Tumi Oni-Ukpong: Big 4 Professional (Career Break - New Mum) → Business Analyst at Australian Company

Tumi's story carries a big WOW factor. An articulate professional who had worked with one of the Big 4 consulting firms, she was coming off maternity leave and ready to explore a different career path. She came onboard and would do everything — even putting her baby on her back during classes so she could focus, sometimes standing to rock her baby while learning.

There were tough times. She had moments where family commitments meant she couldn't join sessions, but those are the things that humanise us. From January to August, the strategising continued. An interview in August/September at JD Sports didn't go as planned — and that setback hit home.

But the difference between successful people and those who stay stuck is usually not talent, luck, or even resources — it's consistent action despite discomfort. That's what Tumi displayed. Another interview opportunity presented itself because she didn't give up. She didn't postpone. She didn't say "oh well the year is almost over, I'll try again next year" — she could easily have said that, especially as a busy mum.

Tumi and her family drove 9 hours for this job interview. Talk about daring to believe. The story changed that week, with Tumi bagging a $140K+ Business Analyst role excluding superannuation.

Today the celebration isn't just about the job offer — it's about the display of resilience, grit, and the ability to carry on despite the challenges life threw. A big shout-out to her husband whose effort and support during this period didn't go unnoticed.