For many, a promotion to CEO at 23 would have come as a daunting, bewildering move.
But for The University of Notre Dame Australia Communications and Behavioural Science alumna Sam Cook, her belief that we can make a difference drove her on with relentless passion.
“When I can advocate on behalf of others, I feel a deep sense of accomplishment that is often reflected in the roles I occupy. This passion has put me on a unique path to leadership,” Sam says.
After graduating in 2010, the recent graduate had been working in various marketing-related positions when she took on a volunteer role at One Disease, a not-for-profit with a vision to eliminate diseases from Australia, starting with scabies.
“I found I was doing more of my volunteer job than my day job and the founder noticed. He eventually offered me a full-time position within the organisation as CEO.”
“Mary Mackillop had a famous saying: “Never see a need without doing something about it”. This has always stuck with me. This internal confidence, like a fire burning in my belly, means I’m unrelenting with my convictions. Despite my naivety, I always believed that if there was a will, there was a way.”
Four years passed and Sam found herself in Bangkok for her husband’s work, travelling the world on a much-needed break, and developing the seeds of an idea that would later become an advisory and capital firm called TWIYO Capital (The World Is Your Oyster).
More recently, she also launched Flave, “a flavour-packed, fresh and convenient 100 per cent plant-based restaurant chain launching in Bondi this Summer. We’re on a quest to make it easier (and more delicious) for curious meat-eaters, flexitarians, as well as committed vegans to have a positive impact on the planet, one meal at a time.”
It’s in these ventures that Sam walks the walk. Her firm beliefs about what it means to be an ethical leader are instilled within her, constantly affecting the way she interacts with stakeholders, employees, and even friends and family.
“There is a saying, “you are the average of the company you keep”, and this is something I fundamentally believe in. If you surround yourself with people whose moral fortitude you applaud – from business advisors, employees, even friends – then no matter the issues or task at hand, you can rest assured that everyone is on the same page. Because of this, you can delegate more, micromanage less, and have full faith that your team will act in accordance with the values of the organisation,” Sam says.
This conviction to keep close those who align with her moral values is also evident when Sam discusses her university experience.
“When I was deciding which university to attend, one of the major drawcards for me was that each student, no matter which degree, had to complete a unit in Ethics, Philosophy and Theology. This meant that each student shared a common underpinning that was unique to us; only Notre Dame students completed this compulsory Core Curriculum and I liked that.
“I felt that it would give me an edge over other students when applying for jobs after graduation. My original assumption has been validated through my own personal career trajectory and is now known as ‘The Notre Dame Difference’.”
Sam admits that wisdom can only come from experience, but says that her time at Notre Dame helped her to develop a more mature view of the world.
“Not only was I trained to be a critical thinker, but also a compassionate one. Being in my early 20s and confronting existential questions that other students, or people in general, may never be exposed to, provided me with a solid framework to better understand and make decisions about the world around me.
“Like a sailor equipped with his/her tools to navigate the seas, Notre Dame equipped me with theoretical knowledge and, most importantly, soft skills like honesty, justice, respect, community and integrity. These are skills that I believe have set me apart from other leaders and are something I take pride in both personally and professionally.”
Sam’s people-focused approach to both her work and her life acutely epitomises Notre Dame’s emphasis on developing ethical leaders. This is evident in Sam’s commitment to advocacy and to giving a voice to those who have none. Her strong belief that individuals can affect real, tangible change and her conviction to – like Mary McKillop – never see a need without acting are illustrations of her true ethical leadership in action.
“Still, to this day, I find myself in positions where I advocate for others, both personally and professionally. I believe I have Notre Dame to thank for a lot of that.”