THE Swan Chamber of Commerce March Hour of Power featured speakers Steve Thomas and Robyn Hixon sharing stories about keeping a positive attitude and growing from failure.

Mrs Hixon, a field officer at Mates in Construction, said the invitation to speak was itself a lesson in underestimating yourself.

“I was quite shocked I got asked to speak because there are always such incredible speakers with amazing businesses and huge achievements and I honestly thought, ‘Well, what have I got to offer this room?’” she said.

“But power can mean many things and my power wasn’t in my job title, bank balances or business empires – my power was being myself.”

Growing up the eldest of seven on a council estate in England, Mrs Hixon said she had an abundance of love despite the economic hardship.

Academic life wasn’t a good fit and she was later diagnosed with ADHD so she entered the trades and discovered a love for working with her hands.

She was saving to travel when, at 25, she received a stage 3 cervical cancer diagnosis.

“Cancer doesn’t just disappear when the treatment ends,” she said.

“It changes the way you see everything.”

The experience became a turning point.

After confessing to a friend that she felt she’d wasted her life and had no talents or direction, she received words that stayed with her.

“He actually said, ‘You’ve got one of the rarest talents and skills there is – your care factor, the way you are with people, your love, your kindness, your understanding, and it’s a skill many don't have’.”

She encouraged anyone feeling lost to recognise that every job, mistake and experience is building something.

“Don’t underestimate your power,” she said.

Mr Thomas, director of Train and Retain, echoed that message through his own story of losing a bricklaying business and rebuilding through mentorship.

His company’s apprentice retention rate sits at 70–75 per cent which he said is well above the national 50 per cent and he credits it to a simple philosophy.

“Number one is to look after your people and the rest will just fall into place,” he said.

“Other labour companies might have a sink or swim mentality with their staff, but we always have a dedicated field officer and I’m still hands-on myself.

“We turn up to site every day, we live on the sites, we’re there as pastoral care for all our people and if people who work for us have any problems, they’ll come to us.

“Don't be greedy, be persistent and just always turn up.”