13 Sep ‘A Tribute to The Woman from Snowy River’
by Business advisor Lisa LaMaitre.
On Monday 26th August I wore my late father’s Akubra for the first time. Much of my business acumen and people skills I learned from him. He had a knack for reading people, knowing the best way to approach them to share his expertise. He cared for his customers and built long lasting friendships with them, that lasted beyond the years his company operated. Since being in my role as a Business Advisor, I’m constantly drawn back to Dad’s ‘old school’ manner of connecting with people first; meeting client’s ‘where they’re at’, then helping them and the communities they call home.
On that Monday I stood in a paddock in the heartland of the Snowy Monaro wearing my Dad’s Akubra to meet the brief of big hats, bright colours and sparkles. I stood with hundreds of other people who also came together to show their love, care and respect for a local family who have suffered a terrible and tragic loss. The loss of Michelle O’Neill.
Michelle was one of my first clients when I started in my role in early 2023. When we met in person the first time, I knew she was checking to see if I was ‘up to muster’. Once she asked for another meeting a fortnight later, I knew I passed her test. We quickly became friends. Checking in with each other between meetings and looking for opportunities to support each other on our professional paths. Michelle was my first client to refer her business friends to work with me, and I kept my eye out for connections, interviews and media to help Michelle raise her profile.
We started working together to rebrand and reposition Michelle and her business Cherry Tree Equine for the launch of her online training platform Cherry Tree Virtual (CTV). Michelle was a 5th generation Horse Woman, and leading Horse Breeder, Trainer, Teacher, and Educator. She travelled Australia teaching her three horsemanship principles of: Consistency, Control and Confidence. When she wasn’t working in her business, she was a devoted mother, partner, daughter, teacher, mentor and friend.
Michelle’s business and livelihood had been severely impacted by the bushfires of 2019-2020, the pandemic lockdowns, and then the floods. She had decided to bring in professional film makers to create video content of her working with horses and training riders, so she could create a new income stream that didn’t require her to be face-to-face with clients. CTV launched in May last year with over 200 videos to learn from.
I helped Michelle become a Finalist in the 2023 Snowy Monaro Business Awards, be featured with NSW Rural Women’s Network, Region Media, Rural Entrepreneur magazine, Fenix TV, at the Women With Altitude Ignite conference, and on Enterprise Plus’ Stories of Resilience panel. At our last meeting, two weeks to the day before she passed, we discussed our plans to reinvigorate marketing CTV.
Michelle was whip smart, innovative, collaborative, driven, resilient, caring, down to earth and hilarious. She was a leading light in her industry and communities. My heart goes out to her partner Warren, son Spencer, parents Neroli and Michael, brother Shane, extended family, her rodeo and equine family, friends and clients.
Last year when Michelle revealed all her accomplishments to me, I put my branding hat on and decided we needed to position her as ‘The Woman from Snowy River’. Humble to the core, she nodded and smiled and said that would do. It was an honour to know, support and be a friend to ‘The Woman from Snowy River’. Shell – may your legend live down through the ages. Fly high Cowgirl!