Gemma Mills is the Head of People & Purpose at Public Sector Network (PSN). I met Gemma many years ago in our hedonistic Sydney days on the summer dance festival scene. And later attended the launch of her yoga business The Secret Yoga Society in Bondi in 2016. Wow that was a long time ago!
Gemma has long been on a quest to help people. Her yoga events business was initially set up with the intention of solving loneliness and her current career in HR sees her responsible for 165 employees at PSN. She’s taken this one step further by taking the company through the rigorous exercise of gaining B Corp certification.
“Certified B Corporations, or B Corps, envision a better economic system where businesses can benefit people, communities, and the planet. They choose long-term investments over quick wins, and measure their success based on the positive impact they create.”
In this article Gemma talks to why B Corp is important to her and the leadership team at PSN. Plus how her mental wellbeing journey has recently found some much needed balance thanks to a well intentioned doctor. A reminder for us all to seek out medical professionals that we connect and align with, and not just take the first diagnosis.
1. In your own words Gemma what do you do? And what is Public Sector Network?
I take care of most things HR over at Public Sector Network. Public Sector Network is an accredited B Corporation and social learning platform, created to improve the lives of public sector employees, and the citizens they serve.
Our platform is exclusively for government professionals who want to learn through best practice, in a safe, secure network. And it exists to help governments around the globe break down silos, collaborate, and work together for better outcomes via learning opportunities, experiences and events, and connecting people with leading solution providers.
2. Can you tell me about your career this far?
Oh wow, career journey – I guess that’s what it is! Mine feels like a boiling pot of many ‘careers’ and ‘roles’.
I started off many moons ago in talent acquisition and graduate recruitment services. Whilst working there my love of yoga really took off and I trained to become a yoga teacher. I then set up my own yoga events company with a mission to combat loneliness, whilst teaching at some of Sydney’s best yoga studios and teaching corporate and private clients.
This was hugely rewarding but after 8 years and the impending lockdowns (Covid!) I began to rethink what I wanted from a career.
I retrained and studied Human Resources, and continue to study, and now I’m lucky enough to co-own Public Sector Network. The original founders, one of which transparently is my fiancé, asked me to start the HR function and thankfully it’s gone well and 4 years later here we are, with a growing team of 165 people around the globe.
3. Why did you decide for Public Sector Network to get B Corp Certified? What was the process like?
Becoming B Corp certified was really important to the owners. We wanted to be able to hold ourselves to a high standard of business, to have standards when things got tough, and to give each other permission to ask if decisions being made were living up to our values and our BCorp status.
We have just been re-certified as a B Corp, which means the world to us. The process is extremely in depth and for that I am grateful. There’s no room to hide. You must open your business and be fully transparent about everything from payroll details to who you do business with, your supply chain and your company policies.
It also highlights areas of improvement. And whilst we have this awesome certification and we’re proud to be part of this growing movement, there’s still so much more that can be done. So, part of my job moving forward from now until our next re-certification in 3 year’s time, is to rally the teams within PSN to generate ideas on how we can have more positive impact. How can we use our business, even more, as a force for good.
4. Have you had any challenges or setbacks you've had to overcome?
Many! I think the main one would be my health and mental health.
I have MDD, Major Depressive Disorder, (clinical depression) and so finding what treatment works best for me has been a journey.
Last year was particularly challenging at work and I ignored my body telling me it needed a break and pushed through, which is always a mistake! It inevitably came crashing down and I was forced to take time off and re-evaluate my medication and therapy options.
I’m weirdly grateful for that as it’s taught me a lot about who I am and what’s important to me.
The past few years have also been a wild ride of hormones and perimenopause, and being told that I’m “too young” to be experiencing what I am.
Questioning my reality was an interesting time until I was recommended an incredible doctor who simply listened and who’s goal, in her words, is ‘to bring people back into balance who are out of balance’. Out of balance sounds much softer than early menopause!
I know perimenopause is not a widely discussed topic (yet), especially in the working world but people who have spoken out about this have helped me enormously, so if I could be that person for someone that would be beautiful. You aren’t losing your marbles and there is help out there, trust how you’re feeling.
5. What does success look like to you?
Dogs, cats, travel, not worrying about finances, giving back to community, solid relationships and a healthy body and mind.
6. What drives you to do what you do?
I love feeling like I am helping people; I love to look after people.
7. What keeps you awake at night?
The inequalities and unfairness of the world. Women’s safety and the deep-rooted gender issues. Just the little things ;)
8. Do you have a daily ritual or any practices you incorporate into life?
I used to constantly try to be a morning person and do all the things that we’re told to do, stretch, meditate, drink the juiced veggies etc but I think I’ve finally accepted that, at 41, I am not that person.
My mornings are fluid and are different day to day but always involve coffee and walks with my two dogs and fiancé.
I love and thrive off a routine but I’m more of a day/night routine gal; gym or yoga at lunch, run or swim in the ocean after work. Then at night I try to put my phone away around 8pm have a hot shower, skincare and read a few chapters of a fiction book in bed. I find showering before bed helps me to put a full stop at the end of my day and reading fiction is my favourite thing. Reading before bed helps me to fall asleep and disconnect from my thinking brain.
9. How do you set your goals in business and in life?
I’m not good at looking too far into the future so 5 and 10 year plans overwhelm me. I have no idea what I want for dinner never mind know who I’ll be in 5 year’s time!
I set shorter term goals. I look at what projects are important to me this quarter, where do I want the business (from my perspective) to be in 3-6 months time and break it down from there.
I tend to have 3 days in the week for big project-based work and leave space in the other days for the inevitable ‘urgent’ things that come up.
I think you’re such a different person year on year that strict goals can be restrictive. I like to think I’m being open to opportunity and possibility and not just lazy!
10. What advice would you give someone starting out in their own business today?
Just go for it, start the business, no one really knows what they’re doing.
Start with community, build a network, on LinkedIn or Instagram if that’s your thing, go to events, reach out to people who have done what you want to do or are in the industry you like, 99% of people want to help others.
Not everything has to be forever and not everything has to be monetised. Just get out there, find out what piques your interest and makes you feel connected, whether that be community, other people, animals, the environment, anything!
11. What practical tools, podcasts, books would you recommend?
Podcasts
I am a podcast fiend! I devour them with ferocity. Some of my favourites:
Books
- Anything from Reece Witherspoon’s book club, or Trent Dalton.
Practical things
- Time blocking and turn off all notifications. I turned them off on holiday last year and never turned them back on. I (try and sometimes fail) to have time blocked out to check email and direct messages each day so I’m not constantly distracted.
- Schedule in your breaks, walks, gym into your work diary otherwise your day will be gone before you know it, and you’ll wonder where it went and why you feel like quitting. Rest and breaks are not to be underestimated!
12. What do you want your lasting impact to be?
Hmm, I think care and kindness if that can be an impact?
Yes I 100% think it can Gemma! Thank you for sharing your story.
If you’d like to contact Gemma about her recent journey in finding balance and all things perimenopause, she would be very happy to hear from you, please DM her on LinkedIn and reference this article.
