Female-founder of Building Better Brains, Sian Chambers-Vallance, was this year recognised as a championing woman in business on a national level.
The Croydon business owner received the Australian Women’s Small Business Champion Award for Children’s Services for her work as a children’s counsellor and play therapist.
Ms Chambers-Vallance said it was an absolute privilege to be in a room of incredible women and to be named as the winner.
When asked about her advice to other women in business or those looking to start a business, Ms Chambers-Vallance said it was important to remain true to values and to set boundaries.
“Have high standards for yourself and for other people in your business. Set healthy boundaries because they represent you and you work so hard and you want them to be a true representation of everything you’ve created and your vision in the world,” she said.
“My best advice, value yourself, value what you do and be a bit of a gatekeeper in who you allow to grow that vision with you.”
As one of 16 finalist children’s services businesses from all across the country, Building Better Brains received the highest result as judged by an independent panel.
Precedent Productions’ awards founder and managing director Steve Loe said each entrant is judged on strategies, growth plans, financial performance, eco-friendliness, innovation, customer service and community support.
“Being selected as a champion of this major program from a national entrant pool of thousands speaks volumes of tenacity and leadership at Building Better Brains,” he said.
“The Awards honour the nation’s most exceptional female leaders of today who are making an incredible mark on the small business sector.
“Sian Chambers-Vallance is now among a highly esteemed group of recognised champions and as such, she ought to feel immensely proud of her achievements and of her team.”
Establishing the business initially on her own, Ms Chambers-Vallance was then joined by her husband Tony, who retrained from teacher to therapist during the pandemic.
In three years it grew from the pair, to over 20 therapists all working to support young people through mental health challenges, neurodiverse diagnosis and learning strategies.
Inspired by her experiences as a mother of two neurodivergent boys, Ms Chambers-Vallance
knew firsthand the challenges faced by families seeking support for their children’s mental
health.
So, she set out to build an innovative clinic that would provide not just clinical services, but
also a safe and inclusive environment where every child could grow, learn, and feel valued.
During her acceptance speech, Ms Chambers-Vallance said it was important to acknowledge not only her incredible team and family for their support but to the people who inspired the journey in the first place.
This included her late brother John, who was profoundly disabled but despite this, showed her what it is to fight everyday to live and to learn, as well as her parents who exemplified service and sacrifice which led to her becoming an advocate for education and disability support.
She also paid tribute to the many women who, like her, balance significant emotional and mental loads and manage their family and work lives every day.
“This victory is for all of us,” she said.
