Why?, you ask. Well, to answer that we need to tell you about a shared childhood memory. You see, growing up, our lunch boxes weren’t like everyone else’s. The packs our parents lovingly created for us were often met with cries of “what’s that smell?”.

Decades later, working in the fields of marketing and communications, this feeling hasn’t completely faded. According to the Advertising Council Australia’s Create Space study, even though 29% of those starting out in the industry are from ethnic minority backgrounds, only 12% of the C-Suite are.

The obvious question is, Why? After all, there are myriad benefits that diversity enables, including profits, performance, innovation, and creativity. And what of the people we risk losing? Those who feel compelled to leave our industry because they no longer see a future in it. Not because of the talent they possess, but because of where they’re from.

That’s why we started Smelly Lunch Stories.

We’re here to find, share, and amplify stories of those who have made it to the top. We want to give oxygen to these experiences in order to inspire the next generation.

Our first event will be held at Kyiv Social, on October 31. For more information, head to our events page, or click here for tickets.

So pull up a seat and join the conversation.

An, Linda, Michelle, and Graham
Founders, Smelly Lunch Stories