender stereotypes. I choose to teach my children that success has no boundaries by teaching my boys to treat every person with the same kindness, not only in relation to gender, but any form of diversity. I'm so lucky ( and grateful to him) to have a partner who also owns his own business and help show our boys that success has no bounds, no matter who you are. It’s up to us as parents to teach our kids that they can do anything they put their mind to – all you need to do is try!"

Q: In the spirit of celebrating women’s achievements, what are your greatest achievements?

"Firstly, building an incredible brand that is supportive of women no matter what stage of life they are at; creating swimwear that empowers women to feel body confident, irrespective of their size or shape.. and doing this all while raising 4 boys! This in itself is something that I am so proud of and hold close to my heart.

My family is probably my greatest achievement of all. Being a mum is the best and hardest thing in the world. It is a 24/7 rollercoaster of emotions and a test of patience! It is a crazy journey from falling pregnant to giving birth, to breastfeeding and learning to be someone and something you’ve never been before! It’s such an overwhelming and completely life-changing experience - no one can ever tell you how hard it is or explain the love and emotions that you will feel! When you become a mum your life does this complete 180 and new challenges are thrown at you that you never imagined every single day, but you push through them because you want nothing more than to bring your little humans up to be the best they can be, and the happiest. To get through all of that and to know that my babies are happy, healthy and loved, is an amazing achievement!".

Q: Who are the women that inspire you and why?

 "Some amazing people who have inspired me on my path are:

• Emma Isaacs: Emma Isaacs's ability to be a kick-ass entrepreneur, mum and still have the energy to inspire woman is so impressive - she has no bounds on what she can do.

• Marcia Leone: After collaborating with Macia from @notsomumsy, I loved how she embraced the light and the shadow of motherhood and created a safe space for mothers to be themselves, without fear of judgement. Macia has truly been a guiding light in how I show up in my life and run my business.

• Turia Pitt: Turia Pitts' pure determination to get S*#T done, whilst surviving against all odds is inspiration at it's finest. Her mindset is beyond amazing - she has truly taught me the power of a good mindset.

• Rochelle from Share The Dignity: Can Rochelle do everything? yeah, she can! From closing the gap in period poverty to fighting the period tax in parliament! She is truly a warrior that is set to change the world for the long-term - and I'm living here for it!

• Reece Witherspoon: I mean, Reece alone owns her all-female movie company... what a woman!

• My Mum: How could I not mention the most important person in my life! She has been there through the good, the bad and the ugly and still loves me unconditionally. Thanks, mum for making me who I am today.

Each of these women inspires me for a magnitude of reasons. They are all successful women in their own right."

Q: As a mother, what are the messages about women and equality that you want your children to grow up believing?

"We are all equal, and no matter what your gender, you can do anything you put your mind too. While women and men do have different roles to play, they are equally important." 

 Q: What are the greatest challenges being a woman today?

"As women, we take on so much, and sometimes forget that it’s ok to ask for help. We try to be so many things for so many people that we often forget to look after ourselves. While I’m guilty of not having had balance in my life in the past, it is something I’m trying to change now. I now have an amazing team of women who work with me to achieve our business goals, so that I can have more time with my family and focus on what is most important. While equality for women has come a long way, particularly in Australia and other first world countries, there are many parts of the world where women are still not equal, where there is still much more work to be done."

Q: What are the greatest women’s achievements that have made an impact in your life?

"One woman and achievement that I am particularly inspired by is Emma Isaacs, for building Business Chicks up to be what it is today while raising a family of 6 children! I feel really aligned to her when running my own business as I have very similar values, if it wasn't for Emma Isaacs Infamous Swim would not be the brand it is today that you see before you."