ALUMNUS INTERVIEW: Stella Petrou Concha, class of 1999

Alumnus Stella Petrou Concha is a passionate innovator, CEO, speaker, published author, mother and wife. Recently Stella returned to SPCC Waratah to share with the students in Middle School and Senior School. She reflected on her time at the College, her journey since graduation and the dreams she is still pursuing. After both presentations, Stella found herself surrounded by students who had questions and encouragements for this inspirational woman. We asked Stella to share more about her time at SPCC, her life and her business.

I’m currently…The CEO of Reo Group, a recruitment agency I Founded with my husband 13 years ago. I also sit on the Board of University Technology Transdisciplinary School of Strategic Innovation, I Chair a number of Executive Consortiums and have recently published a book!

I was at SPCC Newcastle from … 87 - 99

At school I was called Dr Goose. My nickname was goose and I wanted to be a Dr so that became my calling card. I have fond memories of Mr Evans calling me by my nickname. I’m not sure he ever called me Stella, but I did answer to Goose!

My best memory of SPCC …..the list is pretty long. All I can say is that my childhood is steeped in beautiful memories from SPCC. I love my school. If I was still in Newcastle, my kids would be there now.

A staff member that particularly impacted me was…Mrs O’Dea was a very special teacher in my life. She sponsored my development and gave me an inner resolve that pushed me to be the best I could be. Mrs Anschau-Roach was also a key influence in how she developed me from a below average English student to a leader in the class.

When I left school, I wanted to…be a doctor. I never thought I would be an entrepreneur and run a business in the corporate world.

Today I’m motivated/inspired by… the ideas of self mastery. I am motivated by helping people find the light within themselves to solve their life’s great problems and find joy in whatever scenario life has given them.

I never dreamed I would… be working in corporate Australia. I always thought I would have a clinical career in medicine. But everything I have ever dreamt of has come true which means I know I am on the path aligned with my inner light. I have a loving husband and 2 little girls. And I have just released a self mastery book which has been a life long dream since I was 12.

The biggest influence in my life... my tribe – the people I have around me. My faith, my family and the people that I call my candidates and clients.

I’m most proud of… Being an entrepreneur whilst having kids and bringing up two girls. I have been self-sustaining for 75% of my career. That’s a really hard thing to do when you are also having kids. To be the creator of your life and to make things work so there is income for you and your people. That’s been a huge challenge and so a huge achievement.

My greatest achievement is... writing a book, Stone Heart Light Heart, The Intelligence of Self Mastery. This is a lifelong dream that materialised last year and I am now enjoying the journey that the book is taking me on.

In the future I’d like to… Continue writing and teaching, talking to large groups of people and working with the worlds business schools, like INSEAD and HARVARD. I would love to do a PhD with one of the global business schools in the field of neuro-science or neuropsychology.

The best piece of advice I ever received... just let it go.

The thing I wish I had done but never got around to... go travelling. I haven’t been travelling yet. It has been work, work, work, kids, kids, kids. I guess I started Reo Group in my mid-twenties and then had kids so I missed out on taking a gap year to see the world. Hopefully I can do that in my forties.

One last thing... keep your dreams alive.