Sadhana Smiles

Sadhana Smiles's Biography

Sadhana Smiles is a successful entrepreneur, disruptor and thought leader.

She has a strong voice on the issue of diversity and brings business and personal experience to the conversation.

Sadhana shares her challenges and struggles openly on how being born a woman in a culturally oppressive society impacted her.

In 2020 Sadhana Smiles launched the podcast Business in Colour and has interviewed many high profile leaders.

In 2008 Sadhana founded Links Fiji– a not for profit, focused on providing pap smears to women in remote Pacific Islands and in 2012 she bought “Walk a Mile in Their Shoes” to Victoria, getting 250+ men and women to walk a mile in Melbourne in high heels to support White Ribbon Australia.

In 2013 Sadhana published her first book “People Power – Did You Have Them @ Hello”, a step by step guide to developing and managing performance-driven team and in 2016 Sadhana wrote “I Want What She’s Having” a self-help journal to coach and mentor en masse, helping to discover who you are and what you stand for.

In 2013 Sadhana was named the Victorian Telstra Business Women of the Year, was named AFR/WBC One Hundred Women of Influence in Australia in 2016, and in 2017 Sadhana won the Victorian Leader/Manager of the Year with Institute of Managers and Leaders.

Sadhana led Harcourts Victoria to become the leading business unit globally within the group, the fastest franchise group in Australia, successfully increasing their market share over their competitors.

In 2017 she became a joint venture partner with Harcourts Group Australia in a Property Management business, Harcourts Move and in 2018 she saw an opportunity for a global role focusing on the investment sector going through rapid change.

In 2020 Sadhana took on the CEO role for the Real Estate Industry Partners with the purpose to unite the real estate industry to support the Australian economy and ensure the people working in the industry are working collaboratively to build a sustainable property future.

Sadhana is authentic, funny and resonates with audiences as they connect with her incredible story.

Speaking Topics Include

Blaze your own trail – how to make your mark in business and life

Sadhana Smiles is one of a handful of culturally and linguistically diverse leaders in the country, using her influential position to make a difference in Australia and Fiji.

She believes there are untapped opportunities in the business world today, where anyone at any level of the organisation can step up and become a leader for change.

We need empowered, driven, inclusive innovations but more importantly we need people to believe that they have the power to be heard and make a difference.

In this keynote Sadhana will give you the playbook for how to blaze “your” own trail and create your own career path by being brave enough to speak up and shake things up.

Sadhana arrived in Australia as a young 16-year-old migrant, with only one thought in her mind – freedom from a culturally oppressive environment.

Two years in boarding school, 1 year in TAFE and she made the decision to get married to stay in Australia. (as you do!)

In 6 short years she took on the role of CEO, won the Vic Telstra Business Woman award, was named one of 100 Women of Influence and turned Harcourts Victoria from a virtual unknown company to the fastest growing network in Australia.

Blaze your own trail is her journey, sharing her lightest and darkest days, rebuilding her life and relationships to become on of the most respected women in her industry and a role model to women in the many diverse communities in Australia.

The diversity and inclusion challenge – lessons from a migrant leader

Did you know that organisations that have a clear diversity and inclusion policy are 21% more profitable! So why are our organisations not embracing the change rapidly.

Sadhana Smiles believes if she can reach a leadership position in Australia, having landed on our shores (alone) at the ripe old age of 16 from Fiji, with no university degree and no real plan for her future then anything is possible for any of us!

Sadhana is one of a handful of culturally and linguistically diverse leaders in Australia. She is well known for challenging business leaders on their understanding of diversity and believes it’s not just about more women in leadership roles but about people who come in different packages – ethnicity, ability and sexuality.

Culturally diverse people often have double glazed glass ceilings to break through - one in their own culture and the other in their business.

In this challenging and riveting keynote, Sadhana shares with you the challenges she faced being born a woman in a culturally oppressive environment, the lessons learnt and her experiences arriving in Australia in the early 80’s.

Today Sadhana often finds herself in the “first and only” situations – being the only woman or the first woman of colour.

“All of these experiences have helped form the resilient and determined person I am today” says Sadhana. “ I have also used my difference to create a brand and competitive advantage for myself.”

Sadhana sits on the Bank of Melbourne Migrant and Multicultural Banking Committee to help them understand their customers and build stronger connections.

Sadhana is a board member of the Business Chicks Diversity Board.