The 8th March is International Women’s Day. It’s a day we shine a light on women’s achievements and the growing movement towards a gender-equal world.
To celebrate, we caught up with Dayle Peacocke, who is the owner of Astra Apartments New Zealand. She talks about how leading by example will help empower the next generation.
“To me, equality means having the same opportunities as my male counterparts and that my views and actions are valued and considered equally.”
Personally, equality has always been something I have taken for granted. I have never let it hold me back or limit my choices. For some years my preference was to be a stay at home mother guiding and inspiring my children to be the best they could. However, I always felt there was going to be another chapter and this came when I turned 50. There were fewer demands on my time as they were growing up, and I found myself ready to channel my energy in a different direction and hopefully inspire my children in new ways.
Around this time, my husband and I caught up with the owners of Astra Apartments in Australia. Astra Apartments was going global and there was an opportunity to buy the rights for New Zealand. I was at the table, as a completely even player and the opportunity surged a new lease of life. So I grabbed it with both hands and took the plunge.
Leading by example
Combining my property management skills acquired in a part-time real estate role and the planning, budgeting, time management, strategy, peacemaking, and negotiating skills learned from juggling a family of six, I was ready for whatever the business might throw at me.
I launched Astra Apartments New Zealand in Auckland in November 2018 and am in the process of rolling it out around the country. Having built Astra New Zealand from the ground up, I now have a thriving business I can be proud of. I am fortunate to be part of a brand that has no boundaries or glass ceilings based on gender so I have been able to do this all as a woman.
Every day I am meeting or talking to people from all walks of life as we work hard to make our apartments attractive to relocating or project executives, both local and global. And what’s most pleasing, is to see the increasing number of corporate women staying in my executive apartments. It is a firm indication that times are changing and that more companies from around the world are working towards equal opportunity. Assigning work based on capability, not gender.
Although my experience with equality is a positive one, there is still a long way to go. So many women across the globe still do not have some of the basic human rights that we take for granted here in Australia, and I am hoping that by inspiring my children to make their own choices and strive for whatever they want without artificial boundaries, I am encouraging the next generation to work towards eradicating in-equality.
As women, mothers, and as business owners, I believe we need to drive home this message to the next generation and play our part by, leading by example and reinforcing the basic human right of gender equality.
Astra Apartments has given me an extraordinary opportunity and I’m writing a whole new chapter. Having lived all over the world, I am now back in my homeland, and reconnecting with NZ has been really exciting and motivating. I regularly catch up with my parents, I am appreciating and respecting the Kiwi culture in a way I never did before – their racial integrity and concern for the environment are seen in everything they (and we) do – I’m loving it!
Dayle is one representative from our growing tribe of incredible Women in Business at Astra Apartments. However, we have many more inspiring women making their mark.
Astra Apartments Adelaide – Rebecca Johns
Astra Apartments Canberra – Jeanette Adams
Astra Apartments Newcastle – Emma Hunting
Astra Apartments Neutral Bay / Mosman – Kerry Harmes
Astra Apartments Norwest Hills District – Carolyn Ryan
Astra Apartments Perth – Emma Culley
Astra Apartments Rhodes – Sima Crothers
Astra Apartments Wollongong & Sutherland Shire – Amanda Wilhare