Congratulations on the launch of The Generous Shopper! When and how did the idea first sprout?
My husband and I realised that while we were raising our young family, we were devoting less time to helping others in a meaningful way, and decided to change this. Combining his IT skills with my marketing background, we came up with the idea for The Generous Shopper just over a year ago when we were looking for a way that we could make a significant difference to the lives of others at the same time as taking care of our children.

What’s been your biggest challenge in getting the project off the ground?
The sheer amount of time it takes to turn the idea into reality. We’ve put an immense effort in getting 900 retailers and charities on board, developing the website and the plug-in, and bringing it together in a way that was quick and easy for people to use. Combine this with looking after two small children and working our paid jobs, it’s been a hectic but stimulating year! It’s just so exciting to see all the hard work come together and the tribe of Generous Shoppers building up to raise money by doing something so simple.

What can you tell us about the charities The Generous Shopper has partnered with?
We’re really excited to be supporting some incredible charities that do amazing grassroots work. There’s Assist A Sista, a Gold Coast-based charity that provides new beginnings for women and children leaving domestic violence situations. There’s also Destiny Rescue, which rescues young girls from sex slavery in countries across Asia. Then there’s the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, which provides help such as food parcels, medical care and employment assistance to asylum seekers. I’m really excited to announce that we also have a new charity on board, World Animal Protection, which does amazing work for animals in Australia and around the world.

What are your long-term goals for the site?
Our biggest dream for The Generous Shopper in Australia is that everyone who shops online registers to become a Generous Shopper to redirect as much as possible of that $14 billion a year online spend to charities. Beyond that, we’d love to expand the platform into India and Asia.

What’s your idea of complete happiness?
On a completely superficial level, I’d have to say that sipping a cold drink on a balcony overlooking Coolum Beach comes pretty close to complete happiness! But seriously, I think happiness is there to be found within yourself and through your relationships with those around you. I learned this while living in India – I saw so many people with next to nothing, yet they were always smiling and laughing with their families and friends.

What do you believe is worth fighting for?
If I had to narrow it down, I believe it’s worth fighting for the rights and freedoms of those who can’t fight for themselves.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received or given?
The difference between success and failure is how readily you give up. The first site we built for The Generous Shopper was a bit of a disaster! It wasn’t easy to use and didn’t have the functionality it needed. It meant going back to square one, refocusing and mustering up the energy and inspiration to start all over again.

What’s your personal definition of success?
If you’d asked me a couple of years ago, I wouldn’t have had an answer, as it’s something I spent years figuring out. But now my definition of success is based on a quote by Gandhi. For me, success is knowing that I’m acting and living life in accordance with my values. So long as I’m doing that, I’m not plagued with doubt about my purpose in life and wondering what it’s all for …

Only a Brisbane local would know that … we’ve got a secret island paradise just a couple of hours away from the city.

FAVOURITE WEEKEND SPOT TO:
Perk up … swimming at South Bank with our two kids.
Relax … in my garden.
Indulge … Rainesforest Massage & Day Spa, Indooroopilly.
Be inspired … in no particular place. With an open mind, inspiration can come from anywhere.