When Recognition Brings Both Opportunity and Responsibility

Back in May, when I was named the South Australian winner of the AgriFutures Australia Rural Women’s Award, I said:

“I want to be a role model, a cheerleader, and a support network for women who dare to dream big.”

As the year unfolded, I was given opportunities on a personal level that I never would have had the courage to say yes to before the award. Speaking rooms. Board tables. Media conversations. Leadership spaces I once thought were “for other people”.

More importantly, I have seen the ripple effect. Other regional women stepping forward. Taking chances. Saying yes to things that felt just out of reach. Hearing “if Kelly can do it, I can do it” has made every moment of this journey worth it.

I have learned more than I ever expected. I have made lifelong friends. I have completely reshaped how I see my future, my leadership, and how I want to keep building a business that genuinely supports farmers and regional communities.

And yet, from a business perspective, this has been the most challenging year I have ever had.

That is really saying something when you consider I have navigated cancer, COVID, fire, flood, and the loss of family during my five years in business.

“But you must be doing amazingly,” people often say.
“You’re winning awards. You’re everywhere.”

The truth is more complex.

Awards are beautiful. They are validating. They tell you that you are on the right track. But they can also stretch you in unexpected ways. They can pull you into new spaces, demand new energy, and sometimes force you to juggle too many balls at once. You can find yourself inspiring others while quietly fighting to keep your own foundations steady.

This year has reminded me that success is not linear. Visibility does not equal ease. Growth often comes with discomfort, recalibration, and very real pressure behind the scenes.

What I do know is this. I would still choose this path. Every time.

Because leadership, at its core, is not about applause. It is about responsibility. It is about who you show up for when things are hard, not just when they are celebrated.

For me, that responsibility has always come back to farmers and rural communities. Supporting women to step into leadership is not separate from supporting farmers. When rural women are empowered to lead, innovate, and advocate, they build businesses, systems, and solutions that understand life on the land because they live it too.

Strong farms rely on strong people. Strong communities rely on honest leadership. And real change happens when we are willing to talk about the whole journey, not just the highlight reel.

If sharing this story, in all its complexity, gives even one woman permission to keep going, to ask for help, or to take her own brave step forward, then this year has mattered.

And it still does.