Earlier this year, marie claire partnered with Tech Ready Women to host a digital masterclass for women wanting to launch their start-up ideas. Our event was held at Dexus Place – a premium high-tech collaborative work space in Sydney’s CBD. The venue was chosen as it is specifically designed to foster innovation and drive productivity among entrepreneurs and small businesses. While we were there, we met Lauren Henry, the National Operations Manager for the venue, and asked her to share her learnings on moving up the corporate ladder at the Dexus Property Group (one of the largest property groups in the country) at the young age of 26.
Tell us about your role?
I work at Dexus as the National Operations & Major Accounts Manager for Dexus Place. Dexus Place is a state-of-the-art meeting, training, conference and event space that we offer to our tenant customers in Dexus buildings. As Australia’s largest ASX listed office owner and manager, it’s important that Dexus offers a range of solutions that provide our customers flexible solutions that help them to collaborate and grow. On a day to day basis, I deal with the teams onsite as well as engage with our current and prospective customers to understand their business requirements and work with them on finding flexible, cost-effective solutions to accommodate their needs.
You have had great success at a young age – what skills do you feel you needed to get there?
Hunger, experience and persistence. From a young age, my parents instilled the importance of experience when it comes to any career, so from the day I was legally able to work, I threw myself at everything I could! From a waitress, retail assistant and nanny to a marketing assistant within sporting events company – each job gave me specific skills to fill my ‘tool kit’ and by the time I started my degree at university, I was working full time at a PR company as an Account Executive managing eight accounts and attending lectures in my lunch breaks. This way I could apply all my learnings at university to real life scenarios.
What are you most proud of?
I’m extremely proud of how far I’ve come in my career in what would be considered a relatively short amount of time. At 26 years of age, I manage a national team of amazing individuals, creating an inspiring work environment that impacts the business outcomes of our customers.
What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve ever received?
Be hungry! Be hungry for experience, listen to others about their own experiences, and always take on a challenge – if you fail, fail fast and learn from it.
What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced or a moment of failure that you have learnt from?
In life there are always going to be challenges, but I think the lesson comes from how you deal with them. What I’ve learnt is that when it comes to your career, there are no ‘wrong’ moves, just opportunities to learn (and serve as a stepping stone until you meet the next challenge).
How are you empowering other women to follow in your footsteps?
I’m extremely lucky to be surrounded by a network of inspiring women every day – from my mother, grandmother, sister, girlfriends and colleagues. Collectively, the power of conversation and sharing our respective stories is what I think empowers them and me to keep striving and challenging ourselves.
Breakfast of champions:
If I have time: coffee + poached eggs with smashed avo and goat’s cheese. If I don’t: coffee and smoothie with whatever is in the fridge, to-go!
Best advice:
Never a mistake, always a lesson.
Hardest lesson:
Change is inevitable, but not everyone will embrace it.
Top interview tip:
Be professional and prepared. Do your homework to understand the company, its culture, as well as the role itself and come armed with questions.
Coffee order:
Soy cap please.
Wind down:
Re-runs of The OC, snuggled on the couch with a glass of red.
Reading list:
Sapiens by Yuval Noah Harari
marie claire!
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